MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE

centaurs

Creatures in classical mythology who were half-human and half-horse

Ceres

The Roman name for Demeter, the Greek and Roman goddess of agriculture

fauns

The Roman name for satyrs, mythical creatures who were part man and part goat.

Minerva

The Roman name of Athena, the Greek and Roman goddess of wisdom.

Pluto

The Roman name of Hades, the Greek and Roman god of the underworld and ruler of the dead. *The planet Pluto is usually the most distant planet in the solar system

Titans

The gods in classical mythology who ruled the universe until they were overthrown by Zeus. Atlas and Prometheus were Titans. *Any great and powerful person can be called a "titan"

Priam

The king of Troy and father of Hector and Paris. The Greeks killed him at the end of the Trojan War when they sacked the city.

Groundhog Day

February 2. According to the legend of Groundhog Day, if a groundhog (a woodchuck) comes out of his hole on the day and sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter will follow. If no shadow appears, there will be an early spring.

Graces

Greek and Roman goddesses of loveliness and charm. According to most stories, there were three of them. They were supposed to be invited to every banquet.

hobbits

Hairy-footed creatures who inhabit the Middle-Earth created in J.R.R. Tolkien's fiction. Gentle, peace-loving, and only two to four feet tall, hobbits figure prominently in the struggle between the forces of good and evil in "The Lord of the Rings"

Little John

In English legend, one of the Merry Men who followed Robin Hood. He was large and burly. At his first meeting with Robin Hood, he beat Robin in a fight with cudgels.

Iseult (i-SOOHLT)

In English legend, the beloved of Tristan. In German, her name is Isolde.

knights of the Round Table

In English legend, the fellowship of the knights of King Arthur. Among their adventures was the quest for the Holy Grail. The group dispersed after the death of Arthur.

Valhalla

In Norse mythology, a dwelling in Asgard, the Norse heaven, reserved for the souls of those who died heroic deaths.

trolls

In Norse mythology, repulsive dwarfs who lived in caves or other hidden places. They would steal children and property, but hated noise. The troll in the children's story "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," for example, lives under a bridge and is enraged when he hears the goats crossing the bridge.

Odin

In Norse mythology, the solemn ruler of the gods. He was god of wisdom, poetry, farming, and war. *Wednesday is named after Odin, using a form of his name that begins with W.

Romulus and Remus

In Roman legend, twin brothers who were raised by a she-wolf and founded the city of Rome. They came from a city founded by the son of Aeneas. During the construction of Rome, Romulus became incensed at Remus and killed him. The Romans later made Romulus into a god. *Rome is named for Romulus

Psyche

In Roman mythology, a beautiful girl who was visited each night in the dark by Cupid, who told her she must not try to see him. When she did try, while he was asleep, she accidentally dropped oil from her lamp on him, and he awoke and fled. After she had performed many harsh tasks set by Cupid's mother, Venus, Jupiter made her immortal, and she and Cupid were married. Her name is Greek for both "soul" and "butterfly"

Dido (DEYE-doh)

In Roman mythology, the founder and queen of Carthage in north Africa. She committed suicide in grief over the departure of her lover, the hero Aeneas *Dido is an image of the unhappy or unrequited lover.

Damon and Pythias (DAY-muhn; PITH-ee-uhs)

In a Greek legend, two friends who were enormously loyal to each other. When the tyrannical ruler of their city condemned Pythias to death, Pythius pleaded for time to go home and put his affairs in order. Damon agreed to stay and die in place of Pythias if Pythias did not return by the time of the execution. Pythias was delayed, and Damon prepared to be executed. Pythias arrived just in time to save Damon. The ruler was so impressed by their friendship that he let them both live. *Damon and Pythias symbolize devotion between friends

Laocoon (lay-OK-oh-on)

In classical mythology, Laocoon was a priest in Troy during the Trojan War. When the Trojans discovered the Trojan horse outside the gates, Laocoon warned against bringing it into the city, remarking, "I am wary of Greeks even when they are bringing gifts." The god Poseidon, who favored the Greeks, then sent two enormous snakes after Laocoon. The creatures coiled themselves around the pries and his two sons, crushing them to death. Some sources say Athena sent the snakes.

Orpheus and Eurydice

In classical mythology, Orpheus was a great musician, and Eurydice was his wife. The music of Orpheus was so beautiful that it could calm the wildest animal and even make stones rise up and follow. When Eurydice died, Orpheus went to the underworld, played his lyre for Hades, ruler of the dead, and asked that Eurydice be sent back to Earth. The god was so moved that he agreed to let her return, on one condition: that Orpheus go ahead of her and not look back until they had reached the Earth again. Orpheus led Eurydice up, but at the last moment, when he had come out of the underworld and she was about to leave it, he could resist no longer and turned to look at her. She vanished, and he had lost her forever. He spent the rest of his days wandering about, playing his lyre, and singing. In the end, he was torn to pieces by crazed followers of Bacchus, the god of wine.

Scylla and Charybdis

In classical mythology, Scylla was a horrible six-headed monster who lived on a rock on one side of a narrow strait. Charybdis was a whirlpool on the other side. When ships passed close to Scylla's rock in order to avoid Charybdis, she would seize and devour their sailors. Aeneas, Jason, and Odysseus all had to pass between Scylla and Charybdis.

Pan

The Greek god of flocks, forests, meadows, and shepherds. He had the horns and feet of a goat. Pan frolicked about the landscape, playing delightful tunes. *Pan's musical instrument was a set of reed pipes, the "pipes of Pan". *According to legend, Pan was the source of scary noises in the wilderness at night. Fright at these noises was called "panic"

Hymen

The Greek god of the wedding feast

Dionysus (deye-uh-NEYE-suhs)

The Greek name for Bacchus, the Greek and Roman god of wine and revelry

Artemis

The Greek name for Diana, the virgin goddess of the hunt and the moon; the daughter of Zeus and the sister of Apollo. Artemis was also called Cynthia.

Poseidon

The Greek name for Neptune, the god in classical mythology who ruled the sea.

Hephaestus

The Greek name of Vulcan, the Greek and Roman god of fire and metalworking

werewolves

Legendary human beings who are magically transformed into wolves. Werewolves supposedly prowl at night, devouring babies and digging up corpses, and cannot be killed with ordinary weapons. They are particularly associated with the full moon.

Muses

Nine goddesses of classical mythology who presided over learning and the arts. They were especially associated with poetry. Ancient Greek or Roman writers would often begin their poems by asking for the aid of the Muses in their composition. *Writers and artists to this day speak of their "muse", meaning their source of inspiration.

