灵鹊做题网懂英文,懂希腊神话的进来
来源：学生作业帮 编辑：灵鹊做题网作业帮 分类：英语作业 时间：2024/06/08 14:36:47
懂英文,懂希腊神话的进来
< Somnus >是拉丁语中罂粟花的学名,华丽、高贵、美丽而又致命,
也是罗马众神中的睡眠之神,Somnus的花语是"死亡之恋".就是能类似这种翻译,最好是比较有含义的,比较有内涵的
< Somnus >是拉丁语中罂粟花的学名,华丽、高贵、美丽而又致命,
也是罗马众神中的睡眠之神,Somnus的花语是"死亡之恋".就是能类似这种翻译,最好是比较有含义的,比较有内涵的
1．Thanks to her agent,a veritable Pygmalion,she was transfomed from an ugly duckling into a Hollywood beauty.
皮格马利翁（Pygmalion）是塞浦路斯国（Cyprus）国王,也是一位雕刻家.他爱上了自己所雕塑的少女像（Galatea）,爱与美的女神阿佛洛狄特（Aphrodite）见其感情真挚,赋予雕像以生命,使两人结为夫妻.Pygmalion现在喻指“对他人或物抱有积极主动、热切期盼态度的人”.例句中Pygmalion正是取了该意.
1968年罗森塔尔（R.Rosenthal）与雅各布森（K．Jacobson）发表了一份名为《教室中的皮格马利翁》（Pygmalion in the Classroom）的研究报告.这项研究的目的在于纠正教师的偏见.实验开始时,研究者对l～6年级的学生实施智力测验.然后他们在每个班级挑选出一些儿童,挑选标准不是根据智力测验的成绩,而是把出身贫穷家庭的学生挑选出来,因为研究者知道他们平常在班上遭受教师的歧视.研究者把挑选出来的学生名单交给教师,告诉他们这些是特殊儿童,智商高,而且还有提高的可能性.一个学期之后,再进行测验,这些所谓的特殊儿童真正获得了智力测验分数的提高.一年以后,进行第三次测验,结果显示这些所谓的特殊儿童在智力测验分数上继续提高；只有低年级组除外,因为低年级的任课教师有变动.新教师不知道研究者所指定的特殊儿童,因此,便没有特殊地看待.这个实验表明教师对待学生的态度对学生的学习成绩产生很大的影响.心理学上的“皮格马利翁效应”指的就是这种情形.
2．The present school curriculum seems to some students a procrustean bed.
句中的procrustean是形容词,由专有名词派生而来.procrustes是古希腊阿提卡（Attica）一带的巨人,译为柏鲁克洛斯德.他拦路抢劫,把受害人绑在床榻之上.如果受害人身高超过床榻,柏鲁克洛斯德就截断其下肢；如果受害人身高短于床榻,他就抻长其下肢,使其与床榻齐长.procrustean 现在喻指“强求一致的；削足适履的”； procrustean bed喻指“强求一致的制度或政策”.例句中procrustean bed正是取了该意.
钱智修在1919年10月出版的《教育杂志》第11卷10号发表一篇译文“问题教授法”（Problem method）.文中有一段文字就引用了Procrustes的典故,一针见血地指出了传统教育的弊端：“希腊稗史,有大盗曰柏鲁克洛斯德（procrustes）者,每捕人必使卧于铁床之上,体之长者则截之使短,其短者则引之使长,最能形容旧式教育之流弊.盖旧式教育所注意者,在课程之一方面；而于儿童之一方面,则未遑注意,势不至削足适履不止也”（徐珍,1996：65）.
3．The Argus-eyed examiner certainly contributed to the honesty of the candidates．
Argus是希腊神话中的百眼巨人,译为阿耳戈斯.他受命护卫宙斯（Zeus）所钟爱的少女——艾奥（Io）,后被众神的使者赫耳墨斯（Hermes）所杀.他的眼睛被放在了孔雀的尾巴上.Argus 现在喻指“机警之人”；Argus-eyed 喻指“机警的；目光锐利的”.例句中Argus-eyed 正是取了该意.有目光敏锐的监考者在场,考生的诚实程度也随之有所提高.
