Myrmidon

Myrmidon
/merr"mi don', -dn/, n., pl. Myrmidons, Myrmidones /merr mid"n eez'/.
1. Class. Myth. one of the warlike people of ancient Thessaly who accompanied Achilles to the Trojan War.
2. (l.c.) a person who executes without question or scruple a master's commands.
[ME < L Myrmidones (pl.) < Gk Myrmidónes]

* * *

      in Greek legend, any of the inhabitants of Phthiotis in Thessaly.

      In the poet Hesiod's Catalogue of Women, Aeacus, the son of Zeus and the nymph Aegina, grows up alone on the deserted island of Aegina. (In Ovid's Metamorphoses, the island has been devastated by a plague.) In answer to Aeacus's prayers for company, Zeus transforms the island's ants into men and women who are called the Myrmidons. Either Aeacus or his son Peleus takes the people to Thessaly, and from there they follow Peleus's son Achilles to fight at Troy. Later accounts tell of the Myrmidons' move from Thessaly to Aegina; the fact that Mount Pelion (from Peleus) in Thessaly was named long ago may indicate that this story is an early one.

      According to the writer of the mythography Bibliotheca (1st or 2nd century AD; Library), the Myrmidons were descended from Myrmidon, the son of Zeus and Eurymedusa, who was seduced by Zeus in the form of an ant.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Myrmidon — may refer to: Myrmidons, an ancient nation of Greek mythology Myrmidon (hero), the eponymous ancestor of the mythological Myrmidons The Myrmidons, a lost tragedy by Greek playwright Aeschylus Myrmidon Books, independent publisher A member of the… …   Wikipedia

  • myrmidon — [ mirmidɔ̃ ] n. m. VAR. mirmidon • 1586 ; pl. Mirmidoncis nom de peuple XIIe; lat. Myrmidones, gr. Murmidones, rapproché par étym. légendaire de murmêx « fourmi » ♦ Fam. et vieilli Petit homme chétif, insignifiant. ⇒ nain, pygmée. Au fém.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • myrmidon — MYRMIDON. s. m. Terme d injure & de mespris. Petit garçon. Ce n est qu un myrmidon. que veut dire ce myrmidon? …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Myrmidon — MYRMIDON, ŏnis, (⇒ Tab. X.) Jupiters und der Eurymedusa Sohn, von welchem die Myrmidonen den Namen haben sollen. Serv. ad Virgil. Aen. IV. v. 402. Jupiter nahm die Gestalt einer Ameise an, sie zu berücken. Clemens Al. ap. Muncker. ad Hygin. Fab.… …   Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon

  • Myrmidon — Myr mi*don, n. [L. Myrmidones, Gr. ?, pl.] 1. One of a fierce tribe or troop who accompanied Achilles, their king, to the Trojan war. [1913 Webster] 2. A soldier or a subordinate civil officer who executes cruel orders of a superior without… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • myrmidon — (n.) c.1400, from L. Myrmidones (pl.), from Gk. Myrmidones, Thessalian tribe led by Achilles to the Trojan War, fabled to have been ants changed into men, and often derived from Gk. myrmex ant (from PIE *morwi (see FORMICA (Cf. Formica) (2)), but …   Etymology dictionary

  • Myrmidon — [mʉr′mə dän΄, mʉr′mədən] n. pl. Myrmidons or Myrmidones [mər mid′ə nēz΄] [ME mirmidones < L Myrmidones, pl. < Gr, the Myrmidons] 1. Gr. Legend any of the tribe of Thessalian warriors who fight under Achilles, their king, in the Trojan War 2 …   English World dictionary

  • Myrmidon — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Myrmidon (homonymie), Fourmilier (homonymie) et Cyclope (homonymie) …   Wikipédia en Français

  • myrmidon — (mir mi don) s. m. 1°   Nom d un ancien peuple de la Thessalie (avec une majuscule). Les Myrmidons marchant sous la conduite de Patrocle. 2°   Fig. et par raillerie, un jeune homme de petite taille (avec une minuscule). Voilà un plaisant myrmidon …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • myrmidon — noun Etymology: Middle English Mirmydon, Latin Myrmidon , Myrmido, from Greek Myrmidōn Date: 15th century 1. capitalized a member of a legendary Thessalian people who accompanied their king Achilles in the Trojan War 2. a loyal follower;… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Myrmidon — Dieser Artikel oder Abschnitt bedarf einer Überarbeitung. Näheres ist auf der Diskussionsseite angegeben. Hilf mit, ihn zu verbessern, und entferne anschließend diese Markierung. Die Myrmidonen (gr. Μυρμιδόνες Myrmidónes) sind eine Gruppe von… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”