σπόνδικες οἱ τὰς σπονδὰς χέοντες

Grammatical information: v.

Meaning: `to offer a libation, to pour, to bestow'; `to make a ceasefire agreement (whilst performing a libation)'; the last also in the sense of `to reassure, to promise' resp. `to secure smth.' (Gortyn; on this Willetts Glotta 43, 251 ff.).

Other forms: Aor. σπεῖσαι (Il.), fut. σπείσω (Hdt. etc.), perf. ἔσπεικα (Plu.) midd. σπένδομαι, σπείσασθαι, σπείσομαι, ἔσπεισμαι (IA.)

Compounds: Also w. prefix, e.g. κατα-, ἐπι-.

Derivatives: σπονδή f. `libation, offering of wine' (Β 341 = Δ 159), pl. usu. `ceasefire agreement (sanctified with a libation), truce, peace treaty, pax dei' (IA. etc.). Compp., z.B. σπονδο-φόρος m. `herald of the truce, the pax dei' (Pi.); often as 2. member, e.g. ὑπό-σπονδος `under a ceasefire agreement, under safe-conduct' (IA). From this σπονδ-εῖος `belonging to the offering', also metr. `spondeus' (D.H. a. o.), - εῖον n. `libation vessel' (hell.); also - ειακός, - ειάζω, - ειασμός (late); - ικός `belonging to the offering' (pap.); - ήσιμα n. pl. `id.' (Philem.; after ὀνή-σιμος a. o.; cf. also παρασπόνδησις [Plb.] from παρασπονδ-έω [: παρά-σπονδος] and Arbenz 83); - ῖτις ( σταγών) `id.' (AP; Redard 114); σπόνδικες οἱ τὰς σπονδὰς χέοντες H. (Schwyzer 497). -- Extensive treatment in A. Citron Semantische Untersuchung zu σπένδεσθαι - σπένδειν - εὔχεσθαι (Winterthur 1965).

Origin: IE [Indo-European] [989] * spend- `bring a drink-offering'

Etymology: Old expression of cult- and juridical language, also retained in Hitt. and Latin: Hitt. šipant- (e.g. 3. sg. šipant-i [= σπένδει], 3. pl. - anzi) `bring a fluid sacrifice, libate, consecrate (by sprinkling?), execute a ritual' (Kronasser Etymologie 1, 522 ff. with some doubt about the etym.); Lat. spondeō (iterative) `promise ceremonially, assure, guarantee'. Details in Ernout-Meillet a. W.-Hofmann s. v. (w. lit.).

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