Thus young fig trees are called. The young growths [are called]
moschidia. Also the tender and young withy[1] [is called a] shoot.[2]
Homer [writes]: "with withy shoots."[3]
*mosxi/dia su/kwn: ou(/tw kalou=ntai ai( ne/ai sukai=. mosxi/dia de\ ta\ ne/a blasth/mata. kai\ h( a(palh\ kai\ ne/a lu/gos mo/sxos. *(/omhros: mo/sxoisi lu/goisi.
The headword, a diminutive of
mo/sxos later in the entry (see LSJ s.v., and cognates at
mu 1273,
mu 1274,
mu 1275, and
mu 1277) is a neuter noun in the nominative/vocative/ plural; see LSJ s.v.
mosxi/dion. The headword phrase itself is an approximation of one in
Aristophanes,
Acharnians 996 (web address 1): the chorus-leader promises
ne/a mosxi/dia suki/dwn (
young shootlets of fig trees), after the chorus has invoked the name of
*diallagh/ (
Reconciliation), from Aphrodite's divine retinue; cf.
delta 613 and
chi 120.
[1] According to LSJ, the
lu/gos (also
a)/gnos at
alpha 279, but cf.
alpha 280) is
Vitex agnus-castus (Polunin no. 1087), a shrub native to the Mediterranean region whose fruit was used to season food. It was believed that Vitex had medicinal properties affecting fertility and libido; it is commonly known as the
chaste tree, chasteberry, or monk's pepper. Although not a
willow (
Salix spp., see Polunin pp. 43-6),
lu/gos is sometimes so rendered into English (Hainsworth, p. 237), and the pliant branches of both plants were used to weave baskets.
[2] The prior glosses are from the
scholia to
Aristophanes,
Acharnians 995 (web address 1).
[3]
Homer,
Iliad 11.105 (web address 2), on Achilles tying up two of the sons of Priam; cf. already
lambda 771 and
lambda 780.
O. Polunin, Flowers of Europe, London: Oxford University Press, 1969
J.B. Hainsworth, The Iliad: A Commentary, vol. III, gen. ed. G.S. Kirk, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993
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