σαρδάνιος: Difference between revisions

|Definition=[<b class="b3">δᾰ], α, ον</b>, an Adj. used of [[bitter]] or [[scornful]] smiles or laughter, μείδησε δὲ θυμῷ σαρδάνιον μάλα τοῖον <span class="bibl">Od.20.302</span>; so ἀνεκάγχασε μάλα σαρδάνιον <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">R.</span>337a</span>; ὑπομειδιάσας σαρδάνιον <span class="bibl">Plb. 18.7.6</span>; τί μάταια γελᾷς . . ; τάχα που σαρδάνιον γελάσεις <span class="title">AP</span>5.178 (Mel.); πεφύλαξο σίνεσθαι, μὴ καὶ σ. γελάσῃς <span class="title">APl.</span>4.86; [[ridere]] γέλωτα σαρδάνιον <span class="bibl">Cic.<span class="title">Fam.</span>7.25.1</span>. (Perh. connected with [[σεσηρώς]], [[grinning]], [[sneering]], Sch.Pl. [[l.c.]]; cf. σαρδάζων· <b class="b3">μετὰ πικρίας γελῶν</b>, Phot., Suid. —The common expl. given of this laugh was that it resembled the effect produced [[by a Sardinian plant]] (<b class="b2">Ranunculus Sardoüs, Sardinian crowfoot</b>, called σαρδάνη by Tz. ad <span class="bibl">Hes. <span class="title">Op.</span>59</span>, σαρδόνιον by Ps.-Dsc.2.175, <span class="bibl">D.Chr.32.99</span>) which when eaten screwed up the face of the eater, <span class="bibl">Paus.10.17.13</span>, Sch.Pl. [[l.c.]], Phot., Serv.ad Verg.<span class="title">Ecl.</span>7.41; whence later authors wrote [[σαρδόνιον]] or [[σαρδώνιον]] (from [[Σαρδώ]]) for [[σαρδάνιον]], Ps.-Dsc. [[l.c.]], D.Chr. [[l.c.]], <span class="bibl">Luc.<span class="title">Asin.</span>24</span>, etc., <b class="b3">σαρδώνιος γέλως</b> and -ωνία πόα Dsc.<span class="title">Alex.</span>14, and [[σαρδόνιον]] appears as a [[varia lectio|v.l.]] in Hom. and Pl.; hence our form [[sardonic]]; this and other explanations are given in <span class="bibl">Timae.29</span>, <span class="bibl">Zen.5.85</span>, Tz.ad Lyc.796, Sch. Pl. [[l.c.]])