4．The preparation of the Oxford English Dictionary was a Herculean task．
句中的Herculean是形容词,由专有名词Her-cules派生而来.Hercules是宙斯（Zeus）与阿尔克墨涅（Alcmene ）之子,译为赫拉克勒斯.他是一位力大无比的英雄,克服了种种艰难困苦,冒险完成了12项强加给他的任务.Hercules现在喻指“无比英勇之人”；Herculean喻指“极其骁勇的；艰巨的”.例句中Herculean取“艰巨的”之意.编纂字典无疑是一项艰苦卓绝的工作.
5．Tired of political dodges,the would－be candidate decided to cut the Gordian knot by announcing that he would run．
句中的Gordian是形容词,由专有名词Gordian派生而来.Gordian是弗里吉亚国（Phrygia）国王,译为戈尔迪.他打了一个复杂难解的结,被称为“戈尔迪的结”（Gordian knot）.当马其顿国王亚历山大听到神谕允诺,解开此结者将成为下一个亚洲之王时,在无法解开此结的情况下,他挥舞利剑将其斩开.Gordian knot现在喻指“难办的事,复杂的问题”；cut the Gordian knot 喻指“快刀斩乱麻式地解决复杂问题”.例句中cut the Gordian knot正是取了该意,“这位竞选者厌倦了躲躲闪闪的方式,决定直截了当地宣布参加竞选.”
6．He was thought of as a titan of the American automobile industry．
Titan是天神马拉诺斯（Uranus）与大地女神盖亚（Gaea）之子,译为泰坦,是一位巨神.Titan现在喻指“巨物；巨人,有成就的人”.例句中的titan取“有成就的人”之意,“他被认为是美国汽车工业的巨头.”
7．The multimillionaire wondered, with satisfaction, if he truly had the Midas touch．
迈达斯（Midas）是弗里吉亚国（Phrygia）国王,他要求神赐予他一种特殊的魔力,能把他触摸到的一切变成黄金.现在Midas喻指“大富翁；善于赚大钱之人”. the Midas touch喻指“赚大钱的本领”.例句中 the Midas touch正是取了该意,“这位大富翁志得意满,思量着自己是否真正具备了赚大钱的本领.”
8．Vietnam was President Johnson’s Achilles’ heel．
阿基里斯（Achilles）出生后,其母捏住他的脚踵倒提着把他放到斯提克斯（River Styx）河水里浸泡.被该河河水浸泡之后,他浑身坚硬如铁,刀枪不久,但是他母亲所捏的脚踵未沾河水,所以成为他的致命之处,容易遭受伤害.阿基里斯也正是因为脚踵被箭击中而死.现在Achilles’ heel喻指“致命弱点,唯一弱点”.例句中Achilles’ heel正是取了该意.约翰逊（Lyndon Baines Johnson ）是民主党人,他在1963～1969年期间担任美国第36任总统,提出建立“伟大社会”的改革纲领.但由于他使越南战争升级而丧失了公众对他的支持.
9．His protean personality fascinated his friends but at the same time caused them to distrust him．
句中的protean是形容词,由专有名词Proteus派生而来.Proteus是一位小海神,译为普罗透斯.他是海神波塞冬（Poseidon）的仆人,能随心所欲地改变自己的容貌.Proteus现在喻指“反复无常的人或物”；Protean喻指“变化多端的；多才多艺的”.例句中protean取“变化多端的”之意.个性变化无常的确难以取信于人.
10．The police have had a Briarean grasp of the details of the murder case．
句中的Briarean是形容词,由专有名词Briarens派生而来.Briarens是希腊神话中的百手巨人,译为布里阿柔斯.他帮助宙斯（Zeus ）与泰坦（Titan）作战.Briarean现在喻指“到处伸手的；多手的；多方面的”.例句中Briarean取“多方面的”之意,“警察已经多方面掌握了该谋杀案的情况.”
11. If you continue to keep in touch with the drugpusher, you will sup with Pluto.
Pluto是希腊神话中掌管阴曹地府的冥王,译为普路托. sup with Pluto直译为“与冥王共进晚餐”,其比喻含义就是“死亡”.例句中sup with Pluto正是取“死亡”之意.贩毒分子是世界各国追捕的对象,与他们打交道无疑将自己推上了死亡之路.
