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How Ancient Greeks Named Their Puppies
The Smithsonian ^ | 7-9-12

Posted on 07/16/2012 10:00:55 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic

Dogs played a special role in ancient Greek society and mythology; Cerberus guarded the gates of Hades, the goddess Artemis used dogs in her hunt, and Greek citizens employed dogs for hunting and protection.

To the ancient Greeks, picking your new pup was an important decision, just as it is today. But, according to Stanford University researcher Adrienne Mayor, writing for Wonders & Marvels, the process could have been just a little bit different.

Like moderns, the ancients looked for an adventurous and friendly nature, but one test for selecting the pick of the litter seems rather heartless today. Let the mother choose for you, advises Nemesianus, a Roman expert on hunting dogs. Take away her puppies, surround them with an oil-soaked string and set it on fire. The mother will jump over the ring of flames and rescue each puppy, one by one, in order of their merit.

Mayor says that dogs were typically given short names that evoked ideas of things like power, speed, or beauty. Then again, the more things change, the more they seem to stay the same. According to Mayor,

Popular names for dogs in antiquity, translated from Greek, include Lurcher, Whitey, Blackie, Tawny, Blue, Blossom, Keeper, Fencer, Butcher, Spoiler, Hasty, Hurry, Stubborn, Yelp, Tracker, Dash, Happy, Jolly, Trooper, Rockdove, Growler, Fury, Riot, Lance, Pell-Mell, Plucky, Killer, Crafty, Swift, and Dagger.

(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.smithsonianmag.com ...


TOPICS: Hobbies; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: adriennemayor; artemis; cerberus; dogs; godsgravesglyphs; greece; greeks; history; nemesianus
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A mosaic of Hercules with pet Cerberus.

1 posted on 07/16/2012 10:01:03 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic; SunkenCiv; Joe 6-pack

Ancient Doggie Ping


2 posted on 07/16/2012 10:02:04 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic (ABO)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

There were dogs in those years? Who knew?


3 posted on 07/16/2012 10:04:12 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong!)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
Popular names for dogs in antiquity, translated from Greek, include Lurcher, Whitey, Blackie, Tawny, Blue, Blossom, Keeper, Fencer, Butcher, Spoiler, Hasty, Hurry, Stubborn, Yelp, Tracker, Dash, Happy, Jolly, Trooper, Rockdove, Growler, Fury, Riot, Lance, Pell-Mell, Plucky, Killer, Crafty, Swift, and Dagger.

What, no Wizzer?

4 posted on 07/16/2012 10:33:17 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Still Thinking

I had a dog named Happy.

That is what I get for being asked what to name him when I was about 8 years old I guess.

The little guy looked like he was Happy to me.

Wow did that dog go through the wringer with me and my older brother. Great breed for that part of my life, an English Springer Spaniel.


5 posted on 07/16/2012 10:49:13 PM PDT by BookaT
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Interesting.

No mention of Kenyans that eat dogs though.


6 posted on 07/16/2012 11:11:41 PM PDT by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

bookmark


7 posted on 07/16/2012 11:19:29 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: Revolting cat!

“There were dogs in those years? Who knew?”

Dogs are our oldest domesticated species. Some scientists believe the relationship between man and dog began as far back as 100,000 years ago. If true then man and dog literally evolved together.


8 posted on 07/16/2012 11:55:00 PM PDT by MtBaldy (If Obama is the answer, it must have been a really stupid question)
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To: BookaT

I had a dog named Happy when I was in high school.

Unfortunately we had to leave him with my Aunt and Uncle when we were away on Vacation.

He managed to dig his way out from under the garage (stone floor) and came looking for us.

We never got him back and I never found out what happened to him.


9 posted on 07/17/2012 12:17:19 AM PDT by dglang
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To: MtBaldy
I wonder what cave dogs looked like?

10 posted on 07/17/2012 1:03:39 AM PDT by Krankor
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To: afraidfortherepublic

“Here Arfimedes...C’mon, boy!”


11 posted on 07/17/2012 2:22:33 AM PDT by equaviator (There's nothing like the universe to bring you down to earth again.)
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To: BookaT

Our dog is an ESS. She’s 16 now, but she’s been by my son’s side since the day we got her.

He’s a grown man now, and she’s still sleeping in his bed. Best friends forever.


12 posted on 07/17/2012 2:53:46 AM PDT by Marie ("The last time Democrats gloated this hard after a health care victory, they lost 60 House seats.")
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To: afraidfortherepublic; StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; decimon; 1010RD; 21twelve; 24Karet; ..

 GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach
Thanks afraidfortherepublic.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.


13 posted on 07/17/2012 3:51:40 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/Mayor.html

http://www.google.com/search?q=Adrienne+Mayor


14 posted on 07/17/2012 3:54:38 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Reminds me of the old joke about the Indian boy who asked his father how people got their names.

His father replied: “Why do you ask two dogs f*&^ing?”


15 posted on 07/17/2012 3:55:30 AM PDT by IamConservative (Well done is better than well said. - Ben Franklin)
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To: Still Thinking

I don’t see Humper either. ;-)


16 posted on 07/17/2012 4:09:21 AM PDT by Average Al (Forbidden fruit leads to many jams.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Seems like there should be some adaptable methodology here for the political ring involving fire and oil.


17 posted on 07/17/2012 4:29:18 AM PDT by bigheadfred (MY PET TAPEWORM OBIWAN IS AN INSANE MILITARY HATING LEFTIST)
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To: IamConservative

My dad had three pups once. Blackie was the blackest, Brownie was the brownest, and Liberace was the pianist.


18 posted on 07/17/2012 4:33:57 AM PDT by eartrumpet
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To: Still Thinking

No “Cujo”, either...


19 posted on 07/17/2012 4:52:21 AM PDT by Tallguy (It's all 'Fun and Games' until somebody loses an eye!)
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To: eartrumpet

Did he ever have to jump over a ring of fire to save them? And if so, which was first?


20 posted on 07/17/2012 5:00:01 AM PDT by bigheadfred (MY PET TAPEWORM OBIWAN IS AN INSANE MILITARY HATING LEFTIST)
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