This article will give you all of the information you need on the word misthios, including its definition, usage, origin, sentence examples, and more!
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Kevin
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February 10, 2021
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What is the definition of misthios?
According to Dictionary University, misthios is an ancient Greek term that refers to a soldier or hired servant who is serving for pay, or a mercenary. This is a term that frequently appears in the Bible, according to Bible Study Tools. It appears a total of twenty-eight times in the New Testament Greek Lexicon – New American Standard Bible, with nine of these appearances in the book of Matthew. Biblically, misthios either refers to wages or other dues paid for work, or a reward or punishment that one receives from God.
Nowadays, the word misthios is most commonly seen in modern day in the game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. In the game, which is set in Ancient Greece, a misthios is a type of mercenary, according to All Gamers. Both of the potential protagonists the gamer can choose to play as, Kassandra and Alexios, are considered misthios.
Additionally, in gameplay, the term misthios can refer to one who descended from King Leonidas of Sparta. Both Kassandra and Alexios are referred to as such Spartans. Many of the characters in the game do not refer to Kassandra and Alexios by their names, but by the term misthios, according to the Assassin’s Creed Odyssey guide from Game Pressure.
In the game’s storyline, the character is sent on various missions for hire, and the NPCs, or non player characters, will ask Kassandra and Alexios to perform a task in exchange for Drachmae, according to Prima Games. Additionally, another uncommon word in the game that needs translating is the word “malaka,” which means “idiot” or “jerk.”
What is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey?
Assassin’s Creed is a series of video games developed by Ubisoft. According to Fandom, the first Assassin’s Creed game came out in 2007. These are considered “sandbox” RPGs, in which the player exists as a character in an open world setting, in opposition to a linear narrative that some games follow.
Ubisoft has followed the success of the original Assassin’s Creed with a plethora of sequels. These are listed below alongside their release years.
- Assassin’s Creed – 2007
- Assassin’s Creed II – 2009
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood – 2010
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations – 2011
- Assassin’s Creed III – 2012
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – 2013
- Assassin’s Creed Rogue – 2014
- Assassin’s Creed Unity – 2014
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate – 2015
- Assassin’s Creed Identity – 2016
- Assassin’s Creed Origins – 2017
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey – 2018
- Assassin’s Creed Rebellion – 2018
- Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla – 2020
The Assassin’s Creed games are available on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox One, and PC, according to Video Games Stats. The games have sold over 140 million copies, with over 95 million unique players. It is estimated that these games have earned Ubisoft over $4 billion in revenue.
What is the origin of the word misthios?
Dictionary University states that the word misthios comes from the Greek μίσθιος, which denoted a worker for hire. These soldiers, mercenaries, and other workers had a specific set of skills and were hired to perform specific tasks.
How can misthios be used in a sentence?
Misthios is not a commonly used word, but one may see it frequently in the video game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. It could be used in casual speech if the person one is speaking to is familiar with the game. Otherwise, it may be safest to use the word mercenary instead. Below is an example in which the word misthios is appropriate to use.
Kate and Keith like to play Assassin’s Creed Odyssey together after school. At the lunch table, Keith gets up to use the bathroom.
Kate: Hey Keith, on your way back, can you get me a bag of chips from the vending machine?
She hands him two dollars.
Keith: What am I, your misthios?
Kate: No, if you were a misthios, you would be getting paid. I want my change.
Keith laughs.
Keith: Yes, my liege.
Here, Kate understands the meaning of the word misthios because she and Keith play the game together. He uses the phrase to refer to hired help, jokingly telling Kate that he is now her mercenary for getting her a snack from the vending machine.
What are synonyms for the word misthios?
Thesaurus lists many words that have a similar meaning to the noun misthios, or mercenary. These are listed below alongside their definitions from Oxford Languages.
- Hireling – Someone who is employed to do menial work or tasks.
- Slave – Someone who works without proper payment, appreciation, or remuneration.
- Legionnaire – A member of a legion; here, a hired soldier.
- Professional soldier – One who is paid to be a soldier rather than who fights for their country.
- Soldier of fortune – One who works as a soldier for any group, country, or state that will pay them.
- Mercenary – One who is hired as a professional soldier to serve in a foreign army.
- Hired gun – One who is employed as a bodyguard, assassin, or mercenary.
- Condottiere – Particularly Italian, the leader or member of a band of mercenaries.
Overall, the word misthios originates from the Greek language. It means a mercenary, or hired soldier. This word is most commonly seen in the popular video game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, in which the main character is a misthios, and is referred to as such. The closest synonym to the word misthios is the word mercenary.
Sources:
- https://dictionary.university/Misthios
- https://guides.gamepressure.com/assassins-creed-odyssey/guide.asp?ID=46774#:~:text=During%20your%20time%20with%20Assassin’s,in%20Greek%20means%20%22mercenary%22.&text=This%20word%20is%20malaka%20%2D%20one,jerk%22%20or%20%22idiot%22
- https://ag.hyperxgaming.com/article/6503/what-does-misthios-mean-in-assassins-creed-odyssey
- https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/misthos.html
- https://primagames.com/tips/what-does-misthios-mean-assassins-creed-odyssey
- https://videogamesstats.com/assassins-creed-facts-statistics/
- https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/mercenary
- https://assassinscreed.fandom.com/wiki/Assassin%27s_Creed_Wiki
