ΑΠΟΠΛΗΞΙΑ
Apoplexia (ἀποπληξία, ἡ) is an ancient medical term describing a sudden, violent attack, typically involving paralysis or loss of consciousness. Its lexarithmos (340) suggests a powerful, complete impact, intrinsically linked to the concept of "striking" or "being struck."
REPORT ERRORDefinition
According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, *apoplexia* is "a stroke, paralysis, apoplexy." The term refers to a sudden and violent assault on the body, often leading to paralysis or loss of consciousness. In classical medicine, as found in the works of Hippocrates and Galen, it described a broad spectrum of conditions that today would be termed stroke, hemorrhage, or other acute neurological disorders.
The word derives from the verb *apoplēssō*, meaning "to strike off completely, to paralyze." The prefix *apo-* here functions intensively, indicating a complete and definitive effect of the blow. *Apoplexia* was not merely a blow, but a blow that "cut off" or "removed" the body's or mind's functions.
The use of the word also extended to metaphorical senses, describing the state of being "struck" by astonishment, terror, or other intense emotions, although its primary usage remained in the medical field. The suddenness and severity of the condition are the dominant characteristics that run through all its uses.
Etymology
The family of words derived from the root *plēssō* is rich and includes terms describing both the act of striking itself (*plēgē*, *plēgma*) and its consequences, whether physical (*plēxis*, *apoplexia*) or psychological (*ekplēxis*, *kataplēxis*). All these words share the common meaning of a sudden and often violent impact.
Main Meanings
- Sudden paralysis, stroke — The primary medical meaning, an acute neurological attack.
- Loss of consciousness, fainting — A more general sense of sudden collapse or loss of sensation.
- Complete inability to move or feel — The state of paralysis resulting from the attack.
- Sudden, violent assault — The literal sense of a "blow" causing severe damage.
- Astonishment, terror (metaphorical) — The feeling of being "struck" by an intense emotion.
- Sudden death — In certain contexts, *apoplexia* could refer to an abrupt and unexpected demise.
Word Family
*plēg- / plēss-* (root of the verb *plēssō*, meaning "to strike, to hit")
The root *plēg-* or *plēss-* is ancient and expresses the concept of striking, impact, or a blow. From this fundamental meaning, a rich family of words developed, describing both the physical act of striking and its consequences, whether physical (wounds, paralysis) or psychological (astonishment, terror). The presence of prefixes (such as *apo-*, *ek-*, *kata-*) further differentiates the meaning, conveying removal, emergence, or intensification of the blow. Each member of the family retains the core idea of a sudden and often violent impact.
Philosophical Journey
The word *apoplexia*, though a medical term, has an interesting trajectory that reflects the evolution of medical thought in antiquity.
In Ancient Texts
A characteristic passage from Hippocratic medicine referring to *apoplexia*.
Lexarithmic Analysis
The lexarithmos of the word ΑΠΟΠΛΗΞΙΑ is 340, from the sum of its letter values:
340 decomposes into 300 (hundreds) + 40 (tens) + 0 (units).
The 18 Methods
Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΑΠΟΠΛΗΞΙΑ:
| Method | Result | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Isopsephy | 340 | Base lexarithmos |
| Decade Numerology | 7 | 3+4+0=7 — The Heptad, the number of completeness and perfection, but also of crisis and change, reflecting the sudden and decisive nature of apoplexy. |
| Letter Count | 9 | 9 letters — The Ennead, the number of completion and perfection, but also the end of a cycle, which may symbolize the definitive outcome of such an attack. |
| Cumulative | 0/40/300 | Units 0 · Tens 40 · Hundreds 300 |
| Odd/Even | Even | Feminine force |
| Left/Right Hand | Right | Divine (≥100) |
| Quotient | — | Comparative method |
| Notarikon | Α-Π-Ο-Π-Λ-Η-Ξ-Ι-Α | Abrupt Paralysis Of Profound Loss, Heralding Xenodochial Impairment, Aetiologically (interpretive) |
| Grammatical Groups | 5Φ · 0Η · 4Α | 5 vowels, 4 consonants — a strong vocalic presence suggesting intense action and the suddenness of its manifestation. |
| Palindromes | No | |
| Onomancy | — | Comparative |
| Sphere of Democritus | — | Divination with lunar day |
| Zodiacal Isopsephy | Mars ♂ / Leo ♌ | 340 mod 7 = 4 · 340 mod 12 = 4 |
Isopsephic Words (340)
Words from the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon with the same lexarithmos (340), but from different roots, offering interesting connections or contrasts.
The LSJ lexicon contains a total of 38 words with lexarithmos 340. For the full catalog and AI semantic filtering, see the interactive tool.
Sources & Bibliography
- Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1940.
- Hippocrates — Aphorisms. Translated and commented.
- Galen — De Locis Affectis (On Affected Parts).
- Aretaeus of Cappadocia — On the Causes and Symptoms of Chronic Diseases.
- Vegetti, Mario — Il sapere degli antichi: Storia della scienza antica. Rome: Carocci, 2010.
- Longrigg, James — Greek Medicine from the Heroic to the Hellenistic Age. New York: Routledge, 1998.