It is perhaps worth pointing out that in the poetic style of English that Griffith was using "with pointed horn" is strictly speaking also neutral as to number. Compare this phrase from George Henry Needler's 1904 translation of the Nibelungenleid (916): " The boar within the forest they’d chase with pointed spear"

Rupert Gethin
University of Bristol

Email: Rupert.Gethin@bristol.ac.uk

On 15/06/2015 17:21, Gruenendahl, Reinhold wrote:

As did Geldner's "Wie ein spitzhorniger Stier", by the way.

RG

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Von: INDOLOGY [indology-bounces@list.indology.info]" im Auftrag von "Hock, Hans Henrich [hhhock@illinois.edu]
Gesendet: Montag, 15. Juni 2015 16:57
An: Khem Lao
Cc: Indology List
Betreff: Re: [INDOLOGY] unicorn rgveda

Thanks for your message, Khem Lao.

It is always good to go to the original, rather than rely on a 19th-century translation. Here is the Sanskrit text:

vṛṣabhó ná tigmáśṛṅgo (RV 10.86.15)

As you can see, tigmáśṛṅga is a bahuvrīhi compound, whose gender and number marking is determined by the possessor (the bull). The gender and number of the thing possessed (the sharp tigma horn śṛṅga) is neutralized. The reading ‘with pointed (or sharp) horn’ therefore is arbitrary; an alternative reading ‘with sharp horns’ is equally possible, and given the nature of bovine animals, probably more likely. Jamison & Brereton’s translation ‘sharp-horned’ manages to capture the neutralization of number indication very nicely.

Best wishes,

Hans Henrich Hock

On 15 Jun 2015, at 03:26, Khem Lao <khemlao241@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Hans,

   RV 10/86/15 has this translation by Griffith:

15. Like as a bull with pointed horn, loud bellowing amid the herds,
    Sweet to thine heart, O Indra, is the brew which she who tends thee pours. 
    Supreme is Indra over all.

  Why do scholars not accept this as the unicorn depicted on IVC seals?

Best,

Khem

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