τέττιξ

τέττιξ, ῑγος (but ῑκος Ar. and Theoc. acc. to Hdn.Gr. ap. Choerob. in Theod. 1.292 H.), ὁ,

• cicala, Cicada plebeia or allied species, a winged insect fond of basking on trees, when the male makes a chirping or clicking noise by means of certain drums or ‘tymbals’ underneath the wings, whence the joke in Xenarch. 14, εἶτʼ . . οἱ τέττιγες οὐκ εὐδαίμονες, ὧν ταῖς γυναιξὶν οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν φωνῆς ἔνι; prov., τέττιγος ἐδράξω πτεροῦ Archil. 143 (v. συλλαμβάνω II.1). This noise is freq. used as a simile for sweet sounds, Il. 3.151, Hes. Op. 582, Sc. 393, Simon. 173, 174, etc.; and Plato calls them οἱ Μουσῶν προφῆται, Phdr. 262d; but they also became a prov. for garrulity, λαλεῖν τέττιξ Aristopho 10.7: τ. πολλοὶ γινόμενοι νοσῶδες τὸ ἔτος σημαίνουσι Thphr. Sign. 54. They were thought to sing continually without food or drink, Ar. Nu. 1360, Pl. Phdr. 259c; or on a diet of air and dew, Arist. HA 532b13, Theoc. 4.16, AP 6.120 (Leon.), Anacreont. 32, Plu. QConv. 2.660f. The Greeks ate τέττιγες to whet the appetite, Ath. 4.133b, cf. Ar. Frr. 51, 569.4, Alex. 162.13 (anap.), Anaxandr. 41.59 (anap., unless here the τέττιξ ἐνάλιος is meant, v. infr. II); and as a medical remedy, Dsc. 2.51, Orib. Fr. 64.
• • • 2 gold ornament worn in the hair (cf. χρύσειαι δὲ κόρυμβαι ἐπʼ αὐτῶν τέττιγες ὥς Asius Fr.Ep. 13.5), esp. in early Attica, Th. 1.6, Heraclid.Pont. ap. Ath. 12.512c; ἀρχαῖα . . καὶ τεττίγων ἀνάμεστα, i.e. full of old-fashioned notions, Ar. Nu. 984 (anap.), v. Sch.(980) and cf. τεττιγοφόρας; γυνὴ . . ἔχει τ. ἐπιχρύσους, in a list of votive offerings at Samos, Michel 832.51 (iv B.C.).
    • 3 Com. name for a foreign cook, Ath. 14.659a, Hsch., cf. Poll. 4.148, 150.
    • 4 Ἀκάνθιος τ., prov. of a silent person, Zen. 1.51, St.Byz. s.v. Ἄκανθος.
  • II τ. ἐνάλιος a kind of lobster, Arctos ursus, Ael. NA 13.26.
  • III part of the ear, τοῦ λοβοῦ τὸ περὶ τῇ κυψέλῃ Poll. 2.86.

τέττιξ, ῑγος, ὁ,
1) die Zikade od. Baumgrille, ein geflügeltes, auf einzeln stehenden sonnigen Bäumen u. Gebüschen lebendes Insekt, dessen Männchen in der heißesten Jahreszeit durch Reiben der untern Flügelblättchen am Brustschilde ein helles Geschwirr hervorbringt, welches die Alten seiner Lieblichkeit wegen vielfach priesen u. es zum Gleichnis für die anmutigste menschliche Stimme brauchten ; Il. 3.151 ; Hes. O. 584, Sc. 393, vgl. Voß Virg. Ecl. 5.77, dah. heißen sie οἱ τῶν μουσῶν προφῆται, Plat. Phaedr. 262d. Man hielt sie, wie noch jetzt in Spanien, in Binsenkäsigen, u. fütterte sie mit γήτειον ; Mel. 112 (VII.195); Theocr. 1.52.
2) bei den ältesten Athenern vor Solon eine Haarnadel mit einer goldenen Zikade als Knopf, Stammesabzeichen u. Sinnbild ihrer Autochthonenschaft, s. τεττιγοφόρος.
3) τέττιξ ἐνάλιος, ein Meerkrebs, Ael. H.A. 13.26.

τέττιξ

-ιγος, ὁ.

The cicada Il. 3.151.

τέττιξ , ῑγος: tettix or cicada, an insect whose note was greatly liked by the ancients, Il. 3.151†.

τέττιξ, ῑγος,

• • • 1a kind of grasshopper, the cicala, Lat. cicada, an insect fond of basking on bushes, when the male makes a chirping noise by striking the wing against the breast, Il., etc.
    • 2χρύσεος τ. a golden cicada, worn by the Athenians before Solon.ʼs time, as an emblem of their claim to being αὐτόχθονες (for such was the supposed origin of the insect), Ar., Thuc.