Koalemos

In Greek mythology, Koalemos is the god of stupidity,[1] mentioned once by Aristophanes,[2] and being found also in Lives by Plutarch.[3] Coalemus is the Latin spelling of the name. Sometimes it is referred to as a dæmon, more of a spirit and minor deity.

Otherwise, the word κοάλεμος was used in the sense of "stupid person" or also "idiots".[4][5]

An ancient false etymology derives κοάλεμος from κοέω (koeō) "perceive" and ἡλεός (ēleos) "distraught, crazed".[6] Its etymology is not established, however.[7]

Notes
  1. "COALEMUS : Greek god or spirit of foolishness & stupidity". Retrieved 16 October 2010.
  2. Aristophanes, Knights, 221: καὶ ποικίλως πως καὶ σοφῶς ᾐνιγμένος: ἀλλ᾽ ὁπόταν μάρψῃ βυρσαίετος ἀγκυλοχήλης γαμφηλῇσι δράκοντα κοάλεμον αἱματοπώτην.
  3. Plutarch, Life of Cimon 4. 3 (trans. Perrin) (Greek historian 1st to 2nd century AD):...καὶ τῷ πάππῳ Κίμωνι προσεοικὼς τὴν φύσιν, ὃν δι᾽ εὐήθειάν φασι Κοάλεμον προσαγορευθῆναι.
  4. Plutarch, Life of Cimon, 4. 3.
  5. Aeschines Socraticus, fragment 16
  6. Scholia on Aristophanes, Knights, 198
  7. Chantraine, Pierre. Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue grecque. Histoire des mots. Tome II. Paris, Éditions Klincksiek, 1970. - p. 550, sous κοάλεμος (French)

Resources
  • A Greek-English Lexicon compiled by H. G. Liddel and R. Scott. tenth edition with a revised supplement. – Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1996. - p. 966, under κοάλεμος
  • Dæmon
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