σμῆνος

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Ancient Greek

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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The formation can be compared with ἔθνος (éthnos), ἔρνος (érnos) and τέμενος (témenos). An alternative spelling ζμῆνος (zmênos) is also attested in some papyri and inscriptions, possibly reflecting the voicing of initial /s/ to /z/. According to Beekes, a Pre-Greek origin is a good possibility.

The original meaning was probably swarm of bees rather than beehive.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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σμῆνος (smênosn (genitive σμήνους); third declension

  1. beehive, skep
    • 750 BCE – 650 BCE, Hesiod, Theogony 594–595:
      ὡς δ' ὁπότ' ἐν σμήνεσσι κατηρεφέεσσι μέλισσαι
      κηφῆνας βόσκωσι, κακῶν ξυνήονας ἔργων·
      hōs d' hopót' en smḗnessi katērephéessi mélissai
      kēphênas bóskōsi, kakôn xunḗonas érgōn;
      like when bees in vaulted hives
      feed the drones, partners in base deeds.
  2. swarm of bees
    • 472 BCE, Aeschylus, The Persians 126–129:
      πᾶς γὰρ ἱππηλάτας / καὶ πεδοστιβὴς λεὼς /
      σμῆνος ὣς ἐκλέλοιπεν μελισ- / σᾶν σὺν ὀρχάμῳ στρατοῦ
      pâs gàr hippēlátas / kaì pedostibḕs leṑs /
      smênos hṑs ekléloipen melis- / sân sùn orkhámōi stratoû
      You see, all men, the cavalry and infantry,
      like a swarm of bees, have left with the leader of the army
    1. swarm in general, crowd

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Greek: σμήνος (smínos)

Further reading

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