ὦ λισσάνιε

λισσάνιος

my good friend: masc /fem voc sg

λισσάνιος [ᾱ], ον, [dialect] Lacon. for ἀγαθός (Hsch., Phot.), ὦ λισσάνιε

A my good friend, Ar.Lys. 1171 ( λυσσάνιε cod. R).

Grammatical information: adj.

Meaning: only in ὦ λισσάνιε (Ar. Lys. 1171; v. l. λυσσ-), address of unknown meaning, by H. and Phot. explained with ἀγαθός (cf. ὦ ' γαθέ).

Origin: XX [etym. unknown]

Etymology: Because of the unclear meaning without etymology. After Bechtel Dial. 2, 376 f. hypostasis from λισσὸς ἀνιᾶν, "who causes no ἀνία" = `harmless', but the 2. member belongs rather to ἡνία `rein'. The 2. member too is uncertain; when we omit the v. l. λυσσάνιε of Cod. Ravennas (rather `Verschlimmbesserung' after λύσσα; cf. μαινόμενε sch.), connection is possible not only with λισσός ("with smooth reins", i.e. ` steerable'??), but also with λίσσομαι ("who asks for reins" = "who wants to be guided" = `obedient'?); cf. πειθ-, φιλ-ήνιος. The analysis as a compound does not convince.

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