𓈒𓏸.°•｡˚○ Classics student and long-term lover of Greek Mythology ・ I share info-posts and essays ・ Oral traditions, Greek vase paintings and wine enthusiasm may surface on my blog from time to time! | PFP: blended-ice ∘˙○˚.•
Please read below to learn more about what I post here, if you're curious!
The IRL Theogany is a blog in which I will be sharing educational and informational posts and essays on Classics. I will be focusing on ancient Greece (society, traditions, culture, religion, and more), Greek literature, and Greek oral traditions (including Greek mythology), with various aspects of daily Greek life involved. However, I may also make a few posts revolving around other societies (such as the Romans, Egyptians, and others).
I have been studying these topics ever since I was a child. I carry some Greek (and other) teachings. I am also currently pursuing a Classics degree alongside a Psychology degree and a Design (Visual Communications) degree. If you have any questions, please go ahead and send an Ask and I will answer what I can.
Thank you, please enjoy!
Table of Contents
Defining Greek Myths
The Iliad
Introductory of Homer's Iliad
Other Ways to Access Robert Fagle's Translation of Homer's The Iliad
Post On Homer (1)
Classics
The Word of A Professional - Is it Gospel, or is it just an educated stance or statement?
Recent Thrift: 02.2026 A Companion to the Iliad: Based on the Translation by Richmond Lattimore by Malcolm M. Willcock
Hierarchy in Greek Myth
Greek Vase Painting – Insight Into the People, and the Beauty of Their Arts
Greek Vase Painting - Insight Into the People, and the Beauty of Their Arts [FEEDBACK]
Maps of The Iliad
A more artistic and abstract take on the meaning of Telemachus' name; prior to deeper studying!
THE HESPERIDES
This is an old variation of the godly family tree in ancient Greek Mythology.
Epic & Artistic Liberation
Achilles' Right to Live
Achilles' Right to Live (Add-On)
Logging my Iliad Reading
A Post About Andromache
Teaser Post: Achilles' Character Development
Telemachus' name: and what it tells us about the character?
Aphrodite ・ A Male Deity
Maps of The Odyssey
Recent Mediterranean Archaeo Discoveries
Iliad Project Collection: ENTRY ONE | ENTRY TWO | ENTRY THREE | ENTRY FIVE *coming soon*
“Horsegirl hector” this “horsegirl diomedes” that “oohhh horsegirl patroclus” uhm what about horsegirl ANDROMACHE!!! She who feeds the horses honeyed oats and sweetened wine before serving her own husband? That’s dedication to the craft right there
What are the meanings behind the names of the main Iliad and Odyssey characters? Just curious.
Certainly dear Anon! Let's see
(GOSH! This turned out longer than what I expected!)
~~~
Some of the Greeks:
Achilles -> The Suffering of the People, The Grief of the People
coming probably from the greek word "ἄχος" (achos) which means "pain" or "suffering" or "sighing" or "grief" and "λαός" (laos) which means "people". (Apollodorous gave us a different origin, that his name came from the greek α which is a compartment that means "no" or "non" and the word χείλος aka "lip" so it means to him "No Lips" because according to a myth he transfers Achilles was fed by Chiron with the marrow of lions etc and his lips never touched the breast of a nursemaid)
The original name of Achilles according to Apollodorous was also supposed to be Λυγίρων Ligyron aka "the whining one" or "the crying one"
Odysseus -> The Anger Bringer, The Hate Bearer, Hated, Furious
According to the Odyssey coming from the verb ὀδύσσομαι which means "to be angry at" given to him by his grandfather Autolycus who was angry at many people and many people were angry at him
Menelaus -> The Anger of the People, The Fury of the Army
Coming from the Greek μήνις aka "fury" or "anger" and the word λαός which stands for both "people" and "army"
Agamemnon -> Very Steadfast, Unbowed, The One Who Provides Much, The One Who is Much Thoughtful
Agamemnon's name seems to have a dual potential. One comes from the words "ἄγαν" which stands for "very much" or "grandiosely" or at some free translation "great" and "μέμνων" could indicate someone who "insists" or someone who "remains". The other is the verb "μένδομαι" which means "to think on" or "to provide" or "to be mindful".
Ajax (Aias) -> The One of the Earth, The One who Cries 'Ah me!'
Ajax or Aias as it is in the Original Greek has rather interesting roots. The two primary I found is the word αἶα which seems to be another word for γαῖα aka "earth" however from Sophocles "Ajax" we seem to get phonetic association of Ajax the Great's name from the exclamation αἰαῖ which translates as "ah me!" or "ah! ah!" and the verb αἰάζω which means "to cry"
Teucer (Teukros) -> The Trojan, The Builder, The Maker
According to one interpretation the Greek name of Teucer comes from one of the tribes of Trojans named "τευκροί" so it seems that he simply was named to resemble the name of that tribe. Another is the word τεύκτωρ or τευκτήρ which means "the maker" essentially or "the one who builds"
Patroclus -> The Glory of his Father
Coming from the Greek πάτερ aka "father" and κλέος aka "glory"
(if someone brings a female counterpart that would be the famous name "Cleopatra")
Diomedes -> Divine Council, Divine Wisdom
From the word δίος aka "divine" and μήδος "council"
Nestor -> The Traveler, The One Who Returns
The name seems to potentially have roots to the verb νέομαι where the word νόστος (nostos) comes from. The verb means "to return" or in one way "to travel". Nestor seems to be one of the few kings that returned to their homeland after Troy without much loss along the way. He has also traveled more than once in his life if we take the myth that has him as one of the Argonauts
Antilochus -> Against Battle Cries, In Front Of Battle Cries
The name of the son of Nestor comes from the compartment αντί which means "against" of "opposite" or "on the other side of" and λόχος which stands for "battle cry"
Machaon -> The Fighting One, The Knife-Holder
The healer's name comes from either the verb μαχάομαι aka "to fight" or "to battle" or the word μάχαιρα aka "knife". Both attributes for his healing aspects (surgical knife and the fight for life) as well as his attribute as a soldier and fighter
Idomeneus -> The Fury of Ida
Deriving from the name of mount Ida Ῑ̓́δη and μένος aka "fury"
Helen -> The Bright One, The Radiant One
Helen's name deprives from the root Ελ which means "light" or "shine" similar to the first compartment of the name of Greece Ελλάς (Hellas)
Penelope -> Wild Duck, Wild Goose, The Weft-Like Woman
Two possible origins for Penelope's name seem to appear. One is the word πηνέλοψ that stands for a predatory bird most likely a goose or a duck but one other seems to be the combination of the Greek πήνη "weft" aka the loop-like thread at the end of the weaving process and ὤψ which stands for "face" or "eye" or "look" aka "appearance"
Telemachus -> Away From The Battle, Distant Warrior
The name deprives from the particle τηλέ which means "from afar" or "from a distance" and μαχάομαι which means "to fight".
Antinous -> Against All Reason, Unreasonable, Madman
Depriving from the compartment αντί which means "against" or "opposing" or "opposite of" and the word νους which stands for "mind" or "reason"
Amphinomus -> Between Two Rules, Between Two Shares
Depriving from the compartment αμφί which means "two things" or "two sides" and νόμος "rule" or νομή aka "share"
Eurymachus -> Of Wide Battle, The One of The Wide Strife
From the adjective ευρύς "wide" or "spread out" and μαχάομαι "to battle"
Polites -> Citizen
The Greek word πολίτης
Eurlylochus -> Of The Wide Battle Cry
From the compartment ευρύς which means "wide" and λόχος which means "battle cry"
Peisistratus -> Persuasion Of The Army, Obedience Of The Army
From the ancient Greek πεῖσις "persuasion" or "obedience" (coming from the verb πείθω "to persuade") and στρατός "army"
Euryclea -> With Much Glory
From the adjective ευρύς "wide" "plenty of" and κλέος "glory"
Anticlea -> Without Glory
From the compartment αντί which means "against" or "opposite" and κλέος "glory"
Laertes -> The Gatherer of People
From the Greek λαός aka "people" and εἴρω which means "to gather together" or "to rise up someone"
Eumaeus -> The One Who Searches Well, The Good Seeker
From the compartment εὐ "good" or "well" and probably the verb μαίομαι which means "to search" or "to seek"
Philoetius -> Beloved of Fate
From the word φίλος "beloved" or "friend" and οἶτος "fate" or "destiny"
Ctimene -> The Acquired One
From the verb κτάομαι "to acquire"
Neoptolemous -> New Warrior, Young Warrior
From the word νέος "new" or "young" and the word πτόλεμος aka an archaic form of πόλεμος which means "war" (giving also the name to πτολίεθρον aka "citadel" or "city surrounded by walls" or "castle")
(Name given at birth Πύρρος Pyrrhus aka "Fire-Like" or "Fiery Like Fire" or potentially "Red Like Fire")
Argos -> Swift, Fast, Quick
From the homeric word that means such
~~~
Some of the Trojans:
Priam -> The Bought One
Priam's name is technically his slave's name according to Dares the Phrygian and comes from the verb "πρίαμαι" which means "to buy" when his sister Hesione gave her golden veil as a payment for her brother to Heracles
(According to the same source Priam's birth name was Ποδάρκης Podarkes which means "swift-footed")
Hector -> The Holder, The One Who Holds Out, The One Who Possesses, The One Who Holds (Everyone Together)
Hector seems to emanate from the verb ἕχειν which means "to hold" or "to have" or "to possess"
Andromache -> The Battle of Men
Depriving from greek άνδρας aka "man" and μάχη "battle"
Astyanax -> Ruler of the City, The King Of The City
Coming from Greek ἄστυ "city" and άναξ which stands for "king" or "prince" or generally "ruler"
Paris -> Youth, Beautiful Youth
Most versions seem to agree on Luwian origin and the name Parizitis which stands for "youth".
His nickname Alexander comes from Greek αλεξ which means "to repel" or "to protect" and άνδρας which means "man" so the name means "Protector of Men" and "Repeller of Men" which he got when he protected the shepherds that raised him
There is some folk etymology on the Greek word for backpack "pera" so his name could also mean "The One Carried in a Backpack" in this case but most likely not entirely the case
Sarpedon -> Someone On High Power, The One who Sees High Power
Possibly of Luwian origin (according to Dunford) sar-pēdan with sar standing for "up" or "on" unless you also add the possibility of a Greek addition to εἴδω which stands for "to see"
I know I am not including them all nor that this is by any means perfect but I hope it helps dear Anon!
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