μένος Ancient Greek · revision 15477

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Homer, Iliad|origins=ine-pro *men-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /mé.nos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈme.nos/^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈme.nos/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''μένος''' (ménos) ''n'' (genitive μένεος or μένους); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|grk-pro|*ménos]], [[inh|ine-pro|*ménos|t=mind]], from [[m|ine-pro|*men-|t=to think]].^(Wiktionary) It is an old verbal noun identical with [[sa|मनस्|tr=mánas|t=mind, thought, will]] and [[ae|manah-|tr=manah-|t=mind]].^(Frisk 1960)^(Wiktionary) The compounds match too: [[m|grc|δυσμενής|tr=dusmenḗs|t=hostile]] = [[m|ae|duš-manah-|tr=duš-manah-]] and Sanskrit [[m|sa|दुर्मनस्|tr=durmanas]], [[m|grc|εὐμενής|tr=eumenḗs|t=kindly]] = Sanskrit [[m|sa|सुमनस्|tr=sumánas]].^(Frisk 1960) The Persian royal name [[m|grc|Ἀχαιμένης|tr=Akhaiménēs]] renders [[peo|Haxāmaniš]], “having a friend's mind”.^(Frisk 1960)

+

+ The stative perfect [[m|grc|μέμονα|tr=mémona|t=I am eager]] and, with a different sense, the present [[m|grc|μαίνομαι|tr=maínomai|t=to rage]] belong to the same root.^(Frisk 1960)^(Πάπυρος)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Homer uses it for might and fighting spirit: “do not unnerve me and rob me of my might” (''Iliad'' 6.265).^(LSJ 1940) It is also the spirit of horses and the fierceness of lions and leopards, and the force of things such as a spear, the sun, fire and rivers.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It remained mainly a poetic word; most of its uses are epic.^(Frisk 1960)^(GLAUx) Homer, Hesiod and the tragedians use it for passion and fury, for courage and resolve, and for the life force that leaves the body.^(CGL 2021) Archilochus uses it for semen and Sophocles for blood, and Empedocles speaks of the force of the earth and of the winds.^(CGL 2021)^(LSJ 1940) Xenophon uses it of the eagerness of hunting dogs.^(LSJ 1940)

+

+ It is the first or second part of many personal names, such as [[Μενέλαος|tr=Menélāos]] and [[Κλεομένης|tr=Kleoménēs]].^(Beekes 2010)^(Wiktionary) Modern Greek ''μένος'' is a learned word for a strong, often violent, urge to act.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Homer – The ''Iliad'' uses it for might, spirit and the force of things.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ * 7th century BC – Archilochus uses it for semen.^(CGL 2021)^(DGE)

+ * 6th–5th century BC – Aeschylus uses it of a panting war horse.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * 5th century BC – Empedocles uses it for the force of winds.^(LSJ 1940)^(DGE)

+ * Modern Greek – ''μένος'' means fury, a violent urge.^(Triantafyllidis 1998)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|might|alt=Might]], [[m|en|strength]], vigour.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # Passion, [[m|en|fury]], rage.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Spirit, [[m|en|courage]], resolve.^(CGL 2021)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Life force, life.^(CGL 2021)

+ # The force of things: of fire, the sun, rivers, winds.^(LSJ 1940)^(CGL 2021)

+ # Mind; desire, purpose.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ἀμενηνός|tr=amenēnós]]

+ * [[δυσμενής|tr=dusmenḗs]]

+ * [[μενοεικής|tr=menoeikḗs]]

+ * [[ὑπερμενής|tr=hupermenḗs]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[αὐτόματος|tr=autómatos]]

+ * [[Ἀχαιμένης|tr=Akhaiménēs]]

+ * [[μενεαίνω|tr=meneaínō]]

+ * [[μενοινάω|tr=menoináō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}