Janus (JAY-nuhs)

The Roman god of doors and gateways and hence of beginnings *Janus was pictured with two faces looking in opposite directions, one young and one old. Consequently, a hypocritical person is often called "Janus-faced" *The month of January is named after Janus

Saturn

The Roman name for one of the Titans, the father of Zeus. In Roman mythology, Saturn fled from Mount Olympus after Zeus defeated the Titans. He settled in Italy and established a golden age, in which all people were equal and harvests were plentiful. *Saturday ("Saturn's day") is named after Saturn. *The sixth planet from the sun (the Earth is third) is named Saturn

Venus

The Roman name of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty in classical mythology. *The second planet from the sun (the Earth is third) is named Venus

Mars

The Roman name of Ares, the Greek and Roman god of war. *The fourth planet from the sun is named Mars, possibly because its red color is reminiscent of blood *The month of March is named after Mars.

Diana

The Roman name of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and the moon

Cupid

The Roman name of Eros, the god of love. In the story of Cupid and Psyche, he is described as a magnificently handsome young man. In many stories, he is called the son of Venus. *In art, Cupid is often depicted as a chubby, winged infant who shoots arrows at people to make them fall in love. He is also sometimes shown as blind or blindfolded.

Juno

The Roman name of Hera, the Greek and Roman goddess who protected marriage. Juno was the wife of Jupiter.

Mercury

The Roman name of Hermes, the messenger of the Greek and Roman gods. *The planet nearest the sun is named Mercury. It moves swiftly in its orbit like the messenger of the gods.

Jupiter

The Roman name of Zeus, the most powerful of the gods of classical mythology. *The fifth and largest planet from the Sun is named Jupiter

Ulysses

The Roman name of the Greek hero Odysseus *In the Aeneid of Virgil, which was written in Latin, Odysseus is called Ulysses *The Irish author James Joyce adopted the name for the title of his masterpiece of the early 20th century, which is, in part, a retelling of the myth of Odysseus.

Troy

The ancient city inhabited by the Trojans; the site of the legendary Trojan War of classical mythology. The ruins of Troy were found in the 19th century in the western part of what is now Turkey.

elves

Often small, mischievous creatures thought to have magical powers. Although some elves are friendly to humans, others are spiteful and destructive. Elves have long been a staple of folklore, from Germanic mythology to J.R.R Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", in which the elves speak a special language called Elvish.

Augean stables

Stables that figured in the Greek myth of the Labors of Hercules. The stables, which belonged to King Augeas, housed a large herd of cattle and had not been cleaned for years. Hercules was ordered to clean out these filthy stalls. He did so by diverting the course of two rivers so that they flowed through the stables

Apollo

The Greek and Roman god of poetry, prophecy, medicine, and light. Apollo represents all aspects of civilization and order. He was worshiped at the Delphic Oracle, where a priestess gave forth his predictions. Zeus was his father, and Artemis was his sister. He is sometimes identified with Hyperion, the Titan he succeeded. *As a representative of controlled and ordered nature, Apollo is often contrasted with Dionysus, the god who represents wild, creative energies *the sun was sometimes described as Apollo's chariot, riding across the sky

Zephyr

The Greek and Roman god of the west wind, considered the most pleasant of the winds

Ares

The Greek and Roman god of war, brutal and bloodthirsty. He was the son of Zeus and Hera

Medusa

The best known of the monster Gorgons of classical mythology; people who looked at her would turn to stone. A hero, Perseus, was able to kill Medusa, aiming his sword by looking at her reflection in a highly polished shield

ambrosia

The food of the gods in classical mythology Those who ate it became immortal *Particularly delicious food is sometimes called "ambrosia"

Thor

The god of thunder in Norse mythology. He wielded a hammer. *Thursday (Thor's day) is named after Thor

Sir Lancelot

The greatest of the knights of the Round Table. King Arthur was his friend and lord. In some versions of the legend, he became the lover of Queen Guinevere, Arthur's wife.

Gaea (JEE-uh)

[Also Gaia (GAY-uh)] The Greek goddess of the Earth and primal mother figure, who gave birth to the sky, the mountains, and the sea. She was also the mother of the giant Titans and the Cyclopes

Vulcan

[Greek name Hephaestus] The Roman and Greek god of fire and metalworking; the blacksmith of the gods. He suffered bodily deformities and lameness. According to some stories, he was married to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty; in other stories, he was married to one of the three graces. Vulcan was a son of Jupiter.

Vesta

[Greek name Hestia] The Roman and Greek goddess of the hearth and home. Roman and Greek cities were supposed to have a public hearth dedicated to Vesta, at which the fire was kept constantly burning.

Neptune

[Greek name Poseidon] The Roman and Greek god who ruled the sea. *Neptune is frequently portrayed as a bearded giant with a fish's scaly tail, holding a large three-pronged spear, or trident *The eight planet from the sun (the Earth is third) is named Neptune.

Bacchus (BAK-uhs)

The Greek and Roman god of wine and revelry. He is also known by the Greek name Dionysus. *In painting, Bacchus is often depicted eating a bunch of grapes and surrounded by satyrs *A "bacchanalian" party or feast is marked by unrestrained drunkenness. The name recalls a Roman festival called Bacchanalia.

Nemesis

In classical mythology, the Greek goddess of vengeance. *By extension, a "nemesis" is an avenger. One's nemesis is that which will bring on one's destruction or downfall

Argus

A creature in classical mythology who had a hundred eyes. Hera set him to watch over Io, a girl who had been seduced by Zeus and then turned into a cow; with Argus on guard, Zeus could not come to rescue Io, for only some of Argus' eyes would be closed in sleep at any one time. Hermes, working on Zeus' behalf, played music that put all the eyes to sleep and then killed Argus. Hera put his eyes in the tail of the peacock.

Holy Grail

A cup or bowl that was the subject of many legends in the Middle Ages. It was often said to have been used by Jesus at the Last Supper. The Grail was supposedly transported to Britain, where it became an object of quest for the Knights of the Round Table *By extension, a "holy grail" is any esteemed object long sought for or attained only after great endeavor.

"Sleeping Beauty"

A fairy tale from the collection of Charles Perrault, about a beautiful princess cast into a deep sleep through a jealous fairy's curse. Sleeping Beauty is awakened at last by the kiss of a prince.

Atlantis

A kingdom in classical mythology. According to legend, it was once an island in the Atlantic Ocean, was swallowed up in an earthquake, and is now covered by the sea.

