σ
Σ ς, σίγμα or σῖγμα (both accents are found in codd.), τό,
- twentyfirst letter of the Etruscan abecedaria, IG 14.2420, and prob. of the oldest Gr. alphabets (corresponding to the twenty-first Hebrew letter shin ש, Phoenician 𐤔, Syria 6.103), but eighteenth of the Ion. alphabet: as numeral σʹ = 200, but ͵σ = 200,000: a semi-vowel, Arist. Po. 1456b28, cf. Pl. Tht. 203b.
- A the oldest forms expressing this sound were Μ (which is however the old eighteenth letter, q.v.), also Σ and 𐊖 [Lycian s character]; compared to a twisted curl, E. Fr. 382.7, Theodect. 6; to a Scythian bow, Agatho 4; after this, but yet early, it took the shape of a semicircle Ϲ, whence Aeschrio (Fr. 1) calls the new moon τὸ καλὸν οὐρανοῦ νέον σῖγμα: hence the orchestra is called τὸ τοῦ θεάτρου σῖγμα, Phot., AB 286: and Lat. writers used sigma of a semicircular couch, Mart. 10.48.6, etc.; cf. σιγμοειδής. The rare form [see print copy] is used in the numbering of building-stones in Berl.Sitzb. 1888.1234, 1242 (Pergam.). From final ς must be distinguished the character ϛ = 6, v. ϝ ϝ (sixth letter).
- B the name σίγμα ( σῖγμα) was usu. indeclinable, τοῦ σῖγμα Pl. l.c., Cra. 402e, 427a, Ath. 10.455c, Lyd. Mens. 1.21 (v.l. σίγματος) ; τῷ σῖγμα Gal. UP 2.14, al.; τῶν σῖγμα Pl.Com. 30; τὰ σίγμα τὰ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀσπίδων X. HG 4.4.10, cf. Hellad. ap. Phot. Bibl. p.532 B.; later declined, τοῦ σίγματος Eust. 1389.15; σίγμασιν Id. 905.7.
- 2 we also hear of another name σάν [ᾰ], τό, τὰ οὐνόματά σφι (sc. τοῖσι Πέρσῃσι) τελευτῶσι πάντα ἐς τὠυτὸ γράμμα, τὸ Δωριέες μὲν σὰν καλέουσι, Ἴωνες δὲ σίγμα Hdt. 1.139, cf. Pi. Dith.Oxy. 1604 Fr. 1 ii 3, Ath. 11.467a; as name of the fourth and tenth letters in Θρασύμαχος, and of the sixth in Διονύσο (υ), Epigr. ap. Ath. 10.454f, Achae. 33.4; cf. the compd. σαμ-φόρας: σάν and σίγμα were evidently pronounced alike; it is conjectured that σάν is originally the name of the old eighteenth letter.
σ
- Σ, ς, σίγμα, τό, indecl., a semi-vowel, eighteenth letter of the Gr. Alph.: as numeral σʹ 200, but ͵σ 200, 000.
- Ibeside the form Σ, it was written as a semicircle Ϲ. In the written character, final ϲ became ς from which must be distinguished the character ϛʹ 6. There was also a Doric name σάν [ᾰ] (cf. σαμ-φόρας) , which appeared at the end of the alphabet as σαμπί or σαμπῖ, ϡ, 900.
- IIdialectic and other changes:
- 1Aeolic and Ionic into δ, as ὀδμή ἴδμεν for ὀσμή ἴσμεν.
- 3in Aeolic and Doric, and in Poets, ς was often doubled, as ὅσσος μέσσος ὀπίσσω for ὅσος μέσος ὀπίσω, and in fut. and aor. 1 forms, as δαμάσσω ὀλέσσω, etc. for δαμάσω ὀλέσω, etc.
- 4ς sometimes passed into πτ or vice versa, as πέσσω and πέπτω, ὄψομαι (*ὄπτω) and ὄσσομαι, ἐνίσσω and ἐνίπτω.
- 5Doric into ξ, in fut. and aor1 of Verbs, with their deriv. Nouns, as ἐργάξομαι χείριξις for ἐργάσομαι χείρισις:—so in Ionic, διξός τριξός for δισσός τρισσός; and in old Attic, the prep. σύν, with all its Compds., was written ξύν.
- 6Attic ς and σς sometimes passed into ψ, cf. Ψ ψ III.
- 7in Aeolic, as in Lat., ς represents the aspirate, Σαλμυδησσός Ἁλμυδησσός, σῦς (Lat. sus) ὗς, ἅλς sal, ἕξ sex, ἑπτά septem, ἕρπω serpo, ὕλη sylva.
- 8prefixed to words beginning with μ and τ, μύραινα σμύραινα, μικρός σμικρός, τέγος στέγω, Lat. tego; more rarely before κ and φ, σκίδναμαι κίδναμαι, σφάλλω fallo, σφενδόνη funda.
- 9ς was inserted in the middle of words before θ, esp. by Poets in the 1 pers. pl. pass. and mid., as τυπτόμεσθα for τυπτόμεθα; so ὄπισθεν for ὄπιθεν.
- 10conversely, the Lacon. used to throw out ς between two vowels, writing Μῶα for Μοῦσα.
- IIς changed into ρ, Doric and Attic, when another ρ goes before, as ἄρρην for ἄρσην, θάρρος for θάρσος.
- 12Lacon., ς is substituted for θ, as σιός Ἀσάνα παρσένος for θεός Ἀθήνη παρθένος.
- 13Doric, σδ for ζ, as μασδός τράπεσδα for μαζός τράπεζα.
- 14ς is appended to οὕτω ἄχρι μέχρι before a vowel.