Karpos
InRomanandGreek mythology,Carpus(/ˈkɑːrpɒs/;Ancient Greek:Καρπός,romanized:Karpos,lit. 'fruit') is a minor character associated with fertility and springtime. Similarly,Karpo,one of theHorae,is the feminine equivalent of Karpos; her dominion being the fruits of the earth.
Etymology[edit]
The word Karpos derives from theProto-Indo-European languageroot *kerp-.[1]Cognatescan be found in many Indo-European languages including modern English in words such as "harvest" (viaGermanic), "carpet", "excerpt" and "scarce" (via Latin).
Mythology[edit]
According toServius,Carpus was the son ofZephyrus,the god of the west wind,[2]by the nymphHora(season goddess).[3][4]Carpus fell in love with another youth,Calamus,the son of a river-god,Meander.According toNonnus,while the two were competing in a swimming contest, the wind drove a wave into Carpus' face and he drowned.[5]In his grief, Calamus allowed himself to also drown. He was then transformed into a water reed, whose rustling in the wind was interpreted as a sigh of lamentation, while Carpus became 'the fruit of the earth' (possibly a potato).[6][7]Servius writes that Calamus blamed his father for Carpus's death, so he ran away and prayed toZeus,who responed by transforming both of them.[4]When rustled in the wind, those reeds would always give out a sound of lamentation.[8]
It has been suggested that Carpus is actually supposed to be the son ofFlora/Chloris,the flower goddess that Zephyrus abducted and made his wife, instead of some Hora.[9]
In more recent times, some scholars misread the words of Servius and Nonnus, thus a misinerpretation arose about the story of drowning with Calamus rather being about Carpo, the Season goddess, instead of the male youth Carpus.[10][11]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Beekes 2009,p. 149.
- ^Rausch, Sven (2006). Cancik, Hubert; Schneider, Helmuth (eds.)."Zephyrus".referenceworks-brillonline-com/subjects.Translated by Christine F. Salazar. Hamburg.doi:10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e12216400.RetrievedApril 13,2023.
- ^Frey, Alexandra; Folkerts, Menso (2006). Cancik, Hubert; Schneider, Helmuth (eds.)."Carpus".referenceworks-brillonline-com/subjects.Translated by Christine F. Salazar. Hamburg.doi:10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e609540.RetrievedApril 14,2023.
- ^abServiusOn Eclogues5.48
- ^Rosemary M. Wright."A Dictionary of Classical Mythology: Summary of Transformations".mythandreligion.upatras.gr.University of Patras.RetrievedJanuary 3,2023.
- ^Nonnus,Dionysiaca11.385-481
- ^Forbes Irving 1990,pp. 278–279.
- ^Licht 2000,p.411.
- ^Guirand & Graves 1987,p.138.
- ^Guirand & Graves 1987,p.139.
- ^Lemprière 1826,p.201.
Bibliography[edit]
- Beekes, Robert S. P.(2009). Lucien van Beek (ed.).Etymological Dictionary of Greek.Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series. Vol. 1. Leiden, the Netherlands:Brill Publications.ISBN978-90-04-17420-7.
- Forbes Irving, Paul M. C. (1990).Metamorphosis in Greek Myths.Oxford, New York, Toronto:Oxford University Press,Clarendon Press.ISBN0-19-814730-9.
- Guirand, Felix; Graves, Robert (December 16, 1987).New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology.Translated by Richard Aldington; Delano Ames. Crescent Books.ISBN0517004046.
- Lemprière, John (1826).A Classical Dictionary: Containing a Copious Account of All the Proper Names Mentioned in Ancient Authors, with the Value of Coins, Weights, and Measures, Used Among the Greeks and Romans, and a Chronological Table.London, UK: T. Cadell.
- Licht, Hans (2000). Dawson, Lawrence H. (ed.).Sexual Life In Ancient Greece.Translated by J. H. Freese. London, New York:Routledge.ISBN978-0-7103-0702-6.
- Maurus Servius Honoratus,In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii;recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881.Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Nonnus,Dionysiaca;translated byRouse, W H D,III Books XXXVI-XLVIII.Loeb Classical LibraryNo. 346, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1940.Internet Archive.
External links[edit]
The dictionary definition ofKarposat Wiktionary