William Tell

A legendary hero of Switzerland, famous for his skill as an archer. A tyrannical official forced him to shoot an apple off his son's head.

"Beauty and the Beast"

A French fairy tale about a beautiful and gentle young woman who is taken to live with a man-beast in return for a good deed the Beast did for her father. Beauty is king to the well-mannered Beast but pines for her family until the Beast allows her to visit them. Once home, Beauty delays her return until she hears that the Beast is dying without her. She returns to the Beast and brings him back to health. When she agrees to marry him, the evil spell upon him is broken, and he becomes a handsome prince. Beauty and her prince live happily ever after.

"Puss in Boats"

A French fairy tale from the collection of Charles Perrault. A cunning cat brings great fortune to its master, a poor young man. Through a series of deceptions managed by the cat, the young man becomes a lord and marries the king's daughter.

Morpheus

A Roman god of sleep and dreams *Someone who is "in the arms of Morpheus" is asleep *The narcotic "morphine" was named after Morpheus

zodiac

A band of the sky along which the sun, the moon, and most of the planets move. It is divided into twelve parts, with each part named for a nearby constellation *The twelve constellations, or signs, of the zodiac are important in astrology.

Narcissus

A beautiful youth in classical mythology who fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. Because he was unable to tear himself away from his own image, he wasted away and died. *"Narcissists" are people completely absorbed in themselves.

Mickey Mouse

A cartoon character created by Walt Disney. Mickey's image is so widespread that he has achieved the status of myth

Tarzan

A character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs in the early 20th century. Tarzan, born to aristocratic parents but orphaned in Africa, is raised by apes, who teach him to speak their language. *The adventures of Tarzan have been chronicled in countless books, comic strips, animated cartoons, radio and television series, and motion pictures. *By extension, a "Tarzan" is a macho male, figuratively thumping his chest to get attention.

Brunnhilde

A character in Norse mythology, also known by the name Brynhild. Brunnhilde, a Valkyrie, or woman servant of Odin, loved the hero Siegfried. After she found out that he had deceived her, she had him killed and committed suicide.

"The Ugly Duckling"

A children's story, told by Hans Christian Anderson. One young bird in a family of ducks is constantly mocked by the other ducks for his ugliness. Eventually, though, he grows up to be a swan - the most beautiful of all birds. *An "ugly duckling" is someone who blossoms beautifully after an unpromising beginning

Batman

A comic strip character that first appeared in 1939. With his faithful sidekick Robin (the Boy Wonder), Batman fights crime in Gotham City, foiling evil villains such as the Joker and the Riddler. *Batman's adventures have been widely adapted for television and a number of motion pictures.

Gordian knot

A complex knot tied by a Greek king. According to legend, whoever loosed it would rule all Asia. Alexander the Great, according to some accounts, undid the Gordian knot by cutting through it with his sword. *By extension, to "cut the Gordian knot" is to solve quickly any very complex problem or to get to the heart of a problem.

astrology

A study of the positions and relationships of the sun, moon, stars, and planets in order to judge their influence on human actions. Astrology, unlike astronomy, is not a scientific study and has been much criticized by scientists.

"Cinderella"

A fairy tale from the collection of Charles Perrault. Cinderella, a young girl, is forced by her stepmother and stepsisters to do heavy housework and relaxes by sitting among the cinders by the fireplace. One evening, when the prince of the kingdom is holding a ball, Cinderella's fairy godmother visits her, magically dresses her for the ball, turns a pumpkin into a magnificent carriage for her, warns her not to stay past midnight, and sends her off. Cinderella captivates the prince at the ball but leaves just as midnight is striking, and in her haste she drops a slipper; as the story is usually told in English, the slipper is made of glass. She returns home with her fine clothes turned back into rags and her carriage a pumpkin again. The prince searches throughout the kingdom for the owner of the slipper. Cinderella is the only one whom it fits, and the prince marries her *The name Cinderella is sometimes applied to a person or group that undergoes a sudden transformation, such as an athletic team that loses frequently and then starts to win steadily.

"Rumpelstiltskin"

A fairy tale from the collection of the brothers Grimm. The title character, a dwarf, tells a woman who has promised him her first-born child that he will not hold her to her promise if she can guess his name. She finds it out, and Rumpelstiltskin, furious, destroys himself.

"Little Red Riding Hood"

A fairy tale from the collections of Charles Perrault and the brothers Grimm. A girl called Little Red Riding Hood (after the red, hooded cloak she wears) meets a wolf in the woods while traveling to visit her sick grandmother. When she tells him where she is going, the wolf takes the short way there, swallows the grandmother, puts on her clothes, and climbs into her bed to wait for Little Red Riding Hood. She arrives and exclaims, "Grandmother, what big eyes you have!" "The better to see you with, my child," says the wolf. "Grandmother, what big teeth you have!" remarks the girl. "The better to eat you with!" replies the wolf, who then devours Little Red Riding Hood. A huntsman rescues both the girl and her grandmother by cutting the wolf open.

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"

A fairy tale in the Grimm collection, about a beautiful young princess whose jealous stepmother tries to kill her. She avoids being killed and hides in a forest cottage occupied by dwarfs. The stepmother finds out where Show White is, visits her in disguise, and gives her a poisoned apple; Snow White eats it and falls into a deathlike sleep. When a prince kisses her, she awakens from her sleep, and he marries her. *The wicked stepmother consults a magical mirror several times throughout the story, often asking it, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" *In the 1930s, Walt Disney made a very popular animated film adaption of the story of Snow White

Aeneas (i-NEE-uhs)

A famous warrior of classical mythology; a leader in the Trojan War on the Trojan side. After the fall of Troy, Aeneas fled with his father and son and was shipwrecked at Carthage in northern Africa. There Dido, the queen of Carthage, fell in love with him and ultimately committed suicide when she realized that Aeneas could not stay with her forever. After many trials, Aeneas arrived in what is now Italy. The ancient Romans believed that they were descended from the followers of Aeneas. *Aeneas is the hero of the Aeneid of Virgil *Because he carried his elderly father out of the ruined Troy on his back, Aeneas represents filial devotion and duty *The doomed love of Aeneas and Dido has been a source for artistic creation since ancient times.

Grim Reaper

A figure commonly used to represent death. The Grim Reaper is a skeleton or solemn-looking man carrying a scythe, who cuts off people's lives as though he were harvesting grain.

magic carpet

A flying carpet that takes people anywhere they wish to go. It figures in many Asian folktales, notably in the stories of the Arabian Nights.

