Loxias

Loxias ( ancient Greek Λοξίας ) is an epiclesis of the Greek god Apollon , with whom he was primarily addressed as the god of prophecy .

The meaning of the epiclesis is unclear, various derivations were attempted even in antiquity. Mostly Loxias was derived from λοξός (“across”, “crooked”), either because of the ambiguity of the Pythian oracle sayings at the oracle of Delphi or because of the apparently crooked course of the sun. Another approach assumes that Apollon got the name because of the hyperborean Loxo , who is said to have raised him.

The name Loxias is mainly used when Apollo is addressed as the god of prophecy. The epiclesis is found in abundance among the tragedians Aeschylus , Sophocles and Euripides, in which the oracle sayings or the oracle itself are circumscribed by the name. In Euripides' play Ion the eponymous will Ion repeatedly called the son of Loxias. Ion is here a temple servant at the oracle of Delphi, paternity is finally transferred to Xuthos through an oracle .

In ancient scholarship , Loxias and Loxo were interpreted as the names of a pair of light deities that were ousted by the Greek cults. Loxias was merged with Apollo in a cultic way and Loxo has sunk to the oracle servant in Delos .

literature

Otto Höfer : Loxias 1 . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 2.2, Leipzig 1897, Col. 2144 f. ( Digitized version ).

Bernhard Große Kruse: Loxias. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XIII, 2, Stuttgart 1927, Sp. 1532 f.

Remarks

↑ Pythian is derived from Pytho , the old or poetic name Delphis .
↑ Lucius Annaeus Cornutus , de natura deorum 32; Eustathios of Thessalonica , Commentary on Homer's Iliad 794, 54; Johannes Tzetzes , Scholien zu Lycophrons Alexandra ; Suda , keyword Λοξίας , Adler number: lambda, 673 , Suda-Online .
↑ Oinopides in Macrobius 1, 17; Diodorus 1, 98.
↑ Scholion to Callimachus , Hymns 3, 204; 4, 292; Etymologicum magnum 642, 1ff.
↑ Pindar Pythien 3:28 ; 11, 5; Isthmia 7, 49; Herodotus 1:91; Orphic Hymns 34, 7.
↑ For example Loxiou Chresmoi in Aeschylus, Choephoren 261 or Euripides Elektra 399.
↑ About Chresteria Loxiou in Euripides, Ion 243 or domoi Loxiou in Aeschylus The Eumenides 35th
↑ Euripides, Ion 72; 78; 311; 1287; 1548; 1608.
↑ See Richard Ganschinietz : Loxo. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XIII, 2, Stuttgart 1927, Sp. 1533 f. and Bernhard Große Kruse: Loxias. In: RE . Volume XIII, 2, Col. 1532 f.

[1] Pythian is derived from Pytho , the old or poetic name Delphis .

[2] Lucius Annaeus Cornutus , de natura deorum 32; Eustathios of Thessalonica , Commentary on Homer's Iliad 794, 54; Johannes Tzetzes , Scholien zu Lycophrons Alexandra ; Suda , keyword Λοξίας , Adler number: lambda, 673 , Suda-Online .

[3] Oinopides in Macrobius 1, 17; Diodorus 1, 98.

[4] Scholion to Callimachus , Hymns 3, 204; 4, 292; Etymologicum magnum 642, 1ff.

[5] Pindar Pythien 3:28 ; 11, 5; Isthmia 7, 49; Herodotus 1:91; Orphic Hymns 34, 7.

[6] For example Loxiou Chresmoi in Aeschylus, Choephoren 261 or Euripides Elektra 399.

[7] About Chresteria Loxiou in Euripides, Ion 243 or domoi Loxiou in Aeschylus The Eumenides 35th

[8] Euripides, Ion 72; 78; 311; 1287; 1548; 1608.

[9] See Richard Ganschinietz : Loxo. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XIII, 2, Stuttgart 1927, Sp. 1533 f. and Bernhard Große Kruse: Loxias. In: RE . Volume XIII, 2, Col. 1532 f.