DCHindley wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2017 11:31 amYou are correct that there is a Greek verb λεύω in the L&S lexicon defined as meaning "to stone," probably from the root word λεύς (a stone).
Well, given that λεύς (Doric for λᾶς,
according to Donnegan) both means "stone" and serves as the basis for λεύω, what exactly is the question? Frankly, Doric words which hail from such ancient times are not exactly my strong suit, but a bit of searching easily turns up examples of λεύω, both on its own and as part of a compound, meaning "to stone" without having to name the instrument (λίθοις, for instance, "by stones") as part of the construction. For example:
Thucydides, The Pelopponesian War 5.60.6: 6 τόν τε Θράσυλον ἀναχωρήσαντες ἐν τῷ Χαράδρῳ, οὗπερ τὰς ἀπὸ στρατείας δίκας πρὶν ἐσιέναι κρίνουσιν, ἤρξαντο λεύειν. ὁ δὲ καταφυγὼν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμὸν περιγίγνεται: τὰ μέντοι χρήματα ἐδήμευσαν αὐτοῦ. / [Benjamin Jowett:] And so, as they were retreating and had reached the bed of the Charadrus, where they hold military trials before they enter the city, they began to stone Thrasyllus. He saved his life by flying to the altar, but they confiscated his property. / [Thomas Hobbes:] And in their return they began to stone Thrasyllus at the Charadrum, the place where the soldiers, before they enter into the city from warfare, use to have their military causes heard. But he, flying to the altar, saved himself; nevertheless they confiscated his goods. / On their return accordingly they began to stone Thrasylus in the bed of the Charadrus, where they try all military causes before entering the city. Thrasylus fled to the altar, and so saved his life; his property however they confiscated.
Philo, Life of Moses 2.202: 202 And God commanded him to be stoned, considering, as I imagine, the punishment of stoning to be a suitable and appropriate one for a man who had a stony and hardened heart, and wishing at the same time that all his fellow countrymen should have a share in inflicting punishment on him, as he knew that they were very indignant and eager to slay him; and the only punishment which so many myriads of men could possibly join in was that which was inflicted by throwing stones. / ὁ δὲ προστάττει καταλευσθῆναι, προσήκουσαν οἶμαι δίκην ὑπολαβὼν τὴν διὰ λίθων κατ' ἀνδρὸς λιθίνην καὶ ἀπόκροτον ψυχὴν ἔχοντος καὶ ἅμα βουλόμενος πάντας τοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔθνους συνεφάψασθαι τῆς κολάσεως, οὓς ᾔδει σφόδρα τραχέως ἐνεγκόντας καὶ φονῶντας· μόνης δ' ὡς ἔοικε τῆς διὰ βλημάτων ἔμελλον αἱ τοσαῦται μυριάδες ἐφάπτεσθαι.
Philo, Flaccus 174: 174 And I am thoroughly assured that even this is not the limit of my misfortunes, but that others are still in store for me, to fill up the measures as a requital for all the evils which I have done. I put many persons to death, and when some of them were put to death by others, I did not chastise their murderers. Some were stoned and some were burnt alive [κατελεύσθησάν τινες καὶ ζῶντες οἱ μὲν ἐνεπρήσθησαν]; others were dragged through the middle of the market-place till the whole of their bodies were torn to pieces.
Note that the L&S lexicon defines λεύω, fut. λεύσω (κατα-) Ar.Ach.285: aor. ἔλευσα (κατ-) Hdt.9.5 [They made a ring round Lycidas and stoned him to death = κατέλευσαν βάλλοντες] , Th.1.106: — Pass., fut.
A. “λευσθήσομαι” J.Ap.2.27 [Josephus' Against Apion, actually 2.28 = section 206]: aor. “ἐλεύσθην” S.OC (v. infr.), Hp.Ep.27: (λᾶας): — stone, Th.5.60; “πέτροις λ. μνῆμα” E.El. 328; “τὸ λευσθῆναι πέτροις” S.OC435, cf. E.IA1350.
In Herodotus the crowd surrounded Lycidas, but did they throw stones at him or threw him out of town = exiled him?
They threw stones at him. Philo uses the same compound, καταλεύω, in that passage from
Flaccus above in a context which demands a mode of death, not an exile or an expulsion.
For whatever it may be worth, I just checked Rufinus' translation of Eusebius,
History of the Church 2.23.22, and he has
tradidit lapidandos for this bit of the quote from Josephus. I doubt he even thought twice about it.