ἐπίγραμμα

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ἐπιγράφω (epigráphō, “to mark the surface”) +‎ -μα (-ma).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /e.pí.ɡram.ma/ → /eˈpi.ɣram.ma/ → /eˈpi.ɣra.ma/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /e.pí.ɡram.ma/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /eˈpi.ɡram.ma/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /eˈpi.ɣram.ma/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /eˈpi.ɣram.ma/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /eˈpi.ɣra.ma/

Noun

ἐπίγραμμα • (epígramma) n (genitive ἐπιγράμματος); third declension

1. an inscription, (especially in verse), an epigram
   • 460 BCE – 420 BCE, Herodotus, Histories 5.59:

     ὁ μὲν δὴ εἷς τῶν τριπόδων ἐπίγραμμα ἔχει “ἀμφιτρύων μ’ ἀνέθηκ’ ἐνάρων ἀπὸ Τηλεβοάων.”

     ho mèn dḕ heîs tôn tripódōn epígramma ékhei “amphitrúōn m’ anéthēk’ enárōn apò Tēleboáōn.”

     On one of the tripods there is this inscription: “Amphitryon dedicated me from the spoils of Teleboae.”

2. a written estimate of damages
   • 384 BCE – 322 BCE, Demosthenes, Against Nausimachus and Xenopeithes 2:

     ὄντες γὰρ δύο τέτταρας εἰλήχασι δίκας ἡμῖν, τῶν αὐτῶν χρημάτων πάσας, τρισχιλίων ἑκάστην, βλάβης: καὶ νυνὶ πρὸς τριάκοντα μνῶν ἐπίγραμμα, ὑπὲρ τοσούτων χρημάτων εἰς ἀγῶνα καθέσταμεν.

     óntes gàr dúo téttaras eilḗkhasi díkas hēmîn, tôn autôn khrēmátōn pásas, triskhilíōn hekástēn, blábēs: kaì nunì pròs triákonta mnôn epígramma, hupèr tosoútōn khrēmátōn eis agôna kathéstamen.

     For there are two of them, and they have entered four suits against us, all for a like amount, each for three thousand drachmae damages; and now on a complaint for thirty minae we are brought to trial for so large a sum

Inflection

Third declension of τὸ ἐπί̆γρᾰμμᾰ; τοῦ ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτος (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	τὸ ἐπί̆γρᾰμμᾰ tò epígramma	τὼ ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτε tṑ epigrámmate	τᾰ̀ ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτᾰ tà epigrámmata
Genitive	τοῦ ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτος toû epigrámmatos	τοῖν ἐπῐγρᾰμμᾰ́τοιν toîn epigrammátoin	τῶν ἐπῐγρᾰμμᾰ́των tôn epigrammátōn
Dative	τῷ ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτῐ tôi epigrámmati	τοῖν ἐπῐγρᾰμμᾰ́τοιν toîn epigrammátoin	τοῖς ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰσῐ / ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰσῐν toîs epigrámmasi(n)
Accusative	τὸ ἐπί̆γρᾰμμᾰ tò epígramma	τὼ ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτε tṑ epigrámmate	τᾰ̀ ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτᾰ tà epigrámmata
Vocative	ἐπί̆γρᾰμμᾰ epígramma	ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτε epigrámmate	ἐπῐγρᾰ́μμᾰτᾰ epigrámmata
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Descendants

• → Latin: epigramma (see there for further descendants)

References

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