τηλύγετος

τηλύγετος [ῠ], η, ον, old Ep. epith. of children, of uncertain origin and sense; sts. clearly of A. a darling son, petted child, ἀλλʼ οὐκ Ἰδομενῆα φόβος λάβε, τηλύγετον ὥς, Il. 13.470; τίσω δέ μιν ἶσον Ὀρέστῃ, ὅς μοι τ. τρέφεται θαλίῃ ἔνι πολλῇ 9.143, cf. 285; so of an only son, ὡς . . πατὴρ ὃν παῖδα φιλήσῃ μοῦνον τηλύγετον ib.482; ὅς οἱ τ. γένετο Od. 4.11; ὡς δὲ πατὴρ ὃν παῖδα . . ἀγαπάζῃ . . μοῦνον τηλύγετον 16.19; son of oneʼs old age, τ. οἱ υἱός . . ὀψίγονος τρέφεται h.Cer. 164, cf. 283; also λιποῦσα παῖδά τε τηλυγέτην, of Hermione, the only daughter of Helen, Il. 3.175; once of two sons, perh. twins, Φαίνοπος υἷε, ἄμφω τηλυγέτω 5.153: so in later Ep., A.R. 1.719, Mosch. 4.79; of a wife, ἄλοχον σαόφρονα τηλυγέτην τε JHS 19.296 (Galatia): once in Trag., τηλύγετον [χθονὸς] ἀπὸ πατρίδος E. IT 829 (lyr.), where it seems to mean τηλοῦ γεγονότα, born far away, far-distant, as it certainly does in Simm. 1.1 τηλυγέτων . . Ὑπερβορέων ἀνὰ δῆμον; similarly, τηλυγέτων ἀποικιῶν· τῶν μακρὰν ἀπεχουσῶν, Hsch. (= Com.Adesp. 1315). (The best of the ancient interpretations is latest-born, i.e. after whom no more are born (= ὁ τῆς γονῆς τέλος ἔχων, μεθʼ ὃν ἕτερος οὐ γίνεται, Sch.TIl. 9.482), including only children, these being the best-beloved. The word was prob. thought to be derived from τέλος (τελευ-τή, cf. Orion in Et.Gud. 616.37) and γίγνομαι; but this presents difficulties, and the sense petted, well-beloved, may equally well be the primary one.)