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Origin and history of Crete

Crete

large island south of Greece, traditionally said to be from Krus, name of a mythological ancestor, but probably an ethnic name of some sort.

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Cretan(n.)

Old English Cretense (plural), "natives or inhabitants of Crete, from Latin Cretanus (singular); see Crete. They were proverbial in ancient times as liars; compare Greek noun kretismos "lying," literally "Cretan behavior," and the classical sophism expressing the liar paradox (see one version below). Alternative Cretic (c. 1600) was used especially of a form of verse.

Epimenides, the Cretan, says that all Cretans are liars.
If Epimenides' statement is not true, he is a liar; and if it is true, he is a liar, for he is a Cretan.
But his statement is either true or not true.
Therefore he is a liar.
But since he is a liar, his statement is not true that all Cretans are liars.
Therefore some Cretans are not liars.
But since some Cretans are not liars, Epimenides is not necessarily a liar because he is a Cretan.
Therefore, we may accept his statement that all Cretans are liars. And so on.
[John J. Toohey, "An Elementary Handbook of Logic," 1918]
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    labyrinth
    large building with intricate passages," especially the structure built by Daedelus to hold the Minotaur, near Knossos in Crete...double-edged axe," symbol of royal power, which fits with the theory that the original labyrinth was the royal Minoan palace on Crete...
    quince
    kydōnion malon, which is traditionally "apple of Kydōnia" (modern Khania), a famous ancient seaport city on the north coast of Crete...to Persia, Anatolia, and Greece; the Greeks supposedly imported grafts for their native plants from a superior strain in Crete...
    linear
    1840, hence Linear A, Linear B, names given (1902-3) to two related forms of linear Minoan writing discovered 1894-1901 in Crete...
    clue
    Thus hardy Theseus, with intrepid Feet, Travers'd the dang'rous Labyrinth of Crete; But still the wandring Passes forc'd...
    Mediterranean
    "the sea between southern Europe and northern Africa," 1590s, earlier Mediterranie (c. 1400), from Late Latin Mediterraneum mare "Mediterranean Sea" (7c.), from Latin mediterraneus "midland, surrounded by land, in the midst of an expanse of land" (but in reference to the body of
    nectar
    1550s, from Latin nectar, from Greek nektar, name of the drink of the gods, which is perhaps an ancient Indo-European poetic compound of nek- "death" (from PIE root *nek- (1) "death") + -tar "overcoming," from PIE root *tere- (2) "cross over, pass through, overcome." Sense of "an
    recant
    "to unsay, to contradict or withdraw a declaration or proposition," 1530s, from Latin recantare "recall, revoke," from re- "back" (see re-) + cantare, literally "to chant, to sing" (from PIE root *kan- "to sing"). The English word is from the Reformation; the Latin verb is a loan
    trance
    late 14c., "state of extreme dread or suspense," also "a half-conscious or insensible condition, state of insensibility to mundane things," from Old French transe "fear of coming evil," originally "coma, passage from life to death" (12c.), from transir "be numb with fear," origin
    reefer
    "marijuana cigarette," 1920s, perhaps an alteration of Mexican Spanish grifo "marijuana, drug addict" [OED]; or perhaps from reef (v.), on resemblance to a rolled sail. It also meant "pickpocket" in criminal slang (by 1935), and Century Dictionary also has it as "oyster that grow
    power
    c. 1300, pouer, "ability; ability to act or do; strength, vigor, might," especially in battle; "efficacy; control, mastery, lordship, dominion, ability or right to command or control; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army," from Anglo-French pouair, Old

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