THE LEXEME ΔΥΣΕΞΕΛΙΚΤΟΣ IN DIONYSIUS OF HALICARNASSUS’ WORKS: SEMANTICS AND WORD USAGE

Abstract

The article is dedicated to the semantics and use of the word δυσεξέλικτος in the rhetorical writings of the ancient Greek historian and rhetorician Dionysius of Halicarnassus (1st century BC). The rare poetic adjective δυσεξέλικτος, ον (hard to unfold, involved, twisted, contorted) is not used in the Greek prose of the classical period, the lexeme is first found in Euripides, then in Dionysius of Halicarnassus and later authors. The word is appeared in four contexts in the Dionysius’ “On Thucydides” and “Second Letter to Ammaeus” and used exclusively as a negative characteristic of Thucydides’ style. Dionysius emphasizes the importance of “direct” expression of thoughts, therefore criticizes Thucydides’ “involved” composition. This research demonstrates Dionysius’ style as a writer, his method as an ancient scholar, critic and grammarian.