MS. Cvejic

English 10 Honors

Homeric Epithet: Definition One of the hallmarks of the Homeric

style is the epithet, a combination of a descriptive phrase and a noun. An epithet presents a miniature portrait that identifies a person or thing by highlighting a prominent characteristic of that person or thing.

Etymology

Epithet comes from the Greek for putting (something) on (something). It is a tag or nickname that can be used on its own or together with the real name, depending on other features of the Greek language.

In English, the Homeric epithet usually consists of a noun modified by a compound adjective, such as the following: fleet-footed Achilles, rosy-fingered dawn, wine-dark sea, earth-shaking Poseidon, and gray-eyed Athena.

Epithets add a bit of color and also fill out the meter when the name on its own doesn't quite fit. In addition, epithets serve as a mnemonic device reminding listeners that they have, indeed, already heard mention of the character. The epithets, generally compound adjectives, are picturesque, which certainly helps make the assignment of character to epithet memorable.

Why would this be helpful during this period of literature?

Homeric Epithet in The Iliad Homer never calls the Greeks 'Greeks'. Sometimes

they are Achaeans. As Achaeans they receive the epithets 'well-greaved' or 'brazen-clad Achaeans'. The title anax andron 'lord of men' is most often given to the leader of the greek forces, Agamemnon, although it is also given to others. Achilles receives epithets based on the swiftness of his feet. Odysseus is polutlos 'much-suffering' and polumytis 'of many devices, crafty'. There are other epithets for Odysseus beginning with polu- 'many/much' that Homer selects on the basis of how many syllables he needs for the meter. The messenger goddess, 'wind-swift'. Perhaps the most familiar epithet is the one used for the passage of time, rhododaktulos Eos 'rosy-fingered Dawn'.

The Modern Epithet

The Homeric epithet is an ancient relative of such later epithets as Richard the Lion-Hearted, Ivan the Terrible, and America the Beautiful.

Personal Today: After learning about the tradition of the Homeric

Epithet, it is your turn to create a personal epithet with the same structure.

This epithet should characterize you in a concise and descriptive phrase.

For example, if you are a generous and philanthropic type, your epithet may be “open-palmed” Branka

Conversely, if you are more of the angry and belligerent type, you may be “close-fisted” Branka

Additionally, choose 2 other people in the class and give them a personal epithet. We will be sharing these in class tomorrow.