ὄσσα

ossa

a rumour

Appears 58 times across Homer's epics.

Frequency by work

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Dictionary (LSJ)

ὄσσα, Att. ὄττα, , A. a rumour, which, from its origin being unknown, was held divine, ὄ. ἐκ Διός Od. 1.282, 2.216 ; personified as messenger of Zeus, Il. 2.93, Od. 24.413. 2. generally, voice, of the Muses, Hes. Th. 10,43,65 ; of a bull, ib.832. 3. more generally, sound, of the lyre, h.Merc. 443 ; din of battle, Hes. Th. 701. 4. ominous voice or sound, prophecy, warning, Pi. O. 6.62 ; ὄρνιθος ὄ. A.R. 1.1087.—Rare in Prose, κακὴν ὄτταν Pl. Lg. 800c ; ὄτταν ἀγαθήν Ael. NA 12.1 ; διʼ ὀνειράτων καὶ συμβόλων καὶ διʼ ὄττης Porph. Abst. 2.53. (Hence ὀττεύομαι: ὄσσα prob. fr. woqṷ-ya, cf. (ϝ) έπος.)
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