Greek Mythology and English Words

حسامي · **Publié:** Mar Juin 08, 2010 12:50 am

ATLAS

The term Atlas is used chiefly for a book of maps. The name Atlas is attributed to a mythological character, one of the Titans who tried to overthrow Zeus but failed. The punishment meted out to him for his part in the conspiracy was to hold up the pillars of heaven for the rest of his days. Because he was an immortal god, his days went on forever.

Hercules graciously offered to support the heavens for a while if Atlas would obtain for him the golden apples guarded by the Hesperides. Atlas agreed and felt renewed without the heavens on his shoulders. He then stole the apples from the garden where they grew, returned to Hercules, and offered to take them back home for him. Hercules thought he detected a trick, and so he told Atlas to hold up the heavens while he found a pad for his shoulders. When Atlas took over, Hercules departed with the apples, never to return, leaving Atlas with his burden.

Atlas, after holding up the world for centuries, became faint from weakness. One day Perseus, carrying the head of Medusa, flew by. Atlas, knowing that anyone who looked at Medusa would be turned to stone, begged Perseus to let him look at her. Perseus agreed, Atlas looked, was petrified, and became the Atlas Mountains, which extend for 1,500 miles along the coast of North Africa.

In the sixteenth century, the Flemish cartographer Gerhardus Mercator put a figure of Atlas supporting the world on his shoulders on the title page of his first collection of maps. The idea appealed to other publishers of geography books, who then adopted a similar picture for the title page of their books.

Source: Oxford A New Dictionary of Eponyms

حسامي · **Publié:** Mar Juin 08, 2010 1:27 am

Echo

Echo, daughter of air and earth, at the behest of Zeus, kept up an incessant chatter so that his wife, Hera would not know that he was involved in trysts with the nymphs. This chatter so distracted Hera that she was thwarted in her efforts to prove her husband's infidelities. But one day Hera learned of Echo's stratagem and punished her by depriving her of the power of speech—except to repeat what others said.

As if that weren't bad enough, Echo, despite her handicap, fell hopelessly in love with Narcissus, the handsome son of a river god, who scorned all who loved him. When he spurned Echo's love, she gradually wasted away, hiding from society in caves until only her bones and voice were left. She had lost all her charm and beauty and could speak only when spoken to and only repeat words she heard.

Nemesis, goddess of vengeance, thought of an appropriate punishment for Narcissus. She made him fall in love with his own reflection in the waters of a fountain, and, since such love cannot be consummated, he finally pined away and turned into a flower. Echo might not have known it, but Narcissus had the same feeling of loneliness and despair that she had.

Same source

حسامي · **Publié:** Mar Juin 08, 2010 1:58 am

HYACINTH

A hyacinth is a varicolored fragrant plant with a cluster of flowers. This harbinger of spring takes its name from a legendary handsome Greek youth. But in the beauty of this lovely flower lies a tragic story.

The son of Amyclae, a Spartan king, was a youth named Hyacinthus. One day while Apollo was engaged in a game of throwing with Hyacinthus, Zephyrus, far from the gentle soul he was reputed to be—a soft, warm breeze called a zephyr was named after him—caused a discus tossed by Apollo to strike the lad's head.

Hyacinthus died, and from his blood sprang the flower that bears his name—the hyacinth, a delicate flower with breathtaking spikes of white, pink, yellow, or purple flowers.

Portia · **Inscrit le:** 28 Mars 2007

Peace Be Upon You :

ATLAS

Citer:

The punishment meted out to him for his part in the conspiracy was to hold up the pillars of heaven for the rest of his days

Citer:

In the sixteenth century, the Flemish cartographer Gerhardus Mercator put a figure of Atlas supporting the world on his shoulders

And in the 20th century , they protrayed and put the Cup of World Cup Champion's League As Atlas who is holding up the world on his shoulders

..............

