Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words "Quintessence" origin
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
OP Hi. I read the Wordsmith newsletter piece on "quintessence" from 4/4/03. I'm a writer, and I'm writing a quirky story in which the main character is the word "quintessence." In the story, I'd like the word to describe where she came from. Right now, I've written this:
"She had burst full-blown from the head of Aristotle, had spread through the world, sported with Milton and Franklin, danced on the winds of intelligent discourse, carried man's greatest dreams, articulated the most profound truths."
But is it accurate to say that she came from Aristotle? Was he the first to use the term that is the ancient Greek equivalent of "quintessence"?
Thanks for your help.
Best,
Jeanne Cavelos
jcavelos@sff.net
http://www.jeannecavelos.com
Googling pempte-ousia aristotle I could only find that Aristotle called it ether (aither in Greek) and that it was also called pempte-ousia which the Romans translated as quinta essentia
Hello Jeannie Cavelos, I think the answer depends on the quirkiness of your story. Do you seek an etymological relationship for the word, or a historical linkage for the concept? The concept is historically documented in the writings of Plato. In fact the quintessence of the Socratic method is a semantical search for essence.
But hey, Aristotle in his exuberance would most likely be the one who would "burst forth [an idea] full blown".
Best of luck on your book.
Last edited by themilum; 10/19/07 01:22 AM.
i think it may come from the Timaeus
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,913Posts229,430Members9,182 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 0 members (), 663 guests, and 1 robot. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 19
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,598tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,922Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org