Volume VIIII - 1955

Author Category Volume Page Year Language Panagiotakis Ν. Μ. PAPERS AND STUDIES 9 490 - 503 1955 Greek Title Podotas-Apodotis, Corrections to an excerpt of Erotokritos Summary PDF During his exile, Erotokritos sent two letters to his father and his friend Polydoros with his servant Pistentes. Erotokritos’ trust in his servant is obvious in many passages; it is also suggested by the hero’s name, based on the word pistos, “faithful”. In verse D 800, however, the poet apparently calls Pistentes a "πολλά κουρφό προδότη" (most secret traitor). Although the text is given both in the London manuscript and the early editions, it may be considered erroneous, as it contradicts the meaning of the text. It is suggested that the word "προδότη" (traitor) should be changed to "ποδότη", which means, among other things, an emissary or messenger. The etymology of the word is examined, together with its use in popular literature and Modern Greek dialects.