12．The young people were all touched by the Orphean singer．
句中的Orphean是形容词,由专有名词Orpheus派生而来.Orpheus是希腊神话中的诗人和音乐家,译为奥菲士.他的音乐今万物感动.他的妻子欧律狄克（Eurydice）被蛇咬死,奥菲士含悲前往冥府寻找.冥王为其悲歌所动,放走了他的妻子,但命令他在未出冥府之前不可回首翘望.奥菲士在即将出冥府那一刻,偶一回头,只见自己的妻子在冥府口消失.Orphean现在喻指“迷人的；令人神往的”.例句中Orphean正是取了该意,“这些年轻人都被这位迷人的歌手打动了”.
Theseus & the Minotaur
Theseus was the Athenian king's son who travelled to Crete and killed the terrible Minotaur, a monster that was half-man, half-bull. The Minotaur lived in a complex underground maze called the Labyrinth. Today, a labyrinth means a difficult maze, or anything that is very convoluted and confusing (e.g. "a labyrinth of rules and regulations").
特修斯和弥诺陶洛斯
特修斯是雅典国王之子,曾前往克利特岛杀死了可怕的半人半牛怪物——弥诺陶洛斯.弥诺陶洛斯生活在一个名叫拉比林特斯（Labyrinth）的复杂地下迷宫里.而今“labyrinth”的意思是一个难解的迷宫,或者那种非常令人费解与迷惑的事情（例如“a labyrinth of rules and regulations”）.
Hercules
Known in Greek as Herakles, he was the son of Zeus - king of the gods - and a mortal woman. He was famous for his amazing strength. He once killed his own children in a bout of temporary insanity, and was punished by having to undertake twelve near-impossible tasks for his cousin, King Eurystheus. From his name, we get the word Herculean, meaning incredibly strong or powerful (e.g. "Herculean strength") or very difficult (e.g. "a Herculean task").
海格立斯
在希腊语中被称为赫拉克勒斯的他,是宙斯（众神之王）和一个凡间女子所生之子.他以其惊人的力量而著称.因一时的精神失常,他曾杀死了自己的孩子,并受惩必须为其堂弟欧律斯透斯国王处置12项几乎不可能完成的任务.从他的名字中,我们得到了一个词“Herculean”,意思是不可思议的强壮或强大（例如“Herculean strength”）或是非常困难（例如“a Herculean task”）.
The Trojan War
The greatest Greek fighter in the war with the Trojans was Achilles, who was invulnerable except in one place - his heel, and that was just where the Trojan Paris fatally wounded him with an arrow. So a crucial weakness is called an Achilles' heel.
The siege of Troy came to an end when the Greeks pretended to depart, leaving behind a massive wooden horse as a "gift". In fact, the horse contained soldiers, and when the Trojans brought it inside their city, they sneaked out at night and opened the gates to let in the rest of their army. Now, a Trojan Horse means a seemingly benign enemy in your midst, and in computing refers to a kind of virus. The saying "beware of Greeks bearing gifts" also comes from this, meaning that you should not trust enemies who suddenly appear friendly to you.
Another Greek warrior at Troy, Odysseus, angered the god of the sea and suffered great troubles and years of delay when he tried to sail home. This story was called The Odyssey and today, "an odyssey" means a long and eventful journey.
特洛伊战争
在与特洛伊人的这场战争中,最伟大的希腊斗士就是阿基里斯,此人身上除了一个部位,即他的脚踵之外,都是无懈可击的,而特洛伊的帕里司正是用箭射中了这个地方,给他造成了致命的伤害.于是,致命弱点就被称作“Achilles' heel”.
当希腊人佯装退去,留下一匹巨大的木马作为“礼物”之时,特洛伊城之围便告一段落.事实上,那匹马中藏有士兵,当特洛伊人将其带入城中之后,他们便在夜间偷偷溜了出来,打开城门将余下的军队放了进来.如今,“Trojan Horse”的意思是指在你方人群之中有伪善之敌,而在计算机方面则指一种病毒.谚语“beware of Greeks bearing gifts”（要小心带着礼物的希腊人）也是来缘于此,意思是指你不该相信那些突然对你友善相对的敌人.
