χελιδών

English (LSJ)

όνος, ἡ (even of the male, S.E.M.1.151); but masc., metaph. of men, Ion Trag.33, cf. Hdn.Gr.1.25: voc. χελιδοῖ, as if from a nom. χελιδώ, Anacr.67, Simon.74, Ar.Av.1411 (anap.), AP9.70 (Mnasalc., with

   A v.l. χελιδόν, as in Anacreont.9.2 cod.):—swallow, Od.21.411, 22.240, Hes.Op.568, Hdt.2.22, Democr.14, etc.: πέδοικος χ. A.Fr.53, cf. Ar.Av.714 (anap): prov., μία χ. ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ Cratin.33 (cf. Arist.EN1098a18); δεῖσθαι δ' ἔοικεν οὐκ ὀλίγων χ. Ar.Av.1417, cf. 1681; χ. λευκή, of a rare event, Thphr.Sign.39; the twittering of the swallow was prov. used of barbarous tongues by the Greeks, εἴπερ ἐστὶ μὴ χελιδόνος δίκην ἀγνῶτα φωνὴν βάρβαρον κεκτημένη A.Ag.1050: hence ὁ χ., = ὁ βάρβαρος, Ion l.c.; Θρῃκία χ. ἐπὶ βάρβαρον ἑζομένη πέταλον Ar.Ra.681 (lyr.); χελιδόνων μουσεῖα bowers that ring with poetasters' twitterings, ib.93 (parodied from ἀηδόνων μουσεῖα in E., v. Fr.88).    2 metaph. of letters, τῶν σῶν χ. αἱ ἡμέτεραι πλείους Lib.Ep.46.2.    II flying-fish, Dactylopterus volitans, hirondelle de mer, Ephipp.12.5 (anap.), Speus. ap. Ath.7.324f; χ. θαλάττιαι Arist.HA535b27.    III frog in the hollow of a horse's foot (expld. by Hsch. τὸ κοῖλον τῆς ὁπλῆς), so called from its being forked like the swallow's tail, X.Eq. 1.3, 4.5, 6.2, Poll.1.188.    2 the like part of a dog's foot, Suid.    3 = λειχήν 4, Cael.Aur.TP1.138 (pl.); a growth on the knee in horses, Sch.Nic.Th.945.    4 hollow above the bend of the elbow, Hsch.    5 pudenda muliebria (with play on Ar.Lys.770 (hex.)), Suid., cf. Juv.6.365(6).    6 a kind of ship, Suid.    7 a Peloponnesian silver coin, Id. (Χελιδφών as pr.n., IG92(1).86 (Corinthian, found at Thermon); cf. Assyr. hinundu, Lat. hirundo.)