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[size=150]θεὰ λευκώλενος (/ηρη ἐπὶ φρεσὶν ἔθηκε τὴν βουλὴν )αχιλῆι <br />I translate this line something like; The white-armed goddess Hera put this plan in Achilles' heart.<br /><br />(Is 'white-armed' a complimentary sort of adjective?)<br /><br />My question is, why is [size=150]φρεσὶν Plural? <br /><br />Thanks.<br />Bert.

Bert de Haan wrote:<br />[size=150]θεὰ λευκώλενος (/ηρη ἐπὶ φρεσὶν ἔθηκε τὴν βουλὴν )αχιλῆι <br />I translate this line something like; The white-armed goddess Hera put this plan in Achilles' heart.<br /><br />(Is 'white-armed' a complimentary sort of adjective?)<br />

<br /><br />Of course. It means Hera is an upper-class goddess who stays in the home running things and isn't outside laboring under the sun like all those nasty commoners.<br /><br />

<br />My question is, why is [size=150]φρεσὶν Plural? <br />

<br /><br />The diaphram was thought of as a double organ, like lungs. In fact, according to Cunliffe the word occurs more often in the plural.<br />

William Annis wrote:<br /> <br />(Is 'white-armed' a complimentary sort of adjective?)<br />

<br /><br />Of course. It means Hera is an upper-class goddess who stays in the home running things and isn't outside laboring under the sun like all those nasty commoners.<br /><br /> <br />Now-a-days people go through great pain to get a sun tan while 200 years ago it was a sign of wealth to not have a sun tan. I was considering if this is what was meant here too, but I thought; nah, couldn't be, it'll have to be something more...more... profound, especialy considering she is a goddess and not human. <br /><br /><br />

<br />My question is, why is [size=150]φρεσὶν Plural? <br />

<br /><br />The diaphram was thought of as a double organ, like lungs. In fact, according to Cunliffe the word occurs more often in the plural.<br /><br />

<br />Thank you.

[quote author=Bert de Haan link=board=2;threadid=664;start=0#6265 date=1063935974]<br />Now-a-days people go through great pain to get a sun tan while 200 years ago it was a sign of wealth to not have a sun tan. I was considering if this is what was meant here too, but I thought; nah, couldn't be, it'll have to be something more...more... profound, especialy considering she is a goddess and not human. <br />[/quote]<br /><br />Well, this is the sense in which I've always taken it. Paleness has been considered attractive in aristocratic women in enough cultures that I take this reasoning to be equally common. I could be misinterpreting this.<br /><br />But [size=150]λευκός also means "bright, shining" not just "white", so if we are in trouble on the tan-free front, we can take the shiney route. In any case, several godesses and women get this epithet, and I see no reference to it being other than complimentary.<br />