It's #InternationalDogDay! There are several #dogs from #GreekMythology that we still know today, like Kerberos guarding the entrance to the underworld, Odysseus' faithful dog Argos who was the only one who recognised him in his disguise, and Hekuba, the Queen of Troy, who became Hekate's constant companion in the shape of a big black bitch.
But what do we know about the ancient Greeks and their dogs? @amayor researched how the dogs were named:
@amayor@antiquidons@histodons Adrienne Mayor says that #dogs were typically given short names that evoked ideas of things like power, speed, or beauty.
"Popular names for dogs in antiquity, translated from #ancientGreek, include Lurcher, Whitey, Blackie, Tawny, Blue, Blossom, Keeper, Fencer, Butcher, Spoiler, Hasty, Hurry, Stubborn, Yelp, Tracker, Dash, Happy, Jolly, Trooper, Rockdove, Growler, Fury, Riot, Lance, Pell-Mell, Plucky, Killer, Crafty, Swift, and Dagger."
@antiquidons@histodons The ancient Greeks were keen dog breeders and more than 29 distinct breeds are mentioned in #ancientGreek literature, each with their own traits that made them useful for specific tasks. Large mastiff-type dogs guarded flocks and fended off wolves. Hunting dogs were bred for speed, tracking, and tenacity to hunt deer, hares, and boars. And there were also small pet dogs, companions to children and adult women.
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