opilio Latin · revision 5918

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=compound|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₃ewis, ine-pro *pelh₂-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ōpiliō''' ''m'' (genitive ōpiliōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound [[itc-pro|*owi-pol-o-|t=sheep-driver]], from [[ovis]] “sheep” and a second part from [[ine-pro|*polh₂-o-|t=driver]], from the root of [[pellō]] “to drive”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Wiktionary) The compound is probably not of Indo-European date.^(de Vaan 2008) The variant [[m|la|ūpiliō]] in Virgil is the expected Latin form, and ''ōpiliō'' in Plautus and inscriptions may be Sabellic.^(de Vaan 2008) Vine instead takes it as a rustic Roman form.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD compares the second part with [[grc|αἰπόλος|tr=aipólos|t=goatherd]], and the TLL calls the second part unclear.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus, who speaks of a shepherd who pastures another man's sheep.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a herdsman of sheep or goats, a shepherd, as in Plautus, Cato and Varro, and Virgil, Columella and the Vulgate have ''ūpiliō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Festus names a bird so.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it was used of Abel the shepherd and of a lowly occupation.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of a shepherd of others' sheep.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato lists a shepherd among farm hands.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil has the form ''ūpiliō''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|shepherd]], goatherd.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A kind of bird.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ovis]]

+ * [[pellō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}