Opening the text

Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3: I. Prolegomena II. Achæis; or, the Ethnology of the Greek RacesGladstone, W. E. (William Ewart)

History

Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3: I. Prolegomena II. Achæis; or, the Ethnology of the Greek Races

Name: Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3: I. Prolegomena II. Achæis; or, the Ethnology of the Greek Races
Author: Gladstone, W. E. (William Ewart)

Gladstone, W. E. (William Ewart)

Civilization, Homeric; Epic poetry, Greek -- History and criticism; Homer

1. ἥρωες.
  2. θεράποντες Ἄρηος.
  3. φιλοπτόλεμοι.
  4. αἰχμηταί.
  5. ἀσπισταί.
  6. ἴφθιμοι.
  7. ταχύπωλοι.

The epithets of Ἀργεῖοι are as follows:

  1. ἰόμωροι, Il. iv. 242. xiv. 479.
  2. ἀπειλάων ἀκόρητοι, Il. xiv. 479.
  3. θωρηκτοί, Il. xxi. 429.
  4. φιλοπτόλεμοι, Il. xix. 269.
  5. ἐλεγχέες, Il. iv. 242.

Upon these we may observe, first, that they are few in number;
secondly, that they are used with extreme rarity; being only applied
in four passages altogether, whereas the word Δαναοὶ has epithets in
twenty-two. Thirdly, this word only twice in the whole of the poems
has a military epithet attached to it. For I must follow those, who do
not translate ἰόμωροι as corresponding with ἐγχεσίμωροι: (1) because
the Greeks were not archers, (2) because the derivation from ἴα,
‘the voice,’ giving the sense of braggart, harmonises exactly with
the accompanying phrase ἀπειλάων ἀκόρητοι: as well as (3) for the
presumptive, but in Homer by no means conclusive, reason, that ἴον in
composition is long.

The epithets of Ἀχαιοὶ are numerous, highly varied, and of very
frequent use. They are these:

  1. ἀπειλητῆρες.
  2. μάχης ἀκόρητοι.
  3. ἀνάλκιδες.
  4. δῖοι.
  5. ἑλικῶπες.
  6. εὐκνήμιδες.
  7. ἥρωες.
  8. καρηκομόωντες.
  9. μεγάθυμοι.
  10. μένεα πνείοντες.
  11. χαλκοκνήμιδες.
  12. χαλκοχίτωνες.
  13. ὑπερκύδαντες.
  14. ἀρηίφιλοι.
  15. φιλοπτόλεμοι.

These epithets are used in nearly one hundred and thirty passages, and
they may be classified as comprising,

  (1) One or two words of sarcastic reproach, very rarely used.

  (2) Words descriptive of courage and spirit: such are μεγάθυμοι,
  μένεα πνείοντες.

  (3) Words indicating that disposition to brag, which is more or less
  traceable in the military conduct of the Greeks, as well as glaringly
  palpable among the Trojans.

  (4) Words descriptive of personal beauty: ἑλικῶπες and καρηκομόωντες.

  (5) The word δῖοι, which signifies generally the possession of some
  kind of excellence.

  (6) Words relating to well made and well finished armour: εὐκνήμιδες,
  χαλκοκνήμιδες, χαλκοχίτωνες.

And of the epithets of the three appellatives respectively we may say,

  (1) Those of Ἀχαιοὶ are highly diversified, extended, and elevated in
  meaning: and are not suitable for soldiers exclusively.

  (2) Those of Ἀργεῖοι are so slight and rare that they may be passed
  over.

  (3) Those of Δαναοὶ are most properly neither those of chiefs, nor of
  a nation at large, but of a soldiery.

