Re: Attic months

Mark J. Reed wrote:
[snip]
>
> In this world, the dominant calendar is based on the old Greek
> lunisolar one, specifically, the Attic/Athenian version.  It has
> evolved a precise definition much like that of the Chinese calendar in
> the real world: the month begins on the date (in Athens) of the
> lunisolar conjunction, and the year begins with the first month after
> the summer solstice.  Whenever there are more than twelve lunations
> between summer solstices there is a thirteenth month, which doesn't
> get its own name but rather is a doubling of one of the normal twelve,
> chosen so as to keep the Sun in the current month's corresponding
> zodiac sign all year.  The era is that of the first Olympiad.
Yes - the Greek world generally seems to have used a lunisolar calendar
in which each month began with the new moon, as in Jewish & Muslim
calendars; and, like the Jewish calendar, a 13th lunar month was
intercalated at regular intervals to keep the calendar in line with the
solar year.

It is almost certain that the Greeks inherited this system from the
earlier Minoan civilization, but the Greeks, being Greeks, had to show
their individuality by each city-state doing it their own way. The month
names differed, as did the start of the year. In Athens, as Marks says,
it was the new moon following the summer solstice; but other states
picked the new moon following the winter solstice or one of the
equinoxes   :)


[snip]
>
> Here's what seems to be the most authoritative version of the names,
> along with the corresponding traditional Zodiac sign.  Any help
> reconstructing the native spelling would be appreciated.
Done - see below:

>
> Hekatombaion  (Cancer)
As above, but the final 'o' is long: ἑκατομβαιών /hekatombaj.O:n/
The word is masculine, and has 3rd declension endings. The omega is
retained (i.e. _not_ shortened to omicron) when the endings are added.

In modern Greek such nouns become masculines ending -ώνας
All the above applies to the other 11 month names as well    :-)

It is the month when hecatombs (offerings of 100 oxen) where made to
Apollo at Athens, Delos and some other places.

> Metageitnion     (Leo)
μεταγειτνιών /metage:tniO:n/
The month in which the festival of τὰ μεταγέιτνια (change-neighbor) took
place; this festival was a celebration of emigration.

> Boedromion      (Virgo)
βοηδρομιών /boE:dromiO:n/
The month in which the τὰ βοηδρόμια (the games held in memory of the aid
given by Theseus against the Amazons) occurred. The name is from the
verb βοηδρομέω = 'I run to aid [someone]'.

> Pyanepsion      (Libra)
This is a late spelling found in Theophrastus; the earlier form found in
Attic inscriptions and other writers was:
πυανοψιών /pyanopsiO:n/
The month in which the festival of τὰ πυανόψια took place. It was a
festival in honor of Apollo and was apparently derive from πυανος "bean,
pulse" + the root εψ- ~ οψ- "cook". It seems that a dish of beans or
pulses was cooked and offered to Apollo as part of this festival.

> Maimakterion   (Scorpio)
μαιμακτηριών /maimaktE:riO:n/
a month named after Zeus Maimaktes; the epithet is derived from the verb
μαιμάσσω "I quiver with eagerness, rage, storm etc"

> Poseideon        (Sagittarius)
ποσιδηϊών /posidE:iO:n/
This was older spelling. In Attic inscriptions of the classical period
it was commonly written ποσιδεών /posideO:n/. Your version is a
transliteration of the later ποσειδεών.
It was Poseidon's month. The Greek forms of the god's name varied from
dialect to dialect.

> Gamelion          (Capricorn)
γαμηλιών /gamE:liO:n/
The month takes its name from the adjective γαμήλιος "nuptial, bridal".
It was apparently a favorite month for weddings.

> Anthesterion     (Aquarius)
ἀνθεστηριών /anthestE:riO:n/
The month in which the festival of τὰ ἀνθεστήρια took place. This was a
three-day 'feast of flowers' in honor of Dionysios. The root ἀνθε(σ)- =
"flower".

> Elaphebolion   (Pisces)
ἐλαφηβολιών /elaphE:boliO:n/
The month in which the festival of τὰ ἐλαφηβόλια took place. This was a
festival in honor of the goddess Artemis, the 'deer-shooter' (ἐλαφη-βόλος).

> Mounichion      (Aries)
μουνιχιών /mo:nikhiO:n/ --> /mu:nikhiO:n/
Probably named after μουνύχιος, an epithet of Artemis as patron of the
harbor at Μουνυχία in the Piraeus. But the Attic spelling with iota
between the nu and khi, instead of the expected upsilon, is odd.

> Thargelion        (Taurus)
θαργηλιών /thargE:liO:n/
The month in which the festival of τὰ θαργήλια was celebrated. This was
a festival in honor of Apollo and Artemis. The origin of the word
θαργήλια, also spelled ταργήλια, is unknown.

> Skirophorion    (Gemini)
σκιροφοριών /skirophoriO:n/
The month gets its name from the festival of τὰ σκίρα held on the 12th
day of the month, in which the women of Athens carried (φερ- ~ φορ-
"bear, carry") gifts to honor Athena. The etymology of σκίρα is unknown.

--
Ray
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