Re: [tied] Pramantha/Prometheus: a false etymology?

Prometheus was also called Ithax (<*idh-nk- "to burn"). This seems to be a
good candidate for the older IE name of Prometheus, since he had strong
links to the PIE fire-god, messenger and trickster.

Joao SL

----- Original Message -----
From: Jean Kelly <jeffcob@...>
To: Cybalist <cybalist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 30, 2002 4:38 PM
Subject: [tied] Pramantha/Prometheus: a false etymology?


> Yes - they are mentioned in "Greek Myths" 1960: 148. Graves, after
> mentioning the Prometheus/Pramantha etymology, suggests that they might be
> prototypes of Prometheus and Epimetheus. But, as a non-linguist, I would
> venture to say that Piotr Gasiorowski's arguments seem to me to win over
> Graves.
>
> Jean Kelly
>
>
>
> >Robert Graves mention two Indian brothers Manthu and Pramanthu. Is it
> correct?
> Joao SL
>
>
> [Piotr Gasiorowski]
> >><prome:tHeus> and <epime:tHeus> are telling names in Greek:
'Forethought'
> and 'Afterthought', respectively. The etymology is obvious, cf. Gk.
> prome:tHe:s 'provident, thinking in advance'. Skt. pramantHa- (derived
from
> a verb meaning 'stir violently') does mean 'fire-drill', but it doesn't
> quite match "Prometheus" formally; nor does it account for "Epimetheus".
The
> similarity, so cherished by theosophists, is accidental, except for the
> <pro->/<pra-> part, which is the same inherited prefix in both cases (PIE
> *pro- 'forth').
>
> [Jean Kelly]
> >>>It's often been claimed that the Greek name, Prometheus, was derived
from
> Pramantha, a fire-stick [Kuhn, Adalbert (1886), Die Herabkunft des Feuers
> und des Gottertranks, 2nd ed., Gutersloh: 15 ff. Mayrhofer, Manfred. 1962.
> Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Worterbuch des Altindischen. Heidelberg: vol.
> 2, 567 f; 578 ff.] But the theory has also been attacked [Pauly-Wissowa
> Real Encyclopaedie Vol. XXXIII (i) (1957) p. 690. Roscher, W.H.:
> Ausführliches Lexikon der Griechischen und Romischen Mythologie, B.G.
> Teubner, Leipzig 1884-1937: 3033-3034].
>
>
>
>
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