特洛伊之战中的另一位希腊勇士——奥德修斯,曾惹恼了海神,于是在他试图乘船返乡的途中,遭遇到了巨大的麻烦,被拖延了数年时间.这个故事被称为“奥德赛”,如今,“an odyssey”的意思就是指一段路遥多舛的旅程.
Narcissus
Echo was a nymph cursed by Hera, queen of the gods, to have no power of speech except to repeat the words of others. Echo fell in love with the handsome Narcissus, but he wanted nothing to do with her. Heartbroken, she retreated to secluded caves, where her flesh began to wear away. Her bones turned to rocks, then only her voice was left. She is still ready to reply to anyone who calls her, says the legend, and that is why in mountains and caves if you shout out you will hear an echo.
Now, Narcissus was not exactly a nice guy. He was incredibly vain and thought of no one but himself. He was punished by the goddess Artemis by being cursed to fall in love, but a kind of love that could never be fulfilled. Narcissus came upon a clear spring and, as he bent to take a drink, caught sight of himself for the first time, reflected in the pool. Try as he might to touch this exquisite person in the waters, however, he never could. His love was his obsession and he would not leave the stream to eat, nor disturb his image to drink and so he died of thirst and hunger and unrequited love of himself. Where he lay a flower grew, still called the narcissus flower. In modern English, if you call someone a narcissist, you are saying that they are completely in love with themselves.
那喀索斯
艾科（Echo）是一位仙女,遭到了众神之后赫拉的诅咒,丧失了说话能力,只能重复别人的话语.艾科爱上了英俊的那喀索斯,但那喀索斯却不想与她产生任何关系.伤心的她退居僻静的山洞,其肉体在那里开始消逝.她的骨骼变成了岩石,之后只有她的声音留了下来.据传说,她依旧准备好对那些呼唤她的人做出回应,而这就是为什么你若是在群山和洞穴中大喊就会听到一声“echo”（回音）的原因.
那喀索斯算不上一个好人.他自负得令人不可思议,只考虑自己不顾他人.他受到了阿耳特弥斯女神的惩罚,被诅咒陷入爱恋,不过却是一种永远也无法实现的爱恋.那喀索斯偶然碰到一湾清泉,当他俯身喝水之时,第一次瞥见了池中倒映出来的自己.他力尽所能地去触摸水中那个貌美之人,但却永远都做不到.他的爱困惑住了他,他既不愿离开泉水去进食,也不愿破坏自己的映像来饮水,于是他死于饥渴以及对自己的那个没有结果的爱恋之中.在他倒下的地方,生长出一种花朵,至今仍被叫做“the narcissus flower”（水仙花）.在现代英语中,如果你称某人是“narcissist”（自我陶醉者）,那么你就是在说他们十分自恋.
The Underworld
Afterlife for the ancient Greeks was a pretty grim prospect, at least if you were being punished for wickedness.
One such punishment was the literal definition of tantalising. The word has its origin in the punishment of Tantalus. He was uniquely favored among mortals since he was invited to share the food of the gods. However, he abused the guest-host relationship (accounts differ as to how). Sent to Hades, he was immersed in water, but when he bent to drink, it all drained away; fruit hung on trees above him, but when he reached for it winds blew the branches beyond his reach.
A Sisyphean task is one that is both extremely laborious and futile. Sisyphus was a murderer who was severely punished when he tricked the god of death so that the dead could not reach the afterlife. His punishment was to push a huge boulder up a steep hill, which tumbled back down every time he reached the top. Then the whole process started again, lasting for eternity.
冥府
对古希腊人来说,阴世是一个相当可怕的景象,至少在你因恶行而遭到惩罚的时候是如此的.
“干着急”这个词的字面意思就是此类惩罚之一.这个词源于对坦塔罗斯的惩罚.由于他受邀与众神一同进餐,所以他是凡人中唯一受到恩宠之人.然而,他妄用了宾主关系（至于如何妄用,说法不一）.被送到地狱后,他被浸泡在水中,但是当他俯身喝水之时,水却全草竭；在他的头上就有果子挂在树上,但是当他伸手去够之时,风却把树枝刮到他够不到的地方.
