Phraseologisms of ancient Greek myths - interesting, they are all connected with the gods of ancient Greece. Antique phraseological units depict the spirit of that time, their meaning is not easy to explain, especially if you do not know the history of their origin.
augean stables
In ancient Greece there was king Augeus, who loved horses. In his stables there were more than three thousand. For almost thirty years no one had cleaned these stables, and they were overgrown with dung on the ceiling. The hero Hercules came to the service of Avgius (among the Romans - Hercules). Only he could clean the stables. However, Hercules was not only strong, but also intelligent: he let the river through the gates of the stables, and a stormy stream washed all the dirt from there.
The phrase “Augean stables” is used when they want to talk about extreme neglect, dirt, and disorder.
Antey
Phraseologism is the name of the character of Greek mythology Antei - the son of Poseidon (god of the sea) and Gaia (goddess of the earth). The forces were exerted by the mother earth, on which he defeated all. However, Hercules was able to defeat Antei, lifting him into the air and preventing him from touching the ground.
Antes are called persons with extreme physical strength.
Apollo
The ancient Greek god Apollo had extraordinary beauty, exquisite taste and patronized the sun, arts and youth. His name is called handsome young men.
Ariadne's thread. a thread
According to ancient Greek myth, in the labyrinth on the island of Crete there lived a cruel monster - the Minotaur, which had the body of a man and the head of a bull. Every nine years, the inhabitants of Athens sacrificed seven young men and seven girls to him. The brave Theseus was among fourteen unfortunate. The daughter of the Cretan king Ariadne fell in love with him and secretly gave him a ball of thread and a sharp sword. Theseus tied the end of the saving thread at the entrance to the maze and, unwinding the ball, went in convoluted moves. Defeating the Minotaur, he, with the help of a wonderful Ariadne thread, found the way and led the doomed.
In a figurative sense, “Ariadne’s thread” means a pointer, a guiding thread, salvation.
achilles' heel
According to ancient Greek legend, the sea goddess Thetis, wanting to make her son Achilles immortal and invulnerable to enemy arrows, bought him in the waters of the sacred river Styx. And, bathing, she held the child by the heel, which was not touched by water, so the heel remained unprotected. Achilles grew up and became an invincible warrior. However, in one of the battles, an arrow directed by the hand of the god Apollo hit him in the heel, and the hero died.
Since then, any weak, weak spot in a person has been called the Achilles heel.
barrel of Diogenes
Many legends exist about the ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes, who lived in the IV century. BC e. He proved to everyone neglect of life, content with only the most necessary. According to legend, Diogenes lived in a barrel, considering the house an excessive luxury.
So the expression "barrel of Diogenes" arose, which is most often used for comparison when it comes to whose ascetic, very unpretentious housing.
hercules feat
Hercules (Hercules) - the hero of ancient Greek myths, the son of the supreme God Zeus and the earthly woman Alkmena. On the day when Hercules was to be born, Zeus decided: the hero who will be born today will be the owner of all earthly peoples. And the goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus, in order to avenge her husband for treason, delayed the birth of Hercules, and Eurystheus was the first to come into the world, to whom Hercules must serve and obey. When Hercules grew up, he had to perform twelve feats for Eurystheus, and only then become free. Each of these exploits required inhuman physical strength. Therefore, the expression "Hercules feat" is used when it comes to business, which requires great effort.
homeric laugh
The legendary ancient Greek poet Homer is considered the author of the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey. In addition to people, the heroes of these works are gods endowed with unusual powers. They have powerful voices, and their laughter is like thunder, which is heard very far.
Now they call homeric an unstoppable, loud laugh. The epithet "homeric" is also found in other expressions, denoting something huge, larger than usual sizes.
Mountain gave birth to a mouse
The expression comes from the fable of the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop "Mountain gives birth." Also, the Roman poet Horace, in his treatise "The Art of Poetry," ridiculing the inept writing artists who began their works with pompous expressions, wrote: "They give birth to mountains, and a funny mouse will be born."
This phraseologism is used when talking about high hopes, but small results; about who promises a lot and does little. A synonym for it is the saying "out of the big cloud, little rain."
sword of Damocles
The origin of phraseology is associated with the name of Damocles, the court pet of the Greek tyrant Dionysius. Once during dinner, Damoklov praised the owner very much, spoke enviously about him, considering him the happiest person in the world. Dionysius decided to teach a jealous lesson. During the feast, he ordered the servants to place Damocles on the throne. He was in seventh heaven with joy. And suddenly he saw a sharp sword hanging over his head on a horsehair, he could break off and kill at any moment. Dionysius explained that this is a symbol of danger, always hangs over those who have unlimited power.
Since then, the expression "sword of Damocles" is used when it comes to constant mortal danger.
Aegis. To be (occur) under the auspices of
An expression comes from Greek mythology. Aegis is the shield of the supreme god Zeus, forged by Hephaestus. In the center of the aegis was depicted the head of the Medusa Gorgon. Subsequently, this shield became an attribute of the goddess of wisdom Athena and a symbol of her patronizing superiority over gods and people. In exceptional cases, Apollo could also wear it.
In the modern sense, “under the auspices” means under the protection, patronage, patronage.
aesopian language
The ancient Greek poet and fabulist Aesop lived in the VI century. BC e. He was a slave, so he did not have the right to speak freely what he thinks, but he could disguise himself in fables. The heroes of his fables were animals, but they acted and had characters, attitudes, habits, like people.
Such a disguised way of expressing thoughts with hints and omissions is called Aesopian language.
Sink into oblivion
In Greek mythology, Leta is a mystical river of oblivion that flowed in the underworld of Hades. A drink of water from it made a person forget about earthly life.
"To sink into oblivion" means to disappear forever, to go into oblivion, the abyss without a trace.
Winged word (expression)
The expression belongs to the ancient Greek poet Homer. In his poems The Iliad and The Odyssey are repeated several times. Homer called the words “winged” because they seem to fly from the mouth of the one who speaks into the ears of the listener.
Now the expression itself has become winged. It is used in the meaning of: apt expression, aphorism, popular quote.
lion's share
The father of phraseology is the ancient Greek fabulist Aesop. In one of his works, Leo said: “I get the first part as a participant in the hunt, the second - for courage, the third I take, knowing the appetite of my family. Whoever doubts my right to the fourth share, let him speak. ” And so he took all the prey to himself.
But then the expression "lion's share" received a different meaning - the largest share of production, money, property, inheritance and the like.
Burst with anger
The origin of phraseology is associated with the ancient Greek god, profanity and ridicule of Momomi. He scolded the gods when they gave people gifts, advised Zeus to start the Trojan War to reduce the burden of the earth. It was Mom who burst with anger, because he could not find at least some flaws in one of the goddesses.
In a figurative sense, the phraseology “bursting with anger” means getting very angry.
Nectar and Ambrosia
In Greek mythology, nectar is a drink, ragweed is the food of the gods, which gives them immortality. Portable: delicious drink, gourmet dish; supreme enjoyment.
thread of life
The ancient Greeks believed that the fate of man is determined by the gods. There is a myth about the three goddesses of fate - Moir. They were portrayed in the images of three old ugly women who hold the thread of human life. Clotho (and that spinning) weaves a thread, Lachesis (the one that determines fate) conducts it through all trials, Atropos (inevitable), cutting the thread, cuts off a person’s life.
So, the thread of life is a symbol of human destiny.
Panacea for all diseases
In ancient Greek mythology, Panacea is the goddess of healing, the daughter of the god of healing Aesculapius. Medieval alchemists tried to find a universal cure that would help with all diseases, and therefore called him after the goddess-healer.
Now the word "panacea" refers to a remedy not only for diseases, but also for all problems.
procrustean bed
One of the Greek myths tells of the robber Polypemon, nicknamed Procrustus, which means "rostyaguvach". He put all who came to him on his bed. The robber chopped off the legs for those for whom this bed was short, and for whom long - stretched his legs.
Phraseologism "Procrustean bed" characterizes a far-fetched measure, under which facts of reality are forcibly customized.
Prometheus fire. Flour flour
Prometheus is a titan, a powerful hero of ancient Greek myths. His image and name became widespread in European literature and phraseological units.
Pitying people who did not know fire and were helpless in the fight against natural elements, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and handed it over to mortals. For this, the supreme god condemned the titan to terrible torment: he was chained to a rock in the Caucasus Mountains, and each giant eagle tore the body and pecked the liver. At night, the wounds healed, and in the morning the body was ready for new torment.
Subsequently, the powerful Hercules freed the sufferer on the orders of Zeus, captured by the endurance and courage of Prometheus.
The expression "Prometheus fire" is used when it characterizes the spirit of nobility, courage and talent, and "Prometheus torment" when it comes to suffering in the name of a lofty goal.
narcissistic narcissistic
In ancient Greek myths, the story of the son of the god of the rivers, the hyphen and mollusk of Lirion, a beautiful young man named Narcissus, has been preserved. He was very beautiful. That Narcissus saw his reflection in the river, fell in love with him and died of love. The gods turned him into a daffodil.
In a figurative sense, "narcissus" is a narcissistic person; person admiring himself.
sisyphus labor
According to the ancient Greek myth, the gods doomed Sisyphus - the dexterous and cunning king of the city of Corinth - for all his crimes to a terrible execution. He had to roll a heavy stone forever on a steep mountain. And only the block touched the top of the mountain, it pulled out of Sisyphus’s hands and flew into the abyss. Again and again, staggering and stumbling, doomed to eternal work, the king had to go down a stone down and start all over again.
Sisyphean labor is called barren, hard, endless work
pandora's Box
Ancient Greek myths say that once people lived without knowing grief, disease, old age, until Prometheus stole fire from the gods. For this, the angry Zeus sent to the earth a beautiful, but stupid woman - Pandora, who married Prometheus's brother Epimetheus. She received a letter box from the main god of Olympus with a strict ban on opening it. And fueled by interest, Pandora opened a box: Old age, illness, Madness, Anger, Passion and other calamities that could haunt people spilled out from there.
The expression "Pandora's box" means a source of misery, calamity, misfortune.
Arrows of Cupid (Cupid)
Cupid (Cupid) - in Roman mythology, the deity of love, corresponding to the Greek Eros. This is the son of the goddess of love and beauty of Venus, a small beautiful winged boy, a cheerful, resourceful and resourceful mischievous person who always carried a bow and a quiver with golden arrows. Unbeknownst to others, he hit them with the hearts of people and gods, which caused love or death.
About a man who fell in love, they say that she was struck by the arrows of Cupid (Cupid).
Phoenix. Rise like a phoenix from the ashes
In Greek mythology, the Phoenix is \u200b\u200ba fabulous bird, similar to an eagle, covered with fiery red and gold feather. She lives 500 years, and before death she burns herself, but is immediately reborn from the ashes. A symbol of rebirth and renewal. “Rise like a Phoenix from the ashes” - perish and come back to life.
cyclopean structure
Cyclops (round-eyed) - a character of ancient Greek myths - the ugly one-eyed giant-cannibal. In Homer's poem Odyssey, the heroic travelers fall into the cave of Cyclops Polyphemus and only thanks to the cunning of Odysseus are they saved from imminent death. The Greeks believed that huge structures made of stone blocks, from which only ruins remained, were the work of the Cyclops.
The expression “cyclopean structure” is used when talking about a huge building.
hesperides apples
According to ancient Greek myth, on the wedding day of Hera and Zeus, the goddess of the land of Gaia gave them a tree on which golden apples grew - a symbol of eternal youth and strength. They guarded the Hesperide tree - the daughter of the deity of the evening star Hesper - with the help of the Dragon of Ladon. Hercules killed the dragon by taking the golden apples (this was his eleventh feat).