In the Odyssey the Danaan name is used thirteen times: but it never
signifies either the Greeks contemporary with the action of that
poem, or the Greek nation in its prior history: it is employed always
retrospectively, and always of the soldiery in the Trojan war.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3: I. Prolegomena II. Achæis; or, the Ethnology of the Greek RacesGladstone, W. E. (William Ewart)

History

Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3: I. Prolegomena II. Achæis; or, the Ethnology of the Greek Races

Gladstone, W. E. (William Ewart)

Civilization, Homeric; Epic poetry, Greek -- History and criticism; Homer

1. ἥρωες.
  2. θεράποντες Ἄρηος.
  3. φιλοπτόλεμοι.
  4. αἰχμηταί.
  5. ἀσπισταί.
  6. ἴφθιμοι.
  7. ταχύπωλοι.

The epithets of Ἀργεῖοι are as follows:

  1. ἰόμωροι, Il. iv. 242. xiv. 479.
  2. ἀπειλάων ἀκόρητοι, Il. xiv. 479.
  3. θωρηκτοί, Il. xxi. 429.
  4. φιλοπτόλεμοι, Il. xix. 269.
  5. ἐλεγχέες, Il. iv. 242.

Upon these we may observe, first, that they are few in number;
secondly, that they are used with extreme rarity; being only applied
in four passages altogether, whereas the word Δαναοὶ has epithets in
twenty-two. Thirdly, this word only twice in the whole of the poems
has a military epithet attached to it. For I must follow those, who do
not translate ἰόμωροι as corresponding with ἐγχεσίμωροι: (1) because
the Greeks were not archers, (2) because the derivation from ἴα,
‘the voice,’ giving the sense of braggart, harmonises exactly with
the accompanying phrase ἀπειλάων ἀκόρητοι: as well as (3) for the
presumptive, but in Homer by no means conclusive, reason, that ἴον in
composition is long.

The epithets of Ἀχαιοὶ are numerous, highly varied, and of very
frequent use. They are these:

  1. ἀπειλητῆρες.
  2. μάχης ἀκόρητοι.
  3. ἀνάλκιδες.
  4. δῖοι.
  5. ἑλικῶπες.
  6. εὐκνήμιδες.
  7. ἥρωες.
  8. καρηκομόωντες.
  9. μεγάθυμοι.
  10. μένεα πνείοντες.
  11. χαλκοκνήμιδες.
  12. χαλκοχίτωνες.
  13. ὑπερκύδαντες.
  14. ἀρηίφιλοι.
  15. φιλοπτόλεμοι.

These epithets are used in nearly one hundred and thirty passages, and
they may be classified as comprising,

  (1) One or two words of sarcastic reproach, very rarely used.

  (2) Words descriptive of courage and spirit: such are μεγάθυμοι,
  μένεα πνείοντες.

  (3) Words indicating that disposition to brag, which is more or less
  traceable in the military conduct of the Greeks, as well as glaringly
  palpable among the Trojans.

  (4) Words descriptive of personal beauty: ἑλικῶπες and καρηκομόωντες.

  (5) The word δῖοι, which signifies generally the possession of some
  kind of excellence.

  (6) Words relating to well made and well finished armour: εὐκνήμιδες,
  χαλκοκνήμιδες, χαλκοχίτωνες.

And of the epithets of the three appellatives respectively we may say,

  (1) Those of Ἀχαιοὶ are highly diversified, extended, and elevated in
  meaning: and are not suitable for soldiers exclusively.

  (2) Those of Ἀργεῖοι are so slight and rare that they may be passed
  over.

  (3) Those of Δαναοὶ are most properly neither those of chiefs, nor of
  a nation at large, but of a soldiery.

In the Odyssey the Danaan name is used thirteen times: but it never
signifies either the Greeks contemporary with the action of that
poem, or the Greek nation in its prior history: it is employed always
retrospectively, and always of the soldiery in the Trojan war.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3: I. Prolegomena II. Achæis; or, the Ethnology of the Greek Races

Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age, Vol. 1 of 3: I. Prolegomena II. Achæis; or, the Ethnology of the Greek Races

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