Greek names?

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Greek names?

Postby Curio Agelastus on Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:59 am

Salvete omnes,

Recently I've been doing some research into the way that different cultures create names out of words with meanings, and then a suffix or a prefix added on, as well as combinations of words. This research is for some writing I've been doing, and I currently need a Greek name with a fairly specific meaning.

I need a name that says "To speak for the people" or "Voice of the people". The best I can come up with is Demosphenios, derived from Demos, meaning people, and Phenai, meaning to speak. However, given my complete lack of knowledge of ancient Greek, can anyone put me right on the correct way of putting such a name? Equally, could anyone come up with a good Greek name to represent "Voice of the people" which would be more suitable for the purpose?

Many thanks,
Marcus Scribonius Curio Agelastus.
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Postby Quintus Pomponius Atticus on Thu Dec 30, 2004 12:15 pm

Salve Curio,

I think 'Demophon' (or more correctly 'Demophoon', with an omega in the end) would be the right combination derived from dèmos and fèmi.

In Greek mythology, Demophon referred to two different kings: one of Eleusis and the other, Athens.

Demophon was a son of King Celeus and Queen Metanira. While Demeter was searching for her daughter, having taken the form of an old woman called Doso, she received a hospitable welcome from Celeus, the King of Eleusis in Attica. He asked her to nurse Demophon and Triptolemus, his sons by Metanira. As a gift to Celeus, because of his hospitality, Demeter planned to make Demophon immortal by burning his mortal spirit away in the family hearth every night. She was unable to complete the ritual because Metanira walked in on her one night. Instead, Demeter chose to teach Triptolemus the art of agriculture and, from him, the rest of Greece learned the plant and reap crops. He flew across the land on a winged chariot while Demeter and Persephone cared for him, and helped him complete his mission of educating the whole of Greece on the art of agriculture.

The other Demophon was a King of Athens who was in Heraclidae, a play by Euripides, starring Macaria, one of the daughters of Heracles. She and her brothers and sisters hid from Eurystheus in Athens, ruled by King Demophon. As Eurystheus prepared to attack, an oracle told Demophon that he would win if and only if a noble woman was sacrificed to Persephone. Macaria volunteered for the sacrifice and a spring was named the Macarian spring in her honor [source]
.

Vale !

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Postby Marcus Pomponius Lupus on Thu Dec 30, 2004 4:52 pm

Salvete,

I think 'Demophon' (or more correctly 'Demophoon', with an omega in the end) would be the right combination derived from dèmos and fèmi.


Demophoon would be a good choice indeed, an alternative, but meaning the same could be "Laiophoon", from laios meaning people as well.

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Postby Curio Agelastus on Mon Jan 03, 2005 12:43 am

Salvete Lupe et Attice,

Many thanks for your replies. A couple of further questions:
Lupe, your Laiophoon - is that name related in any way to the Laiokoon of the Iliad?

Also, do either of you know what a good translation of "Voice of the Gods" would be? Theophoon perhaps?

Many thanks,
Marcus Scribonius Curio Agelastus.
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Postby Quintus Pomponius Atticus on Mon Jan 03, 2005 10:22 am

Salve Curio,

My suggestion would be Theophanos or Theophrastos (from frazoo, to declare ?). Lupe, Graeculus, what would you say ? :wink:

Vale,

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Postby Marcus Pomponius Lupus on Mon Jan 03, 2005 6:48 pm

Salvete,

Yep, both options by Atticus sound good, Theophoon would be correct as well I think, but I haven't found the name anywhere, Theophrastos on the other hand... :wink:

As for Laiokoon, I don't know. The Laio could come from laios, that's not hard to see, but I don't know where the suffix "-koon would come from or what it would mean, so it's hard to tell how laios as people would be related to it. But it's certainly possible.

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Postby Curio Agelastus on Wed Jan 05, 2005 1:46 am

Salvete Attice et Lupe,

Theophanos it is, methinks! Many thanks again for your help!

Bene valete,
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