一项“Sisyphean”（艰苦而没有尽头的）的任务就是那种既艰辛至极又徒劳的任务.西西弗斯是一个凶手,曾戏弄了死神,导致死者无法来到阴间,因而受到了严厉的惩罚.他的惩罚是将一块巨石推到陡峭的山上,而每次当他到达山顶石头便会滚落下来.此后整个过程又重来往复,永不停歇
皮格马利翁（Pygmalion）是塞浦路斯国（Cyprus）国王,也是一位雕刻家.他爱上了自己所雕塑的少女像（Galatea）,爱与美的女神阿佛洛狄特（Aphrodite）见其感情真挚,赋予雕像以生命,使两人结为夫妻.Pygmalion现在喻指“对他人或物抱有积极主动、热切期盼态度的人”.例句中Pygmalion正是取了该意.
1968年罗森塔尔（R.Rosenthal）与雅各布森（K．Jacobson）发表了一份名为《教室中的皮格马利翁》（Pygmalion in the Classroom）的研究报告.这项研究的目的在于纠正教师的偏见.实验开始时,研究者对l～6年级的学生实施智力测验.然后他们在每个班级挑选出一些儿童,挑选标准不是根据智力测验的成绩,而是把出身贫穷家庭的学生挑选出来,因为研究者知道他们平常在班上遭受教师的歧视.研究者把挑选出来的学生名单交给教师,告诉他们这些是特殊儿童,智商高,而且还有提高的可能性.一个学期之后,再进行测验,这些所谓的特殊儿童真正获得了智力测验分数的提高.一年以后,进行第三次测验,结果显示这些所谓的特殊儿童在智力测验分数上继续提高；只有低年级组除外,因为低年级的任课教师有变动.新教师不知道研究者所指定的特殊儿童,因此,便没有特殊地看待.这个实验表明教师对待学生的态度对学生的学习成绩产生很大的影响.心理学上的“皮格马利翁效应”指的就是这种情形.
2．The present school curriculum seems to some students a procrustean bed.
句中的procrustean是形容词,由专有名词派生而来.procrustes是古希腊阿提卡（Attica）一带的巨人,译为柏鲁克洛斯德.他拦路抢劫,把受害人绑在床榻之上.如果受害人身高超过床榻,柏鲁克洛斯德就截断其下肢；如果受害人身高短于床榻,他就抻长其下肢,使其与床榻齐长.procrustean 现在喻指“强求一致的；削足适履的”； procrustean bed喻指“强求一致的制度或政策”.例句中procrustean bed正是取了该意.
钱智修在1919年10月出版的《教育杂志》第11卷10号发表一篇译文“问题教授法”（Problem method）.文中有一段文字就引用了Procrustes的典故,一针见血地指出了传统教育的弊端：“希腊稗史,有大盗曰柏鲁克洛斯德（procrustes）者,每捕人必使卧于铁床之上,体之长者则截之使短,其短者则引之使长,最能形容旧式教育之流弊.盖旧式教育所注意者,在课程之一方面；而于儿童之一方面,则未遑注意,势不至削足适履不止也”（徐珍,1996：65）.
3．The Argus-eyed examiner certainly contributed to the honesty of the candidates．
Argus是希腊神话中的百眼巨人,译为阿耳戈斯.他受命护卫宙斯（Zeus）所钟爱的少女——艾奥（Io）,后被众神的使者赫耳墨斯（Hermes）所杀.他的眼睛被放在了孔雀的尾巴上.Argus 现在喻指“机警之人”；Argus-eyed 喻指“机警的；目光锐利的”.例句中Argus-eyed 正是取了该意.有目光敏锐的监考者在场,考生的诚实程度也随之有所提高.
4．The preparation of the Oxford English Dictionary was a Herculean task．
句中的Herculean是形容词,由专有名词Her-cules派生而来.Hercules是宙斯（Zeus）与阿尔克墨涅（Alcmene ）之子,译为赫拉克勒斯.他是一位力大无比的英雄,克服了种种艰难困苦,冒险完成了12项强加给他的任务.Hercules现在喻指“无比英勇之人”；Herculean喻指“极其骁勇的；艰巨的”.例句中Herculean取“艰巨的”之意.编纂字典无疑是一项艰苦卓绝的工作.
