Ozymandias
/ˌɒzɪˈmændiəs/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
Ozymandyas — Greek transliteration of an Egyptian throne name
Overview
Meaning Now
- A Greek name for the Egyptian pharaoh Ramesses II, derived from the first part of his throne name, Usermaatre.
- A literary reference to the transience of power, popularized by Percy Bysshe Shelley's 1818 sonnet.
Literal older meaning
Derived from the Greek 'Ozymandyas', a corruption of 'Usermaatre', meaning 'the justice of Ra is powerful'.
Language path
Ancient Egyptian → Ancient Greek → English
Earliest form
Ozymandyas
Earliest period
1st century AD
Journey
The name is a Hellenized version of Ramesses II's throne name, Usermaatre. The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus described a massive statue of the king in his writings, which served as the primary inspiration for Percy Bysshe Shelley and Horace Smith in their competing 1818 sonnets.
Evolution
- 13th century BC
Wsr-mꜣꜥt-rꜥ
“Throne name of Ramesses II”
Hieroglyphic representation
- 1st century AD
Ozymandyas
“Greek name for the pharaoh”
Transliteration by Diodorus Siculus
- 1818
Ozymandias
“Symbol of fallen pride”
Popularized by Shelley's sonnet
Connections
Related across languages
Ancient Greek
Ὀσυμανδύας
Ozymandias
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.