heia
Pronunciation
Forms
heia (interjection)[2] It is also spelled eia.[2][3]
Etymology
It is borrowed from Ancient Greek εἶα (eîa, “come on!”).[2]
Earliest recorded meaning
Plautus uses it first, as in the Amphitruo, where one speaker objects, "enemies, indeed?", to another's talk of enemies.[2]
Semantic evolution
It is an exclamation for several attitudes.[2] It can express protest, as in Plautus' Amphitruo and Asinaria (heia, bene dīcite, "come, speak kindly"),[2] or reluctant agreement: in Cicero's De re publica a speaker says that he will humour the others and soil himself knowingly.[2] It also expresses astonishment or delight, as in Plautus' "what a body!" and "this is sweeter than sweet honey!", and in Terence's "how elegant!"[2] Most often it urges someone on: Ennius has heia māchaerās, "out swords!", Virgil heia age, rumpe morās, "come on, break off delay", and hostis adest, heia, "the enemy is here, up!", and Persius heia surge, "come on, get up".[2] Wiktionary also gives a doubting "you don't say?".[1]
Timeline
- c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of protest and astonishment.[2]
- 204–169 BC – Ennius, "out swords!".[2]
- 190–159 BC – Terence of delight.[2]
- 81–43 BC – Cicero of reluctant agreement.[2]
- 70–19 BC – Virgil, "come on, break off delay".[2]
- 34–62 AD – Persius, "come on, get up".[2]
Meanings
Interjection
- (protest) Come now!, indeed?[2]
- (concession) Well then![2]
- (astonishment, delight) Aha!, oh![2][1]
- (urging) Come on!, up![2][1]
- (doubt) You don't say?[1]