Fountain of Youth

A fountain mentioned in folk tales as capable of making people young again. *The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth

Loch Ness Monster

A gigantic, humped, dragonlike creature though to inhabit the icy depths of Loch Ness, a lake in north-central Scotland. Periodic sightings of "Nessie" have been alleged since the early 1930s (though the legend of such a creature dates to the seventh century), but the monster remains elusive.

John Henry

A hero of American folktales and folk songs. The stories portray him as a black man, enormously strong, who worked on railroads or on steamboats and died from exhaustion after he outperformed a steam drill in a contest

Perseus

A hero of classical mythology who killed the Gorgon Medusa. The god Hermes and goddess Athena helped him in this brave deed by giving him winged shoes, a magical sword, and a polished shield. With the help of these, he swooped down on Medusa from the air, used the shield as a mirror, and cut off her head without looking at it directly - for anyone who looked at a Gorgon turned to stone.

Jason

A hero of classical mythology. Jason was the heir to a kingdom in Greece, but his cousin seized the throne. The cousin insisted that the gods would not allow Jason to become king until Jason brought back the miraculous Golden Fleece from a distant country. After many harrowing adventures with his companions, the Argonauts, and with the help of the sorceress Medea, he brought back the fleece. Medea, through her craft, arranged for Jason's cousin to be killed. Jason and Medea then went into exile, raised a family and lived happily, until Jason announced plans to divorce Medea and marry a princess. Medea, enraged, killed the children she had borne Jason and Jason's bride as well and used her magic to escape. Jason then wandered about, a man out of favor with the gods, and was eventually killed when his old ship, the Argo, fell on him.

Sisyphus

A king in classical mythology who offended Zeus and was punished in Hades by being forced to roll an enormous boulder to the top of a steep hill. Every time the boulder neared the top, it would roll back down, and Sisyphus would have to start over. *A difficult and futile endeavor may be called a "labor of Sisyphus" or a "Sisyphean task"

Tantalus

A king in classical mythology who, as punishment for having offended the gods, was tortured with everlasting thirst and hunger in Hades. He stood up to his chin in water, but each time he bent to quench his thirst, the water receded. There were boughs heavy with fruit over his head, but each time he tried to pluck them, the wind blew them out of reach. *Something is "tantalizing" if it is desirable but unattainable.

St. George and the Dragon

A legendary incident concerning a real saint of the Christian church. St. George seems ot have been a soldier in the army of the Roman Empire in about the year 300. In one version of the legend, a dragon living in a pond was devouring people of the surrounding region and was about to eat the king's daughter, when George intervened and subdued the dragon. The princess tied her belt around the dragon's neck and led it back to the city, where George killed it. *Saint George is the patron saint of England.

King Arthur

A legendary king in England in the Middle Ages. The life of King Arthur had been retold many times over the centuries; hence, most of the incidents in his life have several versions. According to one well-known story, Arthur gained the throne when he withdrew the sword Excalibur from a stone after many others had tried and failed. Arthur established a brilliant court at Camelot, where he gathered the greatest and most chivalrous warriors in Europe, the knights of the Round Table. King Arthur's knights included Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad, Sir Percival, and Sir Gawain. Other characters associated with the legends of Arthur are the wizard Merlin, the enchantress Morgan le Fay, Queen Guinevere, and Arthur's enemy and kinsman, Modred (or Mordred), who caused his downfall. According to some legends, Arthur sailed to a mysterious island, Avalon, at the end of his life; some stories say that someday he will return. The legends of Arthur may have originated with an actual chieftain named Arthur who lived in Wales in the 6th century, but the many retellings have taken the story far from its original place and time. Because of the belief that he will return, he is sometimes called 'the once and future king". *The popular Broadway musical "Camelot" was based on the stories about King Arthur

mermaid

A legendary marine creature with the head and torso of a woman and the tail of a fish; the masculine, less well-known equivalent is a merman. Though linked to the classical sirens, mermaids may be nothing more than sailors' fanciful reports of the playful antics of dugongs or manatees

Robin Hood

A legendary robber of the Middle Ages in England, who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. An excellent archer, he lived in Sherwood Forest with the fair Maid Marian, the stalwart Little John, the priest Friar Tuck, the musician Allan-a-Dale, and others who helped him rob rich landlords and thwart his chief enemy, the sheriff of Nottingham

chimera

A monster in classical mythology who had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a dragon or serpant. *Figuratively, a "chimera" is a creation of the imagination, especially a wild creation

Parnassus

A mountain in Greece. According to classical mythology, it was one of the mountains where the Muses lived. The Delphic oracle was on one of its slopes. *Parnassus is known as the mythological home of poetry and music.

Procrustes (proh-KRUS-teez)

A mythical Greek giant who was a thief and a murderer. He would capture travelers and tie them to an iron bed. If they were longer than the bed, he would hack off their limbs until they fit it. If they were to o

unicorn

A mythical animal resembling a small horse but with a long, straight horn growing out of its forehead. Often it was described as having the legs of a deer and the tail of a lion. Some sources claim it was visible only to virgins

phoenix

A mythical bird that periodically burned itself to death and emerged from the ashes as a new phoenix. According to most stories, the rebirth of the phoenix happened every five hundred years. Only one phoenix lived at a time. *To "rise like a phoenix from the ashes" is to overcome a seemingly insurmountable setback.

Paris

A prince of Troy in classical mythology, whose abduction of the Greek queen Helen caused the Trojan War. Paris (or, according to some stories, Apollo disguised as Paris) killed Achilles by piercing his heel with an arrow.

Superman

A seemingly immortal, superhuman comic-strip character created in the late 1930s who hides his powers beneath the persona of Clark Kent, a mild-mannered news reporter. Only when there is a threat of danger - often to his fellow reporter and secret love, Lois Lane - does Clark transform himself into the caped hero with X-ray vision. *Superman has been adapted for various radio and television series and a number of highly successful films.

Blarney Stone

A stone in the wall of Blarney Castle in Ireland. According to an Irish legend, those who kiss the Blarney Stone receive a gift of eloquence that enables them to obtain, through persuasion, anything they want. *People who talk "blarney" are saying things they do not mean. Usually the expression "blarney" is applied to flattery designed to gain a favor.

