σέλμα

Ancient Greek

FWOTD – 14 October 2022

Etymology

Cognate with Ancient Greek σελίς (selís, “beam, planing; page of book”), with Old English selma and syll, with Old High German swelli.

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /sél.ma/ → /ˈsel.ma/ → /ˈsel.ma/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /sél.ma/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈsel.ma/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈsel.ma/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈsel.ma/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈsel.ma/

Noun

σέλμᾰ • (sélma) n (genitive σέλμᾰτος); third declension

1. (shipping) deck, the upper planking of a ship
   1. (in the plural) rowing-benches (in Homer, cf ζυγά (zugá))
2. (generally) seat, throne
   • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 179–183:

     στάζει δ’ ἔν θ’ ὕπνῳ πρὸ καρδίας μνησιπήμων πόνος:
     καὶ παρ’ ἄκοντας ἦλθε σωφρονεῖν.
     δαιμόνων δέ που χάρις βίαιος σέλμα σεμνὸν ἡμένων.

     stázei d’ én th’ húpnōi prò kardías mnēsipḗmōn pónos:
     kaì par’ ákontas êlthe sōphroneîn.
     daimónōn dé pou kháris bíaios sélma semnòn hēménōn.

     Even in our sleep, the persistent memory of pain drips upon the heart;
     against our will, it came to wisen us,
     forcible grace of gods, seated upon their haughty throne.

     More translations at μνησιπήμων and @perseus.tufts.edu

3. (generally) any timberwork; logs of building timber

Inflection

Third declension of τὸ σέλμᾰ; τοῦ σέλμᾰτος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	τὸ σέλμᾰ tò sélma	τὼ σέλμᾰτε tṑ sélmate	τᾰ̀ σέλμᾰτᾰ tà sélmata
Genitive	τοῦ σέλμᾰτος toû sélmatos	τοῖν σελμᾰ́τοιν toîn selmátoin	τῶν σελμᾰ́των tôn selmátōn
Dative	τῷ σέλμᾰτῐ tôi sélmati	τοῖν σελμᾰ́τοιν toîn selmátoin	τοῖς σέλμᾰσῐ / σέλμᾰσῐν toîs sélmasi(n)
Accusative	τὸ σέλμᾰ tò sélma	τὼ σέλμᾰτε tṑ sélmate	τᾰ̀ σέλμᾰτᾰ tà sélmata
Vocative	σέλμᾰ sélma	σέλμᾰτε sélmate	σέλμᾰτᾰ sélmata
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Related terms

• εὔσελμος (eúselmos, “well-benched”)
• ἐΰσσελμος, ἐύσσελμος (eússelmos, “well-benched”) (in Homer)
• σελμῐ́ς f (selmís, “noose of hair; plank”)

References

• “σέλμα”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “σέλμα”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers