Ucalegon

An 18th-century depiction of the sacking of Troy

Ucalegon (Ancient Greek: Οὐκαλέγων) was one of the Elders of Troy, whose house was set afire by the Achaeans when they sacked the city. He is one of Priam's friends in the Iliad,[1] and the destruction of his house is referred to in the Aeneid.[2]

He is referenced in the Satires of Juvenal.[3] His name in Greek is translated as "doesn't worry." The name has become a word for "neighbor whose house is on fire," and Will Shortz, editor of The New York Times crossword puzzle, has stated that it's his favorite word in the English language.[4]

Usage in literature

See also

External links

Look up ucalegon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

References

  1. Iliad (3.148)
  2. Aeneid (2.312)
  3. Juvenal; Peter Green (1998). http://books.google.com/books?id=vZvMVAYN2lQC |chapterurl= missing title (help). The Sixteen Satires III. ISBN 0-14-044704-0. The 'heroic downstairs neighbour' of 198-9 if given by J. the Trojan name of Ucalegon. In Virgil's Aeneid (2.311) as Troy burns, Aeneas sees the nearby house go up in flames (Latin: iam proximus ardet Ucalegon): but by now (J. seems to be saying) the Trojan (or his descendant) has learned by experience - been there, done that - and has the sense both to occupy a ground-floor apartment and to shift his stuff to safety in good time. (Latin: iam friuola transfert Ucalegon). Roman listeners, who knew the Aeneid more or less by heart, would appreciate the parody.
  4. "15 Questions with Will Shortz". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 12 April 2012.