μηχανή: Difference between revisions

|Definition=Dor. μᾱχᾰνά, ἡ, (μῆχος): <span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">I</span> [[contrivance]], esp. [[machine]] for lifting weights and the like, [[crane]], <span class="bibl">Hdt.2.125</span>, <span class="title">IG</span>11(2).161 <span class="title">A</span>69, al. (Delos, iii B. C.); <b class="b3">μ. τετράκωλος, δίκωλος</b>, <span class="title">Rev.Phil.</span>44.251 (Didyma, ii B. C.); μ. λιθαγωγός <span class="bibl">Poll. 10.148</span>; <b class="b3">ἰχθυβόλῳ μ</b>., of Poseidon's trident, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Th.</span>132</span> (lyr.); <b class="b3">λαοπόροις μ</b>., of Xerxes' bridge of boats, <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Pers.</span>114</span> (lyr.), cf. <span class="bibl">722</span>; freq. of irrigation machines, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">POxy.</span>985</span> (i A. D.), etc.; also of oil-presses, Wilcken <span class="title">Chr.</span>176.10 (i/ii A. D.), etc. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> [[engine]] of war, μηχανὰς προσάγειν <span class="bibl">Th.2.76</span>, etc.; ἑλεῖν μηχαναῖς <span class="bibl">Id.4.13</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">3</span> [[theatrical machine]] by which gods, etc., were made to appear in the air, <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Cra.</span>425d</span>, <span class="bibl"><span class="title">Clit.</span>407a</span>; αἴρειν μ. <span class="bibl">Antiph.191.15</span>, <span class="bibl">Alex.126.19</span>: hence, prov. of anything sudden and unexpected, ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεὸς ἐπεφάνης <span class="bibl">Men. 227</span>; ὥσπερ ἀπὸ μ. <span class="bibl">D.40.59</span>, cf. <span class="bibl">Arist.<span class="title">Po.</span>1454b1</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">4</span> [[area of land irrigated by a machine]], POxy.1830.13 (vi A. D.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PLond.</span>5.1765</span> (vi A. D.), <span class="bibl"><span class="title">PSI</span>1.77.14</span> (vi A. D.). </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">II</span> <b class="b2">any artificial means</b> or [[contrivance]] for doing a thing, ἤτοι κλήρῳ... ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ μ. <span class="bibl">Hdt.3.83</span>; εἴ τίς ἐστι μ., ἴθι καὶ πειρῶ <span class="bibl">Id.8.57</span>, etc.; esp. in pl. <b class="b3">μηχαναί</b>, [[shifts]], [[devices]], [[wiles]], <span class="bibl">Hes.<span class="title">Th.</span> 146</span>; πάντα σοφίσματα καὶ πάσας μ. ἐπεποιήκεε ἐς αὐτοὺς Δαρεῖος <span class="bibl">Hdt. 3.152</span>; <b class="b3">μηχαναῖς Διός</b> <b class="b2">by the arts</b> of Zeus, <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Ag.</span>677</span>; <b class="b3">χερὸς… ἐκτίνοντα μηχανάς</b> acts of violence, ib.<span class="bibl">1582</span>; Ὀρέστην μηχαναῖσι μὲν θανόντα, νῦν δὲ μηχαναῖς σεσωσμένον <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">El.</span>1228</span>; κρατεῖ μαχαναῖς… θηρός <span class="bibl">Id.<span class="title">Ant.</span>349</span> (lyr.); σοφιστῶν μ. <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Lg.</span>908d</span>: prov., μηχαναὶ Σισύφου <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Ach.</span>391</span>:—Phrases: πάσας προσφέροντε μ. <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">IT</span>112</span>; μηχανὴν προσοιστέον <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Th.