ποθεν

See also: πόθεν

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• ποθέν (pothén) — used after paroxytones
• κοθεν (kothen) — Ionic
• κοθέν (kothén) — Ionic, used after paroxytones

Etymology

From *kʷos (“who”) + -θεν (-then, “locative suffix”).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /po.tʰi/ → /po.θi/ → /po.θi/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /po.tʰi/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /po.tʰi/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /po.θi/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /po.θi/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /po.θi/

Adverb

ποθεν • (pothen) (enclitic)

1. from somewhere
   • 472 BCE, Aeschylus, The Persians 354:

     ἦρξεν μέν, ὦ δέσποινα, τοῦ παντὸς κακοῦ φανεὶς ἀλάστωρ ἢ κακὸς δαίμων ποθέν

     êrxen mén, ô déspoina, toû pantòs kakoû phaneìs alástōr ḕ kakòs daímōn pothén

     My Queen, some destructive power or evil spirit, appearing from somewhere, caused the beginning of our utter rout.

Synonyms

• ἁμόθεν (hamóthen)

Related terms

• ποθι (pothi)
• ποτε (pote)
• ὅθεν (hóthen)
• πόθεν (póthen)
• τόθεν (tóthen)

References

• “ποθεν”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press