ἀσθέν-ωσις

ἀσθέν-ωσις, εως, ἡ,

A weakness, faintness, Hp.Judic.20.

Grammatical information: n.

Meaning: `strength, power, ability, might' (almost only ep. poet. Il.).

Compounds: Very often as 2. member, e.g. ἀ-σθενής `without strength, strengthless' (Pi., IA.) with ἀσθέν-εια, - έω. - ημα, - όω, - ωσις; also - ικός (Arist. a.o.); second. simplex σθενής ἰσχυρός, καρτερός H. Also as 1. member, e.g. σθενο-βλαβής `damaging the strenght' (Opp.; after φρενο-βλαβής); PN as Σθενέ-λαος (after Μενέλαος), short name Σθένελος (Il.).

Derivatives: 1. σθεν-αρός `powerful' (ep. poet. I 505, also Hp.); after βριαρός, στιβαρός a. o.; 2. Σθέν-ιος m., - ιάς f. surname of Zeus resp. of Athena in Argolis (Paus.); - εια n. pl. name of a Agon in Argos (Plu.), also f. sg. surn. of Athena (Lyc. 1164; after the womens' names in - εια). 3. Backformation σθέν-ω ( ἐπι- σθένος Q. S.) `to be strong, to be able' (only pres. a. ipf.; trag., also late epic a. prose; cf. Schwyzer 723); 4. also - όω `to strengthen' (1. Ep. Pet. 5, 10; fut.).

Origin: XX [etym. unknown]

Etymology: Can have an ( ε)νος-suffix like ἄφενος, κτῆνος a. o. (Schwyzer 513, Chantraine Form. 420), which DELG doubts; further unclear. Hypothesis by Bolling AmJPh 21, 316: to Skt. saghnóti `endure, bear, be up to', Av. a-zg-ata- `irresistable', so IE * sgʷh-énos. Diff. Sommer Lautst.65ff.: for *σθᾶνος (from *στᾱ-σνος) with - ε- after μένος; phonetically improbable.

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