The third day of the [sc. new] moon.[1]
Aristophanes [writes]:[2] "take courage, you will be on time[3] even if you come the day after tomorrow." Meaning up to the third [day]. "For I know these people, voting quickly, but then, whatever they decide, rescinding it."
*)/enh: h( tri/th th=s selh/nhs. *)aristofa/nhs: qa/rsei, katateu/ch|, ka)\n e)/nhs e)/lqh|s. a)nti\ tou= ei)s tri/ton. oi)=da ga\r tou/tous xeirotonou=ntas me\n taxu\ a(/tt' a)\n do/ch| kai\ tau=ta pa/lin a)rnoume/nous.
This headword, with its smooth breathing, is used for the day after tomorrow or for the last day of a three-day grace period (cf.
epsilon 1294). It is correctly distinguished from the same word with a rough breathing, 'belonging to the previous cycle, i.e. month or year' (web address 1), at the end of
epsilon 1296 and in
Hesychius (epsilon2996, 2989, 2999), but our texts of the Suda incorrectly read the smooth breathing instead of the rough at
epsilon 1292,
epsilon 1293 and (!)
epsilon 1296. This both reflects ancient confusion and leads to modern confusion.
[1] This definition is probably an error for
h( triaka\s th=s selh/nhs at
Etymologicum Magnum 340.55f., 'the 30th. day of the month', i.e. the 29th., in a definition of
e(/nh kai\ ne/a (cf.
epsilon 1292,
epsilon 1293,
epsilon 1296), defined as the Athenian name for the
triaka/s by
Photius (
Lexicon mu276.27-277.10). It may, however, suggest that the first three days of the month were a grace period for fulfilling obligations normally due on the first. The genitive
e)/nhs and prepositional phrases
ei)s tri/thn, ei)s e)/nhn (
epsilon 1294,
epsilon 1296) suggest such a period ("any time up to the third").
[2] An approximation of
Aristophanes,
Ecclesiazusae [
Assemblywomen] 796-97, spoken by the First Man ("The Selfish Man"), with the omission of a brief interjection by the Second Man ("the Neighbour"). He suggests that the Second Man does not need to hand over his property immediately under the edict of Praxagora (588-602: web address 2). There is no mention of the month or new moon in
Aristophanes.
[3] This reading is not found in our mss, which have
kataqh/seis, 'you will deposit', echoing the verb used by Praxagora and the Second Man for surrendering one's goods to the state (602, 607, 769, 795). The use of the future of
tugxa/nw or
katatugxa/nw would be, however, fully appropriate, indeed perhaps better, in the sense of succeeding in fulfilling a goal with a little bit of luck (
tau 3344,
sigma 1639,
eta 286); cf. A.W. Gomme, "to arrive at exactly the expected time was to some extent fortuitous and fortunate" (
Commentary on Thucydides 3.488).
David Whitehead (modified n.2; other cosmetics) on 12 February 2003@06:42:36.
Robert Dyer (Added ref to E.M.) on 12 February 2003@07:31:56.
Robert Dyer (added speculation on lunar months) on 12 February 2003@11:01:01.
Robert Dyer (simplified note 1) on 13 February 2003@12:01:28.
Robert Dyer (added x-ref to epsilon 1296) on 13 February 2003@12:10:10.
Robert Dyer (Finally I have it straight! (I think)) on 13 February 2003@15:39:15.
Catharine Roth (cosmeticule) on 29 April 2007@01:52:11.
David Whitehead (more keywords) on 29 April 2007@04:14:15.
Catharine Roth (adjusted link) on 29 April 2007@12:03:04.
David Whitehead (cosmetics) on 26 August 2012@06:43:51.
David Whitehead (coding and other cosmetics) on 11 January 2016@08:24:19.
Catharine Roth (cosmeticule, upgraded link) on 17 March 2017@01:56:53.
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