In the figurative sense, “hesperide apples” are valuable baggage.
The apple of discord
An ancient Greek myth tells that the goddess of contention Eris decided to take revenge on the gods for not inviting her to a feast. Eris quietly threw a golden apple with the inscription "beautiful" between the goddesses Hero, Aphrodite and Athena. They began to argue who should own the apple, because everyone considered themselves beautiful. The son of the Trojan king Paris, who was invited as a judge, gave the apple to Aphrodite. For this, she helped him abduct the wife of the Spartan king Elena the Beautiful, which led to a ten-year Trojan War.
In a figurative sense, the “apple of discord (strife)” is the cause of hostility, debate, disagreement between anyone.
A myth is a story that arose in the earliest stages of history. And his fantastic images (legendary heroes, gods) were a kind of attempt to explain and generalize many natural phenomena, events taking place in society. Mythology reflects both the aesthetic attitude of a person to reality and moral views. The most famous and popular today are the myths of ancient Greece. Many of them are used in literature and in rites. And phraseologisms from ancient Greek myths are expressions that can be heard everywhere. However, not everyone knows where this or that catch phrase comes from. So, let's see what phraseologisms from myths we use and why.
Augean stables
We use this phrase when it comes to a too polluted room, where complete mess reigns. Or we call it an enterprise, an organization where all things are started. Why do we say that? The fact is that in Greek mythology, these stables are huge possessions of the king of Elis - Avgius, which have not been put in order for many years. And Heracles cleared them in one day, directing the Alfei River through the stables. This water took away all the dirt with it. This phraseology from the myths of ancient Greece became known thanks to the historian Diodorus Sicilian. It was he who first spoke about this myth. 
Ariadne's thread
This is another phraseologism from the myths of Ancient Greece, which in a figurative sense means an opportunity, a guiding thread, a way to help find a way out of a difficult situation. Ariadne in mythology is the daughter of Pasiphae and the Cretan king named Minos. When prince Theseus arrived in Crete, doomed together with other guys to eat the Minotaur, the girl fell in love with him. And the Minotaur lived in the Labyrinth, where there were a huge number of transitions. Having entered there once, a person would never have climbed back. Ariadne gave Theseus a large ball of thread, which the guy unwound, getting to the monster. Having killed the Minotaur, Theseus easily left the room thanks to the strings.
Sink into oblivion
In Greek mythology, there was a river of oblivion - Summer, which flowed in the underworld. When the soul of a deceased person tasted water from this source, it forever forgot about earthly life. This phraseology from the myths of Ancient Greece means - to disappear without a trace, the abyss is unknown where, etc.
Wheel of Fortune 
In mythology, Fortune is the goddess of happiness and unhappiness, of blind chance. She is always depicted standing on a wheel or ball, blindfolded. In one hand she has a steering wheel, which indicates that fortune decides the fate of a person, and in the other - a cornucopia, indicating the prosperity that the goddess can give. A wheel or ball speaks of its constant variability. Using this phraseologism from the myths of Ancient Greece, we mean a blind case, happiness.
Panic fear
This is another phraseologism that we use almost every day. Pan in mythology is the god of flocks and shepherds. Pan is able to instill in man such a fear that he will run in a hurry wherever his eyes look, without even thinking about the fact that the road will lead to imminent death. Hence the expression, which means a sudden, unaccountable fear that encompasses a person.
Augean stables
In Greek mythology, the Augean stables are the extensive stables of Avgius, king of Elis, who have not been cleaned for many years. They were cleaned one day by the hero Hercules (Hercules): he directed through the stables a river, the waters of which carried away all the manure. This myth was first reported by the Greek historian Diodorus of Sicily (1st century BC). The expression “Augean stables” that arose from here is used to denote a very dirty room, as well as severe neglect, clogging, disorder in matters that require great effort to eliminate them; it became winged in antiquity (Seneca, Satyr at the death of Emperor Claudius; Lucian, Alexander).
Ariadne's thread
An expression that means: a guiding thread, a guiding thought, a way to help get out of a difficult situation, to solve a difficult question. It arose from Greek myths about the Athenian hero Theseus, who killed the Minotaur, the monstrous half-man half-man. At the request of the Cretan king Minos, the Athenians were obliged to send seven young men and seven girls to Crete every year to be eaten by the Minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth built for him, from which no one could get out. Theseus was helped to accomplish a dangerous feat by the daughter of the Cretan king Ariadne who fell in love with him. Secretly from her father, she gave him a sharp sword and a ball of thread. When Theseus and the doomed boys and girls to be torn to pieces were taken to the labyrinth. Theseus tied the end of the thread at the entrance and went along the tangled passages, gradually unwinding a ball. Having killed the Minotaur, Theseus found a way back out of the labyrinth and led out all the doomed from there (Ovid, Metamorphoses, 8, 172; Heroids, 10, 103).
Achilles' heel
In Greek mythology, Achilles (Achilles) is one of the most powerful and brave heroes; he sang in Homer's Iliad. The post-Homer myth, transmitted by the Roman writer Giginus, reports that the mother of Achilles, the sea goddess Thetis, in order to make her son's body invulnerable, plunged him into the sacred river Styx; dipping, she held him by the heel, which was not touched by water, so the heel remained the only vulnerable spot of Achilles, where he was mortally wounded by the arrow of Paris. The resulting expression “Achilles '(or Achilles' heel)” is used in the meaning: weakness, vulnerability of something.
