Section 2 Vocabulary Lessons 7 & 8

Question 0

Peripatetic

Answer 0

To walk about; moving from place to place

Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, taught at his Aristotelian school of philosophy, Lyceum, and would walk around constantly, becoming his trademark.

Question 1

Myrmidon

Answer 1

A person who executes his master’s orders without scruple

Classical mythology; legend has it that Myrmidons were a class of people of ancient Thessaly accompanied their king Achilles to the Trojan War. They were very faithful followers who did their kings bidding without question.

Question 2

Narcissism

Answer 2

Excessive love or admiration for oneself

Narkissos was a beautiful youth who in Greek legend, fell in love with his reflection in a pool. He prayed his beauty would outlive him. Gradually, he wasted away, but in his place grew the flower we know as narcissus.

Question 3

Tarantella

Answer 3

Whirling, lively, or frenzied dancing

Taranto was a city in south Italy. From the city’s name, the tarantula was named, which was held to cause an u controllable urge to dance when bitten. This dance was supposed to combat the ‘disease.’

Question 4

Panacea

Answer 4

A cure-all, a remedy for all illnesses

The name of the ancient goddess of healing was Panacea.

Question 5

Stentorian

Answer 5

Those who have loud, deep, resonating voices

Stentor was a Greek herald in the Iliad. Heralds carried important news and had to have lusty voices to announce the news events in open squares.

Question 6

Sisyphean

Answer 6

Requiring continued effort oftentimes without results that can justify the resources put into that effort

Sisyphus (Greek mythology) was the despotic ally cruel king of Corinth who was condemned for all eternity to roll a large stone to the top of a steep hill in Hades. Every time he approached the top of the hill, the stone slipped away somehow and rolled back down. This went on for all time.

Question 7

Sword of Damocles

Answer 7

An impending disaster or threat of a calamitous happening

Damocles, according to Greek legend, was an attendant at the court of a despotic ruler named Dionysius, who tried to flatter the king by praising his happiness. Instead, Dionysius sat him at a banquet table with a sword hanging over his head by a single hair. This was to demonstrate to Damocles the perilous nature of happiness and good fortune.

Question 8

Bedlam

Answer 8

A place or situation of noisy uproar and confusion

Bedlam refers to the Hospital of St. ,Mary of Bethlehem located in London, England. It was a psychiatric hospital in the time before proper care could be given to insane people. Patients were crowded into small rooms, oftentimes without medical care or proper diet. Many patients lived there their entire lives.

Question 9

Pandora’s box

Answer 9

That which is the source of many difficulties, none of which could have been foreseen.

Jupiter “gifted” the beautiful Pandora with a box to never be opened. She gave in and out poured a multitude of miseries the world had never known. Hunger, pestilence, envy, hatred came streaming out. With this also came out hope- humankind’s salvation.

Question 10

Philippic

Answer 10

Any strong verbal denunciation characterized by bitter invective

Demosthenes in the fourth century b.c. delivered speeches harshly critical of Phillip II of Maedon

Question 11

Draconian

Answer 11

Proverbially harsh and pitilessly severe

Draco was an Athenian statesman and lawmaker who made and enforced severe and unfair laws who was feared far and wide.

Question 12

Rodomontade

Answer 12

Pretentious cockiness, empty boasting

Matteo Biardo authored a work Orland Inamorata in which a character names Rodomonte appeared. He was a blustery fellow caught up in his perception of self importance- a conceited braggart.

Question 13

Epicure

Answer 13

Connoisseurs having cultivated a refined taste for the arts and culinary arts

Epicurus was a Greek philosopher whose philosophy embrace pleasure as the best good

Question 14

Pollyanna

Answer 14

Only a fool could be so dotingly optimistic and not see a dark side to human nature

The novel Pollyanna had a character who was Ann irresponsible optimist, finding good in everything and every body

Question 15

Caesarean section

Answer 15

the method of delivery the removes the fetus from the mother’s uterus by cutting through the abdominal walls and the uterus

This was named after Julius Caesar who is said to have been born in this manner.

Question 16

Sybarite

Answer 16

A person who is devoted to luxury, opulence and pleasure in general

Sybaris was an ancient Greek city located and what is now the south of Italy. It no longer exists, having been destroyed and 510 BC Sybaris had a reputation for its wealth and luxurious lifestyles of its inhabitants.

Question 17

Shylock

Answer 17

A lender of money unlawfully exorbitant interest rates

William Shakespeare, the merchant of Venice, in which a money lender named Shylock plays a pivotal role.

Question 18

Somniloquy

Answer 18

Talking in one’s sleep

Some was the ancient Roman God of sleep

Question 19

Lilliputian

Answer 19

Petty or narrow

And Irish writer by the name of Jonathan Swift wrote a satirical novel name Gulliver’s Travels. And it there was an imaginary place called Liliput, and of course the inhabitants were Liliputians. What sort them apart from all other humans was there diminutive size – they were small, actually tiny people.