[B-Greek] Veil: KALUMMA

Iver Larsen iver_larsen at sil.org
Tue Jun 29 16:51:24 EDT 2004


>
> LSJ at Perseus  has this entry
>
> PERIBOL-AION, TO, ([PERIBALLW]) that which is thrown round, covering,
> QANATOU PERIBOLAIA corpse-clothes, E. HF549; SARKOS TT. hHBWNTA youthful
> incasements of flesh, i.e. youth, manhood, ib. 1269, cf. PStrassb 91.9 (i
> B. C.) ; freq. in LXX, De. 22.12, al. (metaph., TT. XALKOUN hH ISXUS SOU
> Je 15.12); woman's headgear, 1 Ep.Cor. 11.15; covering for the feet,
> Plu.Arat.43; chariot-cover, Id. Alex. 67; bedcover, Gal.18(1).103;
> padding, PERIBOLAIA SPLHNWN ib.(2).381 ; dressing-gown, warm wrap,
> Herod.Med. ap. Orib.10.18.13, Archig. ap. Gal.13.264.
>
> The entry "covering for the feet" is interesting in view of the fact that
> "foot" was a euphemism for genitalia.
>
> george
> gfsomsel

The last comment is far away from b-Greek, but since it was posted here, it
ought to be refuted here.

The misunderstanding that "feet" was used as a euphemism for genitalia is
popular, but without factual basis. The background is that the Hebrew word
(regel) which can mean either foot or leg depending on context, has been
wrongly translated as "feet" many times where it should have been translated
"legs". There are a couple of places where the expression "between the legs"
is used as a euphemistic reference to that area between the upper part of
the legs. I have found this in Gen 49:10 and Deut 28:57, and LXX translate
correctly by MHROS (thigh) in both places. In Isa 7:20 "hair of the legs" is
mentioned, but here the LXX wrongly translated by PODWN just like many
English versions wrongly translated it by "feet".

Iver Larsen




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