Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphioparaomelitokatakechymenokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraganopterygon

Lopado­temacho­selacho­galeo­kranio­leipsano­drim­hypo­trimmato­silphio­parao­melito­katakechy­meno­kichl­epi­kossypho­phatto­perister­alektryon­opte­kephallio­kigklo­peleio­lagoio­siraio­baphe­tragano­pterygon is a fictional dish mentioned in Aristophanes' comedy Assemblywomen.^[1]

It is a transliteration of the Ancient Greek word λοπαδο­τεμαχο­σελαχο­γαλεο­κρανιο­λειψανο­δριμ­υπο­τριμματο­σιλφιο­καραβο­μελιτο­κατακεχυ­μενο­κιχλ­επι­κοσσυφο­φαττο­περιστερ­αλεκτρυον­οπτο­κεφαλλιο­κιγκλο­πελειο­λαγῳο­σιραιο­βαφη­τραγανο­πτερύγων. Liddell & Scott (LSJ) translate this as "name of a dish compounded of all kinds of dainties, fish, flesh, fowl, and sauces."^[2]

The Greek word has 171 letters, and for centuries it was the longest word known. It is the longest word ever to appear in literature according to Guinness World Records (1990).^[3]

Variant forms

The form of the word quoted here is in fact the one listed in LSJ (1940) and quoted therein as having been amended by August Meineke;^[2] in contrast to this and for example, F.W. Hall and W.M. Geldart's 1907 edition of Aristophanis Comoediae (used in the Assemblywomen story) reads (difference in bold):
λοπαδοτεμαχοσελαχογαλεοκρανιολειψανοδριμυποτριμματοσιλφιοτυρομελιτοκατακεχυμενοκιχλεπικοσσυφοφαττοπεριστεραλεκτρυονοπτεκεφαλλιοκιγκλοπελειολαγῳοσιραιοβαφητραγανοπτερυγών.^[4]

Dish being described

The dish was a fricassée, with at least 16 sweet and sour ingredients, including the following:^[3]

• fish slices
• fish of the elasmobranchii subclass (a shark or ray)
• rotted dogfish or small shark's head
• generally sharp-tasting dish of several ingredients grated and pounded together
• silphion "laserwort", apparently a kind of giant fennel
• a kind of crab, shrimp, or crayfish
• honey poured down
• wrasse (or thrush)
• a kind of sea fish or blackbird as topping
• wood pigeon
• domestic pigeon
• rooster
• roasted head of dabchick
• hare, which could be a kind of bird or a kind of sea hare
• new wine boiled down
• wing and/or fin

Context

The term is used in the ultimate chorus of the play, when Blepyrus (and the audience) are summoned to the first feast laid on by the new system.

[1167] And you others, let your light steps too keep time.
[1168] Very soon we'll be eating
[1170] lepado­temacho­selacho­galeo­kranio­leipsano­drim­hypo­trimmato­silphio­parao­melito­katakechy­meno­kichl­epi­kossypho­phatto­perister­alektryon­opte­kephallio­kigklo­peleio­lagoio­siraio­baphe­tragano­pterygon. [sic]
[1175] Come, quickly, seize hold of a plate, snatch up a cup, and let's run to secure a place at table. The rest will have their jaws at work by this time.

— translation ed. Eugene O'Neill, 1938^[1]

In English translations

In English prose translation by Leo Strauss (1966), this Greek word is rendered as "oysters-saltfish-skate-sharks'-heads-left-over-vinegar-dressing-laserpitium-leek-with-honey-sauce-thrush-blackbird-pigeon-dove-roast-cock's-brains-wagtail-cushat-hare-stewed-in-new-wine-gristle-of-veal-pullet's-wings".^[5]

English verse translation by Benjamin Bickley Rogers (1902) follows the original meter and the original way of composition:

"Plattero-filleto-mulleto-turboto-
-Cranio-morselo-pickleo-acido-
-Silphio-honeyo-pouredonthe-topothe-
-Ouzelo-throstleo-cushato-culvero-
-Cutleto-roastingo-marowo-dippero-
-Leveret-syrupu-gibleto-wings."^[6]

Older English verse translation by Rev. Rowland Smith (1833) destroys the original composed word and breaks it in several verses:

"All sorts of good cheer;
Limpets, oysters, salt fish,
And a skate too a dish,
Lampreys, with the remains
Of sharp sauce and birds' brains,
With honey so luscious,
Plump blackbirds and thrushes,
Cocks' combs and ring doves,
Which each epicure loves,
Also wood-pigeons blue,
With juicy snipes too,
And to close all, O rare!
The wings of jugged hare!

The translation edited by O'Neill, quoted above, does not translate this word and uses only a transliteration.

See also

• Longest word in English

References

1. "Aristophanes, Ecclesiazusae (ed. Eugene O'Neill, Jr.), line 1163". Perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
2. λοπαδοτεμαχοσελαχογαλεοκρανιολειψανοδριμυποτριμματοσιλφιοκαραβομελιτοκατακεχυμενοκιχλεπικοσσυφοφαττοπεριστεραλεκτρυονοπτοκεφαλλιοκιγκλοπελειολαγῳοσιραιοβαφητραγανοπτερύγων. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
3. Guinness Book of World Records, 1990 ed, pg. 129 ISBN 0-8069-5790-5
4. Aristophanes (1907). "1169–1175". Aristophanis Comoediae 2 (F.W. Hall and W.M. Geldart ed.). Oxford: Clarendon Press.
5. "Leo Strauss: On Aristophanes' Ecclesiazusae, & translation [1966]". Archive.org. Retrieved 2013-03-20.
6. "The Ecclesiazusae of Aristophanes". Archive.org. Retrieved 2013-03-20.