Commenting on Pindar (Pyth. 5.10–11): Does Castor “flood the hearth” or “ignite the hearth”?

Abstract

The task of this short paper is to show, using the example of v. 10–11 of Pindar’s Fifth Pythian Ode, that the semantics of the verb καταιθύσσω is misunderstood, and that this erroneous understanding has been recorded in almost all dictionaries, starting with the dictionary LSJ. As a result, the meaning of many poetic contexts, where the verb αἰθύσσω and its variants with prefixes appear, is distorted, losing the metaphor embedded in them. Analysis of the etymology and semantics of the group αἰθύσσω — ἀναιθύσσω — διαιθύσσω — καταιθύσσω — παραιθύσσω leads to the conclusion that “fire/ignition” is a basic seme of the semantic spectrum of the verb αἰθύσσω and its prefixal variants. Being rarely used, verbs of this group gradually lost their connection with the idea of fire-ignition, and modern dictionaries are guided by the meaning that ancient commentators saw in this group of verbs. My interpretation of the semantics of the verb makes it possible to see the image that stands behind the metaphorical description of Castor’s favor to King Arcesilaus: it is likened to kindling a fire in the hearth, and the prefix κατα- indicates that the action is performed from top to bottom, that is, from a height. And in this case, the translation of vv. 10–11 is as follows: “he ignites your blessed hearth with serenity”.