MO DELS OF EXPRESSING SIMILARITY IN THEOPHRASTUS’ ΠΕΡῚ ΛΙΘΩΝ

The paper presents a research on the modes of resemblance expression in Theophrastus’ treatise Περὶ λίθων ( On Stones ). These modes are divided into two main groups: lexico-syntactic means and morphological derivation. The first mode group includes the usage of the following: conjunctions (ὥσπερ, καθάπερ, ὡς, καί), simple adjectives representing likeness (ὅμοιος, παρόμοιος, παραπλήσιος, ἐμφερής, ἡλίκος), pronouns with the same meaning (ὁ αὐτός, τοιοῦτος, ἄμφω), adverbs (ὁμοίως, παραπλησίως, ὡσαύτως, ὅσον, οἵον), verbs (ἐξομοιόω, μιμέομαι) and special constructions having a negative sense (μηδὲν διαφέρει, οὐ πόρρω + Gen.). The second mode group includes the usage of adjectives with suffixes -ώδης, -ειδής or -ωψ and usage of compound adjectives indicating size (τετράπηχυς, τρίπηχυς, χειροπλη-θής). The modes of resemblance expression in the stone names are also discussed. This idea can be revealed there not only in suffixes -ώδης / -ειδής, but also in metaphors, represented both by diminutive suffix (-ιον), substantivisation (e.g. ἀδάμας, oἱ τίκτοντες), substantivisation of a metaphorical compound (πυρόμαχος) and pure change of meaning (ἰός). The most common way to express resemblance in Περὶ λίθων is using conjunctions and simple adjectives. The wide range of adjectives with -ώδης and -ειδής is a peculiar feature of ancient scientific treatises and particularly of Theophrastus’ works. Such a diversity of comparisons displays not only Theophrastus’ writing talent, but also his intention to create a system of accurate visual stone descriptions.