praepes Latin · revision 36822

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=compound|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=la petō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈprae̯.pɛs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈprɛː.pes]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praepes''' (genitive praepetis); third-declension one-termination adjective (non-i-stem)^(Wiktionary)

+ As a noun it is usually feminine, sometimes masculine.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|prae-|petō|t1=before, ahead|t2=to make for, seek]],^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) from a form ⟨*prae-pets⟩.^(OLD 2012) The TLL notes that the origin of this term of augural language was already obscure to the Romans, although the ancient grammarians often connected it with [[m|la|petō]].^(TLL) De Vaan derives that verb from a root meaning “to fly”, assuming a shift of sense from “fly” to “fly towards, try to reach”, and compares [[grc|πέτομαι|tr=pétomai|t=to fly]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first found in Ennius,^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) who uses it in the language of augury of a bird that flies straight ahead: ''pulcherruma praepes laeva volavit avis'', “a most beautiful bird flew ahead on the left”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Such a bird gave a good omen, so the word also meant favourable, and Ennius applies it to places in the sky where the flight is observed.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Outside augury it describes the swift movement of anything that flies: Ennius already speaks of weapons with swift iron (''praepete ferrō''),^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) and Virgil has ''praepetibus pinnīs'', “on swift wings”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) Statius extends it to swift movement over the ground, and it was also applied to a metrical foot.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ As a noun it meant the bird of good omen, as in Livy,^(OLD 2012) then any bird, as in Ovid's ''Iovis praepes'' for the eagle, and any winged being, such as Pegasus.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Medieval writers kept the augural term: Albericus of London divides birds of omen into those that foretell by song and the ''praepetēs'' that signify by their flight.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of an augural bird and of swift weapons.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil writes of “swift wings”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it as a noun for the bird of omen.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid calls the eagle the ''praepes'' of Jupiter.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of swift movement over the ground.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(augury)'' Of a bird: flying straight ahead, and so giving a good [[m|en|omen]]; of a place or quarter of the sky: [[m|en|auspicious]], favourable.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(DMLBS)

+ # [[m|en|swift|alt=Swift]], flying, [[m|en|winged]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) ''(poetic)'' moving swiftly over the ground.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(augury)'' A bird flying ahead as a good omen.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|bird]]; any winged creature.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[petō]]

+ * [[impetus]]

+ * [[perpes]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}