Animal-Eyed Goddesses

[sdi]

In every version of the Iliad and the Odyssey that I've read, Athena is described as "gray-eyed." I recently came across translations that described her as "bright-eyed" or even "blue-eyed," which is very different, and so I decided to get to the bottom of it.

The adjective in question is γλαυκῶπις (glaukopis), which the dictionary, indeed, gives as "bright-eyed." This is a compound word, but scholarship seems to be divided on whether it is γλαυκός-ὤψ (glaukos-ops, "gleaming-eyed" in early Greek, "having slate-colored eyes" in late Greek) or γλαύξ-ὤψ (glaux-ops, "owl-eyed").

As to which of these we should favor, the latter-most seems obvious to me: as Porphyry and Sallustius tell us, the images of the gods are symbols of their natures, and Homer is simply describing Athena as she always acts in the poems, as as watchful and perceptive as an owl.

In a similar manner, Hera is described as βοῶπις (bo-opis), from βοῦς-ὤψ (bous-ops), which means "cow-eyed." This is usually translated as "large-eyed," but again, as a symbol, I might take it to mean "docile," as Hera presides over the social order and domesticity.

Comments

[k_a_nitz]

Hence Minerva's owl

[sdi]

Precisely. The association seems obvious, so I don't understand why generations of classicists insist on ignoring it?

[ashverse]

I just discovered your page today. This is all so fascinating. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and research.

[sdi]

You're welcome! Feel free to ask questions, even on old posts... I find all this stuff is so interconnected that it can be very difficult to find and entry point...