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].