Mr. Nicholas English 4 and AP Literature- Myths and Allusions 1-5 and Vocabulary #1-50

Interminable

adj- Infinite; unending; seeming never to end

Luminous

adj- emitting light, lighted, clear, intelligable

Diaphanous

adj- of so fine a texture as to be transparent

Abomination

noun- something abominable, disgust, loathing

Somnambulist

noun- a person performing somnambulism, somnambulism: noun- a performance of motor acts (ie. walking) during sleep

Placid

adj- undisturbed, peaceful Synonyms: serene, tranquil

Lugubrious

adj- mournful, often to an exaggerated degree

Phrenology

noun- the study of the conformation of the skull based on the belief that it indicates mental faculties and character traits

Congenial

adj- kindred, sympathetic 2. suited to ones taste or nature

prevaricator

noun- a person who prevaricates Prevaricate: verb- to act in collusion 2: to deviate from the truth 3: to straddle

Rapacity

adj- excessively greedy or covetous 2: living on prey 3: ravenous

Trenchant

adj- vigorously effective 2: sharply perceptive

Philanthropic

adj- a goodwill toward all people 2: charitable act or gift

Pretense

noun- one not supported by fact 2: mere display

Sepulcher

adj- burial vault, tomb

Supercilious

adj- haughtily contemptuous

Sordid

adj- marked by baseness or grossness 2: dirty, squalid

Insolence

noun- contemptuous or rude, disrespectful, or bold in behaviour or language

Inextricable

adj- forming a maze, or tangle, in which it is impossible to get free

Ponderous

adj- of very great weight 2: unwieldly (pertaining to a weapon) 3: oppressively dull (pertaining to a speech)

Theseus, the Labyrinth, and the Minotaur

Theseus is the classical hero of the city of Athens who is captured by Minos' fleet of slave ships and brought back to Crete and cast into the Labyrinth, where the Minotaur, half-man and half-bull, resides, subsisting on the lives of the Athenian youth offered to him in tribute. Theseus, however, with the help of Ariadne who gives him a magical linen thread, slays the Minotaur and uses the thread to find his way out of the Labyrinth.

Demeter, Persephone, and Hades

Demeter is the god of agriculture and harvest, and Persephone who is the daughter of Demeter, is taken to the underworld by Hades for 1/3rd of the year, which causes winter. When Persephone comes back, the cycle of seasons begins.

Charon, the River Styx, and the River Lethe

The River Styx allows Charon to float dead souls across to the underworld, and Gods occasionally swore by the river, thus making the oath unbreakable. The river Lethe is drank by dead souls to forget what they had done.

Odysseus (Ulysses) and Penelope

Odysseus helped with the fall of Troy by conceiving of the idea of the Trojan Horse, after the fall of Troy, he wandered for 10 years trying to return home, having many adventures along the way. Penelope is the loyal wife to Odysseus during his whole journey.

The Cyclops- Polyphemus

Cyclops were one-eyed giants that had imprisoned Odysseus. Odysseus managed to escape by blinding the Cyclops named Polyphemus.

Antigone

A daughter of King Oedipus, with two fighting brothers, who eventually both died from fighting each other, were left unburied as they were deemed traitors. However, Antigone went against this and buried one of her brothers as she loved him. For this action, she was imprisoned and therefore committed suicide.

Sisyphus

A king in classical mythology who offended Zeus and was punished by Hades by having to roll a boulder up a mountain, that eventually rolled back down once he had pushed the boulder up and would have to start again.

Narcissus Complex

A beautiful youth who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. He was unable to leave the pool and so he wasted away and died.

Adonis

A beautiful boy who was loved by the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite.

Pandora's Box

Zeus gifted Pandora with a box and told her not to open it. Her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the box and she released the evils and miseries of the world.

Prometheus (a titan)

A titan who stole the fire of the GOds and gave it to to humans, Zeus subjected Prometheus to be chained and a great eagle to gnaw at Prometheus' liver. Hercules rescued Prometheus from this condemnation.

Circumvent

verb- to find a way around 2. to avoid

Recrudescence

noun- a renewal or breaking out again especially of something unhealthful or dangerous

Intrepid

adj- characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance

Tumultuous

adj- marked by tumult, 2. tending to make a tumult 3. marked by violent upheaval tumult: noun- violent agitation of mind or feeling

Obstinate

adj- fixed and unyielding (as in opinion or course)

Precarious

adj- dependent on uncertain conditions 2. dangerously uncertain

Odious

adj- arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance

Bereavement

noun- bereaved: adj- suffering the death of a loved one

Perdition

noun- eternal damnation 2. hell

Enigma

noun- to speak in riddles 2 something obscure or hard to understand

Pensive

adj- deamly or sadly thoughtful

Evanescent

adj- tendency to vanish like vapor

Languid

adj- weak, slugging in character or disposition

Dubious

adj- uncertain, questionable or feeling doubt

Innate

adj- existing in 2 belonging to 3 determined by factors present in an individual since birth

Lurid

adj- gruesome also sensational

Alacrity

noun- cheerful readiness 2 briskness

Destitution

noun- lacking something needed or desirable 2 suffering extreme poverty

Haggard

adj- having a worn or emaciated appearance

Jocose (Jocund)

adj- merry 2 humorous jocund: adj- marked by mirth or cheerfulness

Propitiatory

adj- to gain or regain the favor of

Revile

verb- to abuse verbally 2 rail at

Inexorable

adj- not to be persuaded, moved or stopped 2 relentless

Interloper

noun- to encroach on the rights (as intrude) of others 2 intrude, interfere

Ostentatious

adj- pretentious or excessive display

Volubility

noun- fluent and smooth in speech 2 glib

Declivity

noun- a steep downward slope

Culminate

verb- to reach the highest point

Candor

noun- frankness, outspokenness

Achilles heel

Achilles was dipped in to the River Styx as an infant by his mother to make him immortal, but the heel where held him remained vulnerable.

Atlas

In classical mythology, Atlas is a titan famous for his strength. Zeus defeated the titans and he was condemned to support the Earth and sky on his shoulders for eternity.

Mount Olympus

The home of Greek and Roman Gods. The atual mountain in Greece, which is the tallest mountain in the country.

Zeus and hera

Zeus is the chief of Greek and Roman Gods, who defeated the titans and assumed leader of the universe. Hera is the goddess wife of Zeus.

Poseidon

Greek name for Neptune, the Greek and Roman god who ruled the seas.

Artemis (Roman: Diana) and Actaeon

Artemis is the virgin goddess of hunt and the moon, the daughter of Zeus and sister of Apollo. Acteon was a hunter but he saw Artemis bathing and for his punishment she turned him into a deer and was hunted and eaten by his dogs.

Aphrodite

The Greek and Roman Goddess of love and beauty, the mother of Eros and Aeneas. Paris awarded her the apple of discord, choosing her over Hera and Athena as the most beautiful goddess. She was thought to be born out of the foam of the sea and this is often seen rising out of the sea.

Athena

Goddess of wisdom, she had an unusual birth, springing fully grown out of the forehead of her father, Zeus. She had been angered by the Judgment of Paris, a trojan and therefore helped the Greeks in the ensuing Trojan War.

Hades

God of the Underworld, and the ruler of the dead. The underworld was known to the Greek as Hades.

Hermes

The messenger god of classical mythology. He travelled with great swiftness, aided by wings on his sandals and his cap. Hermes was a son of Zeus and father of Pan.

Ares (Roman equivalent: Mars)

God of War, brutal and bloodthirsty. Son of Zeus and Hera, father of Amazons.

Apollo

God of poetry, prophecy, medicine, and light. He represents all aspects of civilization and order wordshipped at the delphe circle, where a priestess gave forth his predictions. Father is Zeus and sister is Artemis. Sometimes identifies with Hyperion, the titan he succeeded.

Amazons

Nation of warriors women, the women burned of cut off their right breasts so they could use a bow more efficiently.

Jason and the Argonauts

Argonauts were the companions of Jason in the quest for the Golden Fleece. The ship was "The Argos" Jason was an heir to a kingdom, but his cousin took the throne, in order to return Jason had to return with the Golden Fleece.

Hercules (The 12 Labors)

Supposed strongest man on earth, renowned for completing the 12 labors of Hercules. Son of Zeus

Orpheus and Eurydice

Orpheus was a great musician, and Eurydice was his wife. His music calmed everything. When his wife died, he went to Hell to get Eurydice back. But to get her back, he must play music for the Gods and that on the way back to Earth, he must not look back at Eurydice, but he caved and looked and her and she vanished. He spent the rest of his life wandering.

Medusa (a Gorgon)

People who looked at her would turn to stone. Perseus killed her, where he aimed her reflection back at her.