"The Emperor's New Clothes"

A story by Hans Christain Andersen. An emperor hires two tailors who promise to make him a set of remarkable new clothes that will be invisible to anyone who is either incompetent or stupid. When the emperor goes to see his new clothes, he sees nothing at all - for the tailors are swindlers and there aren't any clothes. Afraid of being judged incompetent or stupid, the emperor pretends to be delighted with the new clothes and "wears" them in a grand parade through the town. Everyone else also pretends to see them, until a child yells out, "He hasn't got any clothes on!" *People who point out the emptiness of the pretensions of powerful people and institutions are often compared to the child who says that the emperor has no clothes

"The Princess and the Pea"

A story by Hans Christian Andersen. A prince insists on marrying a real princess. When a woman comes to his door maintaining that she is a real princess, the prince's mother tests her by burying a pea under a huge stack of mattresses and then ordering the woman to sleep on the mattresses. The woman cannot sleep and therefore passes the test: being a true princess, she is so delicate that the pea keeps her awake.

"The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs"

A story found in many forms in world literature. In one common version of the story, the owner of a goose finds that the goose can lay eggs of pure gold and cuts the goose open to find the gold inside her. The goose turns out to be like any other goose inside and, being dead, will lay no more golden eggs.

"Hansel and Gretel"

A story in the Grimm collection of fairy tales. Hansel and Gretel, two children abandoned in the woods, are befriended by a witch, who tries to cook and eat them, but Gretel shoves the witch into the oven instead.

Popeye

A tattooed, corncob pipe-smoking comic strip character created in the early 20th century. Popeye the Sailorman is constantly called upon to save his girlfriend, Olive Oyl, from the schemes of the villainous Bluto. To gain the necessary strength, Popeye consumes a can of spinach. *Though said to have been inspired by the marketing division of a spinach manufacturer, Popeye has proved enduringly popular, spawning adaptions for the radio, animated cartoons, and a motion picture.

Sir Galahad

A young knight in the tales of King Arthur. Galahad's exceptional purity and virtue enabled him to see the Holy Grail in all its splendor, whereas many other knights who sought it could not see it all.

Lady Godiva (guh-DEYE-vuh)

An English noblewoman of the 11th century. According to legend, Lady Godiva once rode naked on horseback through the streets of Coventry, England, covered only by her long hair. Her husband, the story goes, had imposed taxes on the people of Coventry, and he agreed to lift the taxes only if Godiva took her famous ride.

Sherwood Forest

An actual forest of central England. According to legend, it was the home of Robin Hood and his companions

Hiawatha

An actual native American chief of the 16th century. In legends, he is the husband of Minnehaha. He urged peace between his people and the European settlers. *The legend of Hiawatha is best known through the poem, "The Song of Hiawatha," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Quetzalcoatl (ket-SAHL-koh-AHT-l)

An ancient nature god and legendary ruler of the Toltec people of Mexico, usually represented as a plumed serpent

sword of Damocles (DAM-uh-kleez)

An object that figures in a legend about an actual Greek nobleman, Damocles. According to the story, Damocles frequently expressed his awe at the power and apparent happiness of his king. The king, tired of such flattery, held a banquet and seated Damocles under a word that was suspended from the ceiling by a single hair - thus demonstrating that kingship brought with it fears and worries as well as pleasures.

Atlas

In classical mythology, a Titan famous for his strength. After the defeat of the Titans by Zeus, Atlas was condemned to support the Earth and sky on his shoulders for eternity. *Since the 16th century, pictures of Atlas and his burden have been used as decorations on maps. Accordingly, the word "atlas" is used for a book of maps *An "Atlas" or "atlas" is an incredibly strong person or one who carries an enormous burden.

Pandora's box

In classical mythology, a box that Zeus gave to Pandora, the first woman, with strict instructions that she not open it. Pandora's curiosity soon got the better of her, and she opened the box. All the evils and miseries of the world flew out to afflict mankind. *To "open a Pandora's box" is to create an uncontrollable situation that will cause great grief.

Electra

In classical mythology, a daughter of Agamemnon. To avenge his death, she helped her brother, Orestes, kill their mother and her lover. *The "Electra complex" in psychology involves a girl's or woman's unconscious sexual feelings for her father.

Antigone

In classical mythology, a daughter of King Oedipus. Her two brothers killed each other in single combat over the kingship of their city. Although burial or cremation of the dead was a religious obligation among the Greeks, the king forbade the burial of one of the brothers, for he was considered a traitor. Antigone, torn between her religious and legal obligations, disobeyed the king's order and buried her brother. She was then condemned to death for her crime. *The Greek playwright Sophocles tells her story in Antigone, a play that deals with the conflict between human laws and the laws of the gods

Proteus

In classical mythology, a god who served Poseidon. Proteus could change his shape at will. *Someone or something that easily takes on several different forms may be called "protean".

Theseus

In classical mythology, a hero of the city of Athens. He killed Procrustes and Minotaur and made war on the Amazons, subsequently marrying their queen, Hippolyta.

Midas

In classical mythology, a king who was granted one wish by the god Dionysus. greedy for riches, Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. He soon regretted his request. When he tried to eat, his food became inedible metal. When he embraced his daughter, she turned into a golden statue. On the instruction of Dionysus, he washed in a river and lost his touch of gold. *A person who is very successful or easily acquires riches is sometimes said to have a "Midas touch"

Trojan horse

In classical mythology, a large hollow horse made of wood used by the Greeks to win the Trojan War. The resourceful Odysseus had come up with the plan for the horse. The Greeks hid soldiers inside it and left it outside the gates of Troy. They anchored their ships just out of sight of Troy and left a man behind to say that the goddess Athena would be pleased if the Trojans brought the horse inside the city and honored it. The Trojans took the bait, against the advice of Cassandra and Laocoon. that night the Greek army returned to Troy. The men inside the horse emerged and opened the city gates for their companions. The Greeks sacked the city, thus winning the war. *The story of the Trojan horse is the source of the saying, "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts."

Minotaur

In classical mythology, a monster, half man and half bull. The minotaur was born to the queen of Crete, Pasiphae, after she mated with a sacred bull. The king Minos, to hide his shame, had Daedalus construct the Labyrinth in which to hide the monster. Minos then forced the Athenians to send as tribute fourteen of their young people, seven men and seven women, to be locked in the Labyrinth for the Minotaur to eat. To stop the slaughter, the hero Theseus volunteered to enter the Labyrinth and fight the Minotaur. On the instructions of the king's daughter, Theseus brought in a ball of thread, which he unwound as he went through. He found the Minotaur, killed it, and then used the thread to find his way out of the maze.