</span>1132</span>; πᾶσαν σπουδὴν καὶ μ. προσφερόμενος <span class="bibl">Plb.1.18.11</span>; ἐπεισήγαγον μ. <span class="bibl">Id.29.25.1</span>; μηχανὰς εὑρήσομεν, ὥστε ἀπαλλάξαι <span class="bibl">A.<span class="title">Eu.</span>82</span>; πλέκειν <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Andr.</span>66</span>; πορίζεσθαι <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Smp.</span> 191b</span>; ἐκπορίζειν <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">V.</span>365</span>; <b class="b3">ζητεῖν</b> ib.<span class="bibl">149</span>; <b class="b3">ἀντλεῖν μαχανάν</b> exhaust <b class="b2">one's resources</b>, <span class="bibl">Pi.<span class="title">P.</span>3.62</span>; <b class="b3">κατ' ἐμὰν μ</b>. ib.<span class="bibl">109</span>: c. gen. objecti, <b class="b3">ἔξευρε μ. τιν' Ἀδμήτῳ κακῶν</b> [[contrivance against]] ills, <span class="bibl">E.<span class="title">Alc.</span>221</span> (lyr.); but <b class="b3">μ. σωτηρίας</b> <b class="b2">a way, means of procuring</b> or [[providing]] safety, <span class="bibl">A. <span class="title">Th.</span>209</span>; μυρίων οὐσῶν μ. ἀπαλλαγῆς <span class="bibl">X.<span class="title">Cyr.</span>5.1.12</span>; <b class="b3">οὐδεμία μ. [ἐστι] ὅκως οὐ</b> c. fut. ind., <span class="bibl">Hdt.2.160</span>; <b class="b3">μὴ οὐ</b> c. inf., ib. <span class="bibl">181</span>, <span class="bibl">3.51</span>; <b class="b3">τὸ μὴ οὐ</b> (prob.) <span class="bibl">Id.1.209</span>; <b class="b3">τίς μ. μὴ οὐχὶ</b>… ; <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Phd.</span>72d</span>. </span><span class="sense">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span class="bld">2</span> freq. in adverb. phrases, <b class="b3">μηδεμιῇ μ</b>. by no [[means]] whatsoever, by no [[contrivance]], <span class="bibl">Hdt. 7.51</span>, etc.; οὓς οὐδεμιῇ μ. δεῖ τιτρώσκειν <span class="bibl">Hp.<span class="title">Art.</span>11</span>; so <b class="b3">μήτε τέχνῃ μήτε μ. μηδεμιᾷ</b> Foed. ap. <span class="bibl">Th.5.18</span>, cf. <span class="title">IG</span>12.39.23; opp. πάσῃ τέχνῃ καὶ μ. <span class="bibl">Lys. 19.53</span>; πάσῃ μ. <span class="bibl">Ar.<span class="title">Lys.</span>300</span> (lyr.); <b class="b3">τρόπῳ ἢ μ. ᾑτινιοῦν</b> Lex ap.<span class="bibl">D.21.113</span>.</span>

|etymtx=Grammatical information: f.<br />Meaning: <b class="b2">means, tool, contrivance, apparatus, machine, device</b> (IA, Dor.).<br />Other forms: Dor. <b class="b3">μαχανά</b>.<br />Compounds: Compp., e.g. <b class="b3">μηχανο-ποιός</b> <b class="b2">machine-builder, engineer, machinist</b> (Att.), <b class="b3">ἀ-μήχανος</b> (Dor. <b class="b3">-ά-</b>) <b class="b2">without means etc., helpless; who cannot be helped with means, irresistible, impossible</b> (Il.; partly associated with <b class="b3">μηχανάομαι</b>) with <b class="b3">ἀμηχαν-ία</b>, <b class="b3">-ίη</b> (ι 295), <b class="b3">-έω</b> (Ion.).<br />Derivatives: 1. Uncertain <b class="b3">Μαχα-νεύς</b> surn. of Zeus (Argos, Tanagra, Cos, since Va; s.v. Wilamowitz Glaube 2, 172), also name of a month (Corcyra), <b class="b3">Μαχανεῖος</b> name of a month (Chalcedon); <b class="b3">Μαχαν-ίς</b> surn. of Athena (Cos), <b class="b3">-ῖτις</b> surn. of Aphrodite and Athena (Megalopolis). -- 2. <b class="b3">μηχανιώτης</b> [[contriver]], of Hermes (h. Merc. 436; after <b class="b3">ἀγγελι-ώτης</b> a.o., Zumbach Neuerungen 7). -- 3. <b class="b3">μηχανάριος</b> [[machinist]] (pap.). -- 4. <b class="b3">μηχαν-όεις</b> <b class="b2">full of means, inventive</b> (S.), <b class="b3">-ικός</b> <b class="b2">id., belonging to machines, mechanical</b>, subst. [[machinebuilder]] (X., Arist.; Chantraine Études 101 a. 141). -- 5. <b class="b3">μηχάνωμα</b> (Dor. <b