Its Greek to Me!: Brush Up Your Classics

"It's Greek to Me!" is a book for word and phrase lovers, for students of mythology, Latin and Greek, etymologies, for students of linguistics and literature, serious readers, crossword puzzle fans. Allusions to Greek and Latin words and phrases--all come here to the table with Michael Macrone and learn in a fun way the source of the phrases and their meanings today. Is the Sword of Damocles hanging by a hair over your head at work? Don't know what that means? "A metaphor for a blow that might fall at any moment, a threat that robs us of any delight in our present safety" is the meaning taken from the story of Dionysus I, tyrant of Syracuse in early fourth century B.C., who took so many precautions to protect a life he could not enjoy. Damocles, who flattered Dionysus that he was really happy was rewarded with many costly gifts and money but had to live with a dangling sword over his head, ready to drop at any moment. Why? So he (Damocles) would always be reminded of how easily he could lose that wealth. He finally asked Dionysus to release him from his happiness (and lose his new wealth) rather than live with a sword over his head. Another phrase, "Achilles heel," connotes "a fatally weak point of an otherwise unassailable force or plan" (186). The phrase derives from Statis' account of Achilles, when his mother Thetis dips him in the River Styx, holding him by the heel, thus wrapping a film of protection around him, except in that one "fatally weak point." Samuel Taylor Coleridge first used the phrase in English, labeling Ireland "that vulnerable heel of the British Achilles" (1810). George Bernard Shaw called divorce "that Achilles heel of marriage" (1897). "Fanatic" derives from the Latin "fanum"--temple. Priests who served the Roman war goddess Bellona, annually attended a festival in a fanum, where they tore off their robes and hacked at themselves with axes. This behavior could only have happened through divine inspiration, so "fanaticus" means "crazed by the gods." By 1500's England, "fanatic" meant "crazed person