Ian A Tewksbury (Stanford)
On the meaning of δατέομαι, Martin West definitively states, “In Homer this verb is only used of people sharing out among themselves” (West 1997: 312). West is largely in agreement with the definitions of δατέομαι provided by Chantraine and Snell (Chantraine 1968; Snell 1999). This definition has proved influential for our understanding of the essential ritual act of feasting in Homeric poetry. For instance, in the opening of the Odyssey Athena, the first aspect of the scene that attracts Athena’s attention is such a ‘sharing’ of meat (Od. 1.106 -112): οἱ δ᾿ αὖτε σπόγγοισι πολυτρήτοισι τραπέζας / νίζον καὶ πρότιθεν, τοὶ δὲ κρέα πολλὰ δατεῦντο. The Loeb, following the traditional lexicography, translates δατέομαι in this passage as “to portion out” (Murray 1995). This translation captures the sense of the communitas that many scholars have found at the heart of feasting scenes. This “sharing” of meat in Homeric poetry is traditionally understood as the embodiment of what Richard Seaford has called the “egalitarian participation of the whole group” (Seaford 2004: 14).
However, an exhaustive formulaic analysis of the verb, focusing on the poetics of δατέομαι, shows that the traditional philological definitions of “to share” and “to portion out” are incorrect. While work has been done on the meaning of δατέομαι, no study has provided a complete formulaic analysis. This paper provides such a study. Instead, as its etymology implies, the verb means “to cause something to be divided,” and has no connotation of “sharing.” Furthermore, its formulaic employment shows that the meaning of δατέομαι is associated with the antithesis of the positive values of community. It is used to describe Achilles’ threats of revenge against Hector (Il. 23. 21), the threats of dismemberment at the hands of King Echetus (Od. 18.87), and the ghastly execution of Melanthius (Od. 22.476). On the level of theme, it is associated with events that are antithetical to the heroic ideals of kleos and nostos: the death of the hero (Il. 20.394), the dismemberment of the patriarchal estate (Il. 5.152-158), and the suitors’ attempt to destroy the power and palace of Odysseus (Od. 20.215-216). Thus, δατέομαι is antithetical to the notion of sharing, apportionment, commensality, and communitas, which scholars often see at the heart of Homeric ideology (Elmer 2013: 179; Hammer 2002: 20). In conclusion, this paper revisits the understanding of the feast as the embodiment of what Richard Seaford has called the “egalitarianism of their most important ritual act” which “became an important factor in the development of two uniquely Greek institutions, citizenship, and coined money” (Morris 2017: 178).