ProfusionOfAllusions Flashcards
Abraham and Issac
this story is symbolic of man’s willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice to demonstrate his faith and trust in God. It is symbolic of the idea that faith shall be rewarded
Absalom
very handsome son of david; killed his half brother, father david forgave him; later killed david with three darts to the heart
Achilles
Greatest Greek warrior, husband of Briseis whom Agamemnon steals, only vulnerable place is his heel, prophecy that he would die in the Trojan war, which he does at the hand of Paris
Agamemnon
Former king of Mycenae, brother of Menelaus, and commander of the Achaean forces at Troy. Odysseus encounters Agamemnon’s spirit in Hades. Agamemnon was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus, upon his return from the war. He was later avenged by his son Orestes. Their story is constantly repeated in the Odyssey to offer an inverted image of the fortunes of Odysseus and Telemachus.
Antigone
(Greek mythology) the daughter of King Oedipus who disobeyed her father and was condemned to death
Armageddon
The scene of a final battle between the forces of good and evil, prophesied to occur at the end of the world; a decisive or catastrophic conflict
Atalanta
Discarded by her father, she is raised by a bear, and she helped kill the Calydonian Boar, Marries the first man who can beat her in a footrace. He cheated and was helped by Aphrodite
Atlas
(Greek mythology) a Titan who was forced by Zeus to bear the sky on his shoulders
Blind Leading the Blind
And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. In the Bible, blindness frequently represents a lack of spiritual enlightenment. This particular reference from Matthew implies that wisdom cannot be attained through the teachings of the unenlightened.
By Bread Alone
In Matthew, Christ says “Man shall not live by bread alone buy by every word of God” – Not all human needs are met by food, human kindness is important
Cain and Abel
The Two sons of Adam and Eve. Cain was older and a farmer; Abel was a shepherd. They made offerings to God, who liked Abel’s lamb better than Cain’s wheat. Cain was jealous and slew Abel, for which he was forced to roam as an outcast, with a horrible mark on his forehead that showed that he killed his brother. He said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Camel through a Needle’s Eye
Matthew and Luke stated that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven
Cassandra
The daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. Her beauty caused Apollo to grant her the gift of prophecy.
Cast the First Stone
In John, a woman caught in adultery was to be publicly stoned. But Jesus said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her…” This is a warning against hypocrisy.
Conversion of Saul
In Acts, Saul, a Roman citizen, actively persecuted the new Christian believers. While on the road to Damascus, Saul was blinded by a “light from heaven” and heard the words of God. Three days later, he accepted baptsim and “the scales” fell from his eyes. Saul is known as St. Paul, one of the major figures in the early Christian church.
Crucifixion
the death of Jesus on the cross
Daedalus and Icarus
Daedalus was King Minos’s architect, Icarus was his son; Daedalus made the labyrinth to keep the Minotaur in, King Minos did not want anyone to know the secrets of it so he locked Daedalus and his son in a tower; they wanted to get out so they made wings out of feathers; Icarus flew too high and the sun melted the wax; he drowned.
Damocles, sword of
A symbol of impending peril in Greek mythology. Damocles was seated at a sumptuous banquet only to look up to see a sword suspended by a thread over his head. This spoiled his pleasure. In modern literary usage, the term indicates impending disaster.
Damon and Pythias
In Greek mythology, these were two inseparable friends who would lay down their lives for one another. They symbolize lasting friendship.
Daniel
A young Hebrew prophet who prayed even when the king had ordered that no one pray. For this, he was thrown into a lion’s den, where he should have been killed. Instead, God saved him and he came out of the lion’s den unhurt. A symbol of God’s protection and the rewards of faith.
David and Bathsheba
David had an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. David and Bathsheba married, after Bathsheba’s husband was sent to war and killed. The son conceived during their affair died, but Bathsheba later gave birth to Soloman.
David and Goliath
David decided to take on Goliath because he did not see any thing to be scared of, he took only a staff a slingshot and a bag of stones. He shot a stone into Goliath’s eye and he fell, then David took a sword and chopped off his head, finally defeating the Giant
Dionysus or Bacchus
god of wine, revelry, the power of nature, fertility, and emotional ecstacy; thought of in terms of overuse or excess
divide the sheep from the goats
this phrase refers to the biblical parable explaining the time of judgement, when the faithful (good and saved) would be separated from the unfaithful (condemned). it alludes to the division of the true from the false, the worthy from the unworthy.
eye for an eye
In Leviticus, the passage “Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth” recommends the practice of exacting specific and equal punishment for a transgression or injury; for example, killing a murderer for his crime of killing another. (This was later revised in Matthew: “…whoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.”)
four horsemen of the apocalypse
four figures in the book of Revelation who symbolize the evils to come at the end of the world. Conquest rides a white hors; war rides a red horse; famine rides a black horse; and plague rides a white horse.
garden of Gethsemane
place where Jesus often went with his disciples to pray, rest, and talk; here that he was betrayed by judas iscariot
good Samaritan
The kind man who helped the person who had been beaten, robbed, and left to die on his way to Jericho
Grail or Holy Grail
Chalice or cup that caught the blood from Christ’s side and which he had used at the Last Supper. Brings health and sustenance to those who hold it and may be found only by the pure of heart.
heap coals of fire
teaches a lesson in mercy and cautions “be kind to your enemy”
Herod
The king of the Hebrews who ordered John the Baptist beheaded for Salome’s reward and who ordered all Jewish males under age two killed to prevent the “King of the Jews” from overthrowing him.
house has many mansions
there is room in heaven for all who believes
Iphigenia
A daughter of Agamemnon. Agamemnon must sacrifice Iphigenia to Artemis in order for the winds to allow him to sail to Troy.
Issac
the son of the Abraham and Sarah; he married Rebakah.
Jacob
grandson 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 Israel.
Jacob and Esau
Biblical: Twin brothers, E being the older of the two. J deceives his brother into parting with his birthright and his father into giving him the blessing of the first born. *Signifies sibling rivalry.
Jacob’s ladder
vision of god’s angels ascending and descending; commonly referred to as a “wrestling with God”
Jephthah’s daughter
Judges, story of another father’s sacrifice of a daughter to keep a vow. He vowed to sacrifice whatever living creature emerged first from his house in return for victory over the Ammonites. His daughter would not let him break his vow but asked for 2 months respite to walk the mountains and mourn her virginity – which she retained. Model for saints who died to protect their virginity.
Jezebel
wife of Ahab; responsible for turning him the worship of god; woman who turns someone from good to evil; another term for a “controlling wife”
John the Baptist
Jesus’s cousin (born of Elizabeth at old age), a messenger sent to prepare the way; baptized Jesus and pointed to him as the Messiah; preached repentance
Joseph and his brothers
sons of Jacob. Joseph was the favored son and was given preferred treatment and a special jacket called the coat of many colors. His jealous brothers sold Joseph to slave traders who in turn sold him the pharaoh in Egypt. Joseph was promoted to a high office in the Egyptian government. As a result he was able to save his family from starvation during a famine in Israel.
Joseph and Potiphar’s wife
In Genesis, Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph. When he refused, she accused him of attempted rape, and he was imprisoned. He was released by the pharaoh in order to interpret his dream
