Vocab #3

1. Origin - roman - named after Hercules and the 12 tasks/labors he had to do to reach immortality and repent for killing his whole family, such as slaying the Nemean lion, slaying the nine-headed Lernaean Hydra, and capturing and bringing back Cerberus. Hera was mad at Hercules and made him kill his family so Apollo made him do 12 “impossible” tasks.

2. Definition - a hard and noble task, or tasks, that requires a great deal of strength.

herculean task (n)

1. Origin - Comes from the Greek goddess Nemesis. She was the goddess of vengeance and retribution. 

2. Definition - a long-standing rival; an archenemy

nemesis (n)

1. rigin - Sirens’ jobs were to protect sailors from oncoming danger. Sirens were friends of the goddess Persephone, but the sirens failed to protect Persephone from Hades. The sirens were punished by turning into monsters and their song lures sailors to their death instead of saving them. Half bird half woman creature.

2.  Definition - Alluring with negative consequences.

siren/siren’s song (n)

1. Origin - Prometheus stole fire from heaven, and Zeus took vengenus and gave Pandora to Prometheus’s brother Epimetheus. Pandora was married to Epimetheus and was given a box and was told not to open it.  

2. Definition - Something that causes a lot of problems, and they aren’t expected. Domino effect 

Pandora’s box (n)

1. Origin - Roman; Nox was a Roman goddess whose Greek counterpart was Nyx. Nyx was the goddess of the night. She was also known as one of the first goddesses and a primordial. 

2. Definition - done, occurring, or active at night

nocturnal (adj)

1. Origin - Greek; comes from the word “Elysion”, Elysian Fields were where the blessed dead would go. Where the heroes went when they died. Similar to heaven.

2. Definition - relating to something heavenly or similar to paradise; perfect

elysian (adj)

1. Origin -  (Greek) During the Trojan War a giant wooden horse  was used to trick the Trojans into allowing Greek soldiers to enter their city and defeat them 

2. Definition - Something that appears to be harmless or beneficial but is actually harmful or malicious.

Trojan horse (n)

1. Origin - ancient Greek Goddess of memory was Mnemosyne. Her name meant memory or remembrance.

2. Definition - aiding or designed to aid the memory

3. (mnemonic device) - some trick to help you remember something

mnemonic (n)

Origin- Was the name of Odysseus's friend and when Odysseus left for war he put Mentor in charge of his child, Telemachus, and his home. The Mentor that Odysseus left in charge was secretly Athena in disguise 

Definition - An experienced or trusted guide

mentor (n)

Origin -  Sisyphus was a king who would show off his power by killing visitors. This angered the gods and they punished him. He also cheated death twice. He was forced to push a boulder up a hill for eternity, and whenever the boulder got close to the top it would roll back down.

Definition - denoting or relating to a task that can never be completed.

Sisyphean task (n)

1. Than - introducing the second element in a comparison

2. Then - at what time in question

Clue - Then is for When it happened, and Than is for another thing

than/then

1. Lie - to be in a horizontal or prone position

2. Lay - to put something down

3. Clue - When you LAy something you pLAce it, but when you LIe you are recLIning

lie/lay

1. Conscious - the state of being awake or alert

2. Conscience - the awareness to right and wrong; morals

3. Clue -  Conscious is being aware of your surroundings;

Conscience is the science of making moral decisions

conscious/conscience