Katabasis
English
Original Entry: View on Wiktionary
Alternative Forms
- catabasis
Etymology
From Ancient Greek κατάβασις (katábasis), from καταβαίνω (“to go down”), from κατά (“down”) + βαίνω (“to go”).
Pronunciation
- /kəˈtæbəsɪs/
- kuh-TAB-uh-sis (approximate)
Noun
katabasis (plural: katabases)
- (Mythology, Literature) A narrative motif or trope in which a hero descends into the underworld.
- (By extension, jocular) Any journey downward or fall.
- A retreat, especially a military one. (Antonym: anabasis)
- A journey from the interior of a country to the coast.
- (Rare) The presence of downward (drainage or katabatic) winds.
Walkthrough Video
In Media
- The Odyssey, Book 11 — Odysseus’s descent into the underworld (a classic katabasis).
- Audiobook: The Odyssey (LibriVox)