Bible Lexicons

For this Semitic loan word (cf. Lewy Fremdwörter, pp 42, 44) we may cite a private account of c. A.D. I, P Oxy IV. 736.13 μύρου εἰς ἀποστολὴν ταφῆς θυγατρὸς Φνᾶς (τετρώβολον), ";perfume for the dispatch of the mummy of the daughter of Phna 4 ob."; (Edd.), and the medical prescription ib. II. 234ii. 9 (ii/iii A.D.) χαλβάνην σουσίνῳ μύρῳ διεὶς πρόσμιξον μέλι καὶ ῥόδινον, ";dilute some gum with balsam of lilies, and add honey and rose-extract"; (Edd.). In P Giss I. 93.14 μύρον αὐλητήν ̣, the editor suggests that μύρον ought perhaps to be written as a proper name—Μύρον : cf. the name Ἀβρότονον (properly = ";southernwood";) in Menander’s plays. In P Ryl II. 420 (ii/A.D.) we hear of an ἀρτοκόπος, a μυροπώλης, and an ἠπητής (";cobbler";) : for tbe adj. see P Fay 93.6 (A.D. 161) βούλομαι μισθώσασθαι παρὰ σοῦ τὴν μυροπω ̣λα ̣ι ̣κὴν καὶ ἀροματικὴν ἐργασίαν, ";I wish to lease from you your business of perfume-selling and unguent-making"; (Edd.). We may add that in Kaibel 726.2 (iii/iv A.D.) there is reference to—Χ (ριστο)ῦ μύρον ἄφθιτον. Boisacq (p. 886) refers to σμύρις connecting with English smear.