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XXI
Words are of two kinds, simple and double. By simple I mean those
composed of non-significant elements, such as {gamma eta}. By double or
compound, those composed either of a significant and non-significant
element (though within the whole word no element is significant), or of
elements that are both significant. A word may likewise be triple,
quadruple, or multiple in form, like so many Massilian expressions, e.g.
'Hermo-caico-xanthus who prayed to Father Zeus>.'
Every word is either current, or strange, or metaphorical, or ornamental,
or newly-coined, or lengthened, or contracted, or altered.
By a current or proper word I mean one which is in general use among a
people; by a strange word, one which is in use in another country.
Plainly, therefore, the same word may be at once strange and current, but
not in relation to the same people. The word {sigma iota gamma upsilon nu
omicron nu}, 'lance,' is to the Cyprians a current term but to us a
strange one.
Metaphor is the application of an alien name by transference either from
genus to species, or from species to genus, or from species to species,
or by analogy, that is, proportion Thus from genus to species, as: 'There
lies my ship'; for lying at anchor is a species of lying. From species to
genus, as: 'Verily ten thousand noble deeds hath Odysseus wrought'; for
ten thousand is a species of large number, and is here used for a large
number generally. From species to species, as: 'With blade of bronze drew
away the life,' and 'Cleft the water with the vessel of unyielding
bronze.' Here {alpha rho upsilon rho alpha iota}, 'to draw away,' is used
for {tau alpha mu epsilon iota nu}, 'to cleave,' and {tau alpha mu
epsilon iota nu} again for {alpha rho upsilon alpha iota},--each being a
species of taking away. Analogy or proportion is when the second term is
to the first as the fourth to the third. We may then use the fourth for
the second, or the second for the fourth. Sometimes too we qualify the
metaphor by adding the term to which the proper word is relative. Thus
the cup is to Dionysus as the shield to Ares. The cup may, therefore, be
called 'the shield of Dionysus,' and the shield 'the cup of Ares.' Or,
again, as old age is to life, so is evening to day. Evening may therefore
be called 'the old age of the day,' and old age, 'the evening of life,'
or, in the phrase of Empedocles, 'life's setting sun.' For some of the
terms of the proportion there is at times no word in existence; still the
metaphor may be used. For instance, to scatter seed is called sowing: but
the action of the sun in scattering his rays is nameless. Still this
process bears to the sun the same relation as sowing to the seed. Hence
the expression of the poet 'sowing the god-created light.' There is
another way in which this kind of metaphor may be employed. We may apply
an alien term, and then deny of that term one of its proper attributes;
as if we were to call the shield, not 'the cup of Ares,' but 'the
wineless cup.'
<An ornamental word . . .>
A newly-coined word is one which has never been even in local use, but is
adopted by the poet himself. Some such words there appear to be: as
{epsilon rho nu upsilon gamma epsilon sigma}, 'sprouters,' for {kappa
epsilon rho alpha tau alpha}, 'horns,' and {alpha rho eta tau eta rho},
'supplicator,' for {iota epsilon rho epsilon upsilon sigma}, 'priest.'
A word is lengthened when its own vowel is exchanged for a longer one, or
when a syllable is inserted. A word is contracted when some part of it is
removed. Instances of lengthening are,--{pi omicron lambda eta omicron
sigma} for {pi omicron lambda epsilon omega sigma}, and {Pi eta lambda
eta iota alpha delta epsilon omega} for {Pi eta lambda epsilon iota delta
omicron upsilon}: of contraction,--{kappa rho iota}, {delta omega}, and
{omicron psi}, as in {mu iota alpha / gamma iota nu epsilon tau alpha
iota / alpha mu phi omicron tau episilon rho omega nu / omicron psi}.
An altered word is one in which part of the ordinary form is left
unchanged, and part is re-cast; as in {delta epsilon xi iota-tau epsilon
rho omicron nu / kappa alpha tau alpha / mu alpha zeta omicron nu},
{delta epsilon xi iota tau epsilon rho omicron nu} is for {delta epsilon
xi iota omicron nu}.
[Nouns in themselves are either masculine, feminine, or neuter. Masculine
are such as end in {nu}, {rho}, {sigma}, or in some letter compounded
with {sigma},--these being two, and {xi}. Feminine, such as end in vowels
that are always long, namely {eta} and {omega}, and--of vowels that admit
of lengthening--those in {alpha}. Thus the number of letters in which
nouns masculine and feminine end is the same; for {psi} and {xi} are
equivalent to endings in {sigma}. No noun ends in a mute or a vowel short
by nature. Three only end in {iota},--{mu eta lambda iota}, {kappa
omicron mu mu iota}, {pi epsilon pi epsilon rho iota}: five end in
{upsilon}. Neuter nouns end in these two latter vowels; also in {nu} and
{sigma}.]
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