Epithets are words or phrases that accompany or replace a name, often with historical reference. They are used in religion, literature, and to honor military achievements. In linguistics, they distinguish between historical figures, especially monarchs. Honorary epithets are bestowed for service or achievements, originating in military conquests.
The epithet comes from the Greek word epitheton, meaning attributed or added, and refers to a word or phrase that accompanies a name or sometimes takes its place. It often has a historical reference and has been used so frequently that it is synonymous with the person or entity to which it refers. Alexander the Great used as a title for King Alexander III of Macedon is one example. Epithets are also used in religion and literature, and to honor military achievements. In linguistics, they are often used to distinguish between historical figures, especially monarchs and other rulers.
In ancient polytheistic religions, such as those of Greece and Rome, the gods had different attributes and specific roles that they played in the life of mankind. For example, Apollo is the sun god, but he also rules over the muses and has a different name for each role. Worshiped as the sun god, is Phoibus Apollo. When he acts as a patron of the arts, he is Apollo Musegetes. In Christianity, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is sometimes called the Queen of Heaven or the Cause of our Joy.
In literature, the epithet was a convention of epic or saga in many cultures and was used to describe nature and people. The epic poet Homer loved “the rosy-fingered dawn”. In The Odyssey, his hero was “Odysseus much suffering”. In the Iliad, its Greek warrior hero was “god-like Achilles” or “son of Peleus.” In the Indian epic Ramayana, the hero of the Sanskrit poet Valmiki is “Rama of the gracious soul” and sometimes “the best of Rama men”.
There are circumstances where the use of an alternate name is required for clarity or to avoid confusion. In linguistics, these are known by the Latin phrase epitheton necessaryum, as they are needed to distinguish between people of the same name who bear the same title. They are generally used in place of numbers when referring to monarchs. An example is the name Richard the Lionheart to refer to King Richard I of England, or Catherine the Great for Catherine II of Russia. Unlike in Europe, Chinese rulers were not named and counted, but given epithets referring to the throne so that their names were never used, which was culturally inadmissible.
Honorary epithets are often bestowed on individuals for service rendered to their country or for achievements that bring honor to the country. They do not give the holder any power, but are a sign of esteem. In Western culture, these honors originated in military conquests. The victorious Roman generals were given names reflecting the peoples they had defeated. For example, Africanus or Germanicus added to a general’s name indicated victories over African or Germanic peoples.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