Amazons

In classical mythology, a nation of warrior women. The Amazons burned or cut off one of their breasts so that they could use a cow and arrow more efficiently in war. *Figuratively, an "Amazon" is a large, strong, aggressive woman *The Amazon River of South America was so named because tribes of women warriors were believed to live along its banks.

Circe

In classical mythology, a powerful sorceress who turned people into swine. On the way home from Troy, the crew of Odysseus fell prey to her spells.

Hector

In classical mythology, a prince of Troy and the bravest of the Trojan warriors, At the end of the Trojan War, Achilles killed Hector and then dragged his body behind a chariot around the walls of Troy.

Cassandra

In classical mythology, a prophetess in Troy during the Trojan war whose predictions, although true, were never believed by those around her. Apollo had given her the gift of prophecy but made it worthless after she refused his amorous advances. The Greeks captured Cassandra after their victory and sacrilegiously removed her from the temple of Athena. As a result, Athena helped cause shipwrecks and enormous loss of life to the Greeks on their return home. *A "Cassandra" is someone who constantly predicts bad news.

Lethe (LEE-thee)

In classical mythology, a river flowing through Hades. The souls of the dead were forced to drink of its waters, which made them forget what they had done, said, and suffered when they were alive.

Pygmalion

In classical mythology, a sculptor who at first hated women but then fell in love with a statue he made of a woman. He prayed to Venus that she would find him a woman like the statue. Instead, Venus made the statue come to life. *The play "Pygmalion", by George Bernard Shaw, adapts this theme: a professor trains a girl from the gutter to speak and behave like a lady, and then he and his new creation become attached to each other. This play became the basis for the musical comedy "My Fair Lady"

Medea

In classical mythology, a sorceress who fell in love with Jason and helped him obtain the Golden Fleece. When Jason abandoned her to marry another woman, she took revenge by brutally murdering his young bride as well as the children she had borne him

Oedipus

In classical mythology, a tragic king who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. The Delphic oracle predicted that King Laius of Thebes, a city in Greece, would be killed by his own son. To save himself, Laius ordered his newborn son placed on a mountaintop and left to starve. The infant was rescued by a shepherd and raised in a distant city, where he was given the name Oedipus. Years later, King Laius was killed while on a journey by a stranger with whom he quarreled. Oedipus arrived at Thebes shortly thereafter and saved the city from the ravages of the Sphinx. He was proclaimed king in Laius' stead, and he took the dead king's widow, Jocasta, as his own wife. After several years a terrible plague struck Thebes. The Delphic oracle told Oedipus that to end the plague, he must find and punish the murderer of King Laius. In the course of his investigation, Oedipus discovered that he himself was the killer and that Laius had been his real father. He had therefore murdered his father and married his mother, Jocasta. In his despair at this discovery, Oedipus blinded himself. *The story of Oedipus is the subject of the play "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles *The Oedipus complex, identified by the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, takes its name from the story of Oedipus.

Labyrinth

In classical mythology, a vast maze on the island of Crete. the great inventor Daedalus designed it, and the king of Crete kept the Minotaur in it. Very few people ever escaped from the Labyrinth. One was Theseus, the killer of the Minotaur. *A labyrinth can be literally a maze or figuratively any highly intricate construction or problem

Pegasus

In classical mythology, a winged horse, tamed by the hero Bellerophon with the help of a bridle given to him by Athena *As the flying horse of the Muses, Pegasus is a symbol of high-flying poetic imagination.

apple of discord

In classical mythology, an apple of gold thrown into a banquet of the gods and goddesses by the goddess Discord, who had not been invited. The apple had "For the Fairest" written on it. When three goddesses claimed it, the choice among them was referred to the handsome Paris, prince of Troy.

Adonis

In classical mythology, an extremely beautiful boy who was loved by Aphrodite, the goddess of love. *By extension, an "Adonis" is any handsome young man.

Daedalus

In classical mythology, an ingenious inventor, designer of the labyrinth, and one of the few to escape from it. He was the father of Icarus. *Daedalus is a symbol of inventiveness and craftsmanship

Sirens

In classical mythology, evil creatures who lived on a rocky island, singing in beautiful voices in an effort to lure sailors to shipwreck and death. Odysseus ordered his crew to plug their ears to escape the Sirens' fatal song. *Figuratively, a "siren" is a beautiful or tempting woman; a "siren song" is any irresistible distraction

Styx

In classical mythology, one of the rivers of Hades, across which Charon ferried the souls of the dead. The gods occasionally swore by the river Styx. When they did so, their oath was unbreakable.

Prometheus

In classical mythology, the Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans. As punishment for the theft, Zeus ordered Prometheus chained to a rock and sent a great eagle to gnaw at the Titan's liver. Despite his torment, Prometheus refused to submit to Zeus' will. He was eventually rescued by Hercules. *Prometheus has become a symbol of lonely and valiant resistance to authority. Aeschylus wrote a play, "Prometheus Bound", and Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote a long poem entitled "Prometheus Unbound"

Tiresias (teye-REE-see-uhs)

In classical mythology, the blind prophet who revealed the truth of the crimes of Oedipus. According to the Roman poet, Ovid, Tiresias spent part of his life as a man and part of it as a woman, so he knew the act of love from both points of view. When asked by Jupiter and Juno who enjoyed sex more, he answered that women did. This answer so enraged Juno that she blinded Tiresias.

Charon

In classical mythology, the boatman who carried the souls of the dead across the river Styx and into Hades, the underworld

Argonauts

In classical mythology, the companions of Jason in the quest for Golden Fleece. Their ship was the Argo. *"Naut" means "sailor" in Greek and is the root of our word "nautical". Today, the word is used to coin terms such as "astronaut" and "aquanaut"

Iphigenia (if-uh-juh-NEYE-uh)

In classical mythology, the eldest daughter of Agamemnon and the sister of Electra and Orestes. When the Greek fleet was about to sail to fight in the Trojan War, Agamemnon sacrificed Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis to obtain favorable winds. According to some stories, Artemis saved Iphigenia from the sacrifice, and she was later reunited with Orestes.

Trojan War

In classical mythology, the great war fought between the Greeks and the Trojans. The Greeks sailed to Troy in order to recover Helen of Troy, the beautiful wife of a Greek king. She had been carried off to Troy by Paris, a prince of Troy. (Aphrodite had promised Helen to Paris following the Judgement of Paris) The fighting continued for ten years, while Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks, refuse to fight because he had been offended by the commander, Agamemnon. Achilles finally took to the field and killed the greatest Trojan warrior, Hector. Having seriously weakened the Trojan defense, the Greeks achieved final victory through the ploy of the Trojan horse. They burned Troy to the ground and returned to Greece.

