Our Greek Roots

Greek History and MythologyGreek History and Mythology

Greek Vocabulary in EnglishGreek Vocabulary in English

How did Greek Words and Concepts get into English?

• Through learned borrowingsThrough learned borrowings, primarily during the English Renaissance (surgery < cheirergos), continuing today: biology, psychiatry, criterion, kudos.

• Through LatinThrough Latin: items introduced to the Germanic tribes by Romans (butter < boutryon, dish < diskos, anchor< ankyra).

• Through the activity of Greek-speaking missionaries Through the activity of Greek-speaking missionaries in Englandin England: alms (< elemon ‘merciful’), devil (< diabalos), church (< kyriakos ‘lordly’), priest (< presbuter), blasphemy.

Why Greek during the Renaissance?

• Byzantine scholars fleeing the Ottoman Turks in Byzantine scholars fleeing the Ottoman Turks in 1453 brought Greek science and language to 1453 brought Greek science and language to Western Europe. Western Europe.

• The invention of the printing press in 1454 made The invention of the printing press in 1454 made literature highly accessible to the learned public.literature highly accessible to the learned public.

• The discovery of the New World by Columbus in The discovery of the New World by Columbus in 1492 led to a return to the round earth model 1492 led to a return to the round earth model advocated by Greek philosophers like advocated by Greek philosophers like Eratosthenes (240 BC) and Ptolemy (140 AD). Eratosthenes (240 BC) and Ptolemy (140 AD).

Where do we find concentrations of Greek borrowings?

• Geometry.Geometry. Development of perspective in painting during Renaissance led to modern geometry. This is reflected in the etymologies of modern geometric terms.

• Astronomy.Astronomy. Copernicus (b. 1473) proposes that the earth orbits the sun. Regiomantus charts the path of a comet for the first time. Etymologies: planet (planes ‘wanderer’), galaxy (galaktos, ‘milky’), atmosphere (atmos ‘vapor’ + sphaira ‘sphere’).

• Anatomy.Anatomy. Vesalius (b. 1514) illustrated and wrote detailed works of anatomy, in particular De Hominis Corporis Fabrica.

Why are Greek culture and Roman Culture so Similar?

The ancient Romans were so devoted to Greek culture that Horace (65-8 BC) wrote in his Epistles (2.1.156):

Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artes intulit agresti Latio

“Captive Greece captured her savage conqueror, and brought arts to barbarous Latium.”

Concepts from Greek Mythology

• The Romans adopted Greek legends and gods.

• Equo ne credite, Teucri! Quidquid est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentis (Laocöon, Virgil, Aeneid 2: 48-49).

Greek Mythology

• Figures from Greek legend and myth figured prominently in English Renaissance literature too.

• Hamlet, describing his father:

See what a grace was seated on this brow;Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself,An eye like Mars to threaten and command;A station like the herald Mercury […]—Shakespeare (Hamlet Act III, Scene IV)

Greek History

Greek History

Greek History

• MinoanMinoan (3000-1500 BC). Minoan culture on Crete, with large population and rich palace-centers.

• MycenaeanMycenaean (1700-1100 BC). Development of Mycenaean culture under Minoan influence. Sack of Troy (1300 BC).

• Dark AgeDark Age (1100-850 BC) Break up of Mycenaean civilization; transition to Greek settlements throughout the Aegean Islands and coast of Asia Minor.

Greek History

• Archaic periodArchaic period (850-480 BC). Emergence of City States (poleis), overseas trade, alphabet, Homer.

• Classical periodClassical period (480-323 BC). Athenian democracy, city states, ending with Philip and then Alexander.

• Hellenistic period Hellenistic period (323-146 BC). Alexander’s generals (Seleucus, Ptolemeus, Antigonus) divide the world up into three kingdoms.

• Roman EmpireRoman Empire (146 BC on). Greece becomes a Roman province.

Greek Mythology

• Achilles’ heel• labyrinth• aegis• amazon• atlas• Cassandra• Chimera• Gorgon• herculean

Greek Mythology

• The muses• Pandora’s box• mentor• narcissism• odyssey• Oedipus complex• siren• stentorian

Greek Mythology

• protean• Scylla and Charybdis• Procrustean• tantalize• harpie• stygian• Midas touch• sword of Damocles

Greek Sounds

• Greek had several sounds that English does not.

• ch [ like ch in German] = k in English

• y [like ü in German] = ay or y in English

• ps [like ps]= s in English• oe [like ö in German] = pet in

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