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Neighing Horses

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:50 pm
by Thoucydides
I am writing Greek iambics about "neighing steeds" but my dictionaries tell me that the only Greek word for "neigh" is chremetizw, a word I am reluctant to use because it both seems unpoetic and is metrically awkward. I am trying to devise a way round this problem but have not come up with anything I am pleased with so far. Does anyone have ideas or can anyone remember any passages from the tragedians that might help?

One version I attempted described the horses as "ligus" - "shrill". I am not aware of this used of horses anywhere in tragedy, but it might work. Does it sound idiomatic?

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 10:27 pm
by chad
hi, have a look at how the tragedians use φ??αγμα (see LSJ for refs), cheers, chad.

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 11:06 pm
by Bert
I don't know the "mood" of the steeds who are doing the neighing but if an annoyed snort will do instead of a neigh you might consider BRIMA/OMAI or E)MBRIMA/OMAI. Is this a poetic option? I leave that for you to decide.

Edit: I looked up Chad's word, or its verbal cognate, and it seems to fit the bill a lot better.