5．Tired of political dodges,the would－be candidate decided to cut the Gordian knot by announcing that he would run．
句中的Gordian是形容词,由专有名词Gordian派生而来.Gordian是弗里吉亚国（Phrygia）国王,译为戈尔迪.他打了一个复杂难解的结,被称为“戈尔迪的结”（Gordian knot）.当马其顿国王亚历山大听到神谕允诺,解开此结者将成为下一个亚洲之王时,在无法解开此结的情况下,他挥舞利剑将其斩开.Gordian knot现在喻指“难办的事,复杂的问题”；cut the Gordian knot 喻指“快刀斩乱麻式地解决复杂问题”.例句中cut the Gordian knot正是取了该意,“这位竞选者厌倦了躲躲闪闪的方式,决定直截了当地宣布参加竞选.”
6．He was thought of as a titan of the American automobile industry．
Titan是天神马拉诺斯（Uranus）与大地女神盖亚（Gaea）之子,译为泰坦,是一位巨神.Titan现在喻指“巨物；巨人,有成就的人”.例句中的titan取“有成就的人”之意,“他被认为是美国汽车工业的巨头.”
7．The multimillionaire wondered, with satisfaction, if he truly had the Midas touch．
迈达斯（Midas）是弗里吉亚国（Phrygia）国王,他要求神赐予他一种特殊的魔力,能把他触摸到的一切变成黄金.现在Midas喻指“大富翁；善于赚大钱之人”. the Midas touch喻指“赚大钱的本领”.例句中 the Midas touch正是取了该意,“这位大富翁志得意满,思量着自己是否真正具备了赚大钱的本领.”
8．Vietnam was President Johnson’s Achilles’ heel．
阿基里斯（Achilles）出生后,其母捏住他的脚踵倒提着把他放到斯提克斯（River Styx）河水里浸泡.被该河河水浸泡之后,他浑身坚硬如铁,刀枪不久,但是他母亲所捏的脚踵未沾河水,所以成为他的致命之处,容易遭受伤害.阿基里斯也正是因为脚踵被箭击中而死.现在Achilles’ heel喻指“致命弱点,唯一弱点”.例句中Achilles’ heel正是取了该意.约翰逊（Lyndon Baines Johnson ）是民主党人,他在1963～1969年期间担任美国第36任总统,提出建立“伟大社会”的改革纲领.但由于他使越南战争升级而丧失了公众对他的支持.
9．His protean personality fascinated his friends but at the same time caused them to distrust him．
句中的protean是形容词,由专有名词Proteus派生而来.Proteus是一位小海神,译为普罗透斯.他是海神波塞冬（Poseidon）的仆人,能随心所欲地改变自己的容貌.Proteus现在喻指“反复无常的人或物”；Protean喻指“变化多端的；多才多艺的”.例句中protean取“变化多端的”之意.个性变化无常的确难以取信于人.
10．The police have had a Briarean grasp of the details of the murder case．
句中的Briarean是形容词,由专有名词Briarens派生而来.Briarens是希腊神话中的百手巨人,译为布里阿柔斯.他帮助宙斯（Zeus ）与泰坦（Titan）作战.Briarean现在喻指“到处伸手的；多手的；多方面的”.例句中Briarean取“多方面的”之意,“警察已经多方面掌握了该谋杀案的情况.”
11. If you continue to keep in touch with the drugpusher, you will sup with Pluto.
Pluto是希腊神话中掌管阴曹地府的冥王,译为普路托. sup with Pluto直译为“与冥王共进晚餐”,其比喻含义就是“死亡”.例句中sup with Pluto正是取“死亡”之意.贩毒分子是世界各国追捕的对象,与他们打交道无疑将自己推上了死亡之路.
12．The young people were all touched by the Orphean singer．
句中的Orphean是形容词,由专有名词Orpheus派生而来.Orpheus是希腊神话中的诗人和音乐家,译为奥菲士.他的音乐今万物感动.他的妻子欧律狄克（Eurydice）被蛇咬死,奥菲士含悲前往冥府寻找.冥王为其悲歌所动,放走了他的妻子,但命令他在未出冥府之前不可回首翘望.奥菲士在即将出冥府那一刻,偶一回头,只见自己的妻子在冥府口消失.Orphean现在喻指“迷人的；令人神往的”.例句中Orphean正是取了该意,“这些年轻人都被这位迷人的歌手打动了”.
