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Formulas
(ocop < deipco; for 'hanger' = sword see MED s.v.) that he slew Iphidamas
at 11.240. The technical point of these two synonyms is precise; the one has
initial consonant, the other initial vowel, cf. KTJ8OS - ccAyos, K08OS - eOxos,
uoTpa - alaa, ycua - aTa, TTAOUTOS - 6A(3os, 9covf| - aO6f), 9COTOC - av8pa,
KUTTEAAOV - aAeiaov, ouuonra - 90(60, TEOXECC - EVTECC, FTriAetSris - AiaKi8r|s,
KuAAo7To6icov - 'Au9iyuf|eis, eyx^os aixiir) - 8oupos OKCOKTI, &Kaxrmevos fJTop
- TeTirjuevos fj., evi 9pEcri - UETOC 9., etc. See also §13 below. The same
alternation appears in adjectives, though the decorative nature of many
epithets means that the need for synonyms is not so exigent: epeuvos -
KeAaivos, TJOKOUOS - KCCAAIKOUOS, dyccKAuTOS - TTEPIKAUTOS. Several of these
pairs combine words that are common at all stages in the evolution of the
Greek language with words that are restricted to the archaic epic (and its
derivative genres). It cannot be shown, but it is surely likely, that many of
these words were obsolete in the vernaculars of Homeric times. If so, their
use in the epic would be recognized as characteristic of epic style, but it is
doubtful if the singer sought them out for that reason. Simply as part of the
poetical grammar the archaic synonyms would occur often enough by
random effects to give the diction its other-worldly feeling.
When the words cited in the preceding paragraph enter into formulas
their synonymy serves the purpose of extending the formular system and
filling cola that would be impossible with the primary term alone (cf.
§xiii). 15 Thus 66pu uocKpov uu-u, 66pu UEIAIVOV UU-UU, but \6iKKs0v
lyxos -uu-u, and ccixpnf) x a ^ Ke fr| • There is a difference between
the weapon as a whole or any part of it (lyxos), the shaft (86pv), and
the head (crixuil), but the difference is hardly visible in use. Moreover, this
rather loose and extensive system has permitted the emergence of 86pu
XOCAKEOV and udAivov iyxos, expressions in which the narrow sense of the
primary formulas has been inverted. The oft-quoted series Tronrpis dpovpcc,
7rccTpi8a yalav, TTCCTpi8os airis, TrcrrpiBi yairj shows the effect of the final
colon on phrase formation, for the different grammatical cases enter into
quite different sentence patterns.
Other examples: TCCXUV !6v but TriKpov oiorov; (JieOu f)80 but olvov
ipuOpov; dAcc 8Iav, but eupea TTOVTOV; OOOV apua but TrepiKCcAAea 8i9pov;
laeya (p)doTU but TTOAIV eupu&yuiav - the device is conspicuous where
short noun-verb expressions are required; x& v &xAuv but fiepa x^£ and
Synonyms are essential for formular doublets of the 'make war and do
battle' type, a numerous class (see §ix).
Overlapping the poet's use of synonyms is his use of indirect reference.
15 The most extensive study is H. A. Paraskevaides, The Use of Synonyms in Homeric Formulaic
Diction (Amsterdam 1984).