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χελιδών

χελιδών, the swallow

χελῑδ-ών, όνος, ἡ (even of the male, S.E. M. 1.151); but masc., metaph. of men, Ion Trag. 33, cf. Hdn.Gr. 1.25: voc. χελιδοῖ, as if from a nom. χελιδώ, Anacr. 67, Simon. 74, Ar. Av. 1411 (anap.), AP 9.70 (Mnasalc., with
  • v.l. χελιδόν, as in Anacreont. 9.2 cod.):—swallow, Od. 21.411, 22.240, Hes. Op. 568, Hdt. 2.22, Democr. 14, etc.: πέδοικος χ. A. Fr. 53, cf. Ar. Av. 714 (anap): prov., μία χ. ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ Cratin. 33 (cf. Arist. EN 1098a18); δεῖσθαι δʼ ἔοικεν οὐκ ὀλίγων χ. Ar. Av. 1417, cf. 1681; χ. λευκή, of a rare event, Thphr. Sign. 39; the twittering of the swallow was prov. used of barbarous tongues by the Greeks, εἴπερ ἐστὶ μὴ χελιδόνος δίκην ἀγνῶτα φωνὴν βάρβαρον κεκτημένη A. Ag. 1050: hence ὁ χ., = ὁ βάρβαρος, Ion l.c.; Θρῃκία χ. ἐπὶ βάρβαρον ἑζομένη πέταλον Ar. Ra. 681 (lyr.); χελιδόνων μουσεῖα bowers that ring with poetasters’ twitterings, ib. 93 (parodied from ἀηδόνων μουσεῖα in E., v. Fr. 88).
      • 2 metaph. of letters, τῶν σῶν χ. αἱ ἡμέτεραι πλείους Lib. Ep. 46.2.
    • II flying-fish, Dactylopterus volitans, hirondelle de mer, Ephipp. 12.5 (anap.), Speus. ap. Ath. 7.324f; χ. θαλάττιαι Arist. HA 535b27.
    • III frog in the hollow of a horseʼs foot (expld. by Hsch. τὸ κοῖλον τῆς ὁπλῆς), so called from its being forked like the swallowʼs tail, X. Eq. 1.3, 4.5, 6.2, Poll. 1.188.
      • 2 the like part of a dogʼs foot, Suid.
      • 3 = λειχήν 4, Cael.Aur. TP 1.138 (pl.); a growth on the knee in horses, Sch. Nic. Th. 945.
      • 4 hollow above the bend of the elbow, Hsch.
      • 5 pudenda muliebria (with play on Ar. Lys. 770 (hex.)), Suid., cf. Juv. 6.365 (6).
      • 6 a kind of ship, Suid.
      • 7 a Peloponnesian silver coin, Id. (Χελιδϝών as pr.n., IG 92(1).86 (Corinthian, found at Thermon); cf. Assyr. hinundu, Lat. hirundo.)

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