Concept
Epithet
Overview
An epithet (from Ancient Greek ἐπίθετον (epítheton) 'adjective', from ἐπίθετος (epíthetos) 'additional'), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alexander the Great, Suleiman the Magnificent and Richard the Lionheart, or allusive, as in Edward the Confessor, William the Conqueror, Æthelred the Unready, Mehmed the Conqueror, and Bloody Mary.
The word epithet also may refer to an abusive, defamatory, or derogatory word or phrase. This use is criticized by Martin Manser and other proponents of linguistic prescription. H. W. Fowler noted in 1926 that "epithet is suffering a vulgarization that is giving it an abusive imputation".
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Epithet is discussed.
Homer, on prophets; gives name of friendship to sexual love; quoted; on bravery; unmetrical line of; on man's wretched lot; on modesty; on advantages of music; order of different kinds of exercises according to; on intercourse between men and their wives; calls salt divine; epithets applied to liquids by; a moot point in third book of Iliad; essay on life and poetry of; biographical sketch of; the two works of…
Plutarch, Complete Works of Plutarch — Volume 3
names the idea; opens on it
Therefore the man of skill is a master (to be looked up to) by him who has not the skill; and he who has not the skill is the helper of (the reputation of) him who has the skill. If the one did not honour his master, and the other did not rejoice in his helper, an (observer), though intelligent, might greatly err about them. This is called 'The utmost degree of mystery.'
Laozi, The Tao Teh King
states what it is; author linked in the graph
Dunstan conjectured the reason of the king’s retreat; and, carrying along with him Odo, archbishop of Canterbury, over whom he had gained an absolute ascendant, he burst into the apartment, upbraided Edwy with his lasciviousness, probably bestowed on the queen the most opprobrious epithet that can be applied to her sex, and tearing him from her arms, pushed him back, in a disgraceful manner, into the banquet of the…
David Hume, The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part A.
opens on it; names the idea
Compounding of mental states, 168, 173, 186 f., 268, 281, 284, 292, 296. Concepts, 217, 234 f. Conceptual method, 243 f., 246, 253. Concrete reality, 283, 286. Confluence, 326. Conflux, 257. Consciousness, superhuman, 156, 310 f.; its compound nature, 168, 173, 186 f., 289. Continuity, 256 f., 325. Contradiction, in Hegel, 89 f. Creation, 29, 119. Death, 303. Degrees, 74. Dialectic method, 89. Difference, 257 f…
William James, A Pluralistic Universe
names the idea; opens on it
Melancholy Dejection, subjects a man to causelesse fears; which is a Madnesse commonly called MELANCHOLY, apparent also in divers manners; as in haunting of solitudes, and graves; in superstitious behaviour; and in fearing some one, some another particular thing. In summe, all Passions that produce strange and unusuall behaviour, are called by the generall name of Madnesse. But of the severall kinds of Madnesse, he…
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
states what it is
Philosophers who discussed Epithet
Related ideas
- Jesus
- Athena
- Homer
- James Joyce
- Perseus Digital Library
- Pope John Paul II
- The New York Times
- Zeus
- Pragmatics
- Apollo
- Cicero
- Alexander the Great
- Routledge
- Demeter
- Epic poetry
- Theophan the Recluse
Place in the tradition
Part of Philosophy of language.