δεσπότης Ancient Greek · revision 2211

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=7th century BC, Archilochus|origins=ine-pro *déms pótis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /des.pó.tɛːs/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ðesˈpo.tis/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ðesˈpo.tis/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''δεσπότης''' (despótēs) ''m'' (genitive δεσπότου, feminine δέσποινᾰ or δεσπότῐς or δεσπότειρᾰ or δεσπότρῐᾰ); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Doric δεσπότας, Ionic genitive δεσπότεω and accusative δεσπότεα.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ Perhaps Mycenaean [[m|gmy|do-po-ta]].^(DGE)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|grk-pro|*déspotis]],^(Wiktionary) [[inh|ine-pro|*déms pótis|t=master of the house]], an old phrase that became a single word in Greek.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary) The first part is the genitive of the Indo-European word for “house” (see [[δόμος|tr=dómos]]), and the second the word for “master” also seen in [[πόσις|tr=pósis|t=husband]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Benveniste took the first part to be the zero grade of an s-stem instead,^(Frisk 1960) and Πάπυρος reports a derivation from the root of [[δέμω|tr=démō|t=to build]].^(Πάπυρος) As a compound the word passed from the i-stem of πόσις to the ā-stem declension of masculines in -της.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ It matches Sanskrit [[m|sa|दम्पति|tr=dámpati|t=lord of the house]], which also occurs split into its two parts, and Avestan has a matching phrase.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) If [[gmy|do-po-ta]] on the Mycenaean tablets is the same word, it points to *d(o)ms-pot-, with dissimilation of o–o to e–o in later Greek.^(DGE) The feminine [[δέσποινα|tr=déspoina]] comes from *δεσ-ποτ-να.^(Beekes 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer does not use it, although the ''Odyssey'' has the feminine [[δέσποινα|tr=déspoina]], and LSJ explains the gap by the metre.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(LSJ 1940) It is first found in the 7th century BC, in Archilochus as the lord of Euboea and in Tyrtaeus as the master of slaves.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its basic meaning is the master of a household, especially as owner of slaves: Plato says that slaves and masters can never be friends, and Aristotle makes master and slave the first parts of the household.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE) It was also used of the gods, often in prayers, and of the Persian king, whom his subjects addressed as “master”, in Aeschylus, Herodotus and Xenophon.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940) Since Greeks did not address their own rulers so, the word could mean an absolute ruler, a despot, in Herodotus, Thucydides and Plato.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) Herodotus has the Spartans' law as their only master.^(DGE) Later it was used of the Roman emperors.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ In the Septuagint δέσποτα κύριε renders a Hebrew address to God.^(Lust 2003) In the New Testament it is the master of slaves and, in prayer, God, as in Simeon's “now lettest thou thy servant depart”.^(BDAG 2000)^(UBS 2023)

+

+ In Byzantium it became a title of the emperor, then of princes and of the rulers of the despotates, such as the despot of the Morea or of Arta; it was also used for Christ and, from the medieval period, for a bishop.^(Kriaras)^(Πάπυρος) In Modern Greek [[m|el|δεσπότης|tr=despótis]] is the everyday word for a bishop and an epithet of Christ, and, as a learned word, the ruler of a despotate or an absolute ruler.^(Triantafyllidis 1998) English ''despot'' came from it through Medieval Latin ''despota'' in the 16th century, at first for Byzantine and Ottoman-era Christian rulers.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 7th century BC – Archilochus and Tyrtaeus use it for a lord and a master of slaves.^(DGE)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it of the Persian king.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Herodotus and Thucydides use it for an absolute ruler.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 4th century BC – Aristotle analyses the household as master and slave.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament uses it in prayer for God.^(BDAG 2000)

+ * Byzantine period – It becomes a title of the emperor, then of princes and rulers of despotates.^(Πάπυρος)^(Kriaras)

+ * 1560s – English ''despot'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * Modern Greek – It is the usual word for a bishop.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|master]] of a household; master of [[m|en|slave|alt=slaves]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # Lord, of a god, and in Koine of God and of Christ.^(CGL 2021)^(BDAG 2000)

+ # Lord, of an eastern king.^(CGL 2021)

+ # Owner of something; ruler of a place.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(pejorative)'' An absolute ruler, a [[m|en|despot]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # A husband, as lord and master of his wife.^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(astrology)'' The dominant planet.^(LSJ 1940)

+ # ''(Byzantine)'' A title of the emperor, of princes and of the rulers of despotates.^(Kriaras)^(Πάπυρος)

+ # ''(Byzantine and later)'' A [[m|en|bishop]].^(Kriaras)^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀδέσποτος|tr=adéspotos]]

+ * [[δεσπόζω|tr=despózō]]

+ * [[δέσποινα|tr=déspoina]]

+ * [[δεσποσύνη|tr=desposúnē]]

+ * [[δεσπόσυνος|tr=despósunos]]

+ * [[δεσποτεία|tr=despoteía]]

+ * [[δεσποτέω|tr=despotéō]]

+ * [[δεσποτικός|tr=despotikós]]

+ * [[δεσπότις|tr=despótis]]

+ * [[δεσποτίσκος|tr=despotískos]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[δόμος|tr=dómos]]

+ * [[πόσις|tr=pósis]]

+ * [[en|despot]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Philo derived δεσπότης from [[δεσμός|tr=desmós|t=bond]] and [[δέος|tr=déos|t=fear]], making the master “the frightening lord”.^(Etygram)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}