Greek Anthology Book XIV: 20. - Enigma
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Enigma
- If you put one hundred in the middle of a burning fire, you will find the son and slayer of a virgin.
Solution
Pyrrhus, son of Deidamia, and slayer of Polyxena.
The Greek letter $\rho$ (rho) is the symbol for $100$ in the classical number system of ancient Greece
The word for fire in ancient Greek was $\pi \upsilon \rho \acute \omicron \varsigma$ (that is, pyros).
Inserting $\rho$ into $\pi \upsilon \rho \acute \omicron \varsigma$ gives $\pi \upsilon \rho \rho \acute \omicron \varsigma$, which is a rendition of Pyrrhus.
$\blacksquare$
Historical Note
Pyrrhus in this context is Neoptolemus, who took Andromache as a concubine after the death of her husband Hector in the Trojan War.
He it was who murdered Polyxena, according to some legends (or sacrificed, which is tantamount to the same thing).
Deidamia of Scyros was indeed his mother.
Sources
- 1918: W.R. Paton: The Greek Anthology Book XIV ... (previous) ... (next): $20$. -- Enigma
- 1992: David Wells: Curious and Interesting Puzzles ... (previous) ... (next): Metrodorus and the Greek Anthology