η ἀσθενῆ λίαν

ἐπιμάλθα (leg. ἐπιμάλθακα): ἀγαθά, προσηνῆ· ἢ μαλακά, ἢ ἀσθενῆ λίαν, Hsch.

Grammatical information: adj.

Meaning: `weak, tender, soft, mild' (P588, also Hp., Pl.).

Other forms: Aeol. μόλθακος (Alc.)

Derivatives: μαλθακία `weakness' (Pl. R. 590 b); μαλθακώδης `weakening' (Hp., Gal.), μαλθάκινος = μαλθακός (AP). Denomin. verbs: 1. μαλθάσσω = μαλάσσω (Hp., trag.) with μαλθακ-τήριον -τικός, - ξις (medic.). 2. μαλθακίζομαι `be, become weak' (A., E., Pl., Gal.). 3. μαλθακύνω = μαλακύνω (sch.). 4. Also μαλθάζω (Aret.), - αίνω (Stob.) = μαλθάσσω, both prob. through suffixchange and not to μάλθη, μάλθων (s. v.) with Debrunner IF 21, 20f. and Solmsen Wortforsch. 56 n.1. -- Not here μάλθη (s.v.) (Cratin. 204), `mix of wax and pitch'; from this μάλθη (?), μαλθώδης = μαλακτικὸς η κηρώδης (Hp. ap. Gal.); μάλθων m. `weakling' (Sokr. ap. Stob.); Μάλθιον womans name (Paros); μαλθώσω μαλακώσω H. Here also ἐπίμαλθα ἀγαθά, προσηνῆ. η μαλακά, η ἀσθενῆ λίαν H. must be a kind of derailment.

Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]

Etymology: Formation like μαλακός; the two synonymous adj. may have influenced each other. If μαλακός belongs with βλά̄ξ, μαλθακός must be an innovation(?). In μάλθη (s.v.) Solmsen Wortforsch. 55 wants to see the fem. of an original adj. *μαλθός `weak', which would also have left traces in μάλθων (with μαλθακός from -n̥-ko-) etc.; this last seems an improbable construction. - Outside of Greek a possible cognate may be the Germ. word for `mild', e.g. OHG milti, Goth. unmildjai ' ἄστοργοι'; also Skt. márdhati `neglect', IE * meldh-; WP. 2, 289, Pok. 719. -- Cf. ἀμαλθύνω. - The word must be Pre-Greek, as μαλθ- cannot be explained from IE * meldʰ-; this is confirmed by the variant μόλθακος.

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