Epithets in Homer
A characteristic of Homer's style is the use of epithets, as in "rosy-fingered" dawn or "swift-footed" Achilles. Epithets are used because of the constraints of the dactylic hexameter (i.e., it is convenient to have a stockpile of metrically fitting phrases to add to a name) and because of the oral transmission of the poems; they are mnemonic aids to the singer and the audience alike.[1]
Epithets in epic poetry from various Indo-European traditions may be traced to a common tradition. For example, the phrase for "everlasting glory" or "undying fame" can be found in the Homeric Greek as kléos áphthiton and the Sanskrit as śrávo ákşitam. These two phrases were, in terms of historical linguistics, equivalent in phonology, accentuation, and quantity (syllable length). In other words, they descend from a fragment of poetic diction (reconstructable as Proto-Indo-European *ḱlewos n̥dʰgʷʰitom) which was handed down in parallel over many centuries, in continually diverging forms, by generations of singers whose ultimate ancestors shared an archetypal repertoire of poetic formulae and narrative themes.[2]
Epithets alter the meaning of each noun to which they are attached. They specify the existential nature of a noun; that is to say, Achilles is not called "swift-footed" only when he runs; it is a marker of a quality that does not change. Special epithets, such as patronymics, are used exclusively for particular subjects and distinguish them from others, while generic epithets are used of many subjects and speak less to their individual characters. In these examples, the epithet can be contradictory to the past state of the subject: in Odyssey VI.74, for instance, Nausicaa takes her "radiant clothing", á¼ÏƒÎ¸á¿†Ï„α φαεινήν, to be washed; since it is dirty, it is unlikely to be radiant.[3]
List
General
- men
- shining, divine (δῖος dîos)
- god-like (ἀντί-θεος antÃ-theos, θεοειδής theoeidÄ“Ìs)
- high-hearted
- leaders
- lord of men
- women
- white-armed (λευκ-ώλενος leuk-ṓlenos)
- lovely-haired (á¼Ï…πλοκάμις, á¼Ï…πλόκαμος eüplokámis, eüplókamos)
- ox eyed
- day
- the day of return (νόστιμον á¼¦Î¼Î±Ï nóstimon hêmar — nostalgia also comes from nóstos)
- sea
- loud-roaring (πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης)
- grey
- wine-colored (οἶνοψ)
Nations
- Abantes
- swift (θοοί thooÃ)
- sporting long hair (ὄπιθεν κομόωντες ópithen komóÅntes)
- Achaeans
- hairy-headed (κάÏη κομόωντες kárÄ“ komóÅntes)
- bronzed-armored (χαλκο-χίτωνες chalko-chÃtÅnes)
- strong-greaved (á¼Ï…-κνήμιδες eü-knÄ“Ìmides)
- glancing-eyed (ἑλίκ-ωπες helÃk-Åpes)
- with hollow ships
- Trojans
- breakers of horses
Individuals
- Achilles
- son of Peleus (Πηληϊάδης Pēlēïádēs)
- swift-footed (πόδας ὠκÏÏ‚ pódas Åkús; ποδ-άÏκης pod-arkÄ“s; ποδ-ώκεος pod-ÅÌkeos)
- breaking through men (ῥηξ-Î®Î½Ï‰Ï rhÄ“x-Ä“ÌnÅr)
- lion-hearted (θῡμο-λÎοντα thÅ«mo-léonta)
- like to the gods (θεοῖς á¼Ï€Î¹ÎµÎ¯ÎºÎµÎ»Î¿Ï‚ theoîs epieÃkelos)
- shepherd of the people
- Aeneas
- son of Anchises (Ἀγχῑσιάδης Anchīsiádēs)
- counselor of the Trojans
- lord of the Trojans
- father
- loyal/pious
- Agamemnon
- son of Atreus (ἈτÏείδης AtreÃdÄ“s: also transliterated AtrÄ«dÄ“s)
- wide-ruling
- the lord marshal
- powerful
- shepherd of the people
- brilliant
- Aias/Ajax
- swift
- gigantic (πελώÏιος pelÅÌrios)
- the mighty
- Andromache
- daughter of Eetion
- Aphrodite
- laughter-loving (φιλομμειδής philommeidÄ“Ìs)
- daughter of Zeus
- goddess of love
- fair (δῖα dîa)
- Apollo
- Phoebus, i.e. the Bright or Pure, (Φοῖβος Phoebus)
- with unshorn hair; i.e., ever-young (á¼€-κεÏσε-κόμης a-kerse-komÄ“s)
- destroyer of mice (ΣμινθεÏÏ‚ Smintheus)
- distant deadly Archer (ἑκηβόλος ekēbólos)
- rouser of armies
- son of Zeus
- god of the silver bow
- son of sleek-haired Leto
- Ares
- curse of men
- sacker of cities
- of the glinting helmet
- women raping
- Athena
- Pallas (Παλλάς Pallás)
