I. Name
Linos is a minor Greek hero who is the personification of a cry in laments, ailinon, itself probably of oriental origin (Chantraine 1980). As a theophorous name, it occurs only once in the NT (2 Tim. 4.21).
II. Identity
The personification of the ritual cry ailinon is already found in Hesiod (fr. 305–306), where Linos is called the son of the Muse Urania; other genealogies mention the Muses Calliope, Terpsichore and Euterpe (Henrichs 1975:14; 1984:55). Hesiod also connects him with singer…