Stephanos of Byzantium - Ethnika
La: a city of Laconia. Lykophron: ‘and you will ravage La’. After taking this city, the Dioskouroi were called Lapersai. It is also spoken of in the masculine. Homer, breaking this up, says:
those who held Laand dwelt about Oitylos
. It lies on a high rock, for which reason it is called La. The inhabitants are Laoi.
Stephanos excerpt (left) is aligned with matched Herodian passages (right). Colors indicate corresponding overlap spans.
Λᾶ, πόλις Λακωνική. Λυκόφρων “καὶ Λᾶν περήσεις”. ταύτην ἑλόντες οἱ Διόσκουροι Λαπέρσαι ἐκλήθησαν. λέγεται καὶ ἀρσενικῶς. ταύτην διαλύσας Ὅμηρός φησιν “οἵ τε Λάαν εἶχον, ἠδ´ Οἴτυλον ἀμφενέμοντο”. κεῖται δὲ ἐπὶ πέτρας ὑψηλῆς, διὸ Λᾶ καλεῖται. οἱ οἰκοῦντες Λᾶοι.
(v. 95) »καὶ Λᾶν περήσεις«. ταύτην δὲ διαλύσας Ὅμηρός φησιν (Β 585) »οἵ τε Λάαν εἶχον ἠδ´ Οἴτυλον ἀμφενέμοντο«. κεῖται δὲ ἐπὶ πέτρας ὑψηλῆς, διὸ Λᾶ καλεῖται. Μᾶ, ἣ τῇ Ῥέᾳ εἵπετο. ἐκαλεῖτο δὲ καὶ ἡ Ῥέα Μᾶ. * Τὰ εἰς 'η' μονοσύλλαβα ἐκ συναιρέσεως περισπᾶται, μόνη δὲ ἡ γῆ κοινὴ συνήθης, τὸ γὰρ Ῥῆ ἡ Ῥέα ἴδιόν ἐστι τοῦ Συρίου καὶ οὐ πᾶσιν ἴσως ἢ καὶ Ἀττικοῖς γνωστόν· τὸ δὲ πλῆ ε…