Hüvelmény

Abstract

This paper deals with the interpretative tradition of a hapax legomenon used by the 17th century Hungarian poet János Rimay, i. e. "hüvelmény" and proposes a new meaning for it. From the mid-19th century on, this word was interpreted as 'water fairy' or 'water monster.' Regarding the context of the word, which is involved in the condemnation of avarice, a more acceptable meaning is hydrops or dropsy, since this disease is topically connected with greed for earthly goods in the European tradition of philosophy, theology and poetry.