Daphnis
/ˈdæf.nɪs/noun
A figure in Greek mythology traditionally regarded as the founder or archetype of pastoral poetry.
Did you know?In Greek myth, Daphnis was a Sicilian shepherd loved by a nymph who blinded him after he broke a promise of fidelity; later tradition made him the legendary father of pastoral poetry.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Greek substrate
Pre-Greek
daphnē
“An ancient plant-name, probably referring to the laurel; its deeper origin is uncertain.”
5th–4th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Δάφνη (Dáphnē)
“Laurel; also the name of the nymph Daphne, who was transformed into a laurel tree.”
5th–4th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Δάφνις (Dáphnis)
“Daphnis, literally a name associated with laurel; the mythical Sicilian shepherd and singer.”
3rd–1st Century BCE
Hellenistic Greek
Δάφνις
“The pastoral hero celebrated in bucolic poetry, especially in literary traditions connected with Theocritus.”
16th Century
English
Daphnis
“A learned classical name revived in English literary and pastoral writing.”
Modern English
English
Daphnis
“A mythological proper name and an astronomical name used for a small moon of Saturn.”