Note 17 — Chapter I · OF THE NOUN.
Reading edition
We remark, in some instances, a similar phraseology in Greek and Latin. Θεὸς and θεὰ, deus and dea, are contradistinguished as in English, god and goddess; the former of each pair strictly denoting the male, and the latter the female. But the former, we find, has a generical meaning, expressing “a deity,” whether male or female; and is frequently used when the female is designed, if divinity in the abstract be the primary idea without regard to the sex, thus,
... “τὸν δ’ ἐξήρπαξ’ Ἀφροδίτη, Ῥεῖα μάλ’ ὥστε θεός.”—Hom. Il. iii. 380.
Here the term θεός is applied to Venus, the character of divinity, and not the distinction of sex, being the chief object of the poet’s attention. Θεός is, therefore, to be considered as either masculine or feminine.
“Ἀλλά μ’ ἁ Διός γ’ ἀλκίμα θεός.”—Soph. Aj. 401.
“Μήτε τις οὖν θήλεια θεός.”—Hom. Il. Θ. 7.
“Descendo, ac ducente deo, flammam inter et hostes Expedior.”—Virg. Æn. ii. 632.
Here, also, deo is applied to Venus, as likewise in the following passage, “deum esse indignam credidi.”—Plaut. Pœn. 2, l. 10.