Theseus & the Minotaur
Theseus was the Athenian king's son who travelled to Crete and killed the terrible Minotaur, a monster that was half-man, half-bull. The Minotaur lived in a complex underground maze called the Labyrinth. Today, a labyrinth means a difficult maze, or anything that is very convoluted and confusing (e.g. "a labyrinth of rules and regulations").
特修斯和弥诺陶洛斯
特修斯是雅典国王之子,曾前往克利特岛杀死了可怕的半人半牛怪物——弥诺陶洛斯.弥诺陶洛斯生活在一个名叫拉比林特斯（Labyrinth）的复杂地下迷宫里.而今“labyrinth”的意思是一个难解的迷宫,或者那种非常令人费解与迷惑的事情（例如“a labyrinth of rules and regulations”）.
Hercules
Known in Greek as Herakles, he was the son of Zeus - king of the gods - and a mortal woman. He was famous for his amazing strength. He once killed his own children in a bout of temporary insanity, and was punished by having to undertake twelve near-impossible tasks for his cousin, King Eurystheus. From his name, we get the word Herculean, meaning incredibly strong or powerful (e.g. "Herculean strength") or very difficult (e.g. "a Herculean task").
海格立斯
在希腊语中被称为赫拉克勒斯的他,是宙斯（众神之王）和一个凡间女子所生之子.他以其惊人的力量而著称.因一时的精神失常,他曾杀死了自己的孩子,并受惩必须为其堂弟欧律斯透斯国王处置12项几乎不可能完成的任务.从他的名字中,我们得到了一个词“Herculean”,意思是不可思议的强壮或强大（例如“Herculean strength”）或是非常困难（例如“a Herculean task”）.
The Trojan War
The greatest Greek fighter in the war with the Trojans was Achilles, who was invulnerable except in one place - his heel, and that was just where the Trojan Paris fatally wounded him with an arrow. So a crucial weakness is called an Achilles' heel.
The siege of Troy came to an end when the Greeks pretended to depart, leaving behind a massive wooden horse as a "gift". In fact, the horse contained soldiers, and when the Trojans brought it inside their city, they sneaked out at night and opened the gates to let in the rest of their army. Now, a Trojan Horse means a seemingly benign enemy in your midst, and in computing refers to a kind of virus. The saying "beware of Greeks bearing gifts" also comes from this, meaning that you should not trust enemies who suddenly appear friendly to you.
Another Greek warrior at Troy, Odysseus, angered the god of the sea and suffered great troubles and years of delay when he tried to sail home. This story was called The Odyssey and today, "an odyssey" means a long and eventful journey.
特洛伊战争
在与特洛伊人的这场战争中,最伟大的希腊斗士就是阿基里斯,此人身上除了一个部位,即他的脚踵之外,都是无懈可击的,而特洛伊的帕里司正是用箭射中了这个地方,给他造成了致命的伤害.于是,致命弱点就被称作“Achilles' heel”.
当希腊人佯装退去,留下一匹巨大的木马作为“礼物”之时,特洛伊城之围便告一段落.事实上,那匹马中藏有士兵,当特洛伊人将其带入城中之后,他们便在夜间偷偷溜了出来,打开城门将余下的军队放了进来.如今,“Trojan Horse”的意思是指在你方人群之中有伪善之敌,而在计算机方面则指一种病毒.谚语“beware of Greeks bearing gifts”（要小心带着礼物的希腊人）也是来缘于此,意思是指你不该相信那些突然对你友善相对的敌人.
特洛伊之战中的另一位希腊勇士——奥德修斯,曾惹恼了海神,于是在他试图乘船返乡的途中,遭遇到了巨大的麻烦,被拖延了数年时间.这个故事被称为“奥德赛”,如今,“an odyssey”的意思就是指一段路遥多舛的旅程.
