Bible Lexicons

A rather curious use of the noun occurs in BGU IV. 1208i. 17 (B.C. 27) τ ]ὴν ἀποτομίαν τῆς ἀναβάσεως (the inundation of the Nile). P Oxy II. 237vii. 40 (A.D. 186) παρ᾽ οἷς ἄκρατός ἐστιν ἡ τῶν ν [ό ]μων ἀποτομ ̣[ί ]α, ";amongst whom the severity of the law is untempered"; (Edd.). Counsel is pleading a native statute, admittedly harsh, which he claims was enforced rigidly : the word does not suggest straining a statute, but simply exacting its provisions to the full. Wilcken (Archiv iii. p. 303) compares with this passage BGU IV. 1024v. 18 (iv/v A.D.—a collection of judgements in capital cases), where he reads ἐνόμισας λανθάνειν τ [ὴ ]ν νόμων (he would emend τῶν ν.) ἀπο [τ ]ομίαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ δικάζοντος ἐξουσίαν. Cf. Plutarch De liberis educ. 18 (p. 13D) δεῖ τοὺς πατέρας τὴν τῶν ἐπιτιμημάτων ἀποτομίαν τῇ πρᾳότητι μιγνύναι. A further literary citation may illustrate the harsher side of the word—Demetrius De : Eloc. 292 (ed. Roberts) κατὰ Φαλάριδος τοῦ τυράννου ἐροῦμεν καὶ τῆς Φαλάριδος ἀποτομίας, ";we shall inveigh against the tyrant Phalaris and his cruelty.";