Abstract

BERRUECOS FRANK, Bernardo. Four Cases of Poetic Etymology in Herodotus: The Nomina loquentia of Battus, Crius, Demaratus and Cypselus. Nova tellus [online]. 2020, vol.38, n.2, pp.41-70.  Epub Dec 09, 2020. ISSN 0185-3058.  https://doi.org/10.19130/iifl.nt.2020.38.2.0002.

The present study will show how, in Herodotus’ account of the Persian wars, proper names have a key narrative function and are also part of his method of historical exposition. Herodotus uses nomina loquentia to insert micro-narratives that affect the processes of meaning-making in the main story and, sometimes, even in the general historical account. After some considerations regarding the origins of philology in the Histories and the ways in which etymological wordplay is a prolongation and an addition to the historian's philological activities, four cases of nomina loquentia will be presented in which names function as capsules of meaning that allow the historian to articulate and offer an interpretation of different contrasting narratives of a historical event.

Keywords : Herodotus; Histories; Poetic Etymology; nomina loquentia; Microstory.