Narcissus
Echo was a nymph cursed by Hera, queen of the gods, to have no power of speech except to repeat the words of others. Echo fell in love with the handsome Narcissus, but he wanted nothing to do with her. Heartbroken, she retreated to secluded caves, where her flesh began to wear away. Her bones turned to rocks, then only her voice was left. She is still ready to reply to anyone who calls her, says the legend, and that is why in mountains and caves if you shout out you will hear an echo.
Now, Narcissus was not exactly a nice guy. He was incredibly vain and thought of no one but himself. He was punished by the goddess Artemis by being cursed to fall in love, but a kind of love that could never be fulfilled. Narcissus came upon a clear spring and, as he bent to take a drink, caught sight of himself for the first time, reflected in the pool. Try as he might to touch this exquisite person in the waters, however, he never could. His love was his obsession and he would not leave the stream to eat, nor disturb his image to drink and so he died of thirst and hunger and unrequited love of himself. Where he lay a flower grew, still called the narcissus flower. In modern English, if you call someone a narcissist, you are saying that they are completely in love with themselves.
那喀索斯
艾科（Echo）是一位仙女,遭到了众神之后赫拉的诅咒,丧失了说话能力,只能重复别人的话语.艾科爱上了英俊的那喀索斯,但那喀索斯却不想与她产生任何关系.伤心的她退居僻静的山洞,其肉体在那里开始消逝.她的骨骼变成了岩石,之后只有她的声音留了下来.据传说,她依旧准备好对那些呼唤她的人做出回应,而这就是为什么你若是在群山和洞穴中大喊就会听到一声“echo”（回音）的原因.
那喀索斯算不上一个好人.他自负得令人不可思议,只考虑自己不顾他人.他受到了阿耳特弥斯女神的惩罚,被诅咒陷入爱恋,不过却是一种永远也无法实现的爱恋.那喀索斯偶然碰到一湾清泉,当他俯身喝水之时,第一次瞥见了池中倒映出来的自己.他力尽所能地去触摸水中那个貌美之人,但却永远都做不到.他的爱困惑住了他,他既不愿离开泉水去进食,也不愿破坏自己的映像来饮水,于是他死于饥渴以及对自己的那个没有结果的爱恋之中.在他倒下的地方,生长出一种花朵,至今仍被叫做“the narcissus flower”（水仙花）.在现代英语中,如果你称某人是“narcissist”（自我陶醉者）,那么你就是在说他们十分自恋.
The Underworld
Afterlife for the ancient Greeks was a pretty grim prospect, at least if you were being punished for wickedness.
One such punishment was the literal definition of tantalising. The word has its origin in the punishment of Tantalus. He was uniquely favored among mortals since he was invited to share the food of the gods. However, he abused the guest-host relationship (accounts differ as to how). Sent to Hades, he was immersed in water, but when he bent to drink, it all drained away; fruit hung on trees above him, but when he reached for it winds blew the branches beyond his reach.
A Sisyphean task is one that is both extremely laborious and futile. Sisyphus was a murderer who was severely punished when he tricked the god of death so that the dead could not reach the afterlife. His punishment was to push a huge boulder up a steep hill, which tumbled back down every time he reached the top. Then the whole process started again, lasting for eternity.
冥府
对古希腊人来说,阴世是一个相当可怕的景象,至少在你因恶行而遭到惩罚的时候是如此的.
“干着急”这个词的字面意思就是此类惩罚之一.这个词源于对坦塔罗斯的惩罚.由于他受邀与众神一同进餐,所以他是凡人中唯一受到恩宠之人.然而,他妄用了宾主关系（至于如何妄用,说法不一）.被送到地狱后,他被浸泡在水中,但是当他俯身喝水之时,水却全草竭；在他的头上就有果子挂在树上,但是当他伸手去够之时,风却把树枝刮到他够不到的地方.
一项“Sisyphean”（艰苦而没有尽头的）的任务就是那种既艰辛至极又徒劳的任务.西西弗斯是一个凶手,曾戏弄了死神,导致死者无法来到阴间,因而受到了严厉的惩罚.他的惩罚是将一块巨石推到陡峭的山上,而每次当他到达山顶石头便会滚落下来.此后整个过程又重来往复,永不停歇