ἀμύμων

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ᾰ̓- (ă-, not) +‎ μῶμος (mômos, blame, reproach) +‎ -ων (-ōn).

Pronunciation

 

Adjective

ᾰ̓μῡ́μων • (ămū́mōnm or f (neuter ᾰ̓́μῡμον); third declension (Epic, rare in later Greek)

  1. blameless, noble, excellent
    1. (Homeric epithet of people, including Aegisthus)
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.29–30:
        Μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θῡμὸν ἀμῡ́μονος Αἰγίσθοιο,
        τόν ῥ’ Ἀγαμεμνονίδης τηλεκλυτὸς ἔκταν’ Ὀρέστης·
        Mnḗsato gàr katà thūmòn amū́monos Aigísthoio,
        tón rh’ Agamemnonídēs tēleklutòs éktan’ Oréstēs;
        For [Zeus] recalled in his heart noble Aegisthus,
        whom far-famed Orestes, son of Agamemnon, had slain.

Usage notes

The use of the word for Aegisthus, who was not blameless, since he killed Agamemnon with the help of Clytaemnestra, shows that Homeric epithets are not meant to be taken literally.

Inflection

Further reading