ebuθis-

This word is attested in a grave inscription.

[D.S.]

nom. sg. c.

ebuθis

N 332.3 (Korba)

Neumann 2000a:185 interprets ebuθis as a divine name of a local god (followed by Gehrisch 2018a:204 and Christiansen 2019b:89 and again Christiansen 2020a:230), comparing its morphology with the one of hppñterus. Eichner 2005a:25 with n. 126 takes the word [.]budi (restored there as [e]budi) to be the derivational base of ebuθis-, assuming an ethnicon suffix in -is- based on the genitival adjective in -ehe/i- (with syncope). Schürr (apud Eichner ibid. and Schürr 2014a:756) compares the Lycian ethnicon kerθθis- ‘from Kerdisos’ and sees in ebuθis- an ethnicon based on a non-attested toponym. However, if Lyc. B ebudi means ‘here’, the formation ebuθis- must simply refer to the local eti, and consequently the meaning of the deity eti ebuθis would be ‘the indigenous father’ (i.e. an old cult as opposed to a foreign or newly arrived one). The syntax “subs. + verb + modifying adjective” is comparable with that of m(e)=ẽne=mahãi : tubeiti : nelezi (TL 72) ‘the gods of the agora will destroy him’, m(e)=ene itlehi tubeiti trm͂mili huwedri (TL 88.5) ‘all the Lycian members of the jury(?) will destroy him’, m(e)=ene : mãhãi : tubeiti wedrẽñni (TL 101.4-5) ‘The gods of Rhodiapolis(?) will destroy him’, s(e)=ene=teseti : tubeiti : trm͂mili (TL 135.2) ‘the Lycian oaths will destroy him’. Therefore, ebuθis should not be taken as a name (pace Neumann ibid.), but rather as an adjective modifying eti.

[D.S.]

On the stem in -is-, see under Meaning as well as Schürr 2017-2018a:262.

[D.S.]