Allusions 15-30

deux ex machina origin

"God from the machine" originates in classical greek theater

bread and circuses

A Roman bribery method of coping with class difference. Entertainment and food was offered to keep plebeians quiet without actually solving unemployment problems.

Svengali origin

Book Tribly by George du Maurier about a singing master

left handed compliment

Despite being a compliment, it is insulting or rude in some way

fiddle while rome burns origin

During the reign of the Roman emperor Nero, a fire consumed half of Rome. Legend has it that Nero showed complete indifference, playing his violin, or fiddle, during the emergency. Thus, Nero showed his complete disregard for the hardship suffered by the people he governed.

emporer's new clothes origin

Hans Christian Anderson story: two tailors who promised to make the emporer a beautiful new set of clothes

Icarus/Fly too Close to the Sun origin

In Greek mythology, Icarus and his father, Daedalus, escaped from the island of Crete, by means of wings constructed by Daedalus. The wings were held on by means of wax, and although Daedalus had warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, Icarus did not heed the warning; the wax melted, and he fell to his death in the Aegean Sea.

tantalus origin

In Greek mythology, Tantalus was a king who offended the gods and was condemned to suffer eternal hunger and thirst in Hades. He stood in water up to his chin, but when he bent to drink the waters receded. Beautiful, ripe fruit hung overhead, but each time he reached for a piece, the wind blew the boughs out of his reach.

golden calf origin

In the Book of Exodus, Moses is leading his people out of Egypt to the Promised Land. While Moses is up on Mt. Sinai receiving the ten commandments from God, the people melt down their jewelry and ornaments and make a calf out of the gold, and they begin to worship this calf. Moses is angered when he returns to see the people worshipping an idol, and he breaks the stone tablets on which the commandments were written.

Waterloo definition

To meet one's Waterloo is to suffer an ultimate, decisive defeat.

bread and circuses origin

Used by writer in Roman Empire, the imperial government distributed free food and provided entertainment in the Colesseum.

Svengali definition

a person who excercises excessive control or influence over another person

NIMBY (not in my backyard)

acronym. idea that while people may be aware of the necessity for things such as prisons, landfils, etc, they insist that these places must be located away from them

golden calf

an object(especially a material object) that is worshipped even though it is not worthy of worship

deux ex machina

an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel. Often considered to be an unsatisfying and overly convenient way to end a story

left handed compliment origin

associated with something negative

sword of damocles definition

awareness of impending or imminent danger

waterloo origin

battle of waterloo. final battle of the Napolean wars where he was finally defeated

tabula rasa definition

blank slate. unmarked or unifluenced

sword of damocles origin

greek myth and legend

white elephant origin

idiom. king of siam(thailand)

non seauitur origin

latin term for "it does not follow"

Tabula Rasa origin

latin; philosopher John Locke refers to the mind of a young person unaffected by experience as tabula rasa

white elephant definition

object that has no use to its owner and may represent a financial burden or unnecessary inconvenience

non seauitur definition

refers to a statement that is unrelatate dto what has been said before. a conclusion that does not logically follow the premise.

tantalus definition

to be offered something desirable which is then withheld

Fiddle While Rome Burns

to display indifference in the midst of an emergency or disaster

Icarus/Fly too Close to the Sun

to fail or be destroyed because of lack of caution or excessive ambition

emporers new clothes definition

use in the context of someone pointing out the falseness or pretentiousness of something, especially when others are afraid to admit the truth