Barrel Danaid
Danaids in Greek mythology are the fifty daughters of the king of Libya, Danae, with whom his brother Egypt, the king of Egypt, was at enmity. Fifty sons of Egypt, pursuing Danae, who fled from Libya to Argolis, forced the fugitive to give his fifty daughters as a wife. On their wedding night, Danaids, at the request of their father, killed their husbands. Only one of them decided to disobey her father. For the crime committed, forty-nine Danaids, after their death, were ordered by the gods to always fill the bottomless barrel with water in the underworld of Hades. From here came the expression "barrel Danaid", used in the meaning: constant fruitless labor, and also - a container that can never be filled. The myth of the Danaids was first set forth by the Roman writer Gygin (Fables, 168), however, the image of a bottomless vessel was found in the ancient Greeks earlier. Lucian was the first to use the expression "barrel Danaid."
Century of Astrea
In Greek mythology, Astraeus is the goddess of justice. The time when she was on earth was a happy, "golden age." She left the earth in the Iron Age and since then under the name of Virgo shines in the constellation of the Zodiac. The expression "age of Astrea" is used in the meaning: happy time.
Libation [worship] of Bacchus [Bacchus]
Bacchus (Bacchus) - in Roman mythology - the god of wine and fun. The ancient Romans, when sacrificing sacrifices to the gods, there was a rite of libation, consisting in pouring wine from a cup in honor of God. From here came the humorous expression "libation to Bacchus", used in the meaning: binge. The name of this ancient Roman god is also used in other humorous expressions about drunkenness: “worship Bacchus”, “serve Bacchus”.
Hercules. Hercules labor [feat]. Pillars of Hercules [pillars]
Hercules (Hercules) - a hero of Greek myths (Iliad, 14, 323; Odyssey, II, 266), gifted with extraordinary physical strength; he accomplished twelve feats - he killed the monstrous Lernean hydra, cleared the stables of Avgius, and so on. On the opposite shores of Europe and Africa, at the Strait of Gibraltar, he placed "Pillars of Hercules (pillars)." So in the ancient world called the rocks of Gibraltar and Jebel Musa. These pillars were considered the "edge of the world", beyond which there is no way. Therefore, the expression "reach the Hercules Pillars" began to be used in the meaning: reach the limit of something, to the extreme point. The name of the legendary Greek hero became a household name for a person with great physical strength. The expression "Hercules work, feat" used when talking about any business that requires extraordinary efforts.
Hercules at the crossroads
The expression arose from the speech of the Greek sophist Prodik (V century BC), known only in the presentation of Xenophon “Memoirs of Socrates”, 2, 1, 21-33). In this speech, Prodik told his allegory about the young man Hercules (Hercules), who was sitting at a crossroads and reflecting on the life path that he was to choose. Two women approached him: Delicacy, which drew him a life full of pleasures and luxury, and Virtue, which showed him the hard way to glory. The expression "Hercules at a crossroads" is applied to a person who finds it difficult to choose between two solutions.
Hymen. The Ties of Hymen
In ancient Greece, the word "hymen" meant both the wedding song and the deity of marriage, sanctified by religion and law, in contrast to Eros, the god of free love. Allegorically "Hymen", "Ties of Hymen" - marriage, matrimony.
Sword of Damocles
The expression arose from an ancient Greek legend told by Cicero in the composition "Tusculan Conversations." Damocles, one of the close associates of the Syracuse tyrant Dionysius the Elder (432-367 B.C.E.), began to enviously talk about him as the happiest of people. Dionysius, in order to teach a lesson to an envious man, put him in his place. During the feast, Damocles saw a sharp sword hanging on his horsehair above his head. Dionysius explained that this is an emblem of those dangers to which he, as a ruler, is constantly exposed, despite his seemingly happy life. Hence the expression “sword of Damocles” gained the meaning of impending, threatening danger.
Gifts of Danians. Trojan horse
The expression is used in the meaning: insidious gifts, bringing with them the doom for those who receive them. It arose from Greek legends about the Trojan War. After a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, the Danes resorted to cunning: they built a huge wooden horse, left it at the walls of Troy, and they themselves pretended to swim away from the shore of the Troas. The priest Laocoon, seeing this horse and knowing the tricks of the Danians, exclaimed: “Whatever it is, I am afraid of the Danians, even bringing gifts!” But the Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoon and the prophetess of Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, Danians hiding inside the horse went out, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in the comrades who returned on the ships, and thus captured Troy (Homer's Odyssey, 8, 493 and ate; Virgil's Aeneid, 2, 15 and w. .). Virgil’s hemisphere “I’m afraid of Danians, even bringing gifts”, often quoted in Latin (“Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes”), has become a proverb. From here came the expression “Trojan horse”, used in the meaning: secret, treacherous design.
Two-faced Janus
In Roman mythology, Janus - the god of time, as well as any beginning and end, entrances and exits (janua - door) - was depicted with two faces facing in opposite directions: young - forward, into the future, old - back, into the past. The expression “two-faced Janus,” or simply “Janus,” which arose from here, means: a two-faced person.
The Golden Fleece. Argonauts
Ancient Greek myths tell that the hero Jason went to Colchis (the eastern coast of the Black Sea) to get the golden fleece (the golden wool of a ram), which was guarded by a dragon and bulls, spewing flames from the mouth. Jason built the ship "Argo" (fast), by the name of which the participants of this, according to the legend of the first, distant voyage of antiquity, were called Argo-Navts. With the help of the sorceress Medea Jason, having overcome all obstacles, he successfully took possession of the golden fleece. The first to expound this myth was the poet Pindar (518-442 BC). A gold rune is called gold, wealth that they seek to possess; Argonauts - brave sailors, adventurers.
Kassandra
According to Homer (Iliad, 13, 365), Kassandra is the daughter of the Trojan king Priam. Apollo shared her gift of divination. But when she rejected his love, he instilled in all distrust of her prophecies, although they always came true; for example, she vainly warned the Trojans that the wooden horse that they had brought into the city would bring them death (Vergili and Aeneid 2, 246) (see Gifts of the Danians). The name of Cassandra has become the household name of a man who warns of danger, but who is not believed.
Castor and Pollux
In Greek mythology, Castor and Polydeus (Roman Pollux) are the sons of Zeus and Leda, twins. The Odyssey (II, 298) speaks of them as the children of Leda and Tyndareus, the son of the Spartan king. According to another version of the myth, Castor’s father is Tyndareus, and Pollux’s father is Zeus, so the first born of a mortal is mortal, and the second is immortal. When Castor was killed, Pollux began to beg Zeus to give him the opportunity to die. But Zeus invited him to choose: either stay on Olympus forever without a brother, or spend one day on Olympus with his brother, the other in Hades. Pollux chose the latter. Their names have become synonymous with two inextricable friends.
Summer. Sink into oblivion
In Greek mythology, Leta is a river of oblivion in Hades, the underworld; the souls of the deceased, upon arrival in the underworld, drank water from it and forgot their whole past life (Hesiod, Theogony; Virgil, Aeneid, 6). The name of the river has become a symbol of oblivion; the expression “sunk into oblivion” that arose from here is used in the meaning: to disappear forever, to be forgotten.
Mars. The son of Mars. Champ de Mars
In Roman mythology, Mars is the god of war. Portable: military, belligerent person. In the same meaning is used the expression "son of Mars"; the expression "Champ de Mars" meaning: battlefield. Also in ancient Rome was called one of the parts of the city on the left bank of the Tiber, intended for military and gymnastic exercises. In Paris, this name bears the square in the western part of the city, which originally served for military parades. In St. Petersburg, the square between the Summer Garden and the barracks of the Life Guards of the Pavlovsky Regiment was called so, on which large military parades were held under Nicholas I and later.
Between Scylla and Charybdis
According to the legends of the ancient Greeks, two monsters lived on the coastal cliffs on both sides of the Strait of Messina: Scylla and Charybdis, which absorbed sailors. Scylla
... barking incessantly,
A squeal of piercing, a squeal of a puppy young like,
A monster surrounds everything. Get close to her
It is terrible not to people alone, but to the most immortal ...
Not a single mariner could have passed unharmed by her
With an easy ship pass: all toothy mouths are gaping,
At once she abducts six people from a ship ...
Close see another rock ...
The whole sea beneath that rock is terribly disturbing Charybdis,
Absorbing three times a day and spewing three times a day
Black moisture. Do not dare to approach when absorbing:
Poseidon himself will not deliver from faithful death then ...
(The Odyssey of Homer 12, 85-124. Translation by V. A. Zhukovsky.)
The resulting expression “between Scylla and Charybdis” is used in the meaning: to be between two hostile forces, in a situation where danger is threatening on both sides.
Minerva [Pallas], emerging from the head of Jupiter [Zeus]
Minerva - in Roman mythology, the goddess of wisdom, the patroness of sciences and arts, identified with the Greek goddess Athena-Pallas, who, according to myths, was born from the head of Jupiter (the Greek parallel to him is Zeus), leaving from there fully armed - in armor, helmet, with a sword in the hand. Therefore, when talking about someone or something that supposedly appeared immediately finished, they compare this appearance with Minerva, who came out of Jupiter’s head, or with Pallas, who came out of Zeus’s head (Hesiod, Theogonia; Pindar, Olympic odes, 7, 35).
Morpheus. Embrace Morpheus
In Greek mythology, Morpheus is the son of the god Hypnos, the winged god of dreams. His name is a synonym for sleep.
Tantalum Flour
In Greek mythology, Tantalus, king of Phrygia (also called the king of Lydia), was a favorite of the gods, who often invited him to their feasts. But, proud of his position, he insulted the gods, for which he was severely punished. According to Homer (Odyssey, II, 582-592), his punishment was that, cast down into Tartarus (hell), he always experiences the unbearable torment of thirst and hunger; he stands up to his neck in water, but the water recedes from him as soon as he tilts his head to get drunk; branches with magnificent fruits hung over him, but as soon as he reaches out to them, the branches deviate. This is where the phrase “Tantalum flour” came from, meaning: intolerable torment due to the inability to achieve the desired goal, despite its proximity
Narcissus
In Greek mythology - a handsome young man, the son of the river god Kefisa and the nymph Leirio-pa. Once Narcissus, who had never loved anyone, bent over a stream and, seeing his face in it, fell in love with himself and died of longing; his body turned into a flower (Ovid, Metamorphosis, 3, 339-510). His name became a household name for a man who admires himself, narcissistic. M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin called the Narcissists of modern liberal talkers, in love with their own eloquence, those “sowers of progress” who, for insignificant reasons, quarreled with the government bureaucracy, covering up with chatter about the “holy cause”, “bright future” etc., your personal interests (“New Narcissus, or Self-In Love.” “Signs of the Times”).
Start with Leda Eggs
In Greek mythology, Leda, the daughter of Festius, king of Aetolia, was struck by the beauty of Zeus, who appeared to her in the form of a swan. The fruit of their union was Elena (The Iliad, 3, 426; The Odyssey, II, 298). According to the later version of this myth, Elena was born from one egg of Leda, and her brothers, the twins Kastor and Pollux, from another (Ovid, Heroids, 17, 55; Horace, Satire, 2, 1, 26). Having subsequently married Menelaus, Helen was abducted by Paris and was, thus, the culprit of the Greek campaign on Troy. The expression “start with the eggs of Leda” dates back to Horace (65-8 BC), who (“On the Art of Poetry”) does not praise Homer because he begins his story about the Trojan War not ab ovo - not from the egg (of course, the myth of Ice), not from the very beginning, but immediately introduces the listener in medias res - in the middle of things, into the very essence of de la. It should be added to this that the expression “ab ovo” was proverbial among the Romans; in full form: “ab ovo usque ad mala” - from beginning to end; literally: from an egg to fruit (a Roman lunch began with eggs and ended with fruit).
Nectar and Ambrosia
In Greek mythology, nectar is a drink, ambrosia (ragweed) is the food of the gods, which gives them immortality (Odyssey, 5, 91-94). Portable: unusually tasty drink, a gourmet dish; supreme enjoyment.
Olympus. Olympians. Olympic bliss, greatness, calm
Olympus is a mountain in Greece, where, as described in Greek myths, the gods inhabited (Gomer, Iliad, 8, 456). Among later writers (Sophocles, Aristotle, Virgil) Olympus is a heavenly vault inhabited by the gods. The Olympians are immortal gods; figuratively - people who always preserve the majestic solemnity of their appearance and their calm equanimity; also called people arrogant, inaccessible. Hence a number of expressions arose: "literary Olympus", "musical Olympus" - a group of recognized poets, writers, musicians. Sometimes these expressions are used ironically, playfully. “Olympic bliss” is the highest degree of bliss; "Olympic greatness" - solemnity in manners, in all appearance; "Olympian calm" - calm is nothing calm.
Panic fear
The expression is used in the meaning: unaccountable, sudden, intense fear, embracing many people, causing confusion. It arose from the Greek myths about Pan, the god of the forest and fields. According to myths, Pan brings sudden and unaccountable horror to people, especially to travelers in remote and secluded places, as well as to troops rushing to flee from this. From here came the word "panic."
Parnassus
In Greek mythology, Parnassus is a mountain in Thessaly, the seat of Apollo and the muses. In a figurative sense: a collection of poets, the poetry of a people. “Parnassian Sisters” - muses.
Pegasus
In Greek mythology - the winged horse of Zeus; under the blow of his hooves on Mount Helikon, the source of Ipocrenus was formed, inspiring poets (Hesiod, Theogony; Ovid, Metamorphoses, 5). Symbol of poetic inspiration.
Pygmalion and Galatea
In the ancient Greek myth of the famous sculptor Pygmalion it is said that he openly expressed his contempt for women. Enraged by this, the goddess Aphrodite made him fall in love with the statue of the young girl Galatea, which he himself created, and condemned him to the torment of unrequited love. Pygmalion’s passion was, however, so strong that it breathed life into the statue. Lively Galatea became his wife. On the basis of this myth, Pygmalion was figuratively called a man who, by the power of his feelings, by the direction of his will, promotes the rebirth of another (see, for example, Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion”), as well as a lover who meets the cold indifference of his beloved woman.
Prometheus. Prometheus fire
Prometheus in Greek mythology is one of the titans; he stole fire from heaven and taught people to use it, thereby undermining faith in the power of the gods. For this, the angry Zeus ordered Hephaestus (the god of fire and blacksmith art) to chain Prometheus to the rock; a daily arriving eagle tormented the liver of chained titanium (Hesiod, Theogonia; Aeschylus, Chained Prometheus). The expression “Prometheus fire” that arose on the basis of this myth is used in the meaning: a sacred fire burning in a person’s soul, an unquenchable desire to achieve lofty goals in science, art, and social work. The image of Prometheus is a symbol of human dignity, greatness.
Penelope's work
The expression arose from Homer's Odyssey (2, 94-109). Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, for many years of separation from him remained faithful to him, despite the harassment of the suitors; she said that she was postponing a new marriage until the day when she finished weaving the coffin for her father-in-law, Elder Laertes; she spent the whole day weaving, and at night, everything that she came across during the day was dissolved and again set to work. The expression is used in the meaning: fidelity of the wife; endless work.
Sphinx. Sphinx riddle
In Greek mythology, the Sphinx is a monster with the face and chest of a woman, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird, which lived on a rock near Thebes; The Sphinx lurked travelers and asked them riddles; unable to unravel them, he killed. When the Theban king Oedipus unraveled the riddles given to him, the monster took his own life (Hesiod, Theogony). Hence the word "sphinx" got the meaning: something incomprehensible, mysterious; The “sphinx riddle” is something unsolvable.
Sisyphean labor. Sisyphean work
The expression is used in the meaning: hard, endless and fruitless work. It came from Greek mythology. The Corinthian king Sisyphus, for insulting the gods, was awarded by Zeus to eternal torment in Hades: he had to roll a huge stone onto the mountain, which, reaching the top, rolled down again. For the first time, the expression “Sisyphus labor” is found in the elegy (2, 17) of the Roman poet Proportion (1st century BC)
Titans
In Greek mythology, the children of Uranus (heaven) and Gaia (earth) rebelled against the Olympian gods, for which they were cast down into tartar (Hesiod, Theogony). Metaphorically, titans are people who are distinguished by strength, the gigantic power of the mind, genius; titanic - huge, grandiose.
Philemon and Baucis
In the ancient Greek legend, processed by Ovid (Metamorphoses, 8, 610 and ate), there are a couple of modest elderly spouses who welcomed Jupiter and Mercury, who came to them in the form of weary travelers. When the gods, angry that the rest of the locals did not show them hospitality, flooded it, the hut of Philemon and Bavkida, remaining unharmed, was turned to the temple, and the couple became priests. At their request, they died at the same time - the gods turned Philemon into an oak, Bavkid into a linden. From here, Philemon and Bavkida became synonymous with an inseparable pair of old spouses.
Fortune. Wheel of Fortune
Fortune - in Roman mythology, the goddess of blind chance, happiness and unhappiness. She was depicted with a blindfold standing on a ball or wheel and holding a steering wheel in one hand and a cornucopia in the other. The steering wheel indicated that fortune rules the fate of man, the horn of plenty - for prosperity, the abundance that it can give, and the ball or wheel emphasized its constant variability. Her name and the expression "wheel of Fortune" are used in the meaning: chance, blind happiness.
Fury
In Roman mythology, each of the three goddesses of vengeance (in Greek myth.-Erinius). Aeschylus, who brought Erinius to the scene, portrayed them as disgusting old women with snakes instead of hair, with bloodshot eyes, with protruding tongues and bared teeth. Symbol of revenge, figuratively - angry angry woman.
Chimera
In Greek mythology, a fire-breathing monster, described in various ways. Homer in the Iliad (6, 180) reports that it has the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon. Hesiod in "Theogony" claims that the chimera is about three heads (lion, goat, dragon). Allegorically, the chimera is something unreal, the fruit of considerations.
Cerberus
In Greek mythology, a three-headed dog guarding the entrance to the underworld (Hades). About him was first told in Theogony by the ancient Greek poet Hesiod; Virgil speaks of her (Aeneid, 6) and others. Hence the word “Cerberus” (Latin; Greek: Kerberus) is used figuratively in the meaning: a fierce, watchful guard, and also an angry dog.
Circe
Circe (Latin form; Greek. Kirke) - according to Homer, an insidious sorceress. The Odyssey (10, 337-501) tells how, with the help of a magical drink, she turned the companions of Odysseus into pigs. Odysseus, to whom Hermes gave the magical plant, defeated her spell, and she invited him to share her love. Having made Circe swear that she was not thinking anything bad against him and would return the human appearance to his companions, Odysseus bowed to her proposal. Her name has become synonymous with a dangerous beauty, an insidious seducer.
Apple of discord
This expression is in the meaning: the subject, the reason for the dispute, enmity, was first used by the Roman historian Justin (II century A.D.). It is based on Greek myth. The goddess of contention, Eris, drove a golden apple between the guests at the wedding feast with the inscription: "The most beautiful." Among the guests were the goddess Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, who argued about which one to get an apple from. Their dispute was resolved by Paris, the son of the Trojan king Priam, having awarded the apple to Aphrodite. In gratitude, Aphrodite helped Paris abduct Helen, wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, which caused the Trojan War.
Pandora's Box
An expression of importance: a source of misery, great calamity; emerged from the poem of the Greek poet Hesiod, “Works and Days,” which says that once people lived, not knowing any unhappiness, disease and old age, until Prometheus stole fire from the gods; for this, the indignant Zeus sent a beautiful woman to the earth - Pandora; she received from Zeus a casket in which all human misfortunes were locked. Fueled by curiosity, Pandora opened the casket and scattered all the misfortunes.
Tenth Muse
Ancient mythology totaled nine muses (goddesses - patrons of sciences and arts). The ancient Greek poet Hesiod in “Theogony” (“Genealogy of the Gods”, 77) for the first time in sources that have reached us, names them. The distinction between the fields of science and art (lyric poetry, history, comedy, tragedy, dance, love poetry, hymns, astronomy and epic) and their assignment to certain muses was made in a later era (III - I centuries. BC. E. .).
The expression "tenth muse" refers to any field of art, mainly re-emerged and not included in the canonical list: in the XVIII century. so called criticism, in the middle of the XIX century. in Germany - a variety show, in our time - cinema, radio, television, etc.
Golden Rain
This image arose from the Greek myth of Zeus, who, captivated by the beauty of Danai, the daughter of the Argos king Acrisius, appeared to her in the form of golden rain, after which her son Perseus was born.
Danae, showered with rain of gold coins, is depicted in the paintings of many artists of the Renaissance (Titian, Correggio, Van Dyck, etc.). The expression is used in the meaning: big money. Figuratively called “golden rain” is called the easily obtained wealth.
Cyclops. Cyclopean buildings
In Greek mythology, the one-eyed blacksmith giants. The ancient Greek poet Hesiod (8-7 centuries BC) in Theogony (The Genealogy of the Gods) tells that they forged lightning and thunder arrows for Zeus. According to Homer (Odyssey, 9, 475) - one-eyed strongmen, giants, cannibals, cruel and rude, living in caves on the tops of the mountains, engaged in cattle breeding. The construction of gigantic buildings was attributed to the cyclops. Hence, “cyclops” is used in the meaning of one-eyed, as well as a blacksmith. The Cyclopean Building is a huge structure.
For some nameless essay
1. Augean stables - a heavily littered, polluted or cluttered room.
In Greek mythology, the Augean stables are the extensive stables of Avgius, king of Elis, who have not been cleaned for many years. They were cleaned one day by Heracles: he directed through the stables a river, the waters of which carried away all the manure.
2. Ariadne thread - that helps to find a way out of a predicament.
The expression arose from Greek myths about the hero Theseus who killed the Minotaur. The Athenians were obliged, at the request of the Cretan king Minos, to send seven young men and seven girls to Crete every year to be eaten by the Minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth built for him, from which no one could get out. To accomplish a dangerous feat Theseus helped his daughter, the Cretan king Ariadne, who fell in love with him. Secretly from her father, she gave him a sharp sword and a ball of thread. When Theseus and the doomed boys and girls to be torn to pieces were taken to the labyrinth, Theseus tied the end of the thread at the entrance and went along the tangled passages, gradually unwinding a ball. After killing the Minotaur, Theseus found a way back out of the labyrinth and led out all the doomed from there.
3. Achilles' heel - a weak spot.
In Greek mythology, Achilles (Achilles) is one of the most powerful and brave heroes. He sang in Homer's Iliad. The mother of Achilles, the sea goddess Thetis, to make her son's body invulnerable, dipped him in the sacred river Styx. Dipping, she held him by the heel, which was not touched by water, so the heel remained the only vulnerable spot of Achilles, where he was mortally wounded by the arrow of Paris.
4. The sword of Damocles is an impending, threatening danger.
The expression arose from an ancient Greek legend told by Cicero in the essay Tusculan Conversations. Damocles, one of the close associates of the Syracuse tyrant Dionysius the Elder began to enviously talk about him as the happiest of people. Dionysius, in order to teach a lesson to an envious man, put him in his place. During the feast, Damocles saw a sharp sword hanging on his horsehair above his head. Dionysius explained that this is the emblem of the dangers to which he, as ruler, is constantly exposed, despite his seemingly happy life.
5. Gifts of Danians. - “insidious” gifts, bringing with them the doom for those who receive them.
The Trojan horse is a secret insidious plan (hence the Trojan virus (Troyan)).
Expressions arose from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danes (Greeks), after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, resorted to tricks: they built a huge wooden horse, left it near the walls of Troy, and themselves pretended to swim away from the shore of the Troas. Priest Laocoon, seeing this horse and knowing the tricks of the Danians, exclaimed: “Whatever it is, I am afraid of Danians, even bringing gifts! “But the Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoon and the prophetess of Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, the Danians, hiding inside the horse, went out, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in the comrades who returned on the ships and thus captured Troy.
Kalugin Danila
The expressions that came into our speech from the myths of Ancient Greece have become an important component of the Russian language and are often used by people who do not imagine what these combinations originally meant and where they came from in our everyday speech.
This work is devoted to the meaning and history of phraseological units borrowed from ancient Greek mythology.
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Myths of Ancient Greece as a Source of Phraseologisms Author: Danil Kalugin, a student of grade 6 A, MBIU “Kireev Gymnasium” Sixth regional scientific-practical conference of students of secondary schools “Steps into Science-2014” Section No. 6 “Linguistics” Project work
The expressions that came into our speech from the myths of Ancient Greece have become an important component of the Russian language and are often used by people who do not imagine what these combinations originally meant and where they came from in our everyday speech. This is the hypothesis of my work. In accordance with the hypothesis, I determined the purpose of this work - to identify phraseological phrases that have passed into our language from the mythology of Ancient Greece, study and interpret their origin, explain their meaning in modern Russian. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set: to get acquainted with the concepts of “phraseology” and “phraseologism”; to find out the main sources of phraseological units; using the “Phraseological Dictionary” to find phraseological units originating from ancient Greek mythology; determine their lexical meaning; read the myths that have become the source of phraseological units; to trace the similarity of the situation or image with the modern meaning and use of phraseological units; find paintings or graphic works illustrating phraseological units and their mythological sources.
Achilles' heel This legend has long occupied the minds of people. Thanks to her, the tendon located on the leg above the calcaneus, anatomists call it “Achilles”, and the expression “Achilles heel” has long been used to denote a weak, vulnerable place of a person. Carlo Albicini
The expression “fly up on Helikon” means: to become a poet, to get carried away by poetry (irony). Fly up to Helikon. Illustration from the Internet.
The sword of Damocles The words “The sword of Damocles” remind us of the impending danger that could collapse any second. Richard Westall
Gifts of Danians From ancient times these words began to sound everywhere as a call for vigilance, for wariness, against flattery, hypocritical gifts and all kinds of false fawning. Illustration from the internet
To sink into oblivion “To sink into oblivion” means: to disappear from memory, to be swallowed up by eternal oblivion. Illustration from the internet
Procrustean bed It happens that some work of art or science, someone, contrary to the meaning, tries to fit into one or another external requirement, to drive it into an artificial framework. Illustration from the internet
Augean stables The expression "Augean stables" began to be applied to everything that was neglected, contaminated to the last limit, and in general to denote a big mess. Illustration from the internet
The Arcadic idyll and the Arcadian shepherds "Arcadian idylls" were remembered for a long time, and therefore they began to mockingly call the "Arcadian shepherdesses" carefree people who led an easy-going existence in the lap of nature. Boris Olshansky
Barrel Danaid And we call "barrel Danaid" any purposeless, endless work. John William Waterhouse
Century of Astrea Later this expression began to characterize every happy streak of life, a time of joy. Salvator Rose
Hercules exploits Is it any wonder if after that for thousands of years people have called “the Hercules feat” all work requiring inhuman forces, they speak of “Hercules efforts” and in general the most powerful men are called “Hercules”. Boris Valeggio
The Golden Fleece The Golden Fleece is called gold, the wealth that J. F. Detrois strives to master
Two-faced Janus We have long forgotten the virtues of the god Janus. When we call someone “two-faced Janus,” we want to say: an insincere, two-faced person. Illustration from the Internet
Lukullov feast So we say, struck by the abundance and sophistication of the table, the variety of dishes, the luxury of the meal. Illustration from the internet
Between Scylla and Charybdis “To be between Scylla and Charybdis” means a hopeless situation when certain death threatens from two sides at once. Illustration from the internet
Throwing thunder and lightning In the future, this expression became figurative and means now (as well as "throwing peruns"): to rage, rage, and smash someone (usually the weakest). Boris Valeggio (fragment of the picture)
Olympic calmness (greatness) We have “Olympic calmness” or “greatness” - equanimous, ultimate, like the ancient god. Illustration from the internet
Panic fear (horror) We still remember Pan: we are talking about panic, we use the words "alarmist", "panic." M. Vrubel
Prometheus fire We say: “The torment of Prometheus”, desiring to describe the endless suffering; we are talking about prometheus fire when we want to characterize the spirit of nobility, courage and talent. J.Kossiris
Penelope's fabric We call the work of Penelope any infinitely lasting work, the results of which are destroyed as it moves forward. “Penelope's Cloth” means clever cunning, and the very name “Penelope” has become a symbol of the wife’s loyalty to her absent husband. John William Waterhouse
Cornucopia This one - that horn, having become a symbol of an inexhaustible source of treasures, was called the cornucopia. The expression "as from a cornucopia" means: with extraordinary generosity, in huge numbers. Vladimir Kush
Sisyphus labor The punishment of Sisyphus was scary not so much difficulty as the meaninglessness of his work. Titian
Tantalum flour. Tantalum flour people call the suffering caused by the proximity of something absolutely necessary, desired, which is nearby, at hand, and yet inaccessible. Bernard Pécar
The apple of discord The memory of this is the expression "apple of discord", meaning any cause of controversy and strife. They also sometimes say "the apple of Eris," the "apple of Paris." Often you can hear the words "throw an apple of discord between several people." Alexey Golovin
Pandora's box Remembering this, we now call the "Pandora's box" all that which, if negligent, can serve as a source of grief and calamity. Boris Valeggio