Thanx 4 these information though i don't like the stories of gods and godesses

but there are many things that orginated to some of these stories in spit of their being mythes

...................

حسامي · **Publié:** Mer Juin 09, 2010 5:52 pm

I like this bit about world cup actually I didn't know this information since basketball is my favorite. I see why you can't like Greek mythology; for me it's not a matter of likes or dislikes but kind of curiosity to know about different cultures.

حسامي · **Publié:** Mer Juin 09, 2010 6:04 pm

MNEMONICS
Zeus had many wives, Hera being his number one. But he was also married to Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. Mnemosyne came from a distinguished background, the daughter of heaven and earth. Her godly duty was to protect memory, and through her name has come the word mnemonics, the art of improving one's memory.

حسامي · **Publié:** Jeu Juin 10, 2010 1:24 am

MARATHON
A marathon is any kind of activity that goes on at great length or any test of endurance. In fact, the American language, under the misconception that -thon means endurance or long distance, has acquired many
words simply by attaching that ending. Now there are talkathons, telethons, danceaihons, and walkathons. No one has as yet come up with workathon.

The word marathon, along with its step-sisters, goes back to ancient times. A marathon was not a race; it was the name of a narrow valley in Greece, where in 490 B.C. the Athenians, with a numerically inferior force, overcame and defeated the Persians. The Persians were so penned in that they were unable to use their cavalry, and the Athenians proceeded to slaughter all 6,400 of them. The Greeks lost only 192.

Miltiades, the Athenian general, fearing that the Athenians might surrender to a Persian attack by sea in ignorance of the victory at Marathon, dispatched Pheidippides, his fastest runner, to bring home the news of the victory.

Sometime earlier Pheidippides had run to Sparta and back to seek help against the Persians, and, without sufficient rest, raced some twenty-six miles to Athens and gasped out the news: "Rejoice— we conquer," and fell dead.

When the Olympic games were revived for the first time in 1896, a modern "marathon" was staged, covering 26 miles and 385 yards, to commemorate the famous run from Marathon to Athens. Appropriately, the victor was a Greek.

حسامي · **Publié:** Jeu Juin 10, 2010 1:44 am

MENTOR
A mentor is a guide or trusted friend, a wise and faithful counselor. And that is the way Odysseus considered Mentor, as revealed in Homer's epic poem the Odyssey.
When Odysseus, the hero of the poem, left home to join the besiegers of Troy, he prepared for a long stay. Hence he entrusted his young son to the care of Mentor, an old man, and placed Mentor in charge of the household, including his wife.

حسامي · **Publié:** Ven Juin 11, 2010 1:30 am

MIDAS TOUCH
In modern usage, the Midas touch is a talent at succeeding financially at any project.

Midas was the king of ancient Phrygia. The tutor of Dionysus, Silenus, was brought in drunk to Midas, who recognized him and instead of meting out a punishment, treated him lavishly and took him back to Dionysus. Dionysus was so happy to see Silenus -his tutor- safe so he offered Midas whatever he wished.

The king wished that everything he touched would turn to gold! Dionysus fulfilled the wish. Midas was at first delighted with the results, but his joy turned to horror when he realized that even his food and drink were also being transformed to that metal! He finally prayed to lose his gift and was told by the god to wash in the River Pactolus, the sands of which were thenceforth filled with gold dust.

حسامي · **Publié:** Ven Juin 11, 2010 1:46 am

PSYCHE
Many name-words have been derived from the Greek Psyche, meaning "breath," hence life or the soul itself. Its derivatives range from psychiatrist to psychedelic to psychoanalysis to psychology.

Psyche, the youngest of three daughters of a certain king, was so beautiful that people stopped worshiping Venus and turned their adoration to this young girl. Venus was so enraged that she ordered her son, Cupid, to make Psyche fall in love with the ugliest creature he could find. But when Cupid saw her, he fell in love with her himself. He then transported Psyche to a fairy palace, visiting her nightly but departing at sunrise.

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