EPITHETS OF EPIC, MYTHOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL CHARACTERS OF GREECE

Epithets are words or phrases used as descriptive characterizations of heroic or legendary figures. They can be found in mythology, in Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and in Greek folksongs and poems. A common epithet and one that is highly admired (given almost a superhuman identity) and used throughout the long history of Greece is the phrase fleet of foot or swift footed. In ancient Greek texts it can be found as πόδας ὠκὺς, ταχεῖα, ποδόκεα, ποδορρώρη to name a few, and in modern Greek γοργοπόδαρος.

In mythology the word ποδορρώρη (from the words πούς meaning foot, and ὀρούω to dash forward or powerful) was given to the goddesses Artemis and Iris, and to the swift- footed heroine Atalanta. Atalanta was probably the fastest of all mortals and the only woman to join in the quest of the Argonauts. She had given an oath of virginity to the goddess Artemis but her father wanted her to marry and she agreed only if her suitor could outrun her in a footrace. Those who lost suffered the punishment of death! Realizing this could only be accomplished through divine intervention, the young suitor Hippomenes asked the goddess Aphrodite to help him. She gave him three golden apples. With these apples Hippomenes distracted Atalanta during the race by throwing them down in front of her. Finding them irresistible Atalanta stopped each time to collect them, thereby losing the race and marrying Hippomenes.

In the Iliad, Achilles is frequently referred to as πόδας ὠκὺς Ἀχιλλεὺς. He runs like the wind, his feet barely touching the earth. He dashes to the city of Troy, described as a powerful stallion σευάμενος ὣς θ’ ἵππος ἀεθλοφόρος(racing forward like a champion stallion) and then he chases Hector untiringly around the walls of Troy three times.

Antilochos, the son of Nestor (the very old, wise king of Pylos) was killed at Troy. His father Nestor in the Odyssey proudly describes his son as πέρι μὲν θείειν ταχὺς ἠδὲ μαχητής (a fast runner and a fighter).

During the Greek War of Independence, there are

interesting stories of fleet-footed Greek fighters.

On the 8th of May 1821 at the Battle of Gravia Inn, Odysseas Androutsos faced the Turkish army of Omer Vryoni with only 117 men. The Turks had already overtaken and killed Athanasios Diakos and his men at the Battle of Alamana (Athanasios Diakos suffered the horrendous death of impalement- ανασκολοπισμός) and Odysseas was not about to give up. He was determined to stop the Turks there, at least for a while. It is said he called out to the men who were gathered and he said, “Whoever wishes to stand with me, join me now in dancing,” and the first man to grab the kerchief (held by the second dancer to allow the first dancer to perform difficult leaps and squats) was Yiannis Gouras. And so 117 men danced Tsamiko, also known as Kleftiko before the arrival of the Turks. They had planned on turning the Inn into a fortress with its surrounding high mud-brick wall, and making a stand there.

Odysseas Androutsos was renowned for his swiftness. It is said that he even raced against horses! The men were getting ready to enter the enclosure when a hare suddenly jumped out of the bushes. Many of the men aimed their weapons at the hare ready to shoot when Odysseas called out, “Men, do not waste your ammunition.” And he quickly took off after the hare, flying at a sprint and catching it!

This battle was to be an ignominious failure for the Turks. After losing over 300 men and with over 600 wounded, the Turks decided to bring in canons. The Greeks quickly realized what the Turks were up to and during the night managed to slip through the Turkish lines and escape to the mountains. The Greeks had suffered four losses.

On the 24th of April 1827, the Battle of Analatos (today in the area of Neos Kosmos, Athens) was the disastrous attempt of the Greeks to break the siege of the Acropolis by the Turks and to free the trapped Greeks. The British military men Cochran and Church had pressed for a full military assault on the Turks, contrary to what George Karaïskakis advised. Karaïskakis knew well that the Greeks had not had the military training necessary to perform such a tactic and that they were better at fighting a defensive battle in trenches. Unfortunately, Karaïskakis was killed at Faliron the 23rd of April, 1827. Historians have described this battle as a mass suicide for the Greeks. About 2,000 young Greeks were killed and 250 were taken as prisoners (later to be beheaded). Ioannis Makriyiannis who was in the battle, will later write that he owed his survival to his swift running and strong lungs.

Article by Joanna Karachristos.