βλέπω

Forms

βλέπω (blépō) ^[1] A variant γλέπω (glépō) is recorded, and Macedonian has Ancient Macedonian γλέπου (glépou).^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Hellenic *gʷlépō, of unclear further origin.^[1] Beside it stands γλέπω (glépō), as γλέφαρον (glépharon) stands beside βλέφαρον (blépharon, “eyelid”), and Macedonian had Ancient Macedonian γλέπου (glépou).^[2] The variation was once explained by an initial labiovelar with an irregular development, but Beekes takes it as a sign of a substrate word and considers the verb probably Pre-Greek, related to the noun for the eyelid.^[2] Hamp proposed a root Proto-Indo-European *gʷlep- (“to look”), without cognates outside Greek.^[1]

The DGE and Babiniotis mention a compound behind παραβλῶπες (parablôpes), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷel- (“to throw”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ- (“eye”), “throwing the eye”.^[3][4] The 9th-century grammarian Choeroboscus derived it from βάλλω (bállō, “to throw”) and the eyes.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Homer has βλέφαρον (blépharon) but not the verb, except in the mock-epic Battle of Frogs and Mice.^[6] It is first found in Solon, in the sense “to look to” something, and in Semonides of having the power of sight.^[2][6][7]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Greek it meant to have the power of sight, as opposed to being blind, and in tragedy “to see the light”, that is, to be alive.^[7][6] It is mostly a verb of looking: to look in a direction, to look to the gods or to a leader for help, to look forward to something.^[6][7] With an accusative it gave the look of a feeling: Aeschylus speaks of looking terror, and comedy of looking fire or a bitter spice.^[7] Places and laws “look” in a direction.^[7] LSJ notes that it was distinguished from ὁράω (horáō), to perceive.^[6] Astrologers used it of signs in aspect.^[6]

In the New Testament it is common for seeing, and in the imperative for “beware”.^[8][6] Medieval Greek kept it with dialect forms, and in Modern Greek βλέπω (vlépo) is the ordinary verb for “to see”, with the aorist είδα (eída) taken from the old aorist of ὁράω.^[9][10]

Timeline

• 7th–6th century BC – Solon uses it in the sense “to look to”.^[6][2][3]
• 7th–6th century BC – Semonides uses it of the faculty of sight.^[7][3]
• 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it of seeing the light, being alive.^[6][3]
• 1st century AD – The Gospel of Mark uses it in the sense “beware”.^[6][8]
• 2nd century AD – Ptolemy uses it of signs in astrological aspect.^[6][3]
• Modern Greek – It is the common verb for seeing.^[10]

Meanings

Verb

1. To see, to have the power of sight, as opposed to being blind.^[6][7]
2. To be alive, to see the light of day.^[7][6]
3. To look in a direction or at something.^[6][7]
4. To look to someone for help or guidance, to rely on.^[6][7]
5. To have a certain look, with an adverb or an accusative of the feeling shown.^[7]
6. Of places, to face in a direction.^[7]
7. (New Testament) To beware, take care.^[6][8][7]
8. (astrology) Of signs, to be in aspect.^[6]

Word family

• βλέμμα (blémma)
• βλέψις (blépsis)

Related words

• βλέφαρον (blépharon)

Usage notes

LSJ distinguishes it, “to see”, from ὁράω (horáō), “to perceive, be aware of”, citing Plotinus.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
4. ^ Babiniotis, Georgios (2010), Ετυμολογικό λεξικό της νέας ελληνικής γλώσσας [Etymological Dictionary of Modern Greek], Athens: Κέντρο Λεξικολογίας
5. ^ Etygram: ancient etymologies of Greek words, CEPAM, Université Côte d'Azur, http://appsweb-cepam.unice.fr/etygram
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
8. ^ a b c Bauer, Walter; Danker, Frederick W., et al. (2000), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press
9. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
10. ^ a b Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki