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Please help with Greek lettering on Antinous pendent
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AOTAntiques:
A couple of years ago, I showed a pendent in the fake coin area, I thought might be some kind of Greek coin with Greek writing on it.
Turns out it's a George W Shiebler silver medallion of Antinous from the late 1800's
Someone here was good enough to tell me what the words said on the back of this pendent. I wrote it down, but since then lost it.
I can't remember who it was that told me what it said, so I'm hoping someone here or that very same person can tell me again.
I searched for that topic, but couldn't find it, so I suspect it was too old to bring up.
I've included a picture so you can see what it is...
I also added a picture of the front (just to show what the front looks like)
I would greatly appreciate any help with this...
Thanks in advance!
Jochen:
The Greek inscription is :Greek_Phi: :Greek_Iota: :Greek_Lambda: :Greek_epsilon: :Greek_omega_small: That is in English 'I love' (you)'. Looks like a present for a gay friendship.
Best regards
AOTAntiques:
Thank you. I don't remember it being so simple...lol...I would have thought I could remember that :-[
Or, is that a loose translation?
Jochen:
No, it is literally translated. I have added the 'you' because that makes sense.
Best regards
slokind:
One of those more pompous essayists a generation ago wrote a book on the four Greek loves, all translatable as 'love' in English.
:Greek_Alpha: :Greek_Gamma: :Greek_Alpha: :Greek_Pi_3: :Greek_Eta: as in Faith Hope and Love (Charity is off, but the translator doubtless wanted to avoid its being taken for romantic love).
:Greek_epsilon: :Greek_Rho: :Greek_Omega: :GreeK_Sigma: which is just what it looks like, sexual passion.
:Greek_Phi: :Greek_Iota: :Greek_Lambda: :Greek_Iota: :Greek_Alpha: Literally, dearness, the love between friends and those whom we hold very close, but not to chase them erotically.
:GreeK_Sigma: :Greek_Tau: :Greek_Omicron: :Greek_Rho: :Greek_Gamma: :Greek_Eta: Best considered as like what books on childrearing call Tender Loving Care, but also of other caregivers; also a quality of The Just Society.
Your Antinous locket has the first person singular of the verb phileîn, and it is polite to speak of driving passions as philía; indeed, I do not doubt the aging emperor's philia for the Bithynian boy, and a boy, once he is middle aged and his lover is quite aged, will feel philia for him, even care for him with storgê.
Our feelings, of course, are often blended. The distinction in principle, however, is real. Agapê is philosophical and detached love (though, in modern Greek, it has taken over for all affections). Erôs regards the object, at least at first, principally as an object. Philia is like Damon and Pythias. And storgê is the selfless concern for the weaker party, as an infant.
On the locket a modern Greek would write, S' agapô: I love you.
Pat L.
P.S. As for charity, that is Grace, German Gnade, Greek :Greek_Chi: :Greek_Alpha: :Greek_Rho: :Greek_Iota: :GreeK_Sigma:, that 'Grace of God that Passes all Understanding' and 'not by works but by Grace'.
P.P.S. The pompous author I was remembering reading was Erich Fromm; I am not recommending the book (nor that of C. S. Lewis).
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