προθέλυμνος

A. from the foundations, from or by the roots, προθελύμνους ἕλκετο χαίτας he tore his hair out by the roots, Il. 10.15, cf. Q.S. 3.411; προθέλυμνα χαμαὶ βάλε δένδρεα he threw to earth trees uprooted, Il. 9.541; ἐφόρει τὰς δρῦς . . προθελύμνους Ar. Eq. 528; προθέλυμνόν μ’ ἀπώλεσας Id. Pax 1210, cf. Call. Del. 134, Q.S. 6.331, Tryph. 397.

II. perh. close-packed, of shields overlapping in the phalanx, φράξαντες σάκος σάκεϊ προθελύμνῳ Il. 13.130; expld. by Gramm. as = ἐπάλληλος, συνεχής, and so used by Nonn. D. 22.183; also πέτρην προθέλυμνον ἐπασσυτέρῃ θέτο πέτρῃ ib.2.374.