κηλέω

Forms

κηλέω (kēléō) ^[1]

Etymology

It is a deverbative verb of unclear origin.^[2] Since Bugge it has generally been compared with a Germanic verb of somewhat different meaning, Old English hōlian (“to slander”) and Old High German huolen (“to deceive”), from which the Greek verb can mechanically be derived as well, from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂l-.^[3][2] Latin calvor (“to deceive”), with calumnia (“trickery, false accusation”), differs in form but matches the Germanic words closely in sense.^[3][2] Wiktionary reconstructs *ḱeh₁l- (“to beguile, deceive”) and adds Welsh celwydd (“lie”).^[1]

The LIV, the standard dictionary of Indo-European verbal roots, sets up *ḱelh₁- (“to tempt, enchant, deceive”), with a Narten present, and Beekes thinks it does so only to link the verb with the root “to call”, which he finds unwarranted.^[3][4] Prellwitz suggested, as an alternative, a link with κέλαδος (kélados) and καλέω (kaléō, “to call”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The verb is first found in Archilochus, who has someone “charmed by songs”, and in Pindar.^[5] The noun κηληθμός (kēlēthmós, “enchantment”) is older: in the Odyssey Odysseus' tale holds his hearers spellbound.^[6]

Semantic evolution

The word was originally distinct from θέλγω (thélgō), which first concerned sight: κηλέω is charming with songs or words, and it is used of the Sirens and of snake-charming.^[6] Euripides uses it of charming a maiden with hymns, and the comic poet Eupolis says that Pericles charmed his audience in this way.^[5] Plato uses it of charming with the voice like Orpheus, of charming by incantation, and of a man bewitched by pleasure.^[5][7] In Plato, Aeschines and Demosthenes it also takes a bad sense, of people lulled by gifts and pleasures.^[5][7] Plato's Laws uses it of gods won over by gifts, and once, in a letter of Plato, it has a good sense, a mind charmed by education.^[5][7]

Derived words include κήλησις (kḗlēsis, “charming”) and κήλημα (kḗlēma, “a charm”), and the Κηληδόνες, mythical singers like the Sirens in Pindar.^[6]

Timeline

• Homer – The Odyssey has the derived noun κηληθμός, the spell of a story.^[6]
• 7th century BC – Archilochus uses the passive of being charmed by songs.^[5][8]
• 5th century BC – Euripides uses it of charming with hymns, and Eupolis of Pericles' oratory.^[5][8]
• 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses it of charming with the voice, by incantation, by pleasure and by gifts.^[5][7][8]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle uses the passive of men charmed by the Sirens.^[5][8]

Meanings

Verb

1. To charm, bewitch, put in a trance, especially with music or song.^[5][7]
2. Of speakers, to captivate, hold spellbound with words.^[7][5]
3. To beguile or lull, in a bad sense; in the passive, to be won over by gifts or pleasures.^[7][5]
4. (rare) To charm in a good sense.^[5]

Word family

• κηληθμός (kēlēthmós)
• κήλησις (kḗlēsis)
• κήλημα (kḗlēma)
• εὐκηλήτειρα (eukēlḗteira)

Related words

• Latin calvor
• Latin calumnia

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
3. ^ a b c 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
4. ^ Rix, Helmut, et al. (2001), Lexikon der indogermanischen Verben, 2nd ed., Wiesbaden: Reichert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d Chantraine, Pierre (2009), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque: histoire des mots, new ed. with a supplement (Chroniques d'étymologie grecque 1–10), Paris: Klincksieck
7. ^ a b c d e f g Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
8. ^ a b c d Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge