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AP Literature Allusion Terms Flashcards

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4993737848Achille's HeelOne spot that is most vulnerable; one weakness a person may have. Achilles was invulnerable except for his heel.0
4995557281Adonisextremely handsome young man1
4995558238Aeoliananything pertaining to wind; the god who was the keeper of the wind2
4995564020ApolloA physically perfect male; the God of music and sun; known for his physical beauty3
4995566616Argus-eyedomniscient, all-seeing; from Argus, the 100-eyed monster that Hera had guarding Io4
4995568869Athena/MinervaGoddess of wisdom, the city and the arts; patron goddess of Athens5
4995571104Atlanteanstrong like Atlas -who carried the globe (world) on his shoulders6
4995575079Auroraearly morning or sunrise, from the Roman personification of Dawn7
4995580829Bacchanalwild, drunken party or rowdy celebration; from God of wine Bacchus or Dionysus8
4995585267Bacchanalianpertaining to a wild, drunken party or celebration9
4995587851Calliopeseries of whistles; circus organ; from the Muse of eloquence or beautiful voice10
4995589799CassandraA person who continually predicts misfortune but is not often believed11
4995594229Centaura monster that had the head, arms, and chest of a man, and the body and legs of a horse12
4995595801Chimeraa horrible creature of the imagination, an absurd or impossible idea, wild fancy; a monster with a lion's head, a goat's body and a serpent's tail, supposed to breathe fire out13
4995601229Cupidityeager or desire to posses something, greed or avarice, Roman god of love (Eros in Greek)14
4995603087Eroticof or having to do with sexual passion or love15
4995604312Furor(Latin to rage) wild enthusiasm or excitement, rage, fury; "run like fury", any one of the three furies16
4995608475Gorgona very ugly or terrible person, especially a repulsive woman, Medusa, any one or three sisters have snakes for hair and faces so horrible that anyone who looked at them turned into stone17
4995612619Halcyoncalm, peaceful, tranquil-- Archaic bird supposed to breed in a nest on the sea and calm the water, identified with the kingfisher18
4995867621Harpya predatory person or nagging woman. from harpy, a foul creature who was part woman, part bird19
4995870133Hectorto bully; from Hector, the son of Priam, and the bravest Trojan warrior20
4995872745Helen of TroyHellenistic21
4995873928Herculeanvery strong or of extraordinary power from Hercules22
4995875511Hydra-Headedhaving many centers or branches, hard to bring under control, something bad you cannot erdaciate23
4995875512Iridescenta play of colors producing rainbow effects24
4995875513Jovialgood humored, from the word Jove, used to express surprise or agreement25
4995877307Junoesquemarked by stately beauty; comes from the word Juno. the wife of Jupiter, the goddess of light, birth, women, and marriage26
4995877308Lethargyabnormal drowsiness or inertia; from the word Lethe, a river in Hades that caused drinkers to forget their past27
4995879466Martialsuited fro war or a warrior, from Mars, the Roman god of war28
4996288797Madeasorceress or echantress29
4996288798Mentora trusted guide or counselor30
4996288799MercurialQuickly and unpredictable changing moods; fickle, flighty31
4996290024Mercury/Hermesa carrier of tidings, a newsboy, a messenger; messenger of the gods, conductor of souls to the lower world, and god of eloquence , the fabled inventor, wore a winged a hat and shoes32
4996290025Mnemonicsmemory aids, especially those techniques that use vivid imagery and organizational devices33
4996291214Morphinea bitter white, crystalline alkaloid used to relieve pain and induce sleep34
4996291215Musesome creature of inspiration, divine singers that presided over the thought in all its forms35
4996291216NarcissismBeing in love with their own self-image. Named for Narcissus a handsome young man who despised love. Echo, a nymph, who falls in love with him was rejected and decreed "let he who loves not others love himself" Hearing this he fell in love with his image while gazing in a pond and drowned himself trying to capture it36
4996292032Nemesisjust punishment, one who inflicts due punishment; goddess who punishes crime, but more often she is the power charged with curbing excess, such as excessive good fortune or arrogant or pride37
4996292033Neptunethe sea personified; the Roman God associated with Poseidon, the god of the water and ocean38
4996292034NiobeMournful woman from Niobe whose children were slain by Apollo and Artemis because of her bragging; the gods pitied her and turned her into a rock that was always wet from weeping39
4996292753Odysseya long journey named Odysseus, the character in the story by Homer, Odysseus makes his long journey back from Trojan War, encountering several obstacles along the way40
4996292754Olympianmajestic in manner, superior to mundane affairs; any participant in the ancient or modern Olympic games, named after 12 gods that were supposed to reside on Mt. olympus41
4996292755Paeana song of joy; a ritual epithet of Apollo the healer. In homeric poem, an independent god of healing named Paean, who take care of Hades when he was wounded42
4996293775Pandora's BoxSomething that opens the door for bad occurrences open by someone known for curiosity names for Pandora who was the first mortal sent by the Zeus to punish man for Prometheus after fire for her curiosity and opening the box Zeus gave her all human ills in the world leaving only hope at the bottom43
4996293776ParnassusMountain was sacred to the arts and literature and the Center of poetic or artistic activity poetry or poets collectively a common title for selection of poetry named after the hero of Mount Parnassus the son of Poseidon and then he founded the Oracle of python which was later occupied by Apollo44
4996294583PegasusPoetic inspiration named after a winged horse which sprang from the blood of Medusa at her death; a stamp of his hoof caused Hippocrene, the Fountain of the muses, to issue poetic inspiration from Mount Helicon45
4996294584PhoneixA symbol of immortality or rebirth named after the Egyptian mythology Phoenix; a long bird which lived in the Arabian Desert and then consumed itself in fire, rising renewed from the flame to start another long life46
4996295802Plutocracya government by the wealthy; named after Pluton, the "Rich Man" a ritual title of Hades. He was originally the god of the fields because the ground was the source of all wealth, ores, and jewels47
4996295803Prometheanlife-bringing, creative, or courageously original, named after the Titan who brought man the use of fire which he had stolen from heaven for their benefit48
4996295804Proteantaking many forms, versatile, named after proteus, a god of the sea, charged with tending the flocks of the sea creature belonging to Poseidon.49
4996296625Psychethe human soul, the mind, named after Psyche, a maiden who, after undergoing many hardships due to Aphrodite's jealousy, reunited with Cupid and was made immortal by Jupiter, she personifies the soul joined to the heart of love50
4996296626Pygmalionsomeone (usually a male) who tries to fashion someone into the person he desires51
4996298405Pyrrhic Victorya too costly victory; named after a Greek king who defeated the romans but suffered extremely heavy losses in the fight52
4996298406Saturnaliaa period of unrestrained revelry53
4996299258Saturinesluggish, gloomy, morose, inactive in winter months54
4996299259Sibyla witch or sorceress; a priestess who made known the oracles of Apollo and possessed the gift of prophecy55
4996301339Sisypheangreedy and avaricious; from the shrewd and greedy king of Corinth who was doomed forever in Hades to roll uphill a heavy stone, which always rolled down again56
4996301340Stentorianhaving a loud voice, named after a character in the Iliad who could shout as loudly as 50 men57
4996301352StygianDark and gloomy named after the River Styx a river in the Underworld the water is poisonous for human and cattle and said to break iron metal and pottery though it is said a horse's hoof is an unarmed by it58
4996585413Tantalize(v.) to tease, torment by teasing59
4996303150Terpsichoreanpertaining to dance, one of the muses, said to be the mother of the sirens, and protector of dance60
4996303151Titaniclarge, grand, enormous,61
4996303152Volcanoesoriginated from Vulcan, roman god of fire, whose forge is said yo be under the mountains62
4996303891Vulcanizeto treat rubber with sulfur to increase strength and elasticity63
4996312889Zeusa powerful man, king of the gods, ruler of Mt. Olymus, vengeful hurler of thunderbolts64
4996623546AbsolomA son who brings heartache to his father from the third son of David king of Israel exiled for three years before he was allowed to return to the court or see his Royal father Absalom plotted to cause a rebellion against his father to overtake the kingdom because he heard Solomon was to succeed David. When Absalom was killed in battle King David grieved for his son in the spite of his treachery against65
4996624637Alpha and Omegathe beginning and the end66
4996624638Caina brother who kills a brother67
