Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

We have mentioned here before that the name of the Greek goddess  
אתנה Athena
is possibly of a Semitic origin, being but a slight variation on  
Adena, corresponding
to the biblical names DAN and DINAH, from the root אדן ADN, as in  
אדון העולם
ADON HA-OLAM, the master of the universe.

This morning, a man I know, confided to me that he thinks the place  
name Marathon
(from which we have the Boston Marathon) is also of Semitic origin,
to wit: מר-אתון MAR-ATHON, there having been in this location of  
old possibly
a temple to this MAR (recall מרדכי MARDKEI = MAR-AD-XAY).

I thought that marathon is kind of a kraut, but is there possibly  
some truth in what this inventive philologue is saying?

Isaac Fried, Boston University