Myrmidon

See also: myrmidon

English

Etymology

From Latin Myrmidones, from Ancient Greek Μυρμιδόνες (Murmidónes), a tribe of warriors led by Achilles to the Trojan War. Folk etymology in Ovid's time derived the tribe's name from μυρμηδών (murmēdṓn, “ant-nest”), from μύρμηξ (múrmēx, “ant”)).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmɜː.mɪˌdɒn/, /ˈmɜː.mɪ.dən/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɝ.mɪˌdɑn/, /ˈmɝ.mɪ.dən/

Noun

Myrmidon (plural Myrmidons)

1. (Greek mythology) One of a fierce tribe or troop who accompanied Achilles, their king, in the Trojan War.
   • 1855, Thomas Bulfinch, chapter XII, in The Age of Fable:

     The Myrmidons were the soldiers of Achilles, in the Trojan war. From them all zealous and unscrupulous followers of a political chief are called by that name, down to this day. But the origin of the Myrmidons would not give one the idea of a fierce and bloody race, but rather of a laborious and peaceful one.

Derived terms

• myrmidon

Translations

member of a tribe who accompanied Achilles

• German: Myrmidone m

Proper noun

Myrmidon

1. (Greek mythology) The ancestral hero of the Myrmidon tribe, son of Zeus and Eurymedusa.

Translations

ancestral hero

• German: Myrmidon m

Further reading

• Myrmidons on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Myrmidon (hero) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

German

Proper noun

Myrmidon m (proper noun, strong, genitive Myrmidon)

1. (Greek mythology) Myrmidon
   • 1924, Thomas Mann, Der Zauberberg [The Magic Mountain], volume 1, Berlin: S. Fischer, page 80:

     Das sehe ich jedem gleich an, ob er einen brauchbaren Patienten abgeben kann, denn dazu gehört Talent, Talent gehört zu allem, und dieser Myrmidon hier hat auch kein bißchen Talent.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Declension of Myrmidon [sg-only, masculine, strong]

	singular
	indef.	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Myrmidon
genitive	eines	des	Myrmidon
dative	einem	dem	Myrmidon
accusative	einen	den	Myrmidon

Further reading

• Myrmidon on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de