thūmos

Core Vocab: thūmos

Our next exploration of Core Vocab terms is about thūmos [θυμός] ‘heart, spirit’ (designates realm of consciousness, of rational and emotional functions). Here Professor Nagy explains the meaning a little further: "The word thūmos, which I translate here as ‘heart’, expresses in Homeric diction the human capacity to feel and to think, taken together. ... In other Homeric contexts, on the other hand, thūmos is pictured as the vital force… Read more