ῥεθέων σπλάγχνων

Grammatical information: n.

Meaning: `face, countenance' (S. Ant. 529, E. HF 1205 [both anap.], Theoc. 29, 16, Lyc. 1137), `body' (Lyc. 173), meaning un χερταιν (Sapph. 22, 3); pl. `faces' (A. R. 2, 68), `limb' (Theoc. 23, 39); older meaning unclear ( ἐκ ῥεθέων Π 856 = Χ 362, Χ 68); cf. ῥεθέων σπλάγχνων, μελῶν, σωμάτων H.; sch. on Χ 68 proposes `face, mouth', also `nostrils', the last of which is preferred by Leumann Hom. Wörter 218ff. (where older lit.) because of the plur. Cf. Snell, Entdeckung des Geistes 24-6, who demonstratess the transition from the literal meaning (a bodypart) to `body'.

Compounds: As 1. member in Aeol. ῥεθο-μαλίδας, after sch. on Χ 68 = εὑπροσώπους; litt. "with face-apples". As the meaning `face, countenance', by gramm. given as Aeolic, is certain, we have to start from this in explaining the word. Both an older ep. meaning `mouth' and `figure, body' seems possible; cf. e.g. Lat. ōs `mouth, face', faciēs `figure, face'; the plur. could be after μέλεα, στήθεα, στέρνα, νῶτα a.o. On the meaning in Hom. cf. Vivante Arch. glottol. it. 40, 41 f. -- An orig. mening `nostril(s)' fits excellently, and the transition to `face' or `body' is unproblematic.

Origin: XX [etym. unknown]

Etymology: No convincing etymology. If we can trust the byform ῥόθος in EM 701, 34, the word must be IE and the θ must belong to the root [but this is doubtful]. Against connection with Skt. várdhati `grow' (to which a.o. Slav., e.g. Russ. rod `lineage, birh', Czech. ú-roda `figure, beauty') as *`figure' (= 'Wuchs'), Frisk IF 49, 101 ff., tells, as Leumann l.c. rightly remarks, the lack of the Ϝ- (β-) in Aeol. ῥέθος. Diff. Fraenkel Glotta 32, 31 ff. (agreeing Treu Von Homer zur Lyrik 190 n. 4): to ῥίς, ῥέω; neither morpholog. nor semant. convincing. -- An orig. mening `nostril(s)' fits excellently, and the transition to `face' or `body' is unproblematic.

Page in Frisk: 2,648