Have you ever heard the phrase “a Procrustean bed”? According to the definition in my trusty Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, it is “a scheme or pattern into which someone or something is arbitrarily forced.” This phrase was inspired by the legend of Procrustes.
Procrustes is a character from Greek mythology. The story goes that the old [...]
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mything words
In ancient Rome, a man’s spirit or his creative source was referred to as a genius.
Women had their own version of a genius. It was called a “juno”. Now, you may already recognize this name, since Juno was an important Roman goddess.
Incidentally for all of us who want to know our Latin, the plural of [...]
If you are familiar with Arthurian legend, then you may have heard references to a mythical place called Avalon in the stories of King Arthur and his knights.
Avalon is a term for the Otherworld in Celtic mythology. It is also known by other, more poetic phrases, including “The Summer Land” and the “Land of the [...]
In Homer’s Odyssey, Lotus Eaters, or lotophagi, were mythical people who forgot their former lives when they consumed the lotus.
Here’s a taste about the Lotus Eaters from the relevant passage in the Odyssey:
“Upon the tenth
we came to the coastline of the Lotus Eaters,
who live upon that flower. We landed there
to take on water. All ship’s [...]
In Greek mythology, the aegis was a type of shield or breastplate. The aegis was associated primarily with two gods - Zeus and Athena. Zeus had a goatskin aegis, while Athena adorned the aegis with the head of a Gorgon.
According to the Iliad of Homer, the aegis was made by Hephaistos. Here is the relevant [...]
So, what exactly is a caduceus? So good that you asked! It is basically a staff decorated with two entwined serpents. I’m guessing you have seen a contemporary version of the caduceus at some point. Say, in a doctor’s office.
This strange symbol originated long ago, and yes, there is a connection to myth. Indeed, the [...]
Ah, the Halcyon Days. Days of tranquility and contentment. You’ve heard of this phrase, haven’t you? Well, it has its origins in (surprise!) Greek mythology. And since it is a lovely Spring day here, I was inspired to discuss the myth behind this expression. I adore Ovid*, so I thought that I would share his [...]
Ah, the market. In parts of the Middle East, they call it a bazaar or possibly, in some areas, a souq. However, in ancient Greece, the marketplace was referred as an agora.
The agora was more than an area for commerce in the ancient cities of Greece. It was a place to gather, to speak, [...]
It is easy to see the influence of a goddess from Greek myth in the word aphrodisiac. And yes, if that goddess was Aphrodite, then congratulations.
The standard dictionary definition of this word is something along the lines of “exciting desire”.
This time of year, just before Valentine’s Day, it is worth noting that foods, flowers, even [...]
Since we explored a statue of the Greek god of love yesterday, I thought it would be interesting to look at something related today. Indeed, the influence of a powerful personification from mythology is evident in this word. Of course you recognize the name Eros in the word erotic.