- gray-, bright-eyed (γλαυκ-ῶπις glauk-ôpis)
- daughter of Zeus
- third-born of the gods
- whose shield is thunder
- hope of soldiers
- tireless one
- Ariadne
- lovely-haired
- Artemis
- the archer-goddess
- of the golden distaff
- Calypso
- beautiful nymph
- softly-braided nymph
- divine
- goddess most divinely made
- daughter of Atlas
- cunning goddess (δεινὴ θεός deinē theos)
- Cronus (Kronos)
- crooked-counselling, devious-devising (ἀγκυλομήτης ankulomÄ“ÌtÄ“s)
- all-powerful
- Demeter
- fair-haired
- Diomedes
- son of Tydeus
- great spearman
- master of the war cry
- god-like
- strong
- Hector
- tall
- shepherd of the people
- of the glinting helmet, of the shining helm (κοÏυθ-αίολος koruth-aiolos)
- man-killing
- horse-taming
- Helen
- long-dressed
- daughter of a noble house
- Hera
- ox-eyed (βο-ῶπις bo-ôpis)
- Hephaestus
- the famous craftsman
- the famous lame god
- of the strong arms
- Hermes
- messenger of the gods and conductor of men (διάκτοÏος diáktoros)
- son of Zeus
- giant-killer
- the strong one
- keen eyes emissary
- Iris
- wind-footed
- Menelaus
- red-haired, fair-haired, flaming-haired
- master of the war-cry
- son of Atreus (ἈτÏείδης AtreÃdes)
- war-like
- spear-famed
- cherished by Zeus (διοτÏεφÎÏ‚ diotrephés)
- Naubolos
- great-hearted
- Nestor
- Godly Nestor
- Gerenian charioteer
- son of Neleus (Îηληιάδης NÄ“lÄ“iádÄ“s)
- Pylos born king
- sweet spoken
- Odysseus
- resourceful, man of many resources, of many turns, man of twists and turns (πολÏ-Ï„Ïοπος polú-tropos)
- much-enduring (πολÏ-τλᾱς polú-tlÄs)
- great-hearted (μεγαλ-Î®Ï„Ï‰Ï megal-ḗtÅr)
- sacker of cities (πτολι-πόÏθιος ptoli-pórthios)
- wise
- loved of Zeus
- great glory of the Achaeans
- master mariner
- mastermind of war
- hotheaded
- man of action
- the great teller of tales
- man of exploits
- man of pain
- that kingly man
- the hero
- Raider of Cities
- the great tactician
- cunning (πολÏ-μητις polú-mÄ“tis)
- Onchestos
- sacred
- Pandaros
- son of Lykaon
- Penelope
- cautious, circumspect, discreet, wise, self-obsessed
- Patroclus
- son of Menoitius (Μενοιτιάδης Menoitiádēs)
- horseman
- Paris
- Alexandros
- Poseidon
- Earth-shaker (á¼Î½Î½Î¿ÏƒÎ¯Î³Î±Î¹Î¿Ï‚ enno-sÃgaios or á¼Î½Î¿ÏƒÎ¯-χθων enosÃ-chthÅn)
- earth-moving, earth-carrying (γαιή-οχος gaiḗ-ochos)
- Sarpedon
- leader of the Lycians
- Suitors
- swaggering
- haughty
- Telemachus
- poised
- thoughtful
- Thetis
- silver-footed
- Thersites
- of the endless speech
- Tydeus
- driver of horses
- Zeus
- mighty
- son of Kronos (ΚÏονίδης KronÃdÄ“s)
- wide-seeing
- cloud-gatherer (νεφελη-γεÏÎτᾱ nephelÄ“-gerétÄ)
- father of gods and men
- of the dazzling bolt (á¼€Ïγι-κÎÏαυνος argi-kéraunos)
- loud-thundering (á¼Ïί-γδουπος á¼Ïί-δουπος erÃ-gdoupos, erÃ-doupos)
- delighting in thunder (τεÏπι-κÎÏαυνος terpi-kéraunos)
- aegis-holding (αἰγί-οχος aigÃ-ochos)
- who marshals the thunderheads
Shared
- Paris, Hector, Polites
- son of Priam (Î Ïιαμίδης PriamÃdÄ“s)
- Antilochus, Pisistratus
- son of Nestor (ÎεστοÏίδης NestorÃdÄ“s)
- Hector, Agamemnon, Atreus, Diomedes
- breaker of horses, horse-tamer (ἱππό-δαμος hippó-damos)
- Agamemnon, Achilles, Diomedes
- best of the Achaeans
- Hector, Ares
- manslaughtering
See also
- Makurakotoba — epithets in classical Japanese
Notes
- ↑ Parry 1928: 5-10
- ↑ John Curtis Franklin, Structural Sympathies in Ancient Greek and South-Slavic Heroic Singing.
- ↑ Parry 1971: 121
Sources
- Parry, Milman. "L'Épithète traditionelle dans Homère: Essai sur un problème de style homérique." Paris: Société d'Éditions "Les Belles Lettres", 1928.
- Parry, Milman, ed. Adam Parry. "The Making of Homeric Verse: The Collected Papers of Milman Parry." Oxford: The Clarendon PRess, 1971.
- V.J. Howe, "Epithets in Homer." Available online at http://www.angelfire.com/art/archictecture/articles/008.htm. (Retrieved October 16, 2007.)
- Fagles, Robert. "The Odyssey." Penguin Books, 1996.