Comments (Meaning / History Only)
Odysseus was an Illyrian name, not Greek. Illyrians (Thracians and other) were old names for Serbs who were indigenous Balkan people. Greeks came later as migrants from Africa/Middle East. Trojans were not Greeks, either.
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The reason as to why Odysseus was named such was not any of the reasons previously commented, you're all wrong. His grandfather Autolycus, a descendant of the messenger god Hermes, named him. When Odysseus' nurse Eurycleia laid Odysseus upon Autolycus' knees she asked him to name the baby, Autolycus said "Since I have been angered (ὀδυσσάμενος/odyssamenos) with many, both men and women, let the name of the child be Odysseus".
Interesting note: Autolycus was also the grandfather of Jason, the famous Argonaut who led a group of men to find the Golden Fleece.
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Interesting note: Autolycus was also the grandfather of Jason, the famous Argonaut who led a group of men to find the Golden Fleece.
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Odysseus is the hero of a very ancient story about a man who took many years to complete his not-very-long journey home after fighting on the winning side in the Trojan War. In that war, the gods and goddesses were divided - some supported the Greeks and some the Trojans. Odysseus, being Greek and a very distinguished soldier and strategist, was therefore hated by those gods who had backed the losing side.
It would make sense to give that kind of character a name that means "hate", "hatred" etc to help get the message of the story across. But in our world, people think of his long journey rather than his unpopularity with half the population of Mount Olympus, so the title of his story-poem, the Odyssey, has come to mean "a long and difficult journey".
And if this helps even one poster NOT to say "ooh, but it can mean a journey", I'll be happy!
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It would make sense to give that kind of character a name that means "hate", "hatred" etc to help get the message of the story across. But in our world, people think of his long journey rather than his unpopularity with half the population of Mount Olympus, so the title of his story-poem, the Odyssey, has come to mean "a long and difficult journey".
And if this helps even one poster NOT to say "ooh, but it can mean a journey", I'll be happy!
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Could also be based on the actual word "odyssey".
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It means "sorrow" or "grief" in Greek, but it has come to mean a journey, from the epic obviously.
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It may mean "wrathful". And one can see it at the end of the Odyssey.
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Odysseus may mean 'odyssey' or 'long journey.'
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"Odyssey" actually means "story of Odysseus", so the name Odysseus cannot mean "odyssey."
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"Odysseus" may mean "son of Zeus," or "giver of pain."
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This name also could mean "odyssey".
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I thought it might be from the Greek hodos meaning road, and Zeus, the master god, so it meant that he was the king of the journey, in a way.
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