Giving a nod to νεύω: nonverbal communication

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GarySimmons
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Joined: February 6th, 2012, 12:41 am

Giving a nod to νεύω: nonverbal communication

Post by GarySimmons »

I am curious what we can know (or reasonably guess) about the nonverbal body language used by the ancients. As I was reading through the LSJ one day I came across the entry for ανανευω:
to throw the head back, in token of denial (which we
express by shaking the head}, Horn., Hdt., etc* 2.
c. acc, rei, to deny, refuse, II.
Now, what exactly does that mean? Does this mean to crane one's neck back, as we might do in disgust? Or does it mean to suddenly tilt the chin up? Or, am I misunderstanding? Or is the LSJ mistaken?

If anyone knows a thorough treatment of the subject of known non-verbals, I would appreciate a chance to have a look.

Thanks.
Mark Lightman
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Joined: May 6th, 2011, 6:30 pm

Re: Giving a nod to νεύω: nonverbal communication

Post by Mark Lightman »

χαίρε ἄριστε Γαρι

The classic text on νέυω/ἀνανέυω is Iliad 1:528ff. Achilles’ mother asks Zeus to help him out by routing the Greeks while Achilles sits on the side lines. Zeus agrees by nodding his head forward:
ἦ καὶ κυανέῃσιν ἐπ’ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε Κρονίων.
ἀμβρόσια δ’ ἄρα χαῖται ἐπερρώσαντο ἄνακτος
κρατὸς ἀπ’ ἀθανάτοιο. μέγαν δ’ ἐλέλιξεν Ὄλυμπον.
I’ll translate it into Koine:
οὕτως εἶπεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Κρόνου. καὶ ἔνευσεν ἐν ταῖς μελαίναις ὀφρύσιν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ. αἱ δὲ θεῖαι τρίχαι τοῦ κυρίου ἐξέπεσαν ἐκ τῆς ἀθανάτου κεφαλῆς. ὁ δ’ Ὄλυμπος σφόδρα ἐσείθη.
and English:
Thus spoke the son of Cronus. And he nodded forward in assent with his dark eyebrows. And the divine hairs of the lord fell forth from his immortal head. And Olympus was greatly shaken.
From this we learn three things about these νεύματα.

1. They involved not only moving the head but presumably moving the eye brows.
2. They were forceful, at least the “yes” was. No slight incline of the head, but a powerful rollicking intense enough to shake buildings, at least if you were a god.
3. If you need a favor from Zeus, it helps if you have a mother who is sort of hot.
GarySimmons
Posts: 8
Joined: February 6th, 2012, 12:41 am

Re: Giving a nod to νεύω: nonverbal communication

Post by GarySimmons »

ευχαριστω σοι, Μαρκε φιλτατε.

αυτη γραπη διηγησατο το ναι, αλλα πως νευει τις το ουχι;
Mark Lightman
Posts: 300
Joined: May 6th, 2011, 6:30 pm

Re: Giving a nod to νεύω: nonverbal communication

Post by Mark Lightman »

ἠρώτησεν ὁ Γαρι: ...πως νευει τις το ουχι;
χαῖρε ὦ φίλε μου.

ἀνανεύει τις τὸ οὐχὶ ὧσπερ τὸ κοράσιον ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ εἰκόνι. βλέπε μὲν οὖν πῶς κινεῖ τὴν κεφαλὴν ὀπίσω. ἀνανεύει δή.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HHbcZlLzxQ

ἆρα τοῦτο τὸ μέλισμα φιλεῖς?

χάρις σοι καὶ εἰρήνη.
Louis L Sorenson
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Joined: May 5th, 2011, 9:21 pm
Location: Burnsville, MN, USA
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Re: Giving a nod to νεύω: nonverbal communication

Post by Louis L Sorenson »

ἀνανεύω means to deny, say no, but literally 'throw the head back." But I have no idea if this was a gesture which was actually made. Here it is figurative as she asks the statue.

Chariton Challirhoe 2.2.8

ἐπεὶ δὲ οὕτως ἐβουλήθης, μίαν αἰτοῦμαι παρὰ σοῦ χάριν·
μηδενί με ποιήσῃς μετ' ἐκεῖνον ἀρέσαι.”
πρὸς τοῦτο ἀνένευσεν ἡ Ἀφροδίτη·
μήτηρ γάρ ἐστι τοῦ Ἔρωτος,
καὶ πάλιν ἄλλον ἐπολιτεύετο γάμον,
ὃν οὐδὲ αὐτὸν ἔμελλε τηρήσειν.
Louis L Sorenson
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Joined: May 5th, 2011, 9:21 pm
Location: Burnsville, MN, USA
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Re: Giving a nod to νεύω: nonverbal communication

Post by Louis L Sorenson »

Here is a passage from Lucian's Ass about nodding and shaking the head.

Pseudo-Lucianus Soph., Asinus (0061: 001)
“Lucian, vol. 8”, Ed. Macleod, M.D.
Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1967.
Section 48, line 11

ὑπήκουον γὰρ εὐθὺ εἰς ἅπαντα διδασκόμενος.
καὶ πρῶτον μὲν κατακλίνεσθαί με ἐπὶ κλίνης ὥσπερ
ἄνθρωπον ἐπ' ἀγκῶνος ἐποίησεν, εἶτα καὶ προσπα-
λαίειν αὐτῷ καὶ μὴν καὶ ὀρχεῖσθαι ἐπὶ τοὺς δύο
ἐπανιστάμενον ὀρθὸν καὶ κατανεύειν καὶ ἀνανεύειν
πρὸς τὰς φωνὰς καὶ πάνθ' ὅσα ἐδυνάμην μὲν καὶ
δίχα τοῦ μανθάνειν ποιεῖν· καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα περιβό-
ητον ἦν, ὄνος ὁ τοῦ δεσπότου, οἰνοπότης, παλαίων,
ὄνος ὀρχούμενος.
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