03-28-2014, 06:32 PM
Quote:The Dictionary EntryThanks for that. Unfortunately, it does not take the argument much further. It cites the references that we know of already and, in fact, misrepresents them. Neither Vegetius nor Isidorus uses the word semispathium; the word that they both use is semispatium. Vegetius does not relate spatha and semispatium to each other; he describes them as differently-sized gladii - and we know what we think of Isidorus' etymology!
sēmispathium, iī, n., eine kleine spatha, Veget. mil. 2, 15 u. 16. Isid. orig. 18, 6, 5.
The Translation
sēmispathium, iī, n., a small spatha, Veget. mil. 2, 15 & 16. Isid. orig. 18, 6, 5.
I am tempted into indulging in some cod-etymology of my own. My dictionary gives one of the meanings of spatium as 'size, dimension'. Applying this, semispatium could mean simply 'half-size'. There would be no need to say 'half-size what'; the soldier would know that. It need not be a half-size spatha.
Michael King Macdona
And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)