Ancient Greek edit

Etymology edit

From ᾰ̓- (a-, not) +‎ μῶμος (mômos, blame, reproach) +‎ -ων (-ōn).

Pronunciation edit

 

Adjective edit

ᾰ̓μῡ́μων (amū́mōnm or f (neuter ᾰ̓́μῡμον); third declension (Epic, rare in later Greek)

  1. blameless, noble, excellent
    1. (Homeric epithet of people, including Aegisthus)
      • 800 BCE – 600 BCE, Homer, Odyssey 1.29–30:
        Μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θῡμὸν ἀμῡ́μονος Αἰγίσθοιο,
        τόν ῥ’ Ἀγαμεμνονίδης τηλεκλυτὸς ἔκταν’ Ὀρέστης·
        Mnḗsato gàr katà thūmòn amū́monos Aigísthoio,
        tón rh’ Agamemnonídēs tēleklutòs éktan’ Oréstēs;
        For [Zeus] recalled in his heart noble Aegisthus,
        whom far-famed Orestes, son of Agamemnon, had slain.

Usage notes edit

The use of the word for Aegisthus, who was not blameless, since he killed Agamemnon with the help of Clytaemnestra, shows that Homeric epithets are not meant to be taken literally.

Inflection edit

Further reading edit