Etymologically
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maccus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈmak.kʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈmak.kus][1]

Forms

maccus m (genitive maccī); second declension[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2][1] The OLD compares Ancient Greek μακκοάω (makkoáō, “to be stupid”);[2] Köbler derives it from an unattested Greek word for “fool”, related to that verb, whose own origin is unknown.[3] Wiktionary suggests μῶκος (môkos, “mockery”),[1] which Lewis & Short had compared, together with a Sanskrit word for “dumb”.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded in a fragment of Suetonius, which names the maccus among the Oscan characters of the Atellan farce.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The maccus was one of the stock clowns of the Atellan farces;[2][4] the grammarian Diomedes repeats that these plays brought on Oscan characters such as the maccus.[4] Apuleius uses the plural for fools, pairing maccī with buccōnēs.[2][4]

Timeline

  • c. 75–150 – Suetonius names the maccus as a character of the Atellan farce.[2][3]
  • c. 125–175 – Apuleius uses it for fools.[2][4][3]
  • second half of the 4th century – Diomedes lists it among the Oscan characters of the Atellan plays.[4][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A clown, a stock character of the Atellan farce.[2][4]
  2. A fool, simpleton.[2][4]
  • buccō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press