ὅρκος: Difference between revisions

{{etym

|etymtx=Grammatical information: m.<br />Meaning: [[oath]] (Il.), <b class="b2">object to swear by</b>, orig. of the water of the Styx (Β 755, Hes., h. Cer. 259).<br />Compounds: Compp., e.g. <b class="b3">ὁρκ-ωμότης</b> m. <b class="b2">who takes an oath</b> (Arc., Locr. inscr. VI--Va) with <b class="b3">ὁρκωμοτ-έω</b> <b class="b2">to take an oath</b> (trag. a.o.), compound of <b class="b3">ὅρκον ὀμόσαι</b> with <b class="b3">τη-</b>suffix; <b class="b3">εὔ-ορκος</b> <b class="b2">swearing rightly, faithful to one's oath</b> (Hes.) with <b class="b3">εὑορκ-έω</b>, <b class="b3">ἔν-ορκος</b> <b class="b2">bound by oath</b> (Att.) with <b class="b3">ἐνορκ-ίζομαι</b> <b class="b2">to bind by oath</b>; but <b class="b3">ἔξορκος</b> [[sworn]] (Pi.) backformation from <b class="b3">ἐξ-ορκόω</b>, <b class="b3">-ορκίζω</b>; on <b class="b3">ἐπί-ορκος</b> s. v.; <b class="b3">πεντορκ-ία</b> f. "taking of five oaths", <b class="b2">oath by five gods</b> (Locr. Va), with <b class="b3">ία-</b>suffix.<br />Derivatives: 1. <b class="b3">ὅρκια</b> pl., rarely <b class="b3">-ιον</b> n. <b class="b2">objects to swear by, oath pledge, animals sacrificed for an oath, oath, solemn treaty</b> (Il.), <b class="b3">ὅρκιος</b> <b class="b2">belonging to an oath, sworn by</b> (Att., Leg. Gort.). 2. <b class="b3">ὁρκικός</b> <b class="b2">belonging to an oath</b> (Stoic.). 3. <b class="b3">ὁρκόω</b>, <b class="b3">-ῶσαι</b>, often w. <b class="b3">ἐξ-</b>, <b class="b2">to make one swear, to put under oath</b> (IA.) with <b class="b3">ὁρκώματα</b> pl. [[oath]] (A.), <b class="b3">ὁρκωτής</b> m. <b class="b2">who makes swear, who puts one under oath</b> (Att.; cf. Fraenkel Nom. ag. 1, 199 f.), <b class="b3">ἐξόρκω-σις</b> f. [[swearing]], [[adjuration]] (Hdt., J.). 4. <b class="b3">ὁρκίζω</b>, <b class="b3">-ίσαι</b>, Dor. fut. <b class="b3">ὁρκιξεω</b> (Delph.), also w. <b class="b3">δι-</b>, <b class="b3">ἐξ-</b>, <b class="b2">to make one swear, to adjure, to administer an oath</b> (Ion., X., D., hell., also Dor., s. Fraenkel Denom. 86 a. 147) with <b class="b3">ὁρκίσματα</b> pl. [[adjurations]] (Megara I--IIp), (<b class="b3">δι-</b>, <b class="b3">ἐξ-)-ὁρκισμός</b> m. [[swearing]], [[adjuration]] (LXX, Plb.), <b class="b3">ἐξορκισ-τής</b> m. [[exorcist]] (Act Ap.). 5. <b class="b3">ὁρκίλλομαι</b> <b class="b2">to swear in vain</b> (Phot.), as if from dimin.-pejor. <b class="b3">*ὁρκίλος</b>. 6. <b class="b3">-ορκέω</b> only in derivv. from compp. with analogical formations: <b class="b3">εὑορκ-έω</b> (with <b class="b3">εὑορκ-ία</b>) from <b class="b3">εὔ-ορκος</b>(s. above), <b class="b3">ψευδορκ-έω</b> from <b class="b3">ψεύδ-ορκος</b> (Risch IF 59, 258), with <b class="b3">ἐμπεδ-</b>, <b class="b3">ἀληθ-</b>, <b class="b3">δυσ-</b>, <b class="b3">παρ-ορκέω</b> a.o.; on <b class="b3">ἐπι-ορκέω</b> s. v. -- On itself stands, with quite diff. meaning <b class="b3">ὁρκάνη</b> f. [[enclosure]] (A., E.) beside late <b class="b3">ἑρκάνη</b> as <b class="b3">Όργάνη</b> beside <b class="b3">Ἐργάνη</b> (s. on [[ὄργανον]] and [[ἔργον]]); cf. also <b class="b3">Ο῝ρκατος</b> PN (Calymna IIa), s. Fraenkel Nom. ag. 1, 147.<br />Origin: XX [etym. unknown]<br />Etymology: Formally <b class="b3">ὅρκος</b> seems to be connected with <b class="b3">ἕρκος</b> [[fence]] (thus already Eust. a. EM); it would be then prop. so much as "bound(s), which one assumes" (Solmsen KZ 32, 275), "limitation, tie, obligation"; such a meaning is indeed found in <b class="b3">ὅρκοι δεσμοὶ σφραγῖδος</b> H. [or read <b class="b3">*σφραγῖδες</b>?] ; cf. also [[ὁρκάνη]]. A convincing argumentation however must still be found. Several attempts by Schroeder (in WP. 2, 528) : <b class="b3">ὅρκος</b> prop. "fastening" beside <b class="b3">ἕρκος</b> "obstruction"; by Luther "Wahrheit" und "Lüge" 90ff. (s. also Weltansicht und Geistesleben 86 ff.): <b class="b3">ὅρκος</b> prop. a magical power, that pales in the swearer (<b class="b3">*ἕρκει</b>); by Bollack REGr. 71, 1ff. : <b class="b3">ὅρκος</b> orig. = <b class="b3">Στύξ</b>, taken as worldembracing fence (<b class="b3">μέγας ὅρκος</b>); s. also Hiersche ibd. 35 ff. -- New etymology by Leumann Hom. Wörter 91 f.: <b class="b3">ὅρκος</b> = Lat. <b class="b2">*sorcus</b> or <b class="b2">*surcus</b> in [[surculus]] [[twig]] (diff. on [[surculus]] [:[[surus]] [[twig]]] e.g. W.-Hofmann s.v.); so prop. <b class="b2">the staff, which is raised when swearing</b>; <b class="b3">ὄμνυμι</b> [[swear]] prop. *'grasp'; <b class="b3">ὅρκον ὀμόσαι</b> <b class="b2">grasp the staff</b> (<b class="b3">θεοὺς ὀμόσαι</b> imitation). Criticism by Luther, Bollack a. Hiersche l.c.; cf. also Benveniste Vocab. institutions 2, 165ff. cf. alo the lit. on [[ὄμνυμι]]. Further s. [[ἕρκος]].

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