The Homer Reader The Iliad & Odyssey · Greek and English

γλῶσσα

glossa

tongue

Appears 11 times across Homer's epics.

Frequency by work

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Dictionary (LSJ)

γλῶσσα, Ion. γλάσσα, Herod. 3.84, al., SIG 1002.7 (Milet.), Schwyzer 692 (Chios), Att. γλῶττα, ης, ἡ,
tongue, Od. 3.332, etc.
b. γ. λάρυγγος, = γλωττίς, larynx, Gal. UP 7.13.
2. tongue, as the organ of speech, γλώσσης χάριν through love of talking, Hes. Op. 709, A. Ch. 266; γλώσσῃ ματαίᾳ Id. Pr. 331, cf. Eu. 830; γλώσσης ἀκρατής Id. Pr. 884 (lyr.); μεγάλης γ. κόμποι S. Ant. 128; γλώσσῃ δεινός, θρασύς, Id. OC 806, Aj. 1142; ἡ γ. ὀμώμοχʼ ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος E. Hipp. 612: with Preps., ἀπὸ γλώσσης by frankness of speech, Thgn. 63; φθέγγεσθαι Pi. O. 6.13 (but ἀπὸ γ. ληίσσεται, opp. χερσὶ βίῃ, of fraud opp. violence, Hes. Op. 322); also, by word of mouth, Hdt. 1.123, Th. 7.10, Arr. An. 2.14.1; τῷ νῷ θʼ ὁμοίως κἀπὸ τῆς γ. λέγω S. OC 936; τὰ γλώσσης ἄπο, i.e. our words, E. Ba. 1049; ἀπὸ γ. φράσω by heart, opp. γράμμασιν, Cratin. 122; οὐκ ἀπὸ γλώσσης not from mere word of mouth, but after full argument, A. Ag. 813; μὴ διὰ γλώσσης without using the tongue, E. Supp. 112; ἐν ὄμμασιν . . δεδορκὼς κοὐ κατὰ γλῶσσαν κλύων S. Tr. 747:—phrases: πᾶσαν γλῶτταν βασάνιζε try every art of tongue, Ar. V. 547; πᾶσαν ἱέναι γλῶσσαν let loose oneʼs whole tongue, speak without restraint, S. El. 596; πολλὴν γ. ἐγχέας μάτην Id. Fr. 929; κακὰ γ. slander, Pi. P. 4.283: pl., ἐν κερτομίοις γλώσσαις, i.e. with blasphemies, S. Ant. 962 (lyr.), cf. Aj. 199 (lyr.): βοῦς, κ ῇς ἐπὶ γλώσσῃ, v. βοῦς, κλείς.
3. of persons, one who is all tongue, speaker, of Pericles, μεγίστη γ. τῶν Ἑλληνίδων Cratin. 293, cf. Ar. Fr. 629 (s. v. l.).
4. ἡ γ. τοῦ ταμιείου the advocacy of the fiscus, Philostr. VS 2.29.
II. language, ἄλλη δʼ ἄλλων γ. μεμιγμένη Od. 19.175, cf. Il. 2.804; γλῶσσαν ἱέναι speak a language or dialect, Hdt. 1.57; γ. Ἑλληνίδα, Δωρίδα ἱέναι, Id. 9.16, Th. 3.112, cf. A. Pers. 406, Ch. 564; γλῶσσαν νομίζειν Hdt. 1.142, 4.183; γλώσσῃ χρῆσθαι Id. 4.109; κατὰ τὴν ἀρχαίαν γ. Arist. Rh. 1357b10; dialect, ἡ Ἀττικὴ γ. Demetr. Eloc. 177; but also Δωρὶς διάλεκτος μία ὑφʼ ἥν εἰσι γ. πολλαί Tryph. ap. Sch.D.T. p.320 H.
2. obsolete or foreign word, which needs explanation, Arist. Rh. 1410b12, Po. 1457b4, Plu. Pyth. 2.406f: hence Γλῶσσαι, title of works by Philemon and others.
3. people speaking a distinct language, LXX Ju. 3.8 (pl.), interpol. in Scyl. 15.
III. anything shaped like the tongue (cf. γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός Act.Ap. 2.3).
1. in Music, reed or tongue of a pipe, Aeschin. 3.229, Arist. HA 565a24, Thphr. HP 4.11.4, etc.
2. tongue or thong of leather, shoe-latchet, Pl.Com. 51, Aeschin.Socr. 57.
3. tongue of land, App. Pun. 121, cf. 95.
4. ingot, γ. χρυσῆ LXX Jo. 7.21.
5. marking on the liver, in divination, Hsch. (γλῶσσα from γλωχ-yǎ, cf. γλώξ, γλωχίς; γλάσσα from *γλᾰχ-yǎ, weak grade of same root.)
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