As the Romantic and nonconformist poet PB Shelley aptly wrote in the Hellas, “ We are all Greeks,” while subtly indicating the strong and unbreakable ties which we have with the Greek  World. I wonder how  are we still connected with the world of Zeus, Titans and Prometheus? It’s not really an arduous task to  find something that reminds us of our Greek roots. Be it the many unambiguous and explicit references of Greek Mythology in the literature that we study or the English language we speak.

An unending list of English words in our daily vocabulary, comes  from the Greek Lexicon. 

For example-the word Atlas is derived from Atlas (Ἄτλας) in Greek Mythology. Atlas was a Titan who held up the heavens for eternity after the ten years of battle between Titans and Olympians broke out, when they bickered about, whose generation would rule over the Universe, known as Titanomachy. The Titan War ultimately resulted in the victory of the Olympians.

The word athlete is derived from the Greek word ‘Athlon’ (ἆθλον) which means prize of a contest.

The word aroma is derived from Greek word arōma (ἄρωμα), which means herb or spice or anything with fragrance, like oils or perfumes.

The word democracy is derived from Greek dēmokratia (δημοκρατία) which means people’s rule.

The word dynasty comes from Greek word dunasteia (δυναστεία), which means power or lordship.

Word history comes from the Greek word historia (ἱστορία), which means inquiry or knowledge which is acquired through investigation.

 Let’s talk about some phrases that very often we use, which have a Greek connection.

Herculean Task- Means an extremely difficult task. It traces its origin back to the Greek Myth of Hercules. 
Hercules was given 12 labours which he had to complete  as part of his penance, after he killed his wife and children, while inflicted by a madness by Hera. These labours were-
1. Slaying the Nemean Lion 
2. Slaying of the nine headed  Lernaean Hydra 
3. Capturing the Ceryneian Hind 
4. Capturing the Erymanthian Boar
5. Cleaning of the Augean stables in a day
6. Slaying the Stymphalian birds 
7. Capturing the Cretan Bull
8. Stealing the mares of Diomedes
9. Obtaining the girdle of Hippolyta, queen of the Amazon 
10. Obtaining the cattle of the three- bodied giant Geryon 
11. Stealing three of the golden apples of Heaperides
12. Capturing and bringing back Cerberus 

Achilles’ Heel- which means a weakness, despite of possessing overall strength. This phrase comes from the Greek Legend of Achilles, who was dipped in the River Styx by his mother Thetis, to prevent his untimely death. However, she dipped him in the river holding him by his heel, therefore, his heal remained his weak spot. Eventually, he was killed by Paris during the Trojan war when an arrow had hit his heel.

Pandora’s box- means a process which gives rise to several complications after its initiation. Pandora was the first human woman created by Zeus, who opened a jar “ containing countless plagues” and unleashed sickness, death and many other unspecified evils into the world.

Gordian’s knot- means an extremely difficult problem, and to cut the gordian’s knot means to solve the problem by direct methods. This phrase is related to an incident that occurred in the lifetime of Alexander the Great. The Phrygians were without any king, but they turned to an oracle which made a
Prophecy that the next man entering the city would be their ruler. Therefore, the peasant Gordias who entered the city first was immediately named its ruler. For showing his gratitude, his son Midas dedicated the ox- cart to the god Sabazios, while tying it to a post with an extremely intricate knot. As the legend goes, an oracle declared that any man who could open the knot would rule the whole of Asia. Then came Alexander the Great who sliced off the knot into half with his sword.

These are some of the many words and phrases which indirectly connect us to the Greek World, which was bright as the light stole by Prometheus and dark as the kingdom of Hades.