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 and because of the oral transmission of the poems; they are mnemonic aids to the singer and the audience alike.
Formulae 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 κλέος ἄφθιτον / and Vedic Sanskrit as श्रवो अक्षितम् /. These two phrases were, in terms of historical linguistics, equivalent in phonology, accentuation, and quantity. In other words, they descend from a fragment of poetic diction 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.
In contrast to the more general term 'epithet', which is used in poetic contexts, for the ancient Greek religion, the epiclesis was used as the surname that was associated with a deity during religious invocations.
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 present state of the subject: in Odyssey VI.74, for instance, Nausicaa takes her "radiant clothing", ἐσθῆτα φαεινήν, to be washed; since it is dirty, it is unlikely to be radiant.

List

General

General epithets are applied to common nouns, or the people or things that fall under such a noun. For example, Odysseus, Achilles, and Agamemnon are all referred to as "brilliant" at various points.
  • men
  • *shining, divine
  • *born from Zeus
  • *god-like
  • *high-hearted
  • *brilliant
  • leaders
  • *lord of men
  • women
  • *white-armed
  • *lovely-haired
  • *ox eyed
  • goddesses
  • *of the golden distaff with
  • day
  • *the day of return
  • sea
  • *loud-roaring
  • *grey
  • *wine-colored, wine-dark
  • ships
  • *well-balanced
  • *swift
  • *black
  • lions
  • *eating raw flesh
  • *mountain-bred
  • *fiery
  • spears
  • *sharp
  • *long-shadowed
  • *brazen

Nations

Individuals

  • Achilles
  • *son of Peleus
  • *swift-footed
  • *breaking through men
  • *lion-hearted
  • *like to the gods
  • *shepherd of the people
  • Aeneas
  • *son of Anchises
  • *counselor of the Trojans
  • *lord of the Trojans
  • *great-hearted
  • *great-minded
  • *king of men
  • *great
  • Agamemnon
  • *breaker of horses, horse-tamer
  • *son of Atreus
  • *wide-ruling lord
  • *the lord marshal
  • *powerful
  • *shepherd of the people
  • *lord of men
  • Aias/Ajax
  • *Son of Telamon
  • *swift
  • *gigantic
  • **the mighty
  • Alcinous
  • *the hallowed prince
  • *great
  • Andromache
  • *daughter of Eetion
  • *white-armed
  • Aphrodite
  • *laughter-loving
  • *daughter of Zeus
  • *goddess of love
  • *fair
  • Apollo
  • *Phoebus, i.e. the Bright or Pure,
  • *with unshorn hair; i.e., ever-young
  • *destroyer of mice
  • *distant deadly Archer
  • *far-aiming lord
  • *rouser of armies
  • *son of Zeus
  • *of the silver bow
  • *famous with the bow
  • *whom the sleek-haired Leto has born
  • Ares
  • *slayer of men
  • *sacker of cities
  • *bronzen
  • *furious
  • *destroyer of city walls
  • *of the glinting helmet
  • Ariadne
  • *lovely-haired
  • Artemis
  • *the archer-goddess
  • *shooter of arrows
  • Athena
  • *Pallas
  • *gray-, bright-eyed
  • *daughter of Zeus
  • *third-born of the gods
  • *whose shield is thunder
  • *hope of soldiers
  • *tireless one
  • Briseis
  • *beautiful-, fair-cheeked
  • *fair-haired
  • Calypso
  • *beautiful nymph
  • *softly-braided nymph
  • *divine
  • *goddess most divinely made
  • *daughter of Atlas
  • *cunning goddess
  • Charybdis
  • *dreaded
  • Chryseis
  • *beautiful, fair-cheeked
  • Circe
  • *enchantress
  • *shining among goddesses, bright among goddesses
  • *the dread goddess
  • *who talks with mortals
  • *Aeaean
  • Cronus
  • *crooked-counselling, devious-devising
  • *all-powerful
  • Demeter
  • *fair-haired
  • Diomedes
  • *son of Tydeus
  • *great spearman
  • *master of the war cry
  • *god-like
  • *strong
  • *breaker of horses, horse-taming
  • Eos
  • *Rosy-fingered
  • *Early-born
  • *Of the golden throne
  • Hector
  • *tall
  • *shepherd of the people
  • *of the glinting helmet, of the shining helm
  • *man-killing
  • *breaker of horses, horse-taming
  • *dear to Zeus
  • *glorious
  • Helen
  • *daughter of a noble house
  • *Daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis
  • *long-dressed
  • Helios
  • *who brings joy to mortals
  • *the sun god
  • *who sees all things and listens to all things, all seeing and all hearing
  • *brilliant
  • *Hyperion
  • Hera
  • *ox-eyed lady
  • Hephaestus
  • *the famous craftsman
  • *the famous lame god
  • *of the strong arms
  • Hermes
  • *messenger of the gods and conductor of men
  • *slayer of Argos
  • *son of Zeus
  • *giant-killer
  • *the strong one
  • *keen eyes emissary
  • Icarius
  • *great-hearted
  • Ino
  • *lovely-ankled
  • Iris
  • *wind-footed
  • Menelaus
  • *red-haired, fair-haired, flaming-haired
  • *master of the war-cry
  • *son of Atreus
  • *spear-famed
  • *loved by Ares, war-like
  • *cherished by Zeus
  • Naubolos
  • *great-hearted
  • Nestor
  • *breaker of horses, horse-tamer
  • *Godly
  • *Gerenian charioteer
  • *son of Neleus
  • *Pylos born king
  • *sweet spoken
  • *wise old
  • Odysseus
  • *resourceful, man of many resources, of many turns, man of twists and turns
  • *much-enduring, long suffering
  • *great-hearted
  • *sacker of cities, raider
  • *son of Laertes
  • *wise
  • *loved of Zeus
  • *great glory of the Achaeans
  • *master mariner
  • *mastermind of war
  • *hotheaded
  • *honored
  • *man of action
  • *the great teller of tales
  • *man of exploits
  • *man of pain
  • *that kingly man
  • *hero
  • *the great tactician
  • *cunning
  • Onchestos
  • *sacred
  • Pandaros
  • *son of Lykaon
  • Patroclus
  • *son of Menoitius
  • *Zeus-born, sprung from Zeus
  • *dear to Zeus
  • *great-hearted
  • *horseman
  • *peerless
  • *peer to gods in counsel
  • *gentle
  • *hero
  • Paris
  • *Alexandros
  • *magnificent
  • Penelope
  • *cautious
  • *careful
  • *circumspect
  • *daughter of Icarius
  • *discreet
  • *temperate
  • *wise
  • *self-obsessed
  • Poseidon
  • *earth-shaker
  • *earth-moving, earth-carrying
  • Sarpedon
  • *leader of the Lycians
  • Suitors
  • *swaggering
  • *haughty
  • Telemachus
  • *poised
  • *thoughtful
  • *prudent
  • Thetis
  • *silver-footed
  • Thersites
  • *of the endless speech
  • Tiresias
  • *the blind prophet
  • *the Theban
  • Tydeus
  • *driver of horses
  • Zeus
  • *mighty
  • *son of Kronos
  • *wide-seeing
  • *cloud-gatherer, who marshals the thunderheads
  • *father of gods and men
  • *of the dazzling bolt
  • *loud-thundering
  • *delighting in thunder
  • *dark-clouded
  • *aegis-holding
  • *of the counsels
  • *of the wide brows, wide browed ''

Shared