Monday 23 May 2016

What's in a name

Ἐτεο-κλῆς or -κλέης, the name of the 'defender' of Thebes against the 'Theban (or Argive) Seven', is found:

(a) in Mycenean as e-te-wo-ke-re-we-i-jo as a patronymic adjective 'of Ἐτεϝοκλέϝης' (PY An 657 and Aq 64); cf. the phrase in the genitive at Iliad 4.386: βίης Ἐρεοκληείη.

(b) in Sanskrit as satyá-śravas ('adj. nom. m. 'of true fame,' becomes the name of a man...'; see A.A. MacDonell, A Sanskrit Grammar for Students, p. 176, sect. 189b).

Cf. -ανδρος, -ά̄νωρ.

See also M.L. West, 'The Rise of Greek Epic', JHS 108 (1988): 153, for other fame names throughout the IE daughter languages.

See also Pthu-śravas RV I 116.21, jiśvan- (?), jāśva RV I 116.16 (p. 183 and 185 of Ο' Flaherty's translation, but R̥jāśravas in its Index, p. 338).

No comments: