Now of these fifteen names none, if judged by the rules which we have laid down, would clearly fall into the Pelasgian, or more plebeian, class, except Dryops, perhaps Laogonus, and Bias: three only. Peiroos and Rigmos (probably akin to ῥῖγος) are Thracian, and may be put aside. Six, viz., Demuchus, Philetor, Alastor (contrast with this Lethus), Echeclus, Agenor, and Areithous, are of the Hellic class. The others, Dardanus, Tros, Moulius (Il. xi. 739), and Deucalion are repeated from eminent historical personages.
In this set of names we observe, in conjunction with a new instance of Homer’s ever wakeful care in doing supreme honour to Achilles, unequivocal evidence, as I think, that the poet did distribute his names with some special meaning among his minor, and, (so we must suppose,) generally or frequently, non-historical personages.
And the further inference may perhaps be drawn of a probable affinity of race between the highest Trojans and the Hellic tribes.
This inference may be supported by another example. The numerous sons of Antenor, whose names are collected from different parts of the poem, are as follows:
1. Agenor, Il. xi. 59. 2. Acamas, ii. 823. xi. 60. xii. 100, _et alibi_. 3. Archelochus, ii. 823. xiv. 464. 4. Coon, xi. 248. 5. Demoleon, xx. 395. 6. Echeclus, xx. 474. 7. Helicaon, iii. 123. 8. Iphidamas, xi. 221. 9. Laodamas, xv. 516. 10. Laodocus, iv. 87. and 11. Pedæus (νόθος), v. 70.
I apprehend Laodocus should be construed, after the manner of Demodocus, to signify having fame or repute among the λαός. If so, then of the ten legitimate sons, eight have names with an etymology that directly connects them with the higher signification. The name of the Bastard only is more doubtful.
Among the Suitors in Ithaca, who are the princes and chief men of the island, with their connections, and others of the same class, we have the following list of names of the high class:
Mentor. Elatus. (cf. Il. xi. 701.) Euryades. Eurydamas. Eurymachus. Eurynomus. Amphinomus. Peisander. Eupeithes. Antinous. Leiocritus. Leiodes. Agelaus. Damastor. Demoptolemus. Euryades. Mastor. Euenor. Phronius. Noemon.
Nor are the names which have not been placed in this list of an opposite character. They are chiefly such as have not an obvious etymology. Two of them, Ægyptius and Polybus, were, as we know, great names in Egypt, and they probably indicate a Pelasgian or an Egyptian extraction. Others are, Halitherses, Melaneus, Ctesippus, Nisus, Antiphus, Peiræus. Of these, the two, or even the three, first may perhaps be regarded as properly Hellic.