Adonis: a very handsome young man
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from Adonis, a handsome youth loved by Aphrodite, goddess of love
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aegis: shield or protection; auspices; sponsorship
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from aegis, the protective shield of Zeus
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amazon: tall, strong, woman
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from the Amazons, a mythological race of women warriors
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ambrosial: exceptionally pleasing to taste or smell;
extremely delicious; excellent
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from ambrosia, food of the gods
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atlas: book of maps
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from Atlas, a ginant who supported the heavens on his shoulders. The figure
of Atlas supporting the world was prefaced to early map collections.
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auroral: pertaining to or resembling the dawn; rosy
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from Aurora, goddess of the dawn
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bacchanalia: jovial or
wild drunken party
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from Bacchus, the god of wine
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chimerical: fantastic;
unreal; impossible; absurd
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from the chimera, a fire-breathing monster with a lion's head, goat's body,
and serpent's tail
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Draconian: cruel; harsh; severe
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from Dracon an Athenian lawmaker who drew up a harsh code of laws
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Elysian: delightful; blissful;
heavenly
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from Elysium, the mythological paradise where the brave and good live after
death
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hector: bully; intimidate
with threats; bluster
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from Hector, bravest of the Trojans who yelled at and insulted the Greeks
from atop his walls
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herculean: very difficult; requiring the strength
of Hercules
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from Hercules, hero of superhuman strength
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hermetic: airtight Example: Coffee is hermetically
sealed to preserve freshness.
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from Hermes, who was also god of magic
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iridescent: having colors like the rainbow
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from Iris, goddess of the rainbow
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jovial: jolly; merry; good-humored
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from Jove or Jupiter. The planet Jupiter was believed to make persons born
under its influence cheerful or jovial.
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labyrinthine: full of confusing passageways;
maze-like; intricate
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from the Labyrinth, a maze in a Crete mountain that housed the Minotour
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laconic: using words sparingly; terse; concise;
like a streotypical New Englander
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from Lakonikos, meaning "Spartan." The Spartans were known for their
terseness. This is not really a mythic allusion because the Spartans were
real and not fabled.
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lethargic: unnaturally drowsy; sluggish; dull
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from the river Lethe in Hades whose waters, when drunk, caused forgetfulness.
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lethal: deadly
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from the river Lethe in Hades whose waters, when drunk, caused forgetfulness
of the living
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martial: pertaining to war; warlike
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from Mars, god of war
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mentor: a wise and trusted adviser
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from Mentor, to whom Odysseus entrusted the education of his son
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mercurial: quick; vivacious; active; lively
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from Mercury, the speedy messenger of the gods
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myrmidon: obedient and unquestioning follower
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from the Myrmidons, a martial tribe who accompanied Achilles to the Trojan
War
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nemesis: a source of harm or failure; an unconquerable
opponent
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from Nemesis, goddess of vengeance
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odyssey: a long series of wanderings or travels
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from Odysseus who wandered for ten years on his way home from the Trojan
War
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paean: a song or hymn of praise
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a paean was a hymn in praise of Apollo, the god of deliverance
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palladium: safeguard or protection
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from Palladium, the statue of Pallas Athena, which was thought to protect
the city of Troy
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panic: unreasoning, sudden fright that grips a multitude
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from Pan, a god believed to cause fear
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philippic: a bitter denunciation; a long, harsh
verbal attack
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from the Philippics, speechesmade by Demosthenes denouncing King Philip
of Macedonia. This is not considered a mythic allusion because Demosthenes
actually existed.
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plutocracy: a society ruled by the wealthy
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from Pluto, Roman god of wealth
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procrustean: cruel or inflexible in enforcing
conformity. Example: In Alice in Wonderland, the Red Queen's procrustean
order was "Off with their heads!" to every offense.
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from Procrustes, a robber who made his victims fit the length of his bed,
either stretching them if they were too short, or cutting off their legs
if they were too tall
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protean: readily changing into different shapes
or styles. Example: Kevin Spacey acting ability is protean. Every time
I see him in a film he seems to have a completely different personality.
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from Proteus, a sea god who could readily change his shape to elude capture
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Pyrrhic: ruinous; gained at too great a cost. Example:
Model Ingrid Svenson was a Pyrrhic success at thirteen, because the damage
she did to her body to achieve her figure ruined her health and she died
at nineteen.
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from Pyrrhus, who suffered enormous losses in a victory over the Romans
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saturnine: heavy; dull; gloomy; morose; sad; solemn
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from Saturn, father of Jupiter, whose name is associated ay alchemists
with lead
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siren: a dangerous, attractive woman or a woman
who sings sweetly
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from the Sirens, creatures half woman and half bird, whose sweet singing
lured sailors to destruction on the rocks
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solon: a legislator; a wise law giver
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from Solon, a noted Athenian lawgiver. This is not considered a mythic
allusion because Solon actually existed.
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stentorian: very loud. Example: Mr. Trevenen's
lessons are stentorian.
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from Stentor, a legendary herald whose voice was as loud as fifty voices
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Stygian: infernal; dark; gloomy; hellishly dark
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from Styx, a river of the lower world leading into Hades
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tantalize: to excite a hope but prevent its fulfillment;
tease
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from Tantalus, who was kept hungry and thirsty in the lower world with
food and water very near but just beyond his reach
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terpsichorean: pertaining to dancing
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from Terpsichore, the muse of dancing
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thespian: pertaining to the drama or acting
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from Thespis, reputed father of Greek drama. This is not considered a mythic
allusion because Thespis actually existed.
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titanic: of enormous strength or size or power
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from the Titans, lawless, powerful giants defeated by Zeus
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