601 Words Lessons 6-10 Flashcards
(75 cards)
Adonis
An exceptionally handsome young man; a plant with solitary red or yellow flowers. This man was beloved by both Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and Persephone, the queen of the dead. He was killed by a boar in a hunting expedition and from his life’s blood sprang up a crimson flower.
Aegis
Sponsorship, protection. In Greek mythology the this was the shield of Zeus, lent to him by Athena.
Bacchanal
A follower of Bacchus, the god of wine; a drunken reveler; an orgy. Early Greek drama developed in connection with the festival honoring this god.
Cassandra
A daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy who had the gift of prophecy but was cursed by Apollo so that her prophecies, though true, we’re fated never to be believed; one who prophesies doom or disaster. The Trojans thought she was insane and disregarded her predictions. Among these were the relegation that Troy would be destroyed if Paris went to Sparta, and that there were armed Greeks in the Wooden Horse. If either of these prophecies had been heeded, Troy would’ve been saved.
Cornucopia
Abundance; horn of plenty. Named after the horn of the goat Amalthea that suckled the infant Zeus, the horn is always full of food and drink in endless supply.
Cupidity
Excessive desire for wealth.
Erotic
Concerning sexual love and desire; amatory.
Herculean
Tremendously difficult and demanding; resembling Hercules is size, power, or courage. Hercules was the son of Zeus and Alcmene who won immortality by performing Twelve Labors demanded by the jealous Hera.
Hydra
The nine-headed serpent slain by Hercules; a persistent or many-sided problem that presents new problems as soon as olds ones are solved. This serpent had to be slain by Hercules as one of his Twelve Labors. This monster grew two heads for each one cut off. Hercules finally destroyed this monster by cauterizing the necks as he cut off the heads.
Iridescent
Displaying lustrous colors like those of the rainbow. Iris was a messenger of the gods and regarded as the goddess of the rainbow.
Narcissism
Excessive admiration of oneself; egocentrism. Narcissus was a youth who, having spurned the love of Echo, fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool, and after wasting away from unsatisfied desire was transformed into the flower that bears his name. The plant, incidentally has narcotic effects (from the Greek word narke, “numbness”).
Odyssey
A long series of wanderings, especially when filled with notable experiences or hardships. The Odyssey called “ the greatest tale of all time” is the second epic of Homer. It recounts the wanderings and adventures of Odysseus after the fall of Troy, and his eventual return home to is faithful wife Penelope.
Olympian
Pertaining to the twelve gods of the Ancient Greek pantheon whose abode was Mt. Olympus; majestic; incomparably superior; pertaining to the Olympic Games. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, is located in northern Greece (Macedonia). It is sometimes used synonymously with “Heaven” or “ the Sky”.
Palladium
Anything believed to provide protection or safety; a safeguard or guarantee of integrity of social institutions.
Phoenix
A person or thing of peerless beauty or excellence; a person or thing that has become renewed or restored after suffering calamity or apparent annihilation.
Aberrant
Deviating from what is normal or typical. It comes from the Latin word abberrare “to go astray”.
Anthropomorphism
Attributing human shape to gods, objects, and animals.
Archetype
Model, original pattern; prototype.
Authoritarian
Characterized by unquestioning obedience to authority. An authoritarian figure is one who rejects individual freedom of judgement and action.
Catharsis
The relieving of emotions by art; the alleviation of fears by bringing them to consciousness. This Greek word has played an important role in theater, as well as as in psychiatry.
Demography
The science of vital statistics, as of births, deaths, population, etc.
Epidemiology
The branch of medicine that investigates the causes and controls of epidemics. This word is composed of of two Greek roots meaning “among the people”.
Euthanasia
Method of causing death painlessly; mercy killing. In Greek, it means “happy death”.
Extrovert
A person who is active an expressive; a person who is outgoing. The opposite is introvert.
