ohe

Forms

ōhē or ŏhē (interjection)^[2][3] The quantity of the first syllable varies in verse, and Martial uses both in one poem.^[2][4] Some manuscripts of the Querolus write oe.^[4]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.^[2][4] The OLD suggests that it may be the same as Ancient Greek ὠή (ōḗ),^[2] Köbler compares the Greek word and eho,^[5] and the TLL compares the Greek interjection while noting that its force and use differ.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus on,^[5] calling on someone to stop: ohe, iam satis, “hey, that's enough”, and ohe, inquam, si quid audis, “hey, I say, if you hear anything”.^[6][7]

Semantic evolution

It is often followed by iam or iam satis (ohe, iam desine, “hey, stop now”).^[2][7] It also expresses impatient protest in general, as in Plautus' ohe, odiose facis, “hey, you're being a nuisance”, and in Terence.^[2] Horace writes ohe, iam satis est in the Satires,^[3][6] and Martial ends a poem by calling to his book ohe, iam satis est, ohe, libelle.^[7][2] The grammarians Charisius and Priscian list it among the interjections, and Charisius, following Romanus, as a word of calling or answering beside heus.^[4] A medieval British poem by John of Garland has it as a cry of fear.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in calling on someone to stop.^[6][5]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it in impatient protest.^[2][5]
• 65–8 BC – Horace writes ohe, iam satis est.^[3][5]
• 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it to his book.^[7][5]

Meanings

Interjection

1. A call to stop: hey! enough! (often with iam or iam satis).^[2][6][7]
2. Expressing impatience or protest.^[2]
3. (Medieval Latin) Expressing fear.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
4. ^ a b c d e Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
8. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press