Phraseologisms of mythical origin. Phraseologisms

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 have no idea what these combinations originally meant and where they came from in our speech.

This work is devoted to the meaning and history of phraseological units borrowed from ancient Greek mythology

Download:

Preview:

https://accounts.google.com

Slides captions:

Preview:

To use the preview of presentations, create a Google account (account) and sign in: https://accounts.google.com

Slides captions:

Myths of Ancient Greece as a source of phraseological units Author: Kalugin Danila, student of grade 6 A, MBOU "Kireevskaya gymnasium" Sixth regional scientific and 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 have no idea what these combinations originally meant and where they came from in our speech. This is my hypothesis. In accordance with the hypothesis, I determined the purpose of this work - to identify phraseological units that have passed into our language from the mythology of Ancient Greece, to study and interpret their origin, and to explain their meaning in modern Russian. To achieve this goal, the following tasks were set: to get acquainted with the concepts of "phraseology" and "phraseology"; find out the main sources of phraseological units; using the "Phraseological Dictionary" to find phraseological units that originated from ancient Greek mythology; determine their lexical meaning; read the myths that have become the source of phraseological units; trace the similarity of the situation or image with the modern meaning and use of phraseological units; find works of painting or graphics 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 is called "Achilles" by anatomists, and the expression "Achilles heel" has long been used to denote a weak, vulnerable place in a person. Carlo Albicini

The expression "fly up to Helikon" means: to become a poet, to be carried away by poetry (iron.) To fly up to Helikon Illustration from the Internet

Sword of Damocles The words "Sword of Damocles" remind us of an impending danger that could fall at any second. Richard Westall

Gifts of the Danaans Since ancient times, these words began to sound everywhere as a call to vigilance, to alertness, against flattery, hypocritical gifts and any 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 someone tries to fit some work of art or science, contrary to the meaning, to one or another external requirement, to drive it into an artificial framework. Illustration from the Internet

Augean stables The expression "Augean stables" began to apply to everything neglected, polluted to the last limit, and in general to denote a great mess. Illustration from the Internet

Arcadian idyll and Arcadian shepherds "Arkadian idylls" were remembered for a long time, and therefore they began to derisively call "Arkadian shepherdesses" carefree people leading a carefree existence in the bosom of nature. Boris Olshansky

Barrel of Danaid And we call "barrel of Danaid" any aimless, endless work. John William Waterhouse

Age of Astrea Later, this expression began to characterize every happy streak of life, a time of joy. Salvator Rosa

Labors of Hercules Is it any wonder if after that for millennia people call any work requiring superhuman strength "the labor of Hercules", they talk about "Herculean efforts" and in general the most powerful strongmen are called "Hercules". Boris Valeggio

The Golden Fleece

Two-faced Janus We have long forgotten about the virtues of the god Janus. When we call someone "two-faced Janus", we mean: insincere, two-faced person. Illustration from the Internet

Lucullus feast So we say, amazed at the abundance and refinement of the table, the multitude of dishes, the luxury of the meal. Illustration from the Internet

Between Scylla and Charybdis "Being 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 Later, this expression became figurative and now means (as well as “throwing thunderbolts”): to rage, rage, smash someone (usually the weakest). Boris Valeggio (detail)

Olympian calmness (greatness) We have “Olympic calmness” or “greatness” - imperturbable, ultimate, like an ancient god. Illustration from the Internet

Panic fear (horror) We still remember Pan: we talk about panic, we use the words "alarmist", "panic". M. Vrubel

Prometheus fire We say: "The torment of Prometheus", wishing to describe the endless suffering; we talk about Promethean 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 endless work, the results of which are destroyed as it progresses. "Fabric of Penelope" means cunning, and the very name "Penelope" has become a symbol of a wife's fidelity to an absent husband. John William Waterhouse

Cornucopia This is the horn, having become a symbol of an inexhaustible source of treasures, and was nicknamed the cornucopia. The expression "as from a cornucopia" means: with extraordinary generosity, in huge numbers. Vladimir Kush

Sisyphus's labor The punishment of Sisyphus was terrible not so much by the difficulty as by the senselessness of his work. Titian

Tantalum torments People call tantalum torments the suffering caused by the proximity of something extremely necessary, desired, which is nearby, at hand, and yet inaccessible. Bernard Pekar

The apple of discord The expression “apple of discord” remained in memory of this, meaning any cause of disputes and strife. They also sometimes say "the apple of Eris", "the apple of Paris". You can often hear the words "throw an apple of discord between several people." Alexey Golovin

Pandora's box Remembering this, we now call "Pandora's box" everything that can serve as a source of grief and disaster if careless. Boris Valeggio

Description of the presentation on individual slides:

1 slide

Description of the slide:

Phraseological units of ancient Greek origin Teacher of the Russian language and literature Osintseva T.S.

2 slide

Description of the slide:

Phraseologisms are stable combinations of words that are similar in lexical meaning to one word.

3 slide

Description of the slide:

Phraseologisms exist throughout the history of the language. Already from the end of the 18th century, they were explained in special collections and explanatory dictionaries under various names (winged expressions, aphorisms, idioms, proverbs and sayings). Even M. V. Lomonosov, drawing up a plan for a dictionary of the Russian literary language, indicated that it should include “phrases”, “idioms”, “sayings”, that is, turns, expressions. However, the phraseological composition of the Russian language began to be studied relatively recently.

4 slide

Description of the slide:

There are native Russian phraseological units, but there are also borrowed ones, including phraseological units that came into the Russian language from ancient Greek mythology.

5 slide

Description of the slide:

Tantalum torment - unbearable torment from the consciousness of the proximity of the desired goal and the impossibility of achieving it. (An analogue of the Russian proverb: “The elbow is close, but you won’t bite”). Tantalus is a hero, the son of Zeus and Pluto, who reigned in the region of Mount Sipila in southern Phrygia (Asia Minor) and was famous for his wealth.

6 slide

Description of the slide:

According to another version, he distributed nectar and ambrosia stolen at a feast from the gods to his loved ones. There are several versions of the myth. According to one version, Tantalus was married to the daughter of the god of the gold-bearing river Paktol. Taking advantage of the favor of the Olympian gods, he was honored to take part in their feasts, but repaid them with ingratitude: he divulged among the people the secrets of the Olympians he had heard. The third version of the myth: in order to test the omniscience of the gods, Tantalus invited them to his place and served them the meat of his murdered son Pelop as a treat. Those, however, immediately understood the plan of Tantalus and resurrected the dead. True, he was left without a spatula, which Demeter ate in absent-mindedness, immersed in sadness over her disappeared daughter Persephone.

7 slide

Description of the slide:

According to Homer, for his crimes, Tantalus was punished in the underworld with eternal torment: standing up to his neck in water, he cannot drink, as the water immediately recedes from his lips; branches weighed down with fruits hang from the trees around it, which rise up as soon as Tantalus stretches out his hand to them.

8 slide

Description of the slide:

The Augean stables are a heavily littered, polluted place, usually a room where everything is lying in disarray. Phraseologism comes from the name of the huge stables of the king of Elis Avgeas, not cleaned for many years. Cleaning them was only possible for the mighty Hercules - the son of Zeus. The hero cleared the Augean stables in one day, directing the waters of two turbulent rivers through them.

9 slide

Description of the slide:

Sisyphean labor is useless, endless hard work, fruitless work. The expression came from the ancient Greek legend of Sisyphus, a famous cunning man who was able to deceive even the gods and constantly came into conflict with them. It was he who managed to chain Thanatos, the god of death, sent to him, and keep him imprisoned for several years, as a result of which people did not die. For his actions, Sisyphus was severely punished in Hades: he had to roll a heavy stone up the mountain, which, reaching the top, inevitably fell down, so that all work had to be started anew. N. Budykin. Sisyphus.

10 slide

Description of the slide:

To sing praises - immoderately, enthusiastically praise, praise someone or something. It arose from the name of dithyrambs - laudatory songs in honor of the god of wine and the vine of Dionysus, sung during processions dedicated to this deity.

11 slide

Description of the slide:

Golden rain - large sums of money. The expression originated from the ancient Greek myth of Zeus. Captivated by the beauty of Danae, the daughter of the Argos king Acrisius, Zeus penetrated her in the form of a golden rain, and from this connection Perseus was later born. Danae, showered with a rain of golden coins, is depicted in the paintings of many artists: Titian, Correggio, Van Dyck, and others. Titian. Danae.

12 slide

Description of the slide:

Throw thunder and lightning - scold someone; speak angrily, irritably, reproaching, denouncing someone or threatening him. It arose from ideas about Zeus, the supreme god of Olympus, who, according to myths, dealt with his enemies and people who were objectionable to him with the help of thunderbolts, terrifying in their power, forged by Hephaestus.

13 slide

Description of the slide:

Ariadne's thread, Ariadne's thread is what helps to find a way out of a predicament. Named after Ariadne, the daughter of the Cretan king Minos, who, according to ancient Greek myth, helped the Athenian king Theseus, after he killed the half-bull-half-human Minotaur, safely get out of the underground labyrinth with a ball of thread. Jean Baptiste Regnault. Ariadne and Theseus.

14 slide

Description of the slide:

Achilles' heel - a weak point, a weak point of something. In Greek mythology, Achilles (Achilles) is one of the strongest and bravest heroes; He is sung in Homer's Iliad. The post-Homeric myth, transmitted by the Roman writer Hyginus, reports that the mother of Achilles, the sea goddess Thetis, in order to make her son's body invulnerable, dipped him into the sacred river Styx; dipping, she held him by the heel, which the water did not touch, so the heel remained the only vulnerable spot of Achilles, where he was mortally wounded by the arrow of Paris. Peter Paul Rubens. Death of Achilles.

15 slide

Description of the slide:

The gifts of the Danaans (Trojan horse) are insidious gifts that bring death to those who receive them. Originated from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danaans, after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, resorted to a trick: they built a huge wooden horse, left it near the walls of Troy, and pretended to swim away from the coast of the Troad. The priest Laocoön, who knew about the tricks of the Danaans, saw this horse and exclaimed: “Whatever it is, I am afraid of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts!” But the Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoon and the prophetess Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, the Danaans, who hid inside the horse, went out, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in their comrades who returned on ships, and thus captured Troy. Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo. Procession of the Trojan horse to Troy.

16 slide

Description of the slide:

Between Scylla and Charybdis - to be between two hostile forces, in a position where danger threatens from both sides. According to the legends of the ancient Greeks, two monsters lived on the coastal rocks on both sides of the Strait of Messina: Scylla and Charybdis, which swallowed sailors. “Scylla, ... barking incessantly, With a piercing screech, like a young puppy’s squeal, The whole neighborhood is announced by a monster ... Past her, not a single sailor could pass unscathed With an easy ship: all her toothy mouths gaping, At once she kidnaps six people from the ship. .. Closely you will see another rock... Terribly the whole sea under that rock disturbs Charybdis, Three times a day absorbing and three times a day spewing Black moisture. Do not dare to approach when it absorbs: Poseidon himself will not deliver from certain death then ... ”(“ Odyssey ” by Homer). Johann Heinrich Fussli. Odysseus in front of Scylla and Charybdis.

1. Augean stables - a heavily littered, polluted or cluttered room.
In Greek mythology, the Augean Stables are the vast stables of Augius, king of Elis, which have not been cleaned for many years. They were cleansed in one day by Hercules: he sent a river through the stables, the waters of which carried away all the manure.

2. Ariadne's thread is what helps to find a way out of a predicament.
The expression originated from the Greek myths about the hero Theseus, who killed the Minotaur. 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 devoured by the Minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth built for him, from which no one could get out. To accomplish a dangerous feat, Theseus was helped 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 boys and girls doomed to be torn to pieces were taken to the labyrinth, Theseus tied the end of the thread at the entrance and went along the intricate passages, gradually unwinding the ball. After killing the Minotaur, Theseus found his way back from the labyrinth by a thread 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 is sung in the Iliad by Homer. The mother of Achilles, the sea goddess Thetis, in order to make her son's body invulnerable, dipped him into the sacred river Styx. While dipping, she held him by the heel, which the water did not touch, 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 a looming, threatening danger.
The expression arose from the ancient Greek tradition, told by Cicero in the essay “Tusculan Conversations”. Damocles, one of the associates of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder, began to enviously speak of him as the happiest of people. Dionysius, in order to teach the envious man a lesson, put him in his place. During the feast, Damocles saw that a sharp sword was hanging on a horsehair over his head. Dionysius explained that this is an emblem of the dangers to which he, as a ruler, is constantly exposed, despite his seemingly happy life.

5. Gifts of the Danes. - "insidious" gifts that bring death to those who receive them.
The Trojan horse is a secret insidious plan (hence the Trojan virus (Trojan)).
The expressions originated from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danaans (Greeks), after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, resorted to a trick: they built a huge wooden horse, left it at the walls of Troy, and pretended to swim away from the coast of the Troad. The priest Laocoön, seeing this horse and knowing the tricks of the Danaans, exclaimed: “Whatever it is, I am afraid of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts! ” But the Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoön and the prophetess Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, the Danaans, who hid inside the horse, went out, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in their comrades who returned on ships, and thus captured Troy.

