Catalogues in Aelian and Athenaeus : lexicography, quotation, and the mental lexicon
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Date
2025
Authors
Oikonomopoulou, Katerina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Franz Steiner Verlag
Abstract
This chapter explores the cataloguing practices of Aelian and Athenaeus through the lens of cognitive science, focusing on the concept of the mental lexicon: the network of words and meanings stored and organised in the human mind. It examines two case studies: Aelian’s catalogue of names for the young of wild animals in De Natura Animalium 7.43, and Athenaeus’ catalogue of fruits, nuts, and other delicacies in Deipnosophistae 2.49d–58b, with particular emphasis on the plum and its numerous linguistic variants. The analysis shows how both authors draw on earlier lexicographical and scholarly traditions while carefully arranging lexical material through semantic associations, phonetic similarities, and conceptual groupings. Although their catalogues may initially appear to be accumulations of disparate information, their organisation encourages readers to recognise unexpected connections between words, animals, and objects. The chapter argues that these catalogues combine scholarly learning with rhetorical artistry, making knowledge memorable, stimulating curiosity, and inviting reflection on the relationship between language and reality.
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Keywords
Claudius Aelian, Athenaeus, Catalogues, Mental lexicon, Cognitive science