greek mythology in modern language
TRANSCRIPT
Many modern
words and phrases
make reference to people or events in Greek
mythology
Make a “Herculean effort”
Modern definition: requiring an enormous amount of work, strength or courage
Example: Climbing to the summit of Mt. Everest is a Herculean effort.
Herculean effort: mythology connection
• Heracles (Hercules)= son of Zeus • Had immense strength and courage• Ordered to complete 12 labors (very
difficult tasks) to be forgiven for the murder of his wife and children
• Completed them all• A “Herculean effort” become
something require great strength and courage.
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titanic
• Modern definition: An adjective meaning enormous strength, size, or power; gigantic
Example: The titanic achievements of the computer industry is a benefit to the entire world.
titanic mythology connection
• The elder group of gigantic gods and goddess
• Parents to the Olympian gods
To have an “Achilles’ heel”
• Modern definition: a weakness that can lead to your downfall
• Example: His love for fast food will someday prove to be his Achilles’ heel.”
Achilles’ heel mythology connection
• Achilles = Greek Warrior• Hero of the Trojan War• It was prophesized he
would die young, so his Mother Thetis dipped him into the River Styx to make him immortal
• She held him by the heel, so that became a weak area.
• He died by a poisoned arrow to the heel
Narcissistic
• Nar-si-sis-tick• Modern definition: vanity,
fascination with yourself, self-centered
• Narcissus: white flower in the daffodil family
Example: The narcissistic princess did not think any prince in the kingdom was good enough to marry.
Narcissisticmythology connection
• Narcissus was the son of a river god and nymph
• Very beautiful• Told he would live a long
life if he never looked at himself
• Rejected the love of Echo, angered gods
• Fell in love with himself, and gazed at himself until he pined way (died)
• Flower that grew on that spot is called a narcissus
To have the “Midas Touch”
• Modern definition: refers to someone who makes money easily or has a lot of luck
• Example: Justin Beiber seems to have the Midas touch in the music industry.
Midas touchmythology connection
• Satyr Silenus - friend of Dionysus went missing
• King Midas, found him and returned him
• Dionysus offered to grant Midas one wish.
• Wished that anything he touched should turn into gold.
• It was a curse: it turned even his food and his daughter to gold
• Begged Dionysus to lift it• He did
tantalize
• Modern definition: a verb, to torment or tease someone with the sight or promise of something unobtainable.
• Example: The smell of the cookies from the bakery would tantalize even the strictest dieter.
Tantalizemythology connection
• Tantalus stole ambrosia and nectar from the gods, boiled his own son as a sacrifice to the gods.
• Condemned to an eternity of hunger and thirst
• Forced to stand in a pool, and when he tried to drink, it would drain away
• Over his head was fruit, but if he tried to pick it, it would move away from his reach.
To open Pandora’s Box
• Modern definition: to do something that may have unforeseen and unpleasant consequences
• Example: Having my grades on the portal opens up a huge Pandora’s box every time I have a test.
Pandora’s Boxmythology connection
• Pandora= Zeus’ daughter, created to punish mankind because Prometheus gave man the gift of fire.
• Given a locked box, told never to open it
• Curiosity got the best of her and she opened the box
• Evil, hate, envy, crime, sickness, and disease escaped into the world.
• Hope was also hiding in the box.
Wait, there’s more!
• Morphine: from Morpheus, god of sleep• Europe: from Europa, the maiden carried
off by Zeus• Atlas: (maps) Titan who held up the earth • Aphrodisiac: from Aphrodite, goddess of
love• Phobia: from Phobos, god of fear• Panic: from Pan, (satyr) who liked to
frighten humans