Achilles

In classical mythology, the greatest warrior on the Greek side in the Trojan War. When he was an infant, his mother tried to make him immortal by bathing him in a magical river (the Styx), but the heel by which she held him remained vulnerable. During the Trojan War, he quarreled with the commander, Agamemnon, and in anger sulked in his tent. Eventually Achilles emerged to fight and killed the Trojan hero Hector, but he was wounded in the heel bu an arrow and died shortly thereafter. *People speak of an "Achilles heel" as the one weak or sore point in a person's character *The Achilles tendon runs from the heel to the calf *Achilles is the hero of Homer's "Iliad" *The phrase "wrath of Achilles" refers to the hero's anger, which caused so much destruction that Homer refers to it as his main theme in the first line of the Iliad.

Judgement of Paris

In classical mythology, the incident that ultimately brought on the Trojan War. When the goddess Discord threw the apple of Discord, marked "For the Fairest", among the gods, Zeus refused to judge which goddess was the most beautiful, but sent the three contestants - Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera - to the Trojan prince Paris for a decision. Each made offers to induce Paris to give her the apple. Athena and Hera offered military or political power, but Aphrodite said that he could have the most beautiful woman in the world. He gave the apple to Aphrodite, thereby making powerful enemies of Athena and Hera. Aphrodite led him to Helen, afterward known as Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world and wife of the king of Sparta in Greece. Paris carried her off to Troy while her husband was away. The Greeks then combined forces to make war on Troy and bring her back. Trojan civilization was destroyed in the process.

Agamemnon

In classical mythology, the king who led the Greeks against Troy in the Trojan War. To obtain favorable winds for the Greek fleet sailing to Troy, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis and so came under a curse. After he returned home victorious, he was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus

Helen of Troy

In classical mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world, a daughter of Zeus by Leda. Her abduction by Paris led to the Trojan War. Helen's was "the face that launched a thousand ships": the entire Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back.

Elysian Fields

In classical mythology, the place where souls of the good went after death: a peaceful and beautiful region, full of meadows, groves, sunlight, and fresh air. *Figuratively, "Elysian Fields" are a place of supreme happiness and bliss

Golden Fleece

In classical mythology, the pure gold fleece of a miraculous flying ram. Jason and the Argonauts made their voyage in quest of it. The fleece was kept in a kingdom on the Black Sea.

Orestes (aw-RES-teez)

In classical mythology, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and brother of Electra. Agamemnon was killed by Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus. To avenge the murder, Orestes and Electra killed them both.

Icarus

In classical mythology, the son of Daedalus. Icarus died tragically while using artificial wings, invented by his father, to escape from the labyrinth. When Icarus flew too close to the sun, it melted the wax that held the wings together, and he fell into the sea

Cerberus

In classical mythology, the three-headed dog who guarded the entrance to Hades

Furies

In classical mythology, three spirits of revenge who pursued and punished wrongdoers

leprechauns

In the folklore of Ireland, little men who resemble elves. Supposedly, leprechauns can reveal - but only to someone clever enough to catch them - the location of buried treasure, typically a crock of gold hidden at the end of the rainbow.

Merlin

In the legends of King Arthur, a magician who acts as Arthur's principle adviser

Sir Gawain (GAH-win)

In the legends of King Arthur, one of the knights of the Round Table. Gawain was a kinsman of Arthur and was known for his integrity and decency

Camelot

In the legends of King Arthur, the capital of his kingdom; truth, goodness, and beauty reigned in Camelot. *The administration of President John F. Kennedy is often idealized as an American Camelot.

Sphinx

In the story of Oedipus, a winged monster with the head of a woman and the body of a lion. It waylaid travelers on the roads near the city of Thebes and would kill any of them who could not answer the riddle: "What creatures walk on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?" Oedipus finally gave the correct answer: human beings, who go on all fours as infants, walk upright in maturity, and in old age rely on the "third leg" of a cane. *The sphinx of Greek mythology resembles the sphinx of Egyptian mythology but is distinct from it (the Egyptian sphinx had a man's head)

"The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf'"

One of Aesop's Fables. A young shepherd would trick his fellow villagers by shouting for help, pretending that wolves were attacking his sheep. Several times the villagers rushed to his aid, only to find the shepherd laughing at them. One day, some wolves actually came. The shepherd cried for help, but the villagers, who had grown tired of his pranks, ignored him, and the wolves devoured his sheep. *To "cry wolf" means to issue a false alarm

"The Fox and the Grapes"

One of Aesop's fables. A fox tries many times to pluck some grapes that dangle invitingly over his head, but he cannot reach them. As he slinks away in disgust, he says: "Those grapes are probably sour anyway." *"Sour grapes" refers to things people decide are not worth having only after they find out they cannot have them.

"The Tortoise and the Hare"

One of Aesop's fables. A tortoise and a hare hold a race. The hare is so confidant of winning that he lies down halfway through and goes to sleep. The tortoise, knowing he must work hard to win, plods along without stopping until he passes the sleeping hare and wins.

Hercules

One of the greatest heroes of classical mythology, he is supposed to have been the strongest man on earth. He was renowned for completing twelve seemingly impossible tasks - the Labors of Hercules. One of these labors was the cleaning of the Augean stables; another was the killing of the nine-headed Hydra. Hercules was a son of Zeus.

Cyclops

One-eyed giants in classical mythology. One Cyclops imprisoned Odysseus and his men during their voyage back to Greece after the Trojan War. Odysseus managed to trick the Cyclops and put out his eye. Odysseus and his men were then able to escape.

vampires

Originally part of central European folklore, they now appear in horror stories as living corpses who need to feed on human blood. A vampire will leave his coffin at night, disguised as a great bat, to seek his innocent victims, bite their necks with his long, sharp teeth, and suck their blood. *The most famous vampire is Count Dracula, from the novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Mount Olympus

The legendary home of the Greek and Roman gods. Mount Olympus is an actual mountain in Greece, the highest in the country. Some stories of the gods have them living on the mountain. Other stories have them living in a mysterious region above it. *The Olympians were the Greek gods *The Olympic Games were a celebration held every four years on the plain of Olympus in honor of Zeus. They included athletic games and contests of choral poetry and dance. Our modern Olympic Games are modeled after them

Delphic oracle

The most famous oracle in Greece, and the location of a temple of Apollo; it was also known as the oracle of Delphi. At the oracle, a priestess went into a trance, supposedly breathed vapors from a cleft in the rocks, and delivered messages from Apollo to persons who sought her advice. these messages were often difficult to interpret.

Norse mythology

The mythology of Scandinavia, which was also widespread in Germany and Britain until the establishment there of Christianity. For the people and places most important in Norse mythology,

classical mythology

The mythology of the Greeks and Romans, considered together. A vast part of Roman mythology, such as the system of gods, was borrowed from the Greeks.

Washington and the Cherry tree

The subject of a fanciful story by an early biographer of George Washington, Mason Weems; the source of the saying, "I cannot tell a lie". According to Mr. Weems, the young Washington received a new hatchet, and used it to chop down his father's prized cherry tree. His father demanded to know how the tree had fallen. George was tempted to deny his misdeed, but then, "looking at his father with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, 'I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet.'"

Leda and the swan

The subject of a story from classical mythology about the rape of Leda, a queen of Sparta, by Zeus, who had taken the form of a swan. Helen of Troy was conceived in the rape of Leda. *W.B. Yeats wrote a famous poem entitled "Leda and the Swan"

Excalibur

The sword of King Arthur. In one version of the legends of Arthur, he proved his right to rule by pulling Excalibur out of a stone. In another version, he received Excalibur from a maiden, the Lady of the Lake, to whom he returned it at the end of his life.

sheriff of Nottingham

The villain in the stories of Robin Hood

Guinevere

The wife of King Arthur. In some versions of the legends of Arthur, she has a love affair with Sir Lancelot that leads to the end of the reign of Arthur and the fellowship of the Round Table

Penelope

The wife of Odysseus in classical mythology. Penelope remained true to her husband for the ten years he spent fighting in the Trojan War and for the ten years it took him to return from Troy, even though she was harassed by men who wanted to marry her. She promised to choose a suitor after she had finished weaving a shroud for her father-in-law, but every night she unraveled what she had woven during the day. After three years, her trick was discovered, but she still managed to put her suitors off until Odysseus returned and killed them. *Penelope is an image of fidelity and devotion.

Tristan and Iseult

Two lovers in the legends of Britain and Ireland. A common version of their story is that Tristan brought the maiden Iseult from Ireland to Britain to be the bride of his uncle, King Mark. On the voyage they drank a potion that made them eternally in love with each other. When King Mark learned of their love, he banished Tristan. Tristan sent for Iseult as he was dying, but she arrived after his death and died herself beside his corpse.

Harpies

Vicious winged beings in classical mythology, often depicted as birds with women's faces. In the story of Jason, they steal or spoil and old blind man's food, leaving a terrible odor behind them

Demeter (di-MEE-tuhr)

[Roman name Ceres] The Greek and Roman goddess of grain, agriculture, and the harvest. The story of Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, explains the cycle of the seasons. When Persephone was carried off to the underworld by Hades, Demeter was so forlorn that she did not tend the crops, and the first winter came to the Earth. Eventually Zeus allowed Persephone to rejoin her mother for two-thirds of every year, and thus the cycle of the seasons began.

Eros

[Roman name Cupid] A Greek and Roman god of love, often called the son of Aphrodite. He is better known by his Roman name. *The word "erotic" comes from the Greek word "eros", which is the term for sexual love itself, as well as the god's name.

Hera

[Roman name Juno] The Greek and Roman goddess who protected marriage; she was the wife of Zeus. Hera is best known for her jealousy and for her animosity toward the many mortal women with whom her husband fell in love.

Zeus

[Roman name Jupiter] The chief of the Greek and Roman gods, who defeated the Titans to assume leadership of the universe. He lived atop Mount Olympus, from which he hurled thunderbolts to announce his anger. Despite his awesome power, he had a weakness for mortal women.

Hermes

[Roman name Mercury] The messenger god of classical mythology. He traveled with great swiftness, aided by the wings he wore on his sandals and his cap. Hermes was a son of Zeus and the father of Pan. *The caduceus (kuh-DOO-see-uhs), the wand of Hermes, is the traditional symbol of physicians. It has wings at the top and serpents twined about the staff.

Athena

[Roman name Minerva] The Greek and Roman goddess of wisdom. She had an unusual birth, springing fully grown out of the forehead of her father, Zeus. Athena was one of the goddesses angered by the judgement of Paris, a Trojan, and she therefore helped the Greeks in the ensuing Trojan War. Eventually, she became he protector of Odysseus on his journey home. *Athena was the guardian of the city of Athens, which was named in her honor

Hades

[Roman name Pluto] The Greek and Roman god of the underworld and the ruler of the dead. Also called Dis. The underworld itself was also known to the Greeks as Hades. *The Greek and Roman underworld later became associated with the hell of Christianity, as in the expression "hot as Hades"

Odysseus

[Roman name Ulysses] A Greek hero in the Trojan War. Odysseus helped bring about the fall of Troy by conceiving the ruse of the Trojan Horse. After Troy was ruined, Odysseus wandered for ten years trying to return home, having many adventures along the way. *The story of Odysseus' journey home is told in the Odyssey of Homer. By extension, an "odyssey" is any long or difficult journey or transformation.

Aphrodite

[Roman name Venus] The Greek and Roman goddess of love and beauty; the mother of Eros and Aeneas. In what may have been the first beauty contest, Paris awarded her the prize (the apple of discord), choosing her over Hera and Athena as the most beautiful goddess. She was thought to have been born out of the foam of the sea and is thus often pictured rising from the water, notably in "The Birth of Venus", by Botticelli

satyr

[Roman name faun] A creature in classical mythology who was part man and part goat. Satyrs were famous for being constantly drunk and for chasing nymphs. They were companions of Dionysus. *By extension, a "satyr" is a lecherous male.

Bluebeard

a fairy tale character from the Charles Perrault collection. The character is a monstrous villain who marries seven women in turn and warns them not to look behind a certain door of his castle. Inside the room are the corpses of his former wives. Bluebeard kills six wives for their disobedience before one passes his test.

Paul Bunyan

a legendary giant lumberjack of the north woods of the United States and Canada. He was accompanied by a blue ox named Babe. The stories about him resemble traditional tall tales. In one such story, the ten thousand lakes of Minnesota originated when Paul and Babe's footprints filled with water.

nymphs

female spirits of classical mythology who lived in forests, bodies of water, and other places outdoors. *By extension, a "nymph" is a beautiful or seductive woman.