Pheme


In Greek mythology, Pheme, also known as Ossa, was the personification of fame and renown, her favour being notability, her wrath being scandalous rumors. She was a daughter either of Gaia or of Elpis, was described as "she who initiates and furthers communication" and had an altar at Athens. A tremendous gossip, Pheme was said to have pried into the affairs of mortals and gods, then repeated what she learned, starting off at first with just a dull whisper, but repeating it louder each time, until everyone knew. In art, she was usually depicted with wings and a trumpet.
In Roman mythology, Fama was described as having multiple tongues, eyes, ears and feathers by Virgil and other authors. Virgil wrote that she "had her feet on the ground, and her head in the clouds, making the small seem great and the great seem greater".
In Homer Pheme is called Rumour the goddess or the messenger of Zeus.
In English Renaissance theatre, Rumour was a stock personification, best known from William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2. James C. Bulman's Arden Shakespeare edition notes numerous lesser known theatrical examples.

Linguistic associations

The Greek word pheme is related to ϕάναι "to speak" and can mean "fame", "report", or "rumor". The Latin word fama, with the same range of meanings, is related to the Latin fari, and is, through French, the etymon of the English "fame".