The tip of the iron; or the back part of the spear, which is also called a "spike";[1] [the term comes] from the [verb] ὀρούειν ["to rush"] and the [verb] ἰάχω ["I shriek"];[2] and this in turn [comes] from ἴα , which means a vocal sound;[3] from this also [comes] ἰαχή ["a shriek"].[4]
More on this headword at
omicron 950.
[1] This term,
σαυρωτήρ , is treated in the Suda at
sigma 1261, an entry shared with
Photius sigma545.
Hesychius also discusses the word at sigma280 and sigma2092.
[2] Used of weapons,
ἰάχω can mean "to twang" (of a bowstring: see LSJ s.v. 2 at web address 1), but does not seem to have been used of the butt-end of spears. Translating as "twang" also makes it more difficult to render the etymological similarity of
ἰάχω and
ἰαχή (the latter does not seem to mean "twang" and is not normally used of weapons: see LSJ s.v. at web address 2).
[3] This is consistent with the gloss of
ἴα that appears at
iota 1, but note that the accent, according to LSJ (web address 3), should be
ἰά rather than
ἴα if the word is to mean "voice" or "shout". There may be some confusion here and at
iota 1. See also
iota 219.
[4] cf.
iota 71.
No. of records found: 1
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