φαρμάσσω

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From φάρμακον (phármakon) + -σσω (-ssō), denoting the application or preparation of drugs or compounds.

Pronunciation

 

Verb

φᾰρμᾰ́σσω • (phărmắssō)

  1. (Homeric) to treat using φάρμακα (phármaka); to apply or prepare a substance
    • c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 9.393:
      ὡς ὅτ᾽ ἀνὴρ πέλεκυν … ἐν ὕδατι ψυχρῷ βάπτῃ … φαρμάσσων
      hōs hót’ anḕr pélekun … en húdati psukhrōî báptēi … pharmássōn
      as when a man tempers an axe by dipping it in cold water
  2. (post-Homeric) to heal or relieve by medicine; to medicate
    • 428 BCE – 347 BCE, Plato, Laws 933b:
      νόσους φαρμάσσων
      nósous pharmássōn
      healing diseases with medicines
    • c. 250 BCE – 170 BCE, Nicander, Theriaca 619:
      μέθυ φαρμάσσει
      méthu pharmássei
      he medicates the wine
  3. to enchant or bewitch by potions or philtres
    • 300 BCE – 250 BCE, Apollonius of Rhodes, 3 478:
      κούρην … φαρμάσσειν Ἑκάτης ἐννεσίῃσιν
      koúrēn … pharmássein Hekátēs ennesíēisin
      a girl who works spells under Hecate’s guidance
    • 300 BCE – 250 BCE, Apollonius of Rhodes, 4 61:
      σκοτίῃ ἐνὶ νυκτὶ φαρμάσσῃς
      skotíēi enì nuktì pharmássēis
      that you work your spells in the dark night
    • 300 BCE – 250 BCE, Apollonius of Rhodes, 3 859:
      φαρμάσσεσθαι
      pharmássesthai
      to prepare the drug
    • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 94:
      λαμπὰς ἀνίσχει, φαρμασσομένη χρίματος ἁγνοῦ
      lampàs anískhei, pharmassoménē khrímatos hagnoû
      a torch rises, “medicated” with pure anointing oil
      (metaphorical usage)
  4. to poison
    • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Artaxerxes 19:
      κρέα φαρμασθέντα
      kréa pharmasthénta
      meat that had been poisoned
    • 46 CE – 120 CE, Plutarch, Mor. 681f:
      βέλη φαρμασθέντα
      bélē pharmasthénta
      poisoned arrows
    • c. 130 CE, Soranus, 1 94:
      δι᾽ ἂς φαρμάσσεται τὸ γάλα
      di’ às pharmássetai tò gála
      by which the milk is spoiled (poisoned)
  5. to dye or color
    • ante 177 CE, Pollux, 7 169:
      ἔρια φαρμάσσειν
      éria pharmássein
      to dye wool
  6. (figurative) to embellish or falsify
    • 170 CE – 250 CE, Philostratus, Ep. 27:
      φαρμασσομένη εὐμορφία
      pharmassoménē eumorphía
      painted, artificial beauty
  7. to season or prepare food
    • 600 BCE – 500 BCE, Hipponax, 36:
      τηγανίτας σησάμοισι φαρμάσσειν
      tēganítas sēsámoisi pharmássein
      to season pancakes with sesame

Conjugation

Derived terms

  • φᾰ́ρμᾰξῐς (phắrmăxĭs)

Further reading