σέλμα

Cognate with Ancient Greek σελίς (selís, “beam, planing; page of book”), with Old English selma and syll, with Old High German swelli.

σέλμᾰ • (sélma) n (genitive σέλμᾰτος); third declension

1. (shipping) deck, the upper planking of a ship
   1. (in the plural) rowing-benches (in Homer, cf ζυγά (zugá))
2. (generally) seat, throne
   • 458 BCE, Aeschylus, Agamemnon 179–183:

     στάζει δ’ ἔν θ’ ὕπνῳ πρὸ καρδίας μνησιπήμων πόνος:
     καὶ παρ’ ἄκοντας ἦλθε σωφρονεῖν.
     δαιμόνων δέ που χάρις βίαιος σέλμα σεμνὸν ἡμένων.

     stázei d’ én th’ húpnōi prò kardías mnēsipḗmōn pónos:
     kaì par’ ákontas êlthe sōphroneîn.
     daimónōn dé pou kháris bíaios sélma semnòn hēménōn.

     Even in our sleep, the persistent memory of pain drips upon the heart;
     against our will, it came to wisen us,
     forcible grace of gods, seated upon their haughty throne.

     More translations at μνησιπήμων and @perseus.tufts.edu

3. (generally) any timberwork; logs of building timber

• εὔσελμος (eúselmos, “well-benched”)
• ἐΰσσελμος, ἐύσσελμος (eússelmos, “well-benched”) (in Homer)
• σελμῐ́ς f (selmís, “noose of hair; plank”)

• “σέλμα”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “σέλμα”, in Liddell & Scott (1889) An Intermediate Greek–English Lexicon, New York: Harper & Brothers