Download Greek mythology has offered so much to society, even today

8th Grade – World History & Cultures
Ms. Sweeney
Name ___________________________________________
Date ___________________________
Some English Words and Phrases
Taken from Greek Mythology
The stories and characters of Greek mythology are also the source for many words and phrases in the
English language. You might be surprised to find that you’re wearing sneakers with the name of the goddess
of victory (Nike). The last time you moved, your family might have used Atlas Van Lines. Perhaps you listen
to music on Pandora. (Pandora, meaning all-gifted, was the first woman. She received the gift of music from
Apollo). Or maybe your favorite place to shop online is Amazon.com, named after a race of superior warrior
women. Whatever the word or phrase, you have learned about a number of Greek mythological characters
in class that have influenced our language. Hopefully your notes match the summaries below!
Achilles heel: a fault or weakness that causes or could cause someone or something to fail. From
Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior at Troy, whose only mortal part of his body was his heel.
adonis: a very handsome young man. From Adonis, the Greek god of beauty and desire.
aegis: To be under the aegis of someone or something is to be protected, backed or supported by them.
From the shield of Zeus that offered safety and security.
Amazon: a tall, strong, often masculine woman. From the Amazons, a warrior-race of women from the
North who joined battle with a terrifying war cry. They were the equal of men in battle.
aphrodisiac: something that increases physical desire. From Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty,
fertility, and love.
atlas: a bound collection of maps or one who bears a heavy burden. The strongest god, Atlas, was
punished for his part in the revolt against the Olympians by being forced to hold the celestial bodies on
his shoulders for eternity.
Cassandra: one that predicts misfortune or disaster. Cassandra, the daughter of the king of Troy, was
given the gift of prophecy by Apollo. But after she spurned Apollo’s advances, he later cursed her to
ensure that no one would believe her warnings.
Delphic utterance: a response to a question or a comment that is ambiguous and therefore hard to
understand. From Delphi, where the oracle of Apollo gave ambiguous answers due to the fumes beneath
the temple.
Gordian knot: an intricate problem, not solved on its own terms. From Gordius, the king of Phrygia,
who tied a knot deemed to be capable of being untied only by the future ruler of Asia – later cut by
Alexander the Great with his sword.
hector: to talk to someone in a bullying way. From Hector, a prince of Troy and the bravest of the
Trojan warriors.
Herculean effort: an extraordinary effort (similarly, a Herculean task is a task of great difficulty).
From Hercules (in Greek, Herakles), the greatest hero of the ancient world, renowned for his great
strength (and anger management issues).
hypnosis: an artificially induced condition resembling sleep. From Hypnos, the god of sleep.
labyrinth: A maze, and the adjective labyrinthine describes something winding, complicated, and
intricate. In Crete, King Minos had a maze built in which to imprison the monstrous Minotaur. This
maze was known as the labyrinth. Excavations of the complex and vast palace of Knossos in Crete with
its network of rooms seem to substantiate elements of this legend.
mentor: a trusted guardian and teacher. When Odysseus left for the epic Trojan War, he gave Mentor
the responsibility of looking after his son, Telemachus. When Athena visited Telemachus, she herself
took the guise of the old man to “mentor” Telemachus in the ways of values, willpower and courage.
Midas touch: an unusual ability for making money. From King Midas, who was given the power to
turn everything he touched into gold.
mnemonic: (adj.) aiding or designed to aid the memory or (n.) a device – such as an abbreviation or
rhyme – that aids the memory. From Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of memory.
narcissist: a person who is overly self-involved, and often vain and selfish (and who suffers from
narcissism). From Narcissus, a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who fell in love with his own
reflection in a pool and, unable to tear himself away from his image, he wasted away and died.
nemesis: a longstanding rival or archenemy, or a downfall caused by one. From Nemesis, the Greek
goddess of retributive justice.
odyssey: a long wandering, adventure, or voyage (both literally and spiritually) usually marked by
many changes of fortune. From Odysseus, a king of Ithaca and Greek leader in the Trojan War. When
the war ended, Odysseus forgot to thank the gods for helping him. This made them angry, and they
punished him with a long voyage home. What was to be a 2-week trip ended up taking 10 years.
[Note from Ms. Sweeney: The moral of Odysseus’s story is never, ever forget to say “thank you!” ]
Oedipus complex: the desirous loving feelings of a son toward his mother and hostile or jealous
feelings toward his father that may be a source of a personality disorder. From Oedipus, who – as fate
predicted – unknowingly killed his father and married his mother.
Olympian feat: a difficult task, as one befitting the immortals. From Olympus, the mountain in Greek
mythology that was the home of the gods.
panic: sudden uncontrollable fear, often causing wildly unthinking behavior. From the shepherd
demigod, Pan, who had the legs and horns of a goat and a shrill voice. A mischievous forest sprite, he
liked to scare those traveling the lonely stretches of wilderness that separated Greek city-states.
Pandora's box: a source of troubles. From the first woman, Pandora, whose curiosity unleashed all
the troubles of the world when she disobeyed instructions and opened a jar. Only hope was left behind.
Promethean: describing a daringly creative or defiantly original act. From Prometheus, a Titan who
created humankind out of clay sculptures to which he gave life – without seeking the permission of
Zeus. He also stole fire from Olympus and gave it to humankind, for which Zeus chained him to a rock
and sent an eagle to eat his liver, which grew back daily.
siren song: an alluring utterance or appeal, especially one that is seductive or deceptive. From the
Sirens, mythological Greek sea nymphs, part woman and part bird, who lured sailors to their
destruction by their seductive singing.
Sisyphean task: work that is endless, difficult, and impossible to complete. From Sisyphus, a famous
resident of Hades, who was condemned to roll an enormous rock up a hill only to have it fall back down.
tantalize: holding something desirable just out of reach. From Tantalus, who was condemned to the
Underworld, where he stood in fresh water that receded whenever he tried to drink and under a tree
filled with ripe fruit always just beyond reach.
titanic: something colossal in size, power, or influence. From the Titans, a family of giants who ruled
the Earth until overthrown by the Olympians.
Trojan horse: any thing or person that appears harmless but is designed to destroy or attack from
within. The original Trojan Horse was conceived of by Odysseus and used by the Mycenaeans to defeat
Troy, as told in Homer’s epic, The Iliad.