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Katatomē

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katatomē (κατατομή) is a Greek word meaning an "incision."

Contents

Classical Greek

1. The original meaning, following etymology, in classical texts this means "incision," "notch," or "groove," (Theophrastus The Hippocratic treatises 4.8.10, and Symmachus Sm.Je.31 (48).37). Whereas aneu katatomes (ἄνευ κατατομῆς) means "uncarved," "smooth," (Inscriptiones Graecae IG12.372.134, cf. 373.231). The plural, "notches," is found in Artemidorus (1.67). and "written in the incision of the rock" (ἐπέγραψεν ἐπὶ τὴν κατατομήν τῆς πέτρας) Philochorus Historicus 4th century BCE (138)

2. By extension it also came to mean an architectural "incision", "nook" in a theatre, in Hyperides, perhaps the same as the orchestra (ὀρχήστρα) or diazoma (διάζωμα), (Anecdota Graeca AB270., cf. Photius Lexicographus, 9th century AD). Demosthenes placed himself beneath the katatome which suggests he may have been barred from speaking to any citizen from another phyle.

Hyperides, Against Demosthenes speech 5, fragment 3

3. A later meaning is katagraphe καταγραφή, "profile," according to Hesychius Lexicographus 5th century AD.

New Testament

It is the Greek word translated "beware of the concision," in Philippians 3:2, KJV. The term "mutilation" is contrasted with "we are the circumcision (περιτομή peritomē), which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." The context is the Circumcision controversy in early Christianity.

References

Katatomē Wikipedia