ecastor Latin · revision 31711

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la Castor}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [eːˈkas.tɔr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [eˈkas.tor]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ēcastor''' (interjection)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ In Plautus and Terence the first syllable is apparently short.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound of the interjection [[m|la|ē]] and [[m|la|Castor]], “by Castor”, made like [[edepol]] “by Pollux”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Plautus,^(Köbler 2010) who uses it very often, as in the ''Amphitruo'' “by Castor, I am learning by experience how much you value your wife”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is an oath, “by Castor!”, expressing surprise, annoyance or emphasis.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The OLD says it was apparently used only by women;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lewis & Short note that it was frequent above all among women, but not only among them, as Gellius and Charisius claimed.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Terence has it split by tmesis in ''per ecastor scitus puer'' “a very fine boy, by Castor”.^(Lewis & Short 1879) A form with the pronoun prefixed, [[mēcastor]], is also used.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 165 AD – Gellius says only women swore by Castor.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Interjection===

+ # By [[m|en|Castor]]! (an oath, chiefly of women).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[edepol]]

+ * [[mecastor|alt=mēcastor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}