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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.

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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" (a general epithet for men) at various points. • men • shining, divine (, ) • born from Zeus (, ) • god-like (, ; , ) • high-hearted • brilliant (dios) • leaders • lord of men (, ) • women (incl. goddesses) • white-armed (, ) • lovely-haired (, ) • ox eyed (, ) • goddesses • of the golden distaff with (, ) • day • the day of return (, — nostalgia also comes from ) • sea • loud-roaring () • grey • wine-colored, wine-dark () • ships • well-balanced • swift • black • lions • eating raw flesh () • mountain-bred () • fiery () • spears • sharp (ὀξύς) • long-shadowed (δολιχόσκιος) • brazen (χαλκηρής) NationsAbantes • swift (, ) • sporting long hair (, ) • Achaeans • hairy-headed (, ) • bronzed-armored (, ) • strong-greaved (, ) • glancing-eyed (, ) • with hollow ships • Trojans • tamers of horses (, ) • Phaeacians • oar-loving IndividualsAchilles • 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 ( : also transliterated ) • 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 (πτολι-πόρθιος ptoli-pórthios) • 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 (Kronos) • 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 (Erigeneia) • 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 (phaidimos) • 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 (γέρων) • 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 ( or ) • 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 ( or ) • 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 ( , Iliad 11.182) • of the dazzling bolt ( ) • loud-thundering ( ) • delighting in thunder ( ) • dark-clouded • aegis-holding ( ) • of the counsels (metieta) • of the wide brows, wide browed (euryopa) SharedParis, Hector, Polites • son of Priam ( ) • Antilochus, Pisistratus • son of Nestor ( ) • Agamemnon, Menelaus • son of Atreus ( ) • Hector, Agamemnon, Atreus, Diomedes, Nestor • breaker of horses, horse-tamer ( ) • Agamemnon, Achilles, Diomedes • best of the Achaeans • Hector, Ares • man-slaughtering • Diomedes, Menelaus • master of the war-cry • Athena, Zeus • aegis-holding ( ) ==See also==
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