4996626411DanielOne known for wisdom and accurate judgement from a wise leader in the Old Testament who was able to read the handwriting on the wall68
4996627507David and BathshebaRepresents a big scene from King David affair with Bathsheba the wife of Uriah after they had an affair and she became pregnant David had her husband Uriah put on the front lines of battle so he would die. The "Bathsheba Affair" formed a critical turning point in King David's life. Prior to this he had prospered greatly but afterward his personal fortunes were greatly diminished Nathan the prophet confronted David after he took Bathsheba for his wife and trapped him into admitting his own guilt69
4996627508Eye of the needleA very difficult task from famous narrow gateway called the needle. is the New Testament Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven70
4996627509Flithy LucreMoney or profits from a story in the New Testament of Jesus casting money lenders out of the Temple71
4996628870GoliathA large person from the Giant from the Philistine city of Gath slain by David when he was a Shepherd boy72
4996629634Good SamritanSomeone who helps another person perhaps someone of A different race or background from a new testament parable about a Samaritan a traditional enemy of the Hebrews, who stopped to help a Jewish man who had been beaten and left for dead at the side of the road73
4996632176Handwriting on the wallWhat the future holds from the Old Testament story of Daniel who was able to accurately predict some mysterious writing that appeared on a wall it predicted the imminent death of the king74
4996632177IshmaelOne who was cast out as being unworthy the son of Abraham and his handmaiden Hagar he was cast out into the desert when his wife Sarah had their son Isaac therefore said to be the ancestor of the nomadic desert tribes of Arabs75
4996632973JacobGrandson of Abraham son of Isaac and Rebekah brother of Esau and the traditional ancestor of Israelites his name was changed to Israel and his 12 sons became the 12 tribes of Israel76
4996632974JobOne who suffers a great deal but remains faithful from an Old Testament character whose faith in God was tested by Satan though he lost his family and belongings he remain patient and faithful77
4996633764Job's comforters"friends" who try to help by bringing blame78
4996633765JonahOne who brings bad luck, An old testament prophet who ran from god. When a storm arose, he admitted that he was the cause, and the sailors threw him overboard, where he was swallowed by a big fish.79
4996633766Judasa traitor or a treacherous kiss; the Apostle who betrayed Jesus and turned him into the Roman guards for 30 pieces of silver; his surname means murderer or assasin80
4996635360King Ahab and Jezabelan evil king and his evil wife, Jezabel introduced the worship of Baal, an idol. Jezebel means a brazen or forward woman81
4996635361Mannaa sustaining life-giving source or food; from the sweetish bread like food that fell from heaven for the Israelites as they went to the Promise Land82
4996638358Original Sin/The FallThe idea that all men are innately simple as a result of Adam and Eve's fall from the state of Innocence when they ate the forbidden fruit they were cast out of the biblical Garden of Eden83
4996639219Pearl of Great PriceSomething so precious that one would devote everything to or give up everything for it in one of Jesus Parables the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a pearl of great price or value found by a merchant84
4996639220PhilistineA person indifferent or hostile to the Arts and refinement from seagoing people from Crete who became enemies of the Israelites and fought over their lands85
4996655512Prodigal Sona wasteful son who disappoints his father86
4996656925Ruth and Naomiparagons of love between in laws, faithful friends87
4996658481Samson and DelilahTreacherous love story88
4996658482Scapegoatone that is made an object of blame for others89
4996659415Sepulchertomb in the old testament90
4996659416Sodom and Gomorrahany place associated with wickedness and sin; from the evil cities of the Old Testament that were destroyed by fire91
4996660340Solomonan extremely wise person92
4996661597Twelve Tribes of IsrealAccording to the Old Testament the Hebrew people took possession of the promised land of Canaan after the death of Moses and name the tribes after the sons and grandsons of Jacob: Reuben Simeon Judah, Issachar, Zebulum, Gad, Asher, Dan, Naphtali, Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim93

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