“The Etymologies of Greek Names And Their Relevance To Greek Mythology”;
When analyzing Greek mythology and names of characters in the mythological story, it may be difficult to ascertain the meaning behind the naming choice of the character. Nevertheless, the etymologies of mythological character names are very relevant and meaningful to the study of Greek mythology. Specifically, we can look at the name “Odysseus” and the relation to the Iliad and Odyssey, despite its foreign and uncertain etymology, and names with known etymologies, such as “Telemachus” and “Agamemnon” and their relationships to the corresponding characters in the Homeric mythology.
An important example of when the meaning of the etymology in relation to the corresponding mythology is difficult to ascertain is Odysseus’s name in the Iliad and Odyssey. Unlike the later examples discussed in this paper, Odysseus’s name is most likely not of Greek origin, and its true origin is uncertain. However, this is still meaningful in the context of the mythology—a name with an unknown source fits with Odysseus’s wily inclination to trick and lie, and his tendency to be a visitor wherever he goes. An example of his trickster personality is illustrated in the Odyssey, when Odysseus and his group were held captive by a Cyclops monster. To escape, Odysseus blinds the Cyclops, and then tricks the creature by giving his name as “no man”. When the Cyclops’ compatriots ask for the culprit who blinded him, he answers by essentially stating that ‘nobody blinded me’, which does not help the search for Odysseus’s crew. In addition, a Greek translation for “any man” is “mê tis”, which one can notice is similar to “mêtis” or cleverness. This example showcases how Odysseus is a man who lies about his identity to succeed in various situations. It is meaningful that his name was of foreign and unknown origin, since Odysseus habitually uses disguises and fake names to push various lies throughout the Homeric mythology. He pretends to be a simple-minded farmer during the Iliad to avoid participating in the Trojan War, and then masquerades as an old man during his return to Ithaca twenty years after leaving. Odysseus is always assuming another identity and lying his way through his problems, and it is very fitting that he have a name that is both foreign and uncertain in origin—one never knows when he’s telling the truth about who he is. In addition, Odysseus has a tendency to always be a visitor wherever he goes (especially in the Odyssey). After the Trojan War, his return to his homeland is fraught with trouble and ordeals, and Odysseus is always visiting new strange lands and cultures and using his wit (and lies) to make his way back home. An overarching pattern in the Odyssey is Odysseus visiting one strange place after another as a foreigner, sometimes lying or tricking the local dwellers, and then leaving to another foreign place. This is meaningful because it is appropriate that “Odysseus” is a foreign name of uncertain origin—he frequently is the foreign visitor in the mythology. Odysseus’s name and its foreign and uncertain origin are meaningful when considered in the context of his mythology, and thus shows how the etymologies of Greek names, even when uncertain, are meaningful to the study of mythology.
Etymologies of Greek names are sometime even more meaningful in relation to a mythology when their origins are known and are Greek. The name “Telemachus”, for example, means “far from battle.” This relates to Telemachus’ absence from the great war of the time and his extended, late development from a boy to a man. Here, the name is meaningful in relation to the mythology and is relevant since it directly informs the personality and development arch of the character. Telemachus is a character that cannot be the man of his household since he has not become a man yet, and his name relates to this specific characteristic, making it meaningful. In the Iliad, Agamemnon’s name also conveys a meaning that relates to his character as a whole. “Agamemnon” roughly translates to ‘ruling strongly’, which is meaningful in many ways. Agamemnon is the leader of the Greek camp during the entire Trojan War, and makes many unilateral decisions that place him at the top of the power pyramid on the Greek side. He is portrayed as being a ruler who isn’t afraid to assert his authority, and does not give in easily to his subordinates. An example is when he takes Briseis, Achilles’s war prize woman, from Achilles, asserting his authority and leadership over others. In other words, he rules strongly over his subordinates. The etymology of the name is directly related to the character, and thus is relevant to the study of the mythology.
Whether or not the etymology of a name is known or uncertain, it is very relevant and meaningful to the study of the corresponding mythology, and we can see this by our analysis of Odysseus’s name, Telemachus’ name, and Agamemnon’s name and their corresponding characters in the Homeric mythology. The etymology of a character’s name can inform one a lot about that character’s personality and actions in the mythology, and thus is relevant to the study of classical mythology.
Works Cited
1. "Online Etymology Dictionary." Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. Nov. 2016.
2. "Notes on Odysseus' Name and Pseudonyms." Notes on Odysseus' Name and Pseudonyms. N.p., n.d. Web. Nov. 2016.