λέων Ancient Greek · revision 2216

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=Mycenaean (Linear B)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /lé.ɔːn/^(Wiktionary)

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

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈle.on/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''λέων''' (léōn) ''m'' (genitive λέοντος); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Epic dative plural λείουσι, with metrical lengthening.^(Beekes 2010)^(LSJ 1940)

+ Mycenaean [[m|gmy|re-wo-pi]] (instrumental plural) and the adjective [[gmy|re-wo-te-jo]] “of a lion”.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown; it is probably a borrowing, but from what language is unclear.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)^(Πάπυρος) Beekes thinks a Semitic source probable, although the Semitic words for the lion, such as [[akk|labbu]] in Akkadian, differ considerably in form;^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960) Rosół lists λέων among oriental loanwords of unknown origin and doubts the Semitic link,^(Rosół 2013) and Πάπυρος finds morphological difficulties in it.^(Πάπυρος) Wiktionary notes that many ancient languages had similar words for the lion (Proto-Semitic [[m|sem-pro|*labiʾ-]]), that it is unclear who borrowed from whom, and that Gamkrelidze and Ivanov considered a borrowing into Proto-Indo-European itself.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ The feminine [[λέαινα|tr=léaina|t=lioness]] suggests that the word was once an n-stem, like [[δράκων|tr=drákōn]], and that the -τ- of the stem λεοντ- came from the participles;^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary) but Mycenaean already has the nt-stem, which casts doubt on this.^(Beekes 2010)^(Πάπυρος) The epic synonym [[λῖς|tr=lîs]] is not connected with it.^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ Latin borrowed it as [[m|la|leō]], with a new n-stem; from Latin it spread to other European languages, such as Old English [[m|ang|lēo]] and Old High German [[m|goh|lewo]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found on the Mycenaean tablets, in the instrumental plural [[gmy|re-wo-pi]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Rosół 2013) Homer uses it for the lion, often in similes of warriors;^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940) in the ''Iliad'' Zeus is said to have made Artemis “a lion to women”, because she was thought to bring them sudden death.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In tragedy and comedy the lion stands for savagery and also for courage: Aeschylus uses it of savage men and of brave ones, and of the cowardly Aegisthus as a “strengthless lion”.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021) Aristophanes mocks men who are “lions at home, foxes in battle”, and Plato's “to shave a lion” means a dangerous undertaking.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ From the 4th century BC it names the zodiacal sign [[m|en|Leo]].^(LSJ 1940) By resemblance it also named a kind of crab, a sea-monster, a snake, a skin disease (the same as [[λεοντίασις|tr=leontíasis]]), a dance and the plant broomrape; in the mysteries of Mithras “Lions” were a grade of initiates.^(LSJ 1940)^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ In the Septuagint a man can be “lion-hearted”, and being saved from a lion's mouth means rescue from great danger.^(Lust 2003) In the New Testament the devil goes about “like a roaring lion”, and the Messiah is the “Lion of the tribe of Judah”.^(BDAG 2000)^(UBS 2023)

+

+ Medieval vernacular Greek had ''λέοντας'' and ''λιόντας''.^(Kriaras) In Modern Greek [[m|el|λέων|tr=léon]] is a learned word, used in set phrases (“the lion's share”), for a brave man and for the constellation and sign Leo; the everyday word is the derivative [[el|λιοντάρι|tr=liontári]].^(Triantafyllidis 1998)^(Etygram)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Mycenaean – The tablets have the instrumental plural ''re-wo-pi''.^(Beekes 2010)^(Rosół 2013)

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'' use it for the lion.^(Cunliffe 1924)^(LSJ 1940)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it of savage and of brave men.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 5th–4th century BC – Aristophanes jokes about men who are “lions at home, foxes in battle”.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 4th–3rd century BC – Aratus names the constellation Leo.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 1st century AD – The New Testament calls the Messiah the “Lion of the tribe of Judah”.^(BDAG 2000)

+ * 3rd century AD – Porphyry names “Lions” as a grade of Mithraic initiates.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 1100–1669 – Medieval vernacular Greek has the forms ''λέοντας'' and ''λιόντας''.^(Kriaras)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|lion]].^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A savage person; a brave or strong one.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # ''(astronomy)'' The constellation and zodiacal sign [[m|en|Leo]].^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A lion's skin.^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A kind of [[m|en|crab]]; a sea-monster; a kind of snake.^(LSJ 1940)

+ # ''(medicine)'' The disease [[λεοντίασις|tr=leontíasis]].^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A kind of dance.^(LSJ 1940)

+ # A grade of initiates in the mysteries of [[m|en|Mithras]].^(LSJ 1940)

+ # ''(botany)'' [[m|en|broomrape]].^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[χαμαιλέων|tr=khamailéōn]]

+ * [[θυμολέων|tr=thūmoléōn]]

+ * [[λεοντοπέταλον|tr=leontopétalon]]

+ * [[λεόπαρδος|tr=leópardos]]

+ * [[λέαινα|tr=léaina]]

+ * [[λεοντῆ|tr=leontê]]

+ * [[λεόντειος|tr=leónteios]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[λῖς|tr=lîs]]

+ * [[la|leō]]

+ * [[en|chameleon]]

+ * [[en|leopard]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Ancient writers derived λέων from [[λάω|tr=láō|t=to look]], since the lion was believed to have very sharp sight and never to sleep.^(Etygram)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}