Who: Here, a shepherd, presumably a slave, who is lusting after Alexis. In Theocritus, he is a goat-heard become temporary oxherd. In Theocritus Id. 4, as is alluded to in this eclogue, Corydon seems to admire Amaryllis (though this is not the focus of the idyll).
Etymology: From the Greek, κορυδός, a type of lark. This word, moreover, may be related to κόρυς ("helmet"), perhaps due to the lark's tufts of feathers sticking up on its head.
Antecedents: Id. 4 (As a postcedent, interestingly enough, Juvenal alludes to this poem in addressing a male prostitute who has been lamenting his slow work (9.102)): O Corydon, Corydon...)
Other eclogues: 5.86; 7.2-3, 16, 20, 40
Alexis:
Who: A presumably attractive youth, for whom Corydon and their owner lusts.
Etymology: From the Greek, ἀλέξω, "to assist/defend."
Antecedents: Meleager Anth. Pal. 12.127, in which Alexis also seems to have been the object of affection. Not in Theocritus.
Other eclogues: 5.86, 7.55, 7.70
Thestylis:
Who: A slave-maid in Theocritus. Here, she obviously knows her way around herbs and cooking. Based on Idyll 2, she seems to play a stock maid for the the jilted lover.
Etymology: From the Greek, θῆσσα, "slave-girl."
Antecedents: Id. 2- she apparently also was in a mime of Sophron, but we don't know much about this mime except that it provided the basis for Id. 2.
Other eclogues: None that I saw.
Amaryllis: (see Eclogue 1)
Menalcas:
Who: Another shepherd who held Corydon's affections.
Etymology: Unknown, at least by me.
Antecedents: Id. 8
Other eclogues: 3.13, 58; 5.4 (speaker in 5), 64, 90; 9.10, 16, 18, 55; 10.20
Who: Founder of Thebes, raised among shepherds.
Etymology: Perhaps something to do with αμφι?
Antecedents: N/A
Other eclogues: None that I saw.
Who: God/prince of shepherds known for his beauty, son of Hermes and a Nymph
Etymology: δάφνη- bay laurel
Antecedents: Id. 8
Other eclogues: 2.26; 3.12; 5.20, 25, 27, 29-30, 41, 43, 51-2, 57, 61, 66; 7.1, 7; 8.68, 76, 79, 81, 83-5, 90, 93-4, 100, 102, 104, 109; 9.46, 50
Who: God of shepherds and shepherd music. Half goat, half man.
Etymology: Potentially something to do with nourishing/pasturing. Similarity to πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν related to being represented as a personification of nature.
Antecedents: N/A
Other eclogues: 4.58-9, 5.59, 8.24
Who: A common rival in pipe-playing.
Etymology: ἀμύντης- defender
Antecedents: Unknown, at least by me.
Other eclogues: 3.66, 74, 83; 5.8, 15, 18; 10.37-8, 41
Who: Another shepherd, who also apparently plays the pan-pipes. In Theocritus, he engages in a singing competition with Daphnis, wherein Damoetas sings the role of Polyphemus.
Etymology: Unknown, at least by me.
Antecedents: Id. 6
Other eclogues: 3.1, 58; 5.72
No comments:
Post a Comment