08-27-2009, 05:25 PM
Quote:Vortigern Studies:1twfwjvn Wrote:Sure, it has a meaning, .That drives me mad, when people say "Oh Vortigern/Vortipor/Hengist/Horsa can't have been an actual name, it can't be because it means xyz"...
ALL NAMES MEAN SOMETHING!
<Slaps forehead repeatedly with hand>
Stop hitting yourself Matt, you were a tad hasty chastizing your poor head.
I never said anything of the sort, it was a reply about a comment about Vortigern being a title, which I am of the opinion that it is not.
Of course each name has a meaning, but in this case I was thinking of the 'title'like' meaning that so often leads people to conclude that Vortigern was a title. Add a title and you can multiply - one Vortigern becomes two, one Ambrosius becomes a Druid-like 'Emrys' class with many members, Arthur becomes one of a whole herd...
OK, OK, I got carried away there.
I was referring to the 'political' meaning of the name Vortigern. I referred to Augustus and Stalin for a reason, neither were given names but taken when the individual became powerful. Atatürk is another one, or Dzengiz Khan. Political names, but no pure titles.
Hengist was the name of a normal person. I share your view about people who see Hengist as something legendary or godlike - as if Saxons never used animals in personal names. Wulf comes to mind.. or Swine.. or the famous king Elephant. :twisted:
Vortipor was also a personal name, not a title. Interestingly, it's almost the same as Vortimer, both are renedered Gwrthefyr in Middle Welsh. Neither are titles.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)