erẽple/i-
‘deity (vel sim.)’
- Language
- Lycian
- Grammar
- subst
- ID
- 760
1. Individual Anatolian Languages
1.1 Lycian A
erẽple/i-
‘deity (vel sim.)’1.1.1Transmission
This attestation is found in a new decree inscription from Limyra, first published in Christiansen 2012a.
[D.S.]
1.1.2Forms
| unknown | erẽpl[.] | N 337.2 (Limyra) |
The context is too fragmentary to restore any putative grammatical ending.
[D.S.]
1.1.3Meaning
Christiansen 2012a:10, 14 compares rightly the word erẽpl[.] with the Lycian B noun erẽple/i-, but translates it as ‘mighty’, following an unfounded suggestion coming from Shevoroshkin apud Neumann 2007a:66. For the meaning ‘deity’, see under the Lycian B entry.
[D.S.]
1.2 Lycian B
erẽple/i-
‘deity (vel sim.)’1.2.1Transmission
This lexeme is found on the inscribed pillar of Xanthos, dated contextually to shortly after the ascension of Artaxerxes II in 405-404 BCE., and stylistically around 400 BCE. (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.).
[D.S.]
1.2.2Forms
| dat. sg. | erẽpli | TL 44c.63-64 (Xanthos) |
| acc. pl. | erẽpliz | TL 44c.36 (Xanthos) |
| dat. pl. | erẽple | TL 44c.59 (Xanthos) |
1.2.3Meaning
Based on the context of TL 44c.36, Hajnal 1995a:236 translates erẽple/i- ‘god, deity’, comparing phrases such as Lyc. B uwedriz… masaiz (TL 44d.14) with uwedris erẽpliz, but this can be further supported. In TL 44c.59, the erẽpli-deities are said to be trujele ‘furious’, an adjective found modifying the god Natri ‘Apollo’ at the beginning of the same poem (TL 44c.34) and the reason for Gergis giving them an offering in compensation. In TL 44c.36, the erẽpli-deities are called qetbeleime/i- ‘invigorating’ and are summoned by the Storm-god, immediately before he addresses the assembly of gods.
trqqiz=kke=pe me=de zppli xixbati qetbeleimis si=ke tesi uwedris erẽpliz sebe leli pinati masasi tulijel![i] (TL 44c.34-36)
‘The Storm-god, on the other hand, summons for the zppli and for this oath all invigorating erẽpliz and then he grants speech in the assembly of gods.’
Therefore, erẽple/i- must refer to some kind of gods, which is why the translation ‘deity (vel sim.)’ suggested by Hajnal is accepted here. No semantic assignment is offered by Melchert (DLL:115). Schürr 2016d:159 does not offer any translation either, but suspects that the word refers to an animate being. For mere speculations on the semantics of erẽple/i- see Shevoroshkin 2002a:228 and Shevoroshkin 2011a:29, and for an overview of the older literature see Neumann 2007a:66.
[D.S.]
1.2.4Origin
No etymology possible.
[D.S.]