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#118478 01/01/04 05:09 PM
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"epes" - used to designate an individual who had changed his name, in one occasion because he was angry with the family, and in another a man changed his name to please a wealthy relative

"epes" [also "eps"] is short for "epaulet" (in the plural because "epes" are traditionally worn on both shoulders, or on both sides of the collar, at least in modern times).

"Changing epes" refers to the practice of changing one's allegiance to a new patron/sponsor/protector - specifically, by changing one's name to spurn an unsatisfactory patron or namesake, or to curry favor or show respect.

In modern times, star athletes "change their epes" by selling their services to the highest bidder, either a sports team or a commercial sponsor, such as Nike. (In this example, the Nike "Swoosh" is an "ep". This negotiation results in an actual physical change of uniform, corresponding to the "epes" of earlier times when knights and such wore the insignia of their leader.)

The practice of "changing epes" also contemplates the practice of naming one's offspring after the reigning stars of sports and entertainment, the true royalty of the modern world.

One can actually infer birthdates by the popularity of certain names such as "Madonna" or "Britney"*. This phenomenon mirrors the practice in the military of "changing epes" to reflect a change in rank.

epaulet
(Mil.) A shoulder ornament or badge worn by military and naval officers, differences of rank being marked by some peculiar form or device, as a star, eagle, etc.; a shoulder knot.

* Trendspotters predict Bridonna will be popular.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-0312280407dec28,1,7753610.story?coll=chi-homepagepromo451-fea




#118479 01/02/04 12:41 AM
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Couldn't get your link to work, maahey. With a bit of digging around on aoidoi though I did find the reference. The address in the address bar looked exactly the same as what you've got, so I don't know why.

Later edit. Got it. Your full stop got caught up in the address. The link should read http://www.aoidoi.org/articles/meter/intro.php .
As for hemiepes, I haven't checked this, but he seems to be saying that the word is made up of hemi = half + ep = epic + es = adjectival ending.

Bingley


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#118480 01/02/04 01:31 PM
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With a bit of digging around on aoidoi though I did find the reference.

Thanks for the lead, Bingley. With a bit of digging around on aoidoi, I found this:

"The study of Greek meter exercises a great power of seduction over some scholars. You can find recently published books entirely on this topic and which devote an entire page to a schematic rendering of some tricky bit of Pindar. .... it's not clear to me how long I'll have to study before the notation "cretic + link anceps + hemiepes + final anceps" is going to mean much to me without a great deal of thought. .... "

It's greek to me.




#118481 01/03/04 01:19 PM
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Trendspotters predict "Bridonna" will be popular.

P.S. You could say the name is in gestation. [2nd trimester actually]


#118482 01/03/04 02:32 PM
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Oops! Sorry folks! (thwacking head)


#118483 01/03/04 02:46 PM
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Dear grapho: you gave me an idea for a great name:"Trendy".


#118484 01/03/04 06:54 PM
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you gave me an idea for a great name: "Trendy"

"Trendy" will never want for friends, wwh ... at least fair weather friends.


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