Namely, 112

NAMELY

eponyms (EP-uh-nimz)

words based on or derived from a person's name.

First Known Use: mid-19^th century

“What’s in a Name?”

Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, 2.2­

112: procrustean: ruthlessly forcing conformity (from Procrustes, a mythical Greek son of Poseidon who stretched or shortened captives to make them fit his bed; first known use, 1647)

Our teacher was procrustean—

And by the time the year was done,

We students had rebelled a bit—

He really didn’t stand for it.

And so he sat there at his desk—

Appeared, I thought, a bit grotesque

While we danced ’round and taunted him,

Tied up and looking very grim.

We dragged into his class a cot—

“Procrustes time? Or rather not?”

We asked. He said he’d change his ways—

And so he has: Resistance pays!