Aphedron: Difference between revisions
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'''Aphedron''' is a Greek word for latrine. |
'''Aphedron''' is a Greek word for latrine. |
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Revision as of 08:57, 20 January 2010
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Aphedron is a Greek word for latrine.
Because the word occurs only once in the New Testament (Mark 7:19), and was unknown in classical texts, during the 19th Century various scholars assumed it was a euphemism for the human bowel.[1]. However the discovery and publication of an inscription at Pergamos confirmed that the word means latrine [2] [3]
Besides which the Mark 7:19 verse says "out into the afedron, cleaning all meats" which makes no sense if the meat is still lodged in the lower intestine. [4]
Inscription
The following is a transcription and translation of the relevant text from Lex de astynomis Pergamenorum (Law of the town clerks of Pergamos) using the BGreek transliteration scheme.
- 483.220 AFEDRWNWN. Concerning privies.
OI ASTUNOMOI = the town clerks EPIMELEIAN = care (f.acc.) POIESQWSAN = shall make TWN TE = of the DHMOSIWN = public AFEDRWNWN = privies KAI TWN = and of EX AUTWN = out of them UPONOMWN = sewers pl. KAI EAN = and if TINE = some MH STEGANOI = not covers/lids pl. UPARCWSIN = already in existence KAI TWN.... = and of (text broken)
Translation : Concerning WCs. The town clerks shall maintain the public WCs and their outpipes. And if some of them are not covered and of them (text broken)
References
- ^ Dunglison R, Medical lexicon: a dictionary of medical science 1855 Page 88
- ^ Perseus database
- ^ Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae, ed. W. Dittenberger, Leipzig 1903-5 p.105
- ^ James Hope Moulton and George Milligan The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament