words╱phrases from greek mythology

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1、WORDS/PHRASESFROMGREEKMYTHOLOGYCOMMONLYUSEDINENGLISH1.ACHILLES’HEELMeaning:Theweaknessofanindividualwhichleadstohisdownfall.GreekMyth:AchilleswasaGreekwarriorwholaterbecametheherooftheTrojanWar.Whenhewasaninfant,itwasprophesizedthathewoulddieyoung.HismotherThetiswhowasaNereid(seagoddess)didn

2、otdesirethisandhenceshedippedhimintotheriverStyx.TheStyxhadpowersbywhichanypartofthebodythatmadecontactwiththeriverbecameinvincible.However,shehadheldhimbytheheelwhendippinghim,thusleavingavulnerablearea.Hewouldlaterdie,asprophesized,byapoisonedarrowtohisheel.“Hisloveforfastfoodisonedaygoing

3、toprovetobehisachilles’heel.”2.CAUGHTBETWEENSCYLLA&CHARYBDIS Meaning:Adifficultchoicewhereeitherdecisioncouldendindisaster;morefamiliaras‘betweenthedevilandthedeepbluesea’.GreekMyth:TheheroOdysseusspentnineyearsreturninghomeaftertheTrojanWar.Alonghisvoyagebysea,hecameuponScyllaandCharybdis.S

4、cyllawasanenormousseamonsterwithnumeroushandsandsixdogheadssproutingfromherbody;sheatemenalive.Charybdiswasatremendouswhirlpoolthatdigestedshipswhole.Sincetheonlywaytogethomewastochooseeitherroute,Odysseushadtodecideononehorrorortheother.HechoseScylla,losingsixcrewmentoScylla'shunger. “IfIdo

5、mymathematicshomework,Iwon’thavetimetostudyfortheHistorytesttomorrow,andbothteachersaresostrict!I’mcaughtbetweenScyllaandCharybdis!3.DOGASMAN’SBESTFRIENDORFAITHFULCOMPANIONMeaning:Self-explanatory  GreekMyth:WhenOdysseusreturnedhomeindisguiseaftermanyyears,onlyhisfaithfuldogwhohadpatientlyaw

6、aitedhisreturnrecognizedhim.Hisfamilydidnotrecognizehim.Evenonitsdeathbed,thedogmanagedtolookupatitsmasterandwagitstailinappreciation.©RatnaSagarP.Ltd.5“Hewon’tdosomethingsocrueltoher;he’sasfaithfulasadog.” 4.ELYSIUMFIELDSMeaning:Paradise  GreekMyth:TheGreeksdidnotbelieveinaheavenandhell;ins

7、tead,theexceptionallygoodpeopleweresenttoElysium,alsoknownasthe‘IsleoftheBlessed’.ThiswasequivalenttoChristianity’sparadise.“Thepartywasonabeautifulbeach,withwonderfulfoodanddrinks;IthoughtIhadstumbledupontheElysiumfields!”5.THEFACETHATLAUNCHEDATHO