epulae Latin · revision 30672

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈɛ.pʊ.ɫae̯]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈɛː.pu.le]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''epulae''' ''f pl'' (genitive epulārum); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Festus cites a singular ''epula''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the feminine plural beside [[m|la|epulum|t=feast, banquet]], and its origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) De Vaan sets up [[itc-pro|*ep(V)lo-|t=ritual?]] and reports Nussbaum's derivation from [[ine-pro|*h₁ep-lo-]], from the root of [[m|la|apiō|t=to seize]], a banquet as a chance to grab food; he finds it only a root etymology, since the possible cognate [[goh|uoba|t=festival]] has another vowel and the sense “taking” is not certain.^(de Vaan 2008) Walde–Hofmann and Ernout–Meillet connected it with [[m|la|ops]] “work”, and the OLD suggests it was first a ritual term, “religious performance”, comparing [[m|la|opus]] and [[m|goh|afalōn|t=to work]]; de Vaan finds no firm evidence that the word was ever religious.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Isidore derived it from ⟨opulentia⟩ “wealth”.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus, ''Trinummus'', of a rich man who could have feasts heaped on him by his clients (''congestae … epulae ā cluentibus'').^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Epulae'' is a sumptuous meal, especially one given for many people, a feast or banquet, often at a religious or public festival.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It also means the dishes served at such a meal, delicacies (Cicero, Pliny), and in Horace, jokingly, clothes are a feast for moths.^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary adds the figurative sense “food”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Döderlein calls ''epulae'' the general word for a meal, frugal or rich, at home or in public, beside [[convīvium]], a social meal, and [[daps|alt=dapēs]], a meal of offerings.^(Döderlein 1874) Church Latin glosses it “feast, feasts”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of feasts heaped up by clients.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of tables loaded with choice dishes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of clothes as a feast for moths.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|feast]], [[m|en|banquet]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # The dishes of a banquet, [[m|en|delicacy|alt=delicacies]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Food.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[epulāris]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[epulō]]

+ * [[epulor]]

+ * [[epulum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}