Ζζ

Ζζ, [full] ζῆτα (q.v.), τό, indecl., seventh (later sixth) letter of Gr. alphabet (cf. IG14.2420): as numeral ζ

A = ἑπτά and ἕβδομος (σ, i.e. ϝϝαῦ, the digamma, being retained to represent ἕξ, ἕκτος), but [num] ζ' = 7,000.

0-0Zeta, being a double consonant (pronounced either as zd or as dz acc. to dialect and date), made a short vowel at the end of the foregoing syllable long by position; exc. before pr. names, which could not otherwise come into the hexam.,

ἄστῠ Ζελείης Il.4.103

, 121;

ὑλήεσσᾰ Ζάκυνθος h.Ap.429

, etc.: afterwds. pronounced as Engl. z, cf.

ζμῆνος PCair.Zen.151.4

(iii B.C.), ζμύρνης ib.9 (iii B.C.), ἀμφιζβήτησιν Mitteis Chr.31 viii 6 (ii B.C.), cf. Ael.Dion.Fr.187; sts. σζ was written,

ἐνδέσζμους IG22.1672.308

(iv B.C.),

θυσιάσζειν IG 3.73

.