Slave names

Joel S. Berson Berson at ATT.NET
Tue Dec 11 00:25:47 UTC 2007


At 12/10/2007 05:19 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>I wonder about the source of our stereotype that slaves were so
>stereotypically named "Caesar" and "Pompey."  Surely it comes from fiction?

Jon, why do you say "stereotype ... from fiction", if Caesar and
Pompey were so prevalent in the 18th century?  (As I think they
were.)  Cato, of course, would not make a good stereotype for the
docile, loyal slave.

Joel

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