[B-Greek] strange looking pi?

Jim Darlack jdarlack at gcts.edu
Mon Sep 25 16:15:17 EDT 2006


While looking at an old printed edition of the LXX, some friends and I
came across a strange character that represents the letter pi.
 
The character basically looks like a lowercase omega with a line across
the top.
 
See the jpeg here: http://www.oldinthenew.org/images/pi.jpg (image of
Cardo font glyph U+03D6).
 
As far as I can tell, there's no rhyme or reason why this character is
used rather than the regular pi.
 
For instance, both the traditional pi, and this other pi are both used
in this scan (http://www.oldinthenew.org/images/pitxt.jpg). Compare v.
19 with the regular pi to vv. 26/27, 11 & 12 with the strange pi. The
strange pi is only used when it begins a word, but the regular pi is
used to begin a word as well. In 26/27, both characters are used in the
same word - PROSWPA.
 
Note also the strangely formed beta in the first line in FOBHQENTHS and
the second gamma in ANAGGEILWSI.
 
Curious,
 
Jim
 
________________________________

James M. Darlack
Assistant Librarian for Reference & Bibliographic Instruction
Goddard Library, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary 
130 Essex Street, South Hamilton, MA 01982
http://www.gordonconwell.edu/library/hamilton
<http://www.gordonconwell.edu/library/hamilton>  
978.646.4004 Phone - 978.646.4567 Fax 



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