10Popular Mythological

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10 Popular Mythological ALLUSIONS 1) ACHILLES’ HEEL destined to fall in love. (Cupid is known as Eros in • Meaning: a weakness that can lead to downfall Greek mythology.) • Greek Myth: Because of a prophesy that Achilles • Sample Sentence: It must be spring because would die young, his mother dipped him in the River everyone is under Cupid’s influence. Styx to make all parts of his body invulnerable. When his mother dipped him in the water, she held his 4) HERCULEUN EFFORT heel, making it his only vulnerable spot. He would • Meaning: super human attempt later die by a poisoned arrow to his heel. • Greek Myth: The Roman name for Heracles • Sample Sentence: His love for fast food is one day is Hercules, which is more commonly used. going to prove to be his Achilles’ heel. Heracles was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman. He was required to successfully 2) CAUGHT BETWEEN SCYLLA & CHARYBDIS complete twelve very difficult tasks, called the • Meaning: choice between two evils Labors of Heracles. Any extreme effort deemed • Greek Myth: Along Odysseus’ voyage home, he as heroic or above normal human standards can encountered Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla, a sea be called “Herculean.” monster with many hands and six dog heads, • Sample Sentence: Finishing her first marathon ate men alive. Charybdis, a deadly whirlpool, required Herculean effort. swallowed ships whole. Odysseus had to choose between the routes, selecting the lesser of two 5) HOT AS HADES evils. He chose Scylla, losing six crewmen. • Meaning: sweltering heat • Sample Sentence: With two tests the next day and • Greek Myth: Hades, also called Tarturus, was the only time to study for one, he was stuck between god of the underworld. Eventually, the name of the Scylla and Charybdis. god also became the name given for the place of the dead. The underworld was supposed to be very 3) CUPID hot. Originally, the phrase might have been “hot as • Meaning: messenger of love Tarturus,” but over the years, it has become more • Roman Myth: Cupid is the god of love and desire. His commonly known as “hot as Hades.” arrows cause uncontrollable desire in those he targets. • Sample Sentence: In the summers, the Midwest When people fall prey to Cupid’s influence, they are can get as hot as Hades.

6) MIDAS TOUCH and dangers. In modern day terms, an odyssey is a • Meaning: person with uncanny ability to long journey—whether literal or metaphoric. succeed in everything • Sample Sentence: Their class field trip proved • Greek Myth: King Midas was granted one wish to be quite an odyssey. by the god Dionysus. Because of his greed, Midas asked that everything he touched turn 9) PANDORA’S BOX to gold. (NOTE: He soon realized that he could • Meaning: to open up or invite trouble not eat or drink or even hug his daughter. He • Greek Myth: Pandora, made by Zeus as a retracted his wish, and by immersing himself in wife for Epimetheus, came with a dowry of a the river Pactolus, lost the “golden touch.”) beautiful, sealed jar. Zeus had filled the jar with • Sample Sentence: Success comes easy for a evil, knowing that Pandora would open it. Now, man with the Midas touch. this phrase means to do something that may seem innocent but that turns out to be terribly 7) NEMESIS negative or detrimental. • Meaning: enemy difficult to defeat • Sample Sentence: Mentioning a bad grade to • Greek Myth: Nemesis, also known as your mom can open Pandora’s Box. Rhamnous, was the spirit of divine retribution. She deals out justice, evening out fortune by 10) TROJAN HORSE inflicting loss and tragedy to bring equilibrium. • Meaning: secret trap that undermines an In today’s language, a nemesis is someone or enemy something that causes difficulty or downfall. • Greek Myth: During the Trojan War, the Trojans • Sample Sentence: Free throws were the team’s were held within their walls by the Greeks nemesis. waiting outside. The Greeks left a gift—a giant wooden horse—outside the gates and 8) ODYSSEY then pretended to sail away. After the Trojans • Meaning: a long adventurous journey brought the horse into the city, the Greeks • Greek Myth: This term comes from Homer’s epic (hiding inside the horse) came out at night and poem, The Odyssey. In it, the hero Odysseus takes conquered the city. nine long years to return from the Trojan War. • Sample Sentence: The email contained a Along his journey, he encounters many adventures Trojan Horse virus that infected the computer.