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Harmodius

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Athenian citizen who, with his lover Aristogeiton, assassinated the tyrant Hipparchus in 514 BCE. Celebrated as tyrannicides and democratic martyrs, embodying Athenian freedom ideals.

Detailed Definition
Harmodius and Aristogeiton assassinated Hipparchus, sparking the fall of the Peisistratid tyranny. They symbolize resistance to oppression. Poets invoke Harmodius to celebrate liberty, civic courage, and the birth of democracy in encomiastic and political verse.
Example
Example in poetry:
Harmodius, Athenian tyrannicide with Aristogeiton, appears in Thucydides and lyric fragments; Poets use Harmodius to symbolize democratic freedom; In skolia (drinking songs), he’s celebrated as liberator; “Harmodius’ sword” might describe righteous rebellion; His statue group embodied civic virtue.
Additional Notes
Harmodius and Aristogeiton assassinate Hipparchus (tyrant of Athens), becoming democratic icons—though historically complex. Celebrated in skolia (drinking songs) and statues, they symbolize tyrannicide and civic freedom. Poets reference them to evoke political resistance, homoerotic loyalty, or the mythologizing of historical figures in civic poetry and encomium.
Also Known As
tyrannicide Athenian hero liberty slayer
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