This glossary includes only those words which are used in the text more than once, and which are not readily comprehensible to readers with no Greek. The definitions given apply to the words as used in this book, and are not intended to be general.
AG = Ancient Greek, BG = Byzantine Greek,
MG = Modem Greek.
Anakdlema {BG, MG): invocation, lament aulds (AG): reed-pipe choai (AG): libations
Ekphord (AG): carrying-out of the corpse from house to tomb enata (AG): fimeral rites held on the ninth day eniausia (AG): funeral rites held after one year
Ephymnion (AG): refrain in choral odes, usually placed between antistrophic pairs, or between strophe and antistrophe epikedeion (AG): lament, usually in verse epitdphios Idgos, epitdphios (AG, BG): funeral oration
Epitdphios (BG, MG): holy cloth with embroidered representation of Christ in the Tomb, which is laid in the kouvouklion, or wooden likeness of Christ's Tomb
Epitdphios Threnos (BG, MG): lament for Christ's death and burial chanted in the Orthodox service on the evening of Good Friday and the morning of Easter Saturday
Epode (AG): song chanted over someone, spell
Epodds (AG): refrain in choral odes, usually placed at end
Exarchos (AG): leader of choral performance
Genesia (AG): funeral rites, probably held originally on anniversary of death; later transformed in Attica into public festival for dead on fixed day of calendar
Gems (AG): gens, clan goos (AG): dirge, lament
Gynaikonomos (AG): supervisor of women's affairs kanon (BG): hymn of Byzantine Church kedestes, also kadestds (AG): relation-in-law
Kommos (AG): lament in tragedy sung alternately by one or more chief characters and chorus
Kontdkion (BG): hymn of early Byzantine Church, made up of 18-30 tropdria, or stanzas, which are composed on pattern of model stanza, or heirmos koukoulion (BG): proem to kontdkion mnemosyna (BG, MG): memorial services for dead motra (AG, BG, MG): fate moirologi (BG, MG): lament otkos (AG): family unit centred on household
Parddosis (MG): mythical folk story believed to be true, which is connected with natural phenomena, geographical regions, historical events or persons
Paregorid (MG): funeral feast
Perideipnon, also syndeipnon (AG, BG): funeral feast
Politikbs stichos (BG, MG): fifteen-syllable accentual verse, the metre of Byzantine and post-Byzantine vernacular poetry and of modern folk songs prothesis (AG): laying-out wake Stavrotheotokion (BG): hymn for Mary at the Cross Theotokos (BG, MG): Mother of God, title given to Mary after Council of Ephesos (a. d. 431) threnos (AG, BG, MG): lament
Triekostia, also triakostia (AG): funeral rites held on the thirtieth day trita (AG): funeral rites held on the third day tropdrion (BG): see kontdkion tyche (AG, BG, MG): fortune
World History