1. a heavily littered, polluted place, usually a room where everything is lying in disarray;

2. something that is in an extremely neglected state, in disarray, etc. Usually about some organization, about a complete mess in the conduct of business.

· · ·

From the name of the huge canyons of the king of Elis Avgei, not cleaned for many years. Cleaning them was only possible for the mighty - the son. The hero cleared the Augean stables in one day, directing the waters of two turbulent rivers through them.

a firm determination to be irreconcilable towards someone or something, to fight someone or something to the end.

· · ·

On behalf of the Corthaginian commander Annibal (or Hannibal, 247-183 BC), who, according to legend, as a boy swore to be an implacable enemy of Rome all his life. Annibal kept his oath: during the Second Punic War (218-210 BC), the troops under his command inflicted a number of heavy defeats on the troops of Rome.

a happy serene life, a peaceful, unclouded existence.

· · ·

From the name of Arcadia - the central mountainous part of the Peloponnese, whose population in ancient times was engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture, and which in the classical literature of the 17th-18th centuries. portrayed as a happy country where people live serene, carefree lives.

subtle, elegant wit, elegant joke; mockery.

· · ·

By the name of the ancient Greek region of Attica, which was the center of the mental and spiritual life of that time and became famous for its rich and subtle culture.

extreme limit, limit of something, extreme in something.

· · ·

Originally - the name of two rocks on the shores of Europe and Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar, according to ancient legend, erected on the border of the world.

intractable, complicated matter, task, some kind of difficulty. Also Cut (cut) the Gordian knot– resolve a complex, confusing issue boldly, decisively and immediately.

· · ·

From the name of a complex, tangled knot tied, according to one of the legends, by the Phrygian king Gordius, which no one was able to untie. According to the oracle, the one who managed to unravel this knot was to become the ruler of all Asia. The legend, told by ancient Greek writers, tells that only Alexander the Great managed to do this - he cut the knot in half with a sword.

a constant threat to someone, a nuisance.

· · ·

The expression arose from the ancient Greek legend about the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder (432-367 BC), who, in order to teach a lesson to one of his confidants, Damocles, who envied his position, put him in his place during the feast, hanging over his head Damocles sharp sword on a horsehair as a symbol of the dangers that inevitably threaten the tyrant. Damocles realized how little happy he is who is under eternal fear.

1. two-faced person; 2. a case that has two opposite sides.

· · ·

In ancient Roman mythology, Janus is the god of time, as well as of every beginning and end, the god of change, movement. He was depicted with two faces, young and old, which were turned in different directions: young - forward, into the future, old - back, into the past.

a complex, intractable task that requires a subtle approach, a fair amount of intelligence and competence.

· · ·

It arose from a myth that tells how the gods sent a terrible monster to Thebes as punishment for the misconduct of one of the rulers of the city - which was located on a mountain near Thebes (or in the city square) and asked everyone who passed by the question: “Which of the living creatures in the morning walks on four legs, during the day - not two, but in the evening on three? Unable to give a clue, the Sphinx killed and thus killed many noble Thebans, including the son of King Creon. Oedipus solved the riddle, only he managed to guess that it was a man; The Sphinx threw herself into the abyss in despair and fell to her death.

large sums of money.

· · ·

The expression originated from the ancient Greek myth about. Captivated by the beauty of the daughter of the Argos king Acrisius, Zeus penetrated her in the form of a golden rain, and from this connection Perseus was born in the future. Danae, showered with a rain of golden coins, is depicted in the paintings of many artists: Titian, Correggio, Van Dyck, etc. Hence the expressions “golden rain is pouring”, “golden rain is pouring”.

be forgotten, disappear without a trace and forever.

· · ·

From the name Lethe - the river of oblivion in the underworld; from it the souls of the dead drank water and forgot their whole past life.

one experiences a feeling of intense envy for one's success.

· · ·

The words of the ancient Greek commander Themistocles: “The Lavra of Miltiades do not let me sleep,” said by him after the brilliant victory of Miltiades over the troops of the Persian king Darius in 490 BC.

scold someone; speak angrily, irritably, reproaching, denouncing someone or threatening him.

· · ·

It arose from ideas about the supreme god, who, according to myths, dealt with his enemies and people who were objectionable to him with the help of forged lightning, terrifying in their power.

in a position where danger threatens from two sides (to be, to be, to be, etc.). Synonyms: between a hammer and an anvil, between two fires.

· · ·

From the name of two mythical monsters, and who lived on both sides of the narrow Strait of Messina and killed everyone passing by.

that helps to find a way out of a predicament.

first place among others due to superiority over all others.

· · ·

From the ancient Greek custom of rewarding the winner of a competition with a palm branch or wreath.

to rave about, to rave about, to praise someone or something.

· · ·

It arose from the name of dithyrambs - laudatory songs in honor of the god of wine and vine, sung during processions dedicated to this deity.

something that is a measure for something, to which something is forcibly adjusted or adapted.

· · ·

Initially, it was a bed on which, according to ancient Greek myth, the robber Polypemon, nicknamed Procrustes (“stretching”), laid the travelers he captured and stretched out the legs of those for whom this bed was large, or cut off the legs of those for whom it was small.

As if from a cornucopia - in huge quantities, inexhaustible.

· · ·

In ancient Greek mythology - the wonderful horn of the goat Amalthea, who nursed the baby with her milk. According to one of the legends, when one day a goat accidentally broke off its horn, the Thunderer gave this horn a miraculous ability to be filled with whatever its owner wishes. Therefore, the horn of Amalthea became a symbol of wealth and abundance.

To the question Give examples (5) of phraseological units from the myths of ancient Greece and their meaning. given by the author Yoonya Sachenko the best answer is you can do this:
1. Augean stables - a heavily littered, polluted or cluttered room.
In Greek mythology, the Augean Stables are the vast stables of Augius, king of Elis, which have not been cleaned for many years. They were cleansed in one day by Hercules: he sent a river through the stables, the waters of which carried away all the manure.
2. Ariadne's thread is what helps to find a way out of a predicament.
The expression originated from the Greek myths about the hero Theseus, who killed the Minotaur. 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 devoured by the Minotaur, who lived in a labyrinth built for him, from which no one could get out. To accomplish a dangerous feat, Theseus was helped 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 boys and girls doomed to be torn to pieces were taken to the labyrinth, Theseus tied the end of the thread at the entrance and went along the intricate passages, gradually unwinding the ball. After killing the Minotaur, Theseus found his way back from the labyrinth by a thread 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 is sung in the Iliad by Homer. The mother of Achilles, the sea goddess Thetis, in order to make her son's body invulnerable, dipped him into the sacred river Styx. While dipping, she held him by the heel, which the water did not touch, 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 a looming, threatening danger.
The expression arose from the ancient Greek tradition, told by Cicero in the essay “Tusculan Conversations”. Damocles, one of the associates of the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder, began to enviously speak of him as the happiest of people. Dionysius, in order to teach the envious man a lesson, put him in his place. During the feast, Damocles saw that a sharp sword was hanging on a horsehair over his head. Dionysius explained that this is an emblem of the dangers to which he, as a ruler, is constantly exposed, despite his seemingly happy life.
5. Gifts of the Danes. - "insidious" gifts that bring death to those who receive them.
The Trojan horse is a secret insidious plan (hence the Trojan virus (Trojan)).
The expressions originated from Greek legends about the Trojan War. The Danaans (Greeks), after a long and unsuccessful siege of Troy, resorted to a trick: they built a huge wooden horse, left it at the walls of Troy, and pretended to swim away from the coast of the Troad. The priest Laocoön, seeing this horse and knowing the tricks of the Danaans, exclaimed: “Whatever it is, I am afraid of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts! ” But the Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoön and the prophetess Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. At night, the Danaans, who hid inside the horse, went out, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in their comrades who returned on ships, and thus captured Troy.

Answer from 22 answers[guru]

Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: Give examples (5) of phraseological units from the myths of ancient Greece and their meaning.

Answer from vitriol[newbie]
rescued))

Answer from European[newbie]
The apple of discord is the cause of the dispute, enmity The goddess of discord, Eris, rolled a golden apple with the inscription: “To the most beautiful” between the guests at the wedding feast. Among the guests were the goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite, who argued about which of them should get the apple. Their dispute was resolved by Paris, the son of the Trojan king Priam, by awarding the apple to Aphrodite. In gratitude, Aphrodite helped Paris kidnap Helen, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, which caused the Trojan War.
Slide 3
Achilles' heel - a vulnerable spot Achilles' mother, the sea goddess Thetis, in order to make her son's body invulnerable, dipped him into the sacred river Styx. While dipping, she held him by the heel, which the water did not touch, so the heel remained the only vulnerable spot of Achilles, where he was mortally wounded by the arrow of Paris.
Slide 4
Two-faced Janus - two-faced man Janus - the god of every beginning and end, entrances and exits. Depicted with two faces facing in opposite directions: young - forward, into the future, old - back, into the past.
Slide 5
Narcissus is a man who loves only himself Narcissus is a handsome young man, the son of the river god Cephis and the nymph Leiriopa. One day, Narcissus, who had never loved anyone, leaned over the stream and, seeing his face in it, fell in love with himself and died of anguish. His body turned into a flower.
Slide 6
Pygmalion and Galatea - about passionate love without reciprocity The myth of the famous sculptor Pygmalion tells that he openly expressed his contempt for women. Enraged by this, the goddess Aphrodite made him fall in love with a statue of a young girl Galatea, created by him, and doomed him to the torments of unrequited love. Pygmalion's passion was, however, so strong that it breathed life into the statue. Animated Galatea became his wife

Answer from Vika Votinova[newbie]
Class

Answer from philosophical[active]
THX

Answer from Denis Maishev[newbie]
THX

Answer from Oleg L[active]
Phraseologisms of mythical origin and their meaning "Achilles' heel" a weak, vulnerable place in a person "an apple of discord" is the cause of enmity, disputes, disagreements between someone. "Narcissus" - a narcissist; a person who admires himself. - "marital ties". "Cornucopia" - a huge variety, wealth. "Cross the Rubicon" - take an irreversible step, a decisive act, cross the line, the limit. "Sword of Damocles" is used when it comes to constant mortal danger. "tantalum torment "- endure terrible suffering due to the inability to achieve the desired goal of the "Augean stables" - extreme neglect, dirt, disorder. The "Procrustean bed" characterizes a far-fetched standard, under which the facts of deity are forcibly adjusted. Danaid's barrel is an empty, endless work. "Ariadne's thread "Means a pointer, a guiding thread, salvation. "Hercules feat" is a matter that requires great effort. "Cyclopean structure" is used when talking about a huge building nie. "saddle Pegasus" - to become a poet. "Sisyphean labor" is called fruitless, hard, endless work. "Pandora's box" means a source of misfortune, disaster, trouble. "Panacea" - a remedy not only for diseases, but for all problems. homeric laughter - uncontrollable, loud laughter. "Gordian knot" means a complex or intricate matter that is difficult to solve; cut the Gordian knot - solve a complex issue in a radical way. The Gordian knot is also considered a symbol of infinity. "Apples of the Hesperides" is a valuable baggage. "Prometheus fire" is used when it characterizes the spirit of nobility, courage and talent, and "Prometheus of torment" when it comes to suffering in the name of a lofty goal. "The all-seeing eye" is the ability to notice everything, to see, to quickly learn about everything. "Flood" is used when talking about a flood or a drain. "Arcadian idyll" means a harmonious, happy, cloudless life.

