ivory → ἐλέφας

[TheoG]

Hi everyone! After a ton of research, I found this forum and I think I've come to the right place!

I would like to get the correct translation of the word "Ivory" from an excerpt in the Historia Augusta: "And it was on the day that Verus​ was adopted that he dreamed that he had shoulders of ivory, and when he asked if they were capable of bearing a burden, he found them much stronger than before."

I plan on getting the word Ivory in Greek tattooed on my shoulders and I would like an accurate translation in Ancient Greek. Marcus Aurelius' journals and life have had an incredible impact on my life and from my research, he wrote his journals in Greek - the language of philosophy. "Τὰ εἰς ἑαυτόν"

So far, I've been able to narrow the translation down to:

ἐλέφας
-or-
ἐλέφαντος

I have seen this version - ἐλέφαντος - used in Homer when talking about The Gates of Horn and Ivory, and I found this version - ἐλέφας - on the LSJ.gr wiki which led me here!

Any help would be appreciated as this of course is going to be permanent, I want to be confident I have the most correct translation. Thank you!

[spiros]

ἐλέφας; ἐλέφαντος is genitive.

[TheoG]

Thanks for the reply Spiros. So ἐλέφας would be correct in this context? Also, I believe I read on this forum that Ancient Greek was written in all capitals. Is this true?

[spiros]

yes to both

[TheoG]

I've recently learned about Koine Greek and how it was the common form of Greek from ~300BC to ~600AD. Would the translation of Ivory be the same in Koine Greek?

[wings]

Yes, it's the same.

[TheoG]

Thank you Wings and thank you Spiros. I'm so happy this forum exists