Publication details
Artemis and her family
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Graeco-Latina Brunensia |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | Digitální knihovna FF MU |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/GLB2016-2-4 |
| Field | Linguistics |
| Keywords | theonym; epithet; compound; etymology; Mycenaean; Greek; Hurrian |
| Description | In the present contribution the main etymological attempts to explain the theonym Ártemis are summarized and analyzed. With regard to vacillation in the root vocalism, already in the My¬cenaean records, and the dominance of worship of this goddess in Asia Minor, the hypothesis of non-Greek origin is to be preferred. Discussing the epithets mediated by ancient authors, it seems that most of them were transferred from Artemis’ brother Apollo. A new solution is based on her epithet Týkhé “Fortune” known especially from numismatic legends from various cities of Peloponnese, Lesbos, Asia Minor and Gerasa in North Jordan. The hypothetical primary compound *Ar-temi- would mean “giving omen” in Hurrian, where both components are attested and safely interpreted, and this type of personal name is very frequent. |
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