Karpos
In Roman and Greek mythology, Carpus (/ˈkɑːrpɒs/; Ancient Greek: Καρπός, romanized: Karpos, lit. 'fruit') is a minor character, son of Zephyrus the west wind-god. Carpus drowned in a river, causing his distressed lover Kalamos to end his life as well.
Etymology
[edit]The word Karpos derives from the Proto-Indo-European language root *kerp-.[1] Cognates can be found in many Indo-European languages including modern English in words such as "harvest" (via Germanic), "carpet", "excerpt" and "scarce" (via Latin).
Family
[edit]According to Servius, Carpus was the son of Zephyrus, the god of the west wind,[2] by the nymph Hora (or a Hora, season goddess).[3][4]
Mythology
[edit]Carpus' only myth is related in the Dionysiaca, a fifth-century epic by Nonnus. Carpus fell in love with another youth, Calamus, who was the son of a river-god Meander. However, while the two were competing in a swimming contest, the wind drove a wave into Carpus' face and he drowned.[5] In his grief, Calamus allowed himself to also drown. He was then transformed into a water reed, whose rustling in the wind was interpreted as a sigh of lamentation, while Carpus became 'the fruit of the earth' (possibly a potato).[6][7] Servius writes that Calamus blamed his father for Carpus's death, so he ran away and prayed to Zeus, who responded by transforming both of them.[4] When rustled in the wind, those reeds would always give out a sound of lamentation.[8]
Symbolism
[edit]It has been suggested that Carpus is actually supposed to be the son of Chloris/Flora, the flower goddess that Zephyrus abducted and made his wife, instead of some Hora.[9]
In more recent times, some scholars misread the words of Servius and Nonnus, thus a misinerpretation arose about the story of drowning with Calamus rather being about Carpo, the Season goddess, instead of the male youth Carpus.[10][11]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Beekes 2009, p. 149.
- ^ Rausch, Sven (2006). Cancik, Hubert; Schneider, Helmuth (eds.). "Zephyrus". referenceworks-brillonline-com/subjects. Translated by Christine F. Salazar. Hamburg. doi:10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e12216400. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ Frey, Alexandra; Folkerts, Menso (2006). Cancik, Hubert; Schneider, Helmuth (eds.). "Carpus". referenceworks-brillonline-com/subjects. Translated by Christine F. Salazar. Hamburg. doi:10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e609540. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
- ^ a b Servius On Eclogues 5.48
- ^ Rosemary M. Wright. "A Dictionary of Classical Mythology: Summary of Transformations". mythandreligion.upatras.gr. University of Patras. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ Nonnus, Dionysiaca 11.385-481
- ^ Forbes Irving 1990, pp. 278–279.
- ^ Licht 2000, p. 411.
- ^ Guirand & Graves 1987, p. 138.
- ^ Guirand & Graves 1987, p. 139.
- ^ Lemprière 1826, p. 201.
Bibliography
[edit]- Beekes, Robert S. P. (2009). Lucien van Beek (ed.). Etymological Dictionary of Greek. Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series. Vol. 1. Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill Publications. ISBN 978-90-04-17420-7.
- Forbes Irving, Paul M. C. (1990). Metamorphosis in Greek Myths. Oxford, New York, Toronto: Oxford University Press, Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-814730-9.
- Guirand, Felix; Graves, Robert (December 16, 1987). New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology. Translated by Richard Aldington; Delano Ames. Crescent Books. ISBN 0517004046.
- Lemprière, John (1826). A Classical Dictionary: Containing a Copious Account of All the Proper Names Mentioned in Ancient Authors, with the Value of Coins, Weights, and Measures, Used Among the Greeks and Romans, and a Chronological Table. London, UK: T. Cadell.
- Licht, Hans (2000). Dawson, Lawrence H. (ed.). Sexual Life In Ancient Greece. Translated by J. H. Freese. London, New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-7103-0702-6.
- Maurus Servius Honoratus, In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii; recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Nonnus, Dionysiaca; translated by Rouse, W H D, III Books XXXVI-XLVIII. Loeb Classical Library No. 346, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1940. Internet Archive.
External links
[edit]- The dictionary definition of Karpos at Wiktionary
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