Answer from Artyom Korablin[newbie]
uu bpb

Answer from Natalia[newbie]
thanks for the words

Answer from Lyme Tomira[newbie]
Priests of Themis
Judges
In Greek mythology, Themis is the goddess of justice. Depicted as a woman holding scales in one hand and a sword in the other. The blindfold symbolized her impartiality, the arguments of the prosecution and defense were evaluated on the scales, and the guilty were punished with a sword.
panic fear
Sudden, unaccountable fear that grips a person
Pan in mythology is the god of herds and shepherds. Pan is able to instill such fear in a person that he will run headlong wherever his eyes look, without even thinking that the road will lead to inevitable death. -
Achilles' heel
Vulnerable point, weak point
Thetis dipped her son Achilles into the miraculous waves of Styx so that the boy would become invulnerable. However, while bathing, she held her son's body by the heel, from which the heel became the most vulnerable point of Achilles. In the future, it was in the heel that Paris mortally wounded him.
Augean stables
1) A very polluted place, neglected premises
2) Extreme disorder in business
In Greek mythology, these stables are the vast possessions of the king of Elis - Avgeas, which have not been put in order for many years. And Hercules cleansed them in one day, directing the Alpheus River through the stables. This water carried away all the dirt with it.
Flour Tantalum
Suffering from the awareness of the proximity of the desired goal and the impossibility of achieving it
Tantalus is the name of King Sipylus of Phrygia, and also the son of Zeus and Queen Pluto from ancient Greek mythology. So he was a favorite of the gods, and as a result he had access to their advice and feasts, which became a further reason for his punishment. And there are several versions, according to which the gods hated him, and as a result, they forced him to suffer in hell.
Sword of Damocles
Constantly threatening danger
The Usyracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder was a favorite and a saint, his confidant Damocles. But what about the sword? The fact is that Damocles was jealous of his king and it seemed to him that Dionysius had a happy and easy life. But at the same time, Dionysius the Elder always noticed the envy of Damocles and, as a result, decided to show him that in fact it is not so easy to rule the kingdom as it seems at first glance.
At one of the feasts, Dionysius ordered Damocles to be temporarily placed on the throne and rendered all the honors due to a real ruler. Damocles was glad of this. But in the midst of the fun, he noticed a sword hanging over his head. But the sword did not just hang, but hung by a thread and could break at any moment and, accordingly, cause the death of Damocles. With this situation, Dionysius wanted to prove that being a ruler is not as easy as it seems.
Sink into oblivion
Disappear without a trace, the abyss knows where, etc.
In Greek mythology, there was a river of oblivion - Lethe, which flowed in the underworld. When the soul of a dead person tried the water from this source, she forever forgot about earthly life. This phraseological unit from the myths of Ancient Greece means - to disappear without a trace, an abyss who knows where, etc.
pillars of Hercules
The highest, extreme degree of something
The Greeks believed that at the very end of the world, on the shore of an endless empty ocean, above the Strait of Gibraltar, two stone pillars rise (in the old way - pillars); they were approved here during one of his wanderings by the great Hercules as a sign that there is no further way for man.
Thread of Ariadne
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, along with other guys, to be devoured by the Minotaur, the girl fell in love with him. And the Minotaur lived in the Labyrinth, where there were a huge number of transitions. Once entered there, a person would never get back. Ariadne gave Theseus a large ball of thread, which the guy unwound, getting to the monster. After killing the Minotaur, Theseus easily left the room thanks to the threads.

Answer from Nazar Starodubov[newbie]
Augean stables
1. a heavily littered, polluted place, usually a room where everything is lying in disarray;
2. something that is in an extremely neglected state, in disarray, etc. Usually about an organization, about a complete mess in the conduct of business.
· · ·
From the name of the huge canyons of the king of Elis Avgei, not cleaned for many years. Cleaning them was only possible for the mighty Hercules - the son of Zeus. The hero cleared the Augean stables in one day, directing the waters of two turbulent rivers through them.
Annibal's Oath
a firm determination to be irreconcilable towards someone or something, to fight someone or something to the end.
· · ·
On behalf of the Corthaginian commander Annibal (or Hannibal, 247-183 BC), who, according to legend, as a boy swore to be an implacable enemy of Rome all his life. Annibal kept his oath: during the Second Punic War (218-210 BC), the troops under his command inflicted a number of heavy defeats on the troops of Rome.
arcadian idyll
a happy serene life, a peaceful, unclouded existence.
· · ·
From the name of Arcadia - the central mountainous part of the Peloponnese, whose population in ancient times was engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture, and which in the classical literature of the 17th-18th centuries. portrayed as a happy country where people live serene, carefree lives.
Attic salt
subtle, elegant wit, elegant joke; mockery.
· · ·
By the name of the ancient Greek region of Attica, which was the center of the mental and spiritual life of that time and became famous for its rich and subtle culture.
Barrel Danaid
the same as Sisyphean labor - useless, endless labor, fruitless work.
· · ·
In ancient Greek mythology, Danaids - fifty daughters of the Libyan king Danae, forty-nine of whom, as punishment for having killed their husbands on their wedding night on the orders of their father, were forever doomed to pour water into a bottomless barrel in the underworld of Hades.
Fly to Helikon
the same as Saddle Pegasus - to become a poet; feel inspired.
· · ·
From the name of Mount Helikon in Greece, considered by the ancient Greeks to be the habitat of the muses.
Pillars of Hercules
extreme limit, limit of something, extreme in something.
· · ·
Initially - the name of two rocks on the shores of Europe and Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar, according to ancient legend, erected by Hercules on the border of the world.
Gordian knot
intractable, complicated matter, task, some kind of difficulty. Also Cut (cut) the Gordian knot - resolve a complex tangled issue boldly, decisively and immediately.
· · ·
From the name of a complex, tangled knot tied, according to one of the legends, by the Phrygian king Gordius, which no one was able to untie. According to the oracle, the one who managed to unravel this knot was to become the ruler of all Asia. The legend told by ancient Greek writers tells that only Alexander the Great managed to do this - he cut the knot in half with a sword.
Sword of Damocles
a constant threat to someone, a nuisance.
· · ·
The expression arose from the ancient Greek legend about the Syracusan tyrant Dionysius the Elder (432-367 BC), who, in order to teach a lesson to one of his entourage, Damocles, who envied his position, put him in his place during the feast, hanging over his head Damocles sharp sword on a horsehair as a symbol of the dangers that inevitably threaten the tyrant. Damocles realized how little happy he is who is under eternal fear.
Two-faced Janus
1. two-faced person; 2. a case that has two opposite sides.
· · ·
In ancient Roman mythology, Janus is the god of time, as well as of every beginning and end, the god of change, movement. He was depicted with two faces, young and old, which were turned in different directions: young - forward, into the future, old - back, into the past.
Z

Answer from Anastasia Popova[newbie]
Procrustean bedForcibly force something to be done In one of the Greek myths, the robber Procrustes (torturer) is told. He caught passers-by and adjusted them to his bed: if a person was longer, his legs were cut off, if shorter? pulled out.
Sisyphean laborEndless and fruitless workAn ancient Greek myth tells of the cunning and treacherous Corinthian king Sisyphus, who deceived the gods several times in order to prolong his luxurious life on earth.
An angry Zeus awarded him eternal torment in hell for this: Sisyphus had to roll a huge stone up a high mountain, which at the top suddenly broke out of his hands and rolled down. And it all started over...
Apple of contention An object of enmity or a cause of dispute. According to ancient Greek myth, once the goddess of discord, Eris, was not invited to a feast. Holding a grudge, Eris decided to take revenge on the gods. She took a golden apple, on which was written "the most beautiful", and imperceptibly threw it between the goddesses Hera, Aphrodite and Athena. The goddesses argued over which of them should own it. Each considered herself the most beautiful. The son of the Trojan king Paris, who was invited to be a judge, gave the apple to Aphrodite, and in gratitude she helped him kidnap the wife of the Spartan king Helen. Because of this, the Trojan War broke out.
Horn of Plenty With extraordinary generosity, in huge quantities, the ancient Greek myth tells that the cruel god Kronos did not want to have children, because he was afraid that they would take away his power. Therefore, his wife gave birth to Zeus in secret, instructing the nymphs to take care of him, Zeus was fed with the milk of the divine goat Amalthea. Once she, clinging to a tree, broke off her horn. The nymph filled it with fruits and gave it to Zeus. Zeus gave the horn to the nymphs who raised him, promising that whatever they wished would come out of it.
Prometheus fireUnquenchable desire to achieve high goalsOne of the titans, Prometheus, stole fire from the gods and taught people how to use it. Enraged, Zeus ordered Hephaestus to chain the titan to a rock, where an eagle flew every day to peck at the liver of Prometheus. The hero Hercules freed Prometheus.
In the arms of Morpheus Immerse yourself in a dream In ancient Greek mythology, Morpheus is the god of dreams, the son of the god of sleep, Hypnos. Usually he was depicted as a small winged man with closed eyelids and hung with poppy flowers. On behalf of this deity, the name of the drug - morphine - is derived from poppy heads and used for pain relief during operations. Since ancient times, the expression "find yourself in the arms of Morpheus," used with a playful connotation, means to fall asleep.
Hymen's bonds Marriage, bonds of marriage Bonds are fetters, something that binds a person or ties one living being to another. There are a lot of words of this root: “prisoner”, “knot”, “bridle”, “burden”, etc. Thus, we are talking about something like “ligaments” or “chains”, while in Ancient Greece God was called Hymen marriage, patron of weddings.
Sing praises Excessively praise, exalt someone or something It arose from the name of dithyrambs - laudatory songs in honor of the god of wine and the vine Dionysus, sung during processions dedicated to this deity.
Priests of ThemisJudges In Greek mythology, Themis is the goddess of justice. Depicted as a woman holding scales in one hand and a sword in the other. The blindfold symbolized her impartiality, the arguments of the prosecution and defense were evaluated on the scales, and the guilty were punished with a sword.
Panic fear A sudden, unaccountable fear that grips a person Pan in mythology is the god of herds and shepherds. Pan is able to instill such fear in a person that he will run headlong wherever his eyes look, without even thinking that the road will lead to inevitable death. -
Achilles' heel Vulnerable place, weak side Thetis dipped her son Achilles into the miraculous waves of Styx so that the boy would become invulnerable. However, in

Answer from Inna Pupysheva[newbie]
apple of discord - the cause of the quarrel

Answer from Olga Kurochkina[newbie]
Thanks