class="b3">μα-</b>) n. [[apparatus]], [[crane]] (Thphr., Delphi; enlarged from <b class="b3">μηχανη</b>, Chantraine Form. 187). -- 6. Denomin. <b class="b3">μηχανάομαι</b> (<b class="b3">-άω</b>), aor. <b class="b3">μηχανήσασθαι</b> etc., also with prefix, e.g. <b class="b3">ἐπι-</b>, <b class="b3">ἀντι-</b>, <b class="b3">προσ-</b>, <b class="b2">realize, construct, manufacture artificially, devise (with ruse)</b> (Il.); from this <b class="b3">μηχάν-ημα</b> [[invention]], [[apparatus]], [[mechanical device]] (Hp., D., trag.), <b class="b3">-ησις</b> <b class="b2">id.</b> (Hp., Plb. ), <b class="b3">-ητής</b> m. <b class="b2">inventor of warmaschines</b> (Sch.), <b class="b3">-ητικός</b> [[inventive]] (X.). -- Besides <b class="b3">μῆχαρ</b> n. indecl. [[means]], [[tool]] (A., Lyc.), <b class="b3">μῆχος</b> (Dor. <b class="b3">μᾶ-</b>) n. <b class="b2">id.</b> (Il., also Hdt.), both as opposed to <b class="b3">μηχανή</b> dying words without compp. a. abl.<br />Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]<br />Etymology: Not with Frisk from a heteroclitic <b class="b3">*μᾶχαρ</b>, <b class="b3">*μάχαν-ος</b>, from which with added <b class="b2">-ā</b> (cf. Schwyzer 459) the almost absolute reigning <b class="b3">μαχαν-ά</b>, <b class="b3">μηχαν-ή</b> arose; accent after the verbal nouna (<b class="b3">φυλακ-ή</b>, <b class="b3">κομιδ-ή</b> etc.). Beside the <b class="b2">r-n-</b>stem as so often an [[s]] -stem, <b class="b3">μῆχος</b>. -- As cognate are usually with Osthoff PBBeitr. 15, 211 ff. (after Bopp, Pott a.o.) considered some short-vowel verbal forms with accompanying nouns in Germanic and Slavic: Germ., e.g. Goth. [[mag]] [[can]], [[is able]], [[mag]], Slav., e.g. OCS <b class="b2">mogǫ</b>, [[mošti]], Russ. <b class="b2">mogú</b>, [[močь]] [[can]], [[be able]] with Goth. [[mahts]] [[power]], [[Macht]] etc. = OCS [[moštь]], Russ. [[močь]] <b class="b2">id.</b>. Beside this <b class="b2">ti-</b>derivation stands in Germ. a <b class="b2">n-</b>formation in OHG [[magan]], [[megin]], OWNo. [[magn]], [[megin]] [[power]], [[might]], which may belong directly to <b class="b3">μηχανή</b>. Here also (with v. Windekens Lex. etym.) Toch. A [[mokats]] [[mighty]] (like <b class="b2">tsop-ats</b> [[great]] etc.). -- Diff. Prellwitz (as alternative), Fraenkel Lexis 2, 170 a. Wb. s.v.: to Lith. <b class="b2">móku</b>, <b class="b2">mokė́ti</b> [[can]], [[understand]], [[pay]] assuming a IE tenuis asp. [[kʰ]]; [[mag]], <b class="b2">mogǫ</b> etc. are then classified diff. (to Lith. <b class="b2">magù</b>, <b class="b2">-ė́ti</b> [[please]], [[be pleasant]], <b class="b2">mė́gstu</b>, <b class="b2">mė́gti</b> [[love]], [[like]] etc.). To connect the last mentioned Lith. words also with <b class="b3">μηχανή</b> (W.-Hofmann s. [[mactus]], Vasmer s. <b class="b2">mogú</b>) is, apart from the meaning, doubtful already because of the ablaut [[ē]] : [[ā]] one would have to assume. In 1998, 10f [MKNAW Afd. Lett. 61, 9] I pointed out that in Slavic a laryngeal cannot have been vocalized; so the Germ. and Slavic forms cannot go back to <b class="b2">*mh₂gh-</b>. The Greek word then remains isolated. The suffix <b class="b3">-αν-</b> is typical for Pre-Greek words; note still that Greek has no forms with <b class="b3">*μαχ-</b>. -- From Dor. <b class="b3">μαχανά</b> Lat. [[māchina]], from <b class="b3">μηχανή</b> Pashto [[mēčan]] [[handmill]] (Morgenstierne Acta Or. 7, 200; 18, 143); on the meaning cf. VLat. [[māchina]] also [[millstone]], [[handmill]], Alb. (through Illyrian) <b class="b2">mókërë</b> [[millstone]]. -- WP. 2, 227, Pok. 695; further W.-Hofmann, Vasmer and Fraenkel (s. above).