[Facts] Re: Europa
in reply to a message by Caprice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa
According to Wikipedia, Europa comes from "eurys" meaning "broad" and "ops" meaning "face"
There is also speculation (see 1st article) about Europe being a from a Mesopotamian or Akkadian source.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europa
According to Wikipedia, Europa comes from "eurys" meaning "broad" and "ops" meaning "face"
There is also speculation (see 1st article) about Europe being a from a Mesopotamian or Akkadian source.
Replies
The word ôps can refer also to the eye specifically, not just the face (and indeed that is its original meaning: by a sort of synecdoche the eyes can stand for the whole face. Part for the whole and all that.)
So wide-eyed would probably be a better translation. Widely-spaced, large eyes = good female attribute in the ancient world, which is one reason for the Homeric epithet boôpis (cow-eyed) for the goddess Hera! Cows have nice, wide eyes, that's for sure...
So wide-eyed would probably be a better translation. Widely-spaced, large eyes = good female attribute in the ancient world, which is one reason for the Homeric epithet boôpis (cow-eyed) for the goddess Hera! Cows have nice, wide eyes, that's for sure...