Phoebus

See also: Phœbus

English

Roman Statue of Apollo

Alternative forms

• Phœbus (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English Phebus, from Latin Phoebus, from Ancient Greek Φοῖβος (Phoîbos).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfiː.bəs/

Proper noun

Phoebus

1. (Greek mythology) An epithet and synonym for Helios; Phoebus Helios, after his maternal aunt, Phoebe.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 167:

     Mor. Miſlike me not for my complexion,
     The ſhadowed liuerie of the burniſht ſunne,
     To whom I am a neighbour, and neere bred.
     Bring me the faireſt creature North-ward borne,
     Where Phœbus fire ſcarce thawes the yſicles,
     And let vs make inciſion for your loue,
     To proue whoſe blood is reddeſt, his or mine.

2. (Greek mythology, Roman mythology) An epithet and synonym for Apollo; Phoebus Apollo.
   • 1601, Ben Jonson, Poetaster or The Arraignment: […], London: […] [R. Bradock] for M[atthew] L[ownes] […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act III:

     By Phœbus, here's a moſt neate fine ſtreete; is't not? I proteſt to thee, I am enamord of this ſtreete now, more then of halfe the ſtreetes of Rome, againe; tis ſo polite, and terſe; […]

   • 17th century, William Drummond, Sextain I, in English Poetry, published 1907, page 162:

     The heaven doth not contain so many stars,
     So many leaves not prostrate lie in woods,
     When autumn’s old and Boreas sounds his wars,
     So many waves have not the ocean floods,
     As my rent mind hath torments all the night,
     And heart spends sighs, when Phœbus brings the light.

   • 1991 August 29, Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando Furioso: Part Two (Orlando Furioso)‎^[1], Penguin UK, →ISBN, →OCLC:

     For she recalled the edict which decreed
     If in one day she did not take or kill
     The challenger (to this King Charles agreed),
     She was his captive and must do his will.
     Phoebus was soon to plunge his golden head
     Into the western sea when of her skill
     And strength the Maid at last began doubt,
     While her fatigue was putting hope to rout. […]

Translations

divine epithet

• French: Phébus (fr) m, Phœbus (fr) m
• Greek: Φοίβος (el) m (Foívos)

  Ancient Greek: Φοῖβος m (Phoîbos)

• Japanese: ポイボス
• Korean: 포이보스 (Poiboseu)
• Latin: Phoebus m
• Polish: Febus m
• Russian: Феб (ru) m (Feb)

Latin

Alternative forms

• Fuibus (Vulgar or Late Latin, Pompeian inscriptions)

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Φοῖβος (Phoîbos, “[the] Radiant [One]”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈpʰoe̯.bus/, [ˈpʰoe̯bʊs̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈfe.bus/, [ˈfɛːbus]

Proper noun

Phoebus m sg (genitive Phoebī); second declension

1. (Greek mythology) Apollo, i.e. Phoebus Apollo, the "radiant one"

Declension

Second-declension noun, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Phoebus
Genitive	Phoebī
Dative	Phoebō
Accusative	Phoebum
Ablative	Phoebō
Vocative	Phoebe

Derived terms

• Phoebas
• Phoebēius
• Phoebēus

Descendants

• → Middle English: Phebus, Febus
  • English: Phoebus
• → French: Phébus, Phœbus
• → Russian: Феб (Feb)

References

• “Phoebus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “Phoebus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Phoebus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.