Names that contain multitudes

10 real people who became widely used adjectives

Is it possible for a person to leave such a deep impression in their time that their name becomes synonymous with their most predominant characteristics? Of course! We can find many examples of this across history, but also in words that we use or hear often, and we might not realize that they are the names of famous queens, generals, writers, or philosophers. Here are 10 adjectives you have heard at least once that come from the name of a historical character.

Meaning: aggressive and domineering as a way to compensate for a fault in a different aspect.

Be it that we think of Napoleon Bonaparte as a military genius or as a very lucky madman, we can’t deny that he was ambitious and assertive. However, some of his detractors say that this attitude was a way for him to compensate for his (very documented) lack of height. No matter his military triumphs, the name ‘Napoleon’ remained stuck to a physical trait.

Meaning: grand, heroic, epic.

Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey are two of the most influential literary works of all time. Narrating the War of Troy, Odysseus’ journey back home, and the workings of the gods in human fate, the impact of these works in Western culture has made them, and their creator, the epitome of all that’s epic and heroic.

Meaning: a complex, bizarre, and illogical situation.

Franz Kafka is known for his stunning prose, but even more for the oppressive and alienating world his characters live in, be it that they wake up turned into a giant insect or that they have to navigate the nightmares of a bureaucratic system. So, add ‘kafkaesque’ to your repertoire for the next time you are left endlessly waiting on a call with customer service.

Meaning: cunning, sneaky, manipulative.

We often describe evil people and things as ‘Machiavellian’, but was Niccolo Machiavelli that twisted? Not necessarily, but some might say his ideas were. As the author of the political philosophy treatise The Prince, he was of the idea that the common good might justify using not-so-good means, which resulted in his name being associated with those who put their own interests above ethics and morals.

Meaning: excessively harsh or severe.

Chances are that, even if you heard the term ‘draconian’, you don’t know it refers to a real person. Draco was an Athenian lawmaker from the 7th century BC, infamous for creating a legal code so strict that even minor crimes warranted the death penalty. The severity of this code was such that his name became synonymous with excessive laws and regulations.

Meaning: defying traditional heroic ideals, anti-heroic.

As far as 19th-century poets go, none was as rebellious, cynical, and self-destructive as George Gordon, better known as Lord Byron, and his male characters followed suit. Leaving a lasting impact in English society, the name Byron came to signify melancholy, rebellion, arrogance, cynicism, and a complete disregard for social rules.

Meaning: prudish, strait-laced, old-fashioned, rigid.

As the second-longest reigning monarch of the UK, Queen Victoria and her 63-year-long reign left a deep impression on British society and on the world. Although the Victorian era was characterised by industrialization and social reform, it was also a time when society behaved according to a strict moral code that is seen today as hypocritical, prudish, and extremely rigid.

Meaning: an automatic or conditioned response to a specific stimulus.

When Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov trained a dog to associate the sound of a bell with food, which in turn caused the dog to salivate when the bell rang, he couldn’t have imagined that his name would become an adjective used across the world. Next time you associate a random sound or action with a memory, remember that that Pavlovian response can be described thanks to a dog.

Meaning: bleak, tragic, grim, eccentric.

Prolific 19th-century author Charles Dickens published his novels in installments meant to be read by the middle and working classes, so naturally, he chose topics he thought would appeal to those people, which resulted in stories of social injustice, poverty, industrialization, and its consequences, with a cast of eccentric characters to match. Dickens is now a revered author and the hand behind several beloved stories, but his name has turned into a way to describe situations reminiscent of those he depicted in his work.

Meaning: a spiritual, intellectual, or emotional relationship, free from desire.

We use the term ‘platonic’ often, and although we know who Plato was, we sometimes fail to realize that what he described in his works and what we call ‘platonic’ are not the same thing. In his writings, Plato suggested that true love was spiritual and could transcend the physical aspect of life. With the passing of time, people came to associate the ‘platonic’ idea of love with a love freed from physical desire.

THE CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION

All The Ways Ancient Greece Influenced The Modern World

Image: Aleksandar Pasaric

Ancient Greece stands as a beacon of civilization, a cradle of democracy, philosophy, arts, and more and it continues to blow our minds centuries later.

This captivating country has come a long, long way, and it has evolved over thousands of years influencing the world as we know it today in more than one way: political structures, sports events, scientific discoveries, everything we take for granted today was once a breakthrough made by this civilization.

Read on and delve into some of the most influential aspects of Ancient Greece!

Image: Arnaud Jaegers

Democracy is probably among the most important contributions from Ancient Greece. Even if it was exercised differently, the essence of democracy still remains.

According to its Greek roots, democracy means "government by the people" and it is a form of government by means of which the power is vested in the people who, directly or indirectly, choose their representatives through elections.

The difference between democracy then and democracy as we know it today, is that only a small portion of the population was allowed to participate. In Ancient Greece, the democratic government consisted of an assembly of 6,000 adult male citizens who voted on all kinds of issues. Similar to today’s system, a majority of votes were needed for laws to be passed.

Thanks to the evolution of societies and the system itself, men and women from all walks of life are allowed to vote and contribute to democratic governments today.

Image: KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA

The institution of trial by jury is a cornerstone of modern legal systems, but it can be traced back to the democratic principles discussed before. This concept back then was not so different from today’s: it was a judicial process that aimed to provide a resolution to conflicts and justice in civil and criminal matters.

The jurors were chosen through a random allocation among the citizenry and they were in charge of hearing the evidence, assessing the testimonies, and determining the innocence (or not) of the accused.

This breakthrough shaped legal systems and principles that are still set in stone today and it remains a fundamental way to cherish the principles of justice and democracy.

Image: Bryan Turner

No Gods are honored in the present, but we still hold some of the traditions of this ancient sports event. The Olympic Games, which receive their name after the city they were held in, Olympia, were much more than just a sporting event back then.

First and foremost, the Olympics were a sacred ritual to honor Zeus, the God of the Sky and Thunder, they were held every four years and all kinds of (sometimes dangerous) sports were played. Swimming, gymnastics, and "pankration" a hybrid between wrestling and boxing, that could turn the place into a bloodbath in a matter of minutes.

Today, the Olympics aim to bring the nations together to feature their sports stars, but some traditions are still displayed: the olive leaf crowns, the opening and closing ceremonies, and, of course, the great lightning of the flame.

Image: kalhh

Zeus, Hercules, Hera, Hades, you probably know all of these names. That is because Greek mythology and its stories are some of the best-known in the whole world. Not only served us with legendary myths of every topic we can imagine, but it has inspired thousands of versions of those myths and their main figures.

Greek mythology inspired iconic pieces of art, like The Birth of Venus, a painting by Sandro Botticelli that depicts the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, sex, and desire.

On the other end of inspiration, Greek Mythology made it all the way to Disney movies, considering that their version of "Hercules" is one of the most famous adaptations of the myth.

The variety of universal topics dealt with in Greek mythology has permeated and there is no sign this will stop anytime soon.

Image: Pixabay

Ancient Greece contributed to medical advancements that represented a pivotal moment in the evolution of healthcare practices. Medicine as a discipline was already a common practice in places like China or Egypt, but the standardization of it can be attributed to the Greeks. In this sense, modern medicine is very similar to ancient medicine since it consists of a diagnosis and a consequent treatment.

Moreover, Hippocrates, a well-known physician of the time, made contributions in terms of work ethics. For this reason, he is known as the "Father of Medicine" and his name is still honored with the title of the oath made by doctors today, the Hippocratic Oath. We have him to thank for the categorization of diseases and the use of prognosis too.

Image: Josiah Lewis

The concept of beauty and proportion of the ancient Greeks is probably one of their most characteristic features. Even if we think of the time, the architectural achievements are a true testament to the artistic prowess of this civilization.

At the heart of this field, we will find Doric, Ionic, and Corinthians orders. Each of these had distinctive features and proportions and they all exemplified different things. The Parthenon, a masterpiece of Doric design, for example, was praised for its harmonious proportions and mind-blowing craftsmanship.

Temples, theaters, stadiums, agoras, and all kinds of civic buildings were just the beginning of architecture as we know it today. Together with democracy, the principles embodied in their view of architecture can be easily considered to keep inspiring us centuries later.

Image: Gabriella Clare Marino

Ancient Greece and philosophy are one and the same. And that is because the philosophical heritage of the Greeks was a true cradle of civilization.

This doesn’t mean they invented "thinking," but they surely came up with a name for the art of it. Philosophy comes from two Greek words, philos, which means "love" and sophia****, "wisdom." In essence, the discipline was in the quest for knowledge and tried to systematically answer existential questions.

Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are the fathers of philosophy, responsible for laying the foundations of a comprehensive system. Their work has shaped thousands of studies and sciences around the world and throughout history offering deep insights on the human condition and reality itself. Academic knowledge as we know it today, especially in the Western world, wouldn’t exist were it not for these key figures.

Image: Aaron Burden

This ancient civilization has left a mark also through words and lexicon. Fields like mathematics, astronomy, medicine and, as we said, philosophy are full of terminology with roots in the Greek language.

The ancient Greek language is unparalleled in terms of precision and clarity, and its grammar had a profound impact on the development of linguistic theories and analysis of today. Needless to say, our understanding of language structure, morphology, and syntax wouldn’t be the same without the influence of the ancient Greeks.

In the same way, literary contributions were the way to preserve all these cultural elements we discuss today. Books like the Iliad and the Odyssey, which depict the Homeric epics, laid the groundwork for narrative conventions that are still present in Western literature today.

Image: Sean Robertson

Ancient Greek art stands today as a testament to their ceaseless pursuit of beauty, symmetry, and the human form. The art of this civilization encompassed a wide range of media including pottery, painting, and sculpture.

The most iconic features were the mastery of technique and, again, an acute sense of proportion which was an innovation back then. And quite impressive today when you come across any of their sculptures. In terms of topics, the Greeks were concerned with universal themes in all fields: human nature, beauty, and truth.

They have undeniably influenced all kinds of artistic movements throughout history and this is a legacy that continues to inspire artists and art lovers today.

Image: Pixabay

The naval innovations of the ancient Greeks are also a defining chapter in maritime history. At the forefront of this revolution stood the trireme warship which, as its name indicates, was powered by three rows of oarsmen arranged in tires. This ship boasted unparalleled speed and agility and enabled the Greeks to assert control over strategic points and trade routes in the Mediterranean.

Their expertise showcased a sense of innovation and they became pioneers in shipbuilding which ultimately shaped the evolution of sea voyages and traditions to come.