Another Avatar of Mātariśvan? On the Hesychian Gloss Ἴθας, Ἴθαξ (ι 387 L)

TY - GEN

T1 - Another Avatar of Mātariśvan? On the Hesychian Gloss Ἴθας, Ἴθαξ (ι 387 L)

AU - Massetti, Laura

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - The ancient lexicographer Hesychius (ι 387 L) preserves an isolated tradition on a character named Íthas or Íthaks, namely: ‘herald of the Titans, Prometheus’. I propose that Íthas and Íthaks reflect substantivizations or transferred epithets, which can be traced back to IE *h2ei̯dh “to kindle,” cf. αἴθω “to kindle.” The association between ‘kindling / producing warmth’ and Prometheus results consistent with Prometheus’ role in the fire-myth. In Hesiod, he steals fire using a “hollow fennel stalk”; therefore, he is considered the inventor of fire sticks by later authors, (Diod. 5.67.2). The association between Íthas/Íthaks (: Prometheus) and the function “herald” can be understood referring to two striking traits Prometheus has in common with Mātariśvan, the protagonist of the Vedic fire-theft episode: Mātariśvan, who is often identified with the fire-god Agni, is called “messenger.” Furthermore, the discovery of fire is connected with the act of kindling, denoted by Ved. sam edh (cf. samídh “fire stick”), etymologically related to Gk. aíthō and, consequently, to Íthas/Íthaks.

AB - The ancient lexicographer Hesychius (ι 387 L) preserves an isolated tradition on a character named Íthas or Íthaks, namely: ‘herald of the Titans, Prometheus’. I propose that Íthas and Íthaks reflect substantivizations or transferred epithets, which can be traced back to IE *h2ei̯dh “to kindle,” cf. αἴθω “to kindle.” The association between ‘kindling / producing warmth’ and Prometheus results consistent with Prometheus’ role in the fire-myth. In Hesiod, he steals fire using a “hollow fennel stalk”; therefore, he is considered the inventor of fire sticks by later authors, (Diod. 5.67.2). The association between Íthas/Íthaks (: Prometheus) and the function “herald” can be understood referring to two striking traits Prometheus has in common with Mātariśvan, the protagonist of the Vedic fire-theft episode: Mātariśvan, who is often identified with the fire-god Agni, is called “messenger.” Furthermore, the discovery of fire is connected with the act of kindling, denoted by Ved. sam edh (cf. samídh “fire stick”), etymologically related to Gk. aíthō and, consequently, to Íthas/Íthaks.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Fire-myth

KW - Prometheus

KW - Hermes

KW - Indo-European

KW - Hesychius

KW - Mythology

M3 - Article in proceedings

SP - 147

EP - 162

BT - Proceedings of the 29th Annual UCLA Indo-European Conference

A2 - Goldstein, David

A2 - Jamison, Stephanie

A2 - Vine, Brent

PB - Hempen Verlag

CY - Bremen

ER -