Henr. Stephani Dialogus de bene instituendis Graecae linguae studiis

DE BENE INSTIT. L. GR. ST.

But look, I observe one other thing which does not obtain any credit with me, nor can it, I think, with you. COR. What is that? PH. That he writes that κῦρος originates from the verb κυρῶ. COR. How could that obtain credit with me, which is nothing less than consistent with reason? For if κῦρος is made from κυρόω, then it would have to be said that κρέας flesh arises from κρεόω, κύκλος circle from κυκλόω, and ἕλκος wound from ἑλκόω, and also βάρος weight from βαρέω. But to wish this—what would it be other than to wish that which, according to the proverb, is against nature: that the oxen should not lead the plow, but should follow it? And who, with this window opened, would hesitate to say also that πόνος labor originates from πονέω, and not πονέω from πόνος, and in the same way derive μόχθος toil from μοχθέω and ἄλγος pain from ἀλγέω? Which, however, would be no less absurd than to wish that "to labor" is prior to the noun "Labor," and "to decorate" is prior to "Decoration." This, indeed, is certain: just as all those verbs are made from Nouns, so in turn certain Nouns are made from them, which are called Verbalia verbals/deverbatives. For from Κυρῶμαι, by the passive voice of the verb Κυρῶ, is made Κύρωμα and Κύρωσις; thus Πόνημα labor/work from Πονῶμαι. Whoever thinks that a grammarian errs only slightly who holds that preposterous order with Moschopoulos, errs gravely himself. For sometimes absurd things follow from that, even regarding the meaning; as Henri Estienne warned in his Thesaurus, when he was forced to examine these and other things of this kind most accurately in constructing it, so that he might divide words into certain classes.