For the other forms of this verb see tau 435. The present entry is also in the Synagoge (tau128 Cunningham), Photius' Lexicon (tau209 Theodoridis), and Etymologicum Gudianum epsilon566.17; cf. also the D scholia to Homer, Iliad 1.467, with the gloss kateskeu/azon, the verb used in the glosses by Eustathius, Commentary on the Iliad 1.209.18; Herodian, *parekbolai/ 20.30. Hesychius has h(toima/zonto (tau673).
The form is apparently a third person plural of the Homeric reduplicated aorist middle (Chantraine, Grammaire homérique p. 396, but the kappa in the stem is unexplained and suggests an odd back-formation from the perfect passive; cf. tau 420) of the transitive verb teu/xw 'prepare' (tau 435). It is used only of preparing food, usually in the Homeric formulaic phrase au)ta\r e)pei\ [= oi( d' e)pei\ ou)=n] pau/santo po/nou tetu/konto/ te dai=ta 'but when they stopped their labour and had (a meal) prepared for them' (Iliad 1.467, 2.430, 7.319, Odyssey 16.478, 24.384, cf. 8.61, 12.307, 20.390).
The following other forms of this aorist are found in Homer: active infinitive (with the cooks as subject): tetukei=n, Odyssey 15.77, 94; middle infinitive tetuke/sqai 21.428; first person plural of the subjunctive or optative middle: tetukw/meqa/ -oimeqa 14.408, 12.283. In all instances of the middle, those who are to eat arrange for others to prepare the meal. (The future middle is also used in this sense at Iliad 19.208.) In the two instances in the active, the cooks prepare the meal.