ἀάατος

Ancient Greek

FWOTD – 2 January 2018

Etymology

Both the meaning and the etymology are uncertain.^[1] Possibly from ἀάω (aáō, “to hurt; to damage”) with privative alpha ἀ- (a-) (negation) and -τος (-tos). In this case it might also be related to ἄτη (átē),^[2] which, in the epic period, meant a kind of mental blindness or infatuation. Traditionally, this led to an explanation of the word as "immune to ἄτη." Neither ἀάω (aáō) nor ἄτη (átē) is definitively linked to any known Proto-Indo-European root, although phonetic rules could connect them to *h₂euh₂-.^[1]

An alternative hypothesis given for the use of the word as a Homeric epithet for the Styx is from Proto-Indo-European *n̥seh₂wn̥tos (“sunless”).^[3]

Pronunciation

ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾰτος:

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.ǎː.a.tos/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/

ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱτος:

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /a.ǎː.aː.tos/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /aˈa.a.tos/

Adjective

ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τος • (ăā́ā̆tos) m or f (neuter ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τον); second declension

(Epic) The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
1. inviolable; invincible; infallible^[1]
  - c. 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Iliad 14.269–276:
    Ὣς φάτο, χήρατο δ’ Ὕπνος, ἀμειβόμενος δὲ προσηύδα·
    «ἄγρει νῦν μοι ὄμοσσον ἀάατον Στυγὸς ὕδωρ,
    χειρὶ δὲ τῇ ἑτέρῃ μὲν ἕλε χθόνα πουλυβότειραν,
    τῇ δ’ ἑτέρῃ ἅλα μαρμαρέην, ἵνα νῶϊν ἅπαντες
    μάρτυροι ὦσ’ οἳ ἔνερθε θεοὶ Κρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόντες,
    ἦ μὲν ἐμοὶ δώσειν Χαρίτων μίαν ὁπλοτεράων,
    Πασιθέην, ἧς τ’ αὐτὸς ἐέλδομαι ἤματα πάντα.»
    Hṑs pháto, khḗrato d’ Húpnos, ameibómenos dè prosēúda;
    «ágrei nûn moi ómosson aáaton Stugòs húdōr,
    kheirì dè tēî hetérēi mèn héle khthóna poulubóteiran,
    tēî d’ hetérēi hála marmaréēn, hína nôïn hápantes
    márturoi ôs’ hoì énerthe theoì Krónon amphìs eóntes,
    ê mèn emoì dṓsein Kharítōn mían hoploteráōn,
    Pasithéēn, hês t’ autòs eéldomai ḗmata pánta.»
    1924 translation by A. T. Murray
    So spake she, and Sleep waxed glad, and made answer saying: “Come now, swear to me by the inviolable water of Styx, and with one hand lay thou hold of the bounteous earth, and with the other of the shimmering sea, that one and all they may be witnesses betwixt us twain, even the gods that are below with Cronos, that verily thou wilt give me one of the youthful Graces, even Pasithea, that myself I long for all my days.”

Declension

Second declension of ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τος; ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τον (Epic)

Number	Singular			Dual			Plural
Case/Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Nominative	ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τος ăā́ā̆tos		ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τον ăā́ā̆ton	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τω ăāā̆́tō		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τω ăāā̆́tō	ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τοι ăā́ā̆toi		ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τᾰ ăā́ā̆tă
Genitive	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοιο ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοο ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́του ăāā̆́toio ăāā̆́too ăāā̆́tou		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοιο ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοο ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́του ăāā̆́toio ăāā̆́too ăāā̆́tou	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοιῐ̈ν ăāā̆́toiĭ̈n		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοιῐ̈ν ăāā̆́toiĭ̈n	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́των ăāā̆́tōn		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́των ăāā̆́tōn
Dative	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τῳ ăāā̆́tōi		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τῳ ăāā̆́tōi	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοιῐ̈ν ăāā̆́toiĭ̈n		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοιῐ̈ν ăāā̆́toiĭ̈n	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοισῐ ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοισῐν ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοις ăāā̆́toisĭ(n) ăāā̆́tois		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοισῐ ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοισῐν ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τοις ăāā̆́toisĭ(n) ăāā̆́tois
Accusative	ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τον ăā́ā̆ton		ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τον ăā́ā̆ton	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τω ăāā̆́tō		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τω ăāā̆́tō	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τους ăāā̆́tous		ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τᾰ ăā́ā̆tă
Vocative	ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τε ăā́ā̆te		ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τον ăā́ā̆ton	ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τω ăāā̆́tō		ᾰ̓ᾱᾱ̆́τω ăāā̆́tō	ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τοι ăā́ā̆toi		ᾰ̓ᾱ́ᾱ̆τᾰ ăā́ā̆tă
Notes:	Dialects other than Attic are not well attested. Some forms may be based on conjecture. Use with caution.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN
^ Cunliffe, Richard John (1963) [1924], A Lexicon of the Homeric Dialect‎^[1], new edition
^ Nikolaev, Alexander (2012), “Homeric ἀάατος: Etymology and Poetics”, in Die Sprache‎^[2], volume 50, number 2, pages 182–239