Myths Behind Words: Greek Mythology in English Words and Expressions

by Alexander Zaphiriou

Like the constellations in the sky, words such as 'aphrodisiac', 'hubris', 'museum', 'galaxy' and 'mentor' each contain within them a story, if only you knew to look closely. This collection retells the myths behind common words and expressions in English, bringing to life the heroes, monsters and gods whose deeds and battles have left a hidden mark on our language.

Compiling more than seventy-five myths, the stories in this book feature well-known figures such as Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Hercules, Achilles, the Amazons, Medusa and the Minotaur. The entries are supplemented with original illustration reproductions of scenes from ancient pottery, and include translations from Ancient Greek epics such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Argonautica and Theogony.

Genres: Nonfiction

124 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2018

Reviews

[Víctor De la Peña Arteaga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief book that denotes the power and joy of etymology, reveals some secrets behind words and phrases.

[Daze · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I bought while journeying through the Peloponnese mountains where the mythical King Agamemnon lived aka now an Archaelogical site of Mycenae. I have yet to read the Iliad and Odyssey but this slim book contains legends of Greek Mythology without an overwhelming amount of information. I thought it was a good selection of words and phrases used today that have abstruse lore behind them. I made careful note of each one. One of the ones I like is regarding the Rivers of Lethe, the mythical rivers of forgetfulness.

[Prachi Pati · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great accessory for readers and budding writers who are interested in the origin of many words and phrases such as Sysiphean task, Herculean task, Pandora's box, Narcisissm, Echo, Academia, Dionysian, Hermetic, and many more, inspired from Greek stories and mythology.

It is also a very tiny book - so a great pick to acheive your goodreads reading goal and learn something in the process too :)

[Galiyana Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining book to read. Not that scientific, primarily made for tourists. However, still had fun refreshing some of my memories of greek etymology and how its applied to other languages. Doesn't go into that much detail or have an in-depth analysis. It's quite easy to read, hence it's suited for larger audiences.

[Aristidis Marousas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short book with brief descriptions of a few Ancient Greek words and phrases used in today’s English language.

I was familiar with most of these, but was pleasantly surprised by a few words that can be traced back to Ancient Greek Mythology.

[charlotte c-r. · Rating 3 out of 5]

informative and precise.

not to ne cocky or anything but i discovered more words, that i could guess the origin of, than actually discovering myths.

still a good reminder if you haven’t dived in the world of greek mythology in a long time

[Michelle]

Though brief, packed with a good overview of Greek mythology through the prism of English-language words. The writing was surprisingly high quality! I learned more new English phrases than new myths, which was actually pretty cool:)

[Hope Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rated 3.5*

[Siti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, the meaning of ethereal describes perfectly the beauty of Greek Islands

[The Bibliognost Bampot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loses a lot in translation. English is stilted and too formal, but still a really fascinating and well structured book.

[Freya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little coffee top/souvenir book. I got mine on holiday.

It's interesting to hear about some words, and also learn new terms/words/references that i was unfamiliar with.

[GomojuSmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love story that transcends time and space. It makes you believe in the strength of true love and in the possibility that everything is possible. A reading that fills your heart with hope.