Key Characters and Epithets

Cartoon drawing of Achilles

Red figure vase featuring Achilles

Cartoon drawing of Patroclus

What is an Epithet?

An epithet is a term or phrase that adds further description to a name or place. For our project, we categorized epithets according to whether they had positive, negative, or neutral connotations. For example, the epithet "swiftfooted" carries a positive connotation, the epithet "son of Peleus" carries a neutral connotation, and the epithet "ruthless" carries a negative connotation. Epithets are incredibly common in the works of Homer, appearing in both the Iliad and the Odyssey, as well as in the Homeric Hymns.

Epithets

Connotation? Who? Epithet
positive Achilles swiftfooted son of Peleus
positive Achilles swift-footed, goodly Achilles
neutral Achilles Achilles, son of Peleus
positive Achilles swift-footed, goodly Achilles
neutral Achilles the son of Peleus
neutral Achilles the son of Peleus
positive Gods flashing-eyed Athene
positive Achilles swift-footed Achilles
positive Achilles the son of Peleus, swift of foot.
neutral Achilles the son of Peleus
neutral Achilles son of Peleus
positive Achilles swift-footed goodly Achilles
neutral Achilles the son of Peleus
positive Agamemnon wide-ruling Agamemnon
positive Achilles swift-footed, goodly Achilles
positive Agamemnon the king of men, Agamemnon
positive Hector goodly Hector
negative Achilles the ruthless Achilles
positive Hector goodly Hector
neutral Gods white-armed Hera
neutral Gods Zeus, the cloud-gatherer,
negative Achilles Achilles, sacker of cities
positive Priam great-hearted Priam
positive Achilles Achilles, swift of foot
positive Priam great-hearted Priam
neutral Priam Priam, son of Dardanus
positive Priam god-like Priam
neutral Gods Zeus, son of Cronos
positive Priam godlike Priam
neutral Achilles Achilles, Peleus' son
positive Gods sacred Dawn
neutral Achilles Achilles son of Pe1eus
neutral Achilles Achilles Peleus' son
positive Achilles Achilles swift-footed son of Peleus
neutral Achilles Achilles, son of Peleus
positive Achilles Achilles, dear to Zeus
positive Priam great Priam
positive Priam godlike Priam
positive Achilles Achilles like to the gods
neutral Hector man-slaying Hector
neutral Gods Zeus, that hurleth the thunderbolt,
positive Priam godlike Priam
positive Achilles goodly Achilles
neutral Achilles swift Achilles
positive Priam godlike Priam
positive Achilles thou nurtured of Zeus
neutral Achilles Achilles, swift of foot
neutral Agamemnon Agamemnon, shepherd of the host
positive Hector goodly Hector
positive Priam godlike Priam
positive Achilles swift-footed, goodly Achilles
positive Gods helper Hermes
neutral Priam Priam
negative Hector man-slaying Hector
positive Hector bold Hector
positive Gods Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered
positive Hector glorious Hector
positive Priam Priam, the king fostered of
neutral Hector horse-taming Hector

The Greeks

The Trojans