Cephalus
Ancient Greek name
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cephalus or Kephalos (/ˈsɛfələs/; Ancient Greek: Κέφαλος) is an ancient Greek masculine name. The name is connected with the Greek word κεφαλή (kephalē), meaning "head".[1][2]
The name was borne by several figures in Greek mythology, most notably the husband of Procris and the beloved of Eos, and by a number of historical figures in classical antiquity.
Mythological figures
Several mythological figures are named Cephalus:
- Cephalus, son of Hermes and Herse. In Pseudo-Apollodorus, Herse bears Cephalus to Hermes.[3]
- Cephalus, son of Deioneus, husband of Procris and beloved of Eos.[4]
The myth of Cephalus and Procris was especially well known in ancient and later literature. In one common version, Cephalus accidentally kills Procris with a hunting spear after a sequence of suspicion, disguise and misunderstanding.[4]
Historical figures
The name was also borne by several historical figures:
- Cephalus of Syracuse, son of Lysanias, a wealthy metic and arms manufacturer living in Athens. He appears as an elderly interlocutor of Socrates in the opening book of Plato's Republic.[5] He was the father of the orator Lysias, the philosopher Polemarchus, and Euthydemus.
- Cephalus, an Athenian orator who flourished after the time of the Thirty Tyrants.[6]
- Cephalus, a Molossian who supported Perseus of Macedon during the Third Macedonian War.[6]
Etymological use
The Greek root κεφαλ- is also found in scientific and taxonomic terms derived from Greek, especially words referring to the head or head-like structures.[2]
