Chapter 8 - Ecquis in ‘Early Latin’

Summary

Among the most characteristic lexical features of Early Latin drama is its rich system of exclamations and interjections, prominently including expressions based on theonyms: hercle/mehercle ‘by Hercules!’, ēcastor/mēcastor ‘by Castor!’, edepol/pol ‘by Pollux!’, and others. Considerable linguistic interest attaches to these forms, concerning their syntax, their gender-differentiated usage, and in some cases their phonological, morphological, and etymological background. The background of Lat. edepol as an imprecation to Pollux has been clear at least since Varro (ap. Gell. 11.6). Alternative etymologies—e.g. “[m]ed Apoll[o]” (Speyer) and others (see LEW s.v. ēcastor)—can be discarded; but they point to indeterminacies that remain neglected. The modern understanding of edepol assumes a three-part univerbated structure: e- is a particle; -de- is a shortened form of the word for ‘god’ (Class. Lat. deus); and -pol is a shortened form of Pollux (or older Pollūcēs, borrowed from Gk. Πολυδεύκης). Each element incorporates interesting problems, and there is also a problem concerning the word as a whole.