Volume XII - 1958

Author Category Volume Page Year Language Kriaras Ε. PAPERS AND STUDIES 12 97 - 116 1958 Greek Title Semantics issues in Erotokritos and other texts (προδίδω-προδότης, πους-ποδότης-ποδότας, αποδίδω-αποδότης) Summary PDF In an article in Volume IX of Kretika Chronika, Nikolaos Panayiotakis argued that the epithet “προδότης” (traitor), applied to Erotokritos’ faithful servant in line D 800 of the work, should be changed to “ποδότης”, i.e. “emissary”. However, the word "προδότης" / "προδοτής" occurs in another passage of the poem, meaning “informant”, which fits in with the particular line. The verb “προδίδω”, without the connotation of “προδοσία” (“treachery”) exists in Cretan and other earlier texts. The word “ποδότης” does not mean “emissary”; in a literal sense it signifies a pilot and more generally a guide, i.e. someone directing a task in a responsible manner. It is not related to the word “αποδότης”, but rather to “πους” - “πόδι” (“foot”) in nautical terminology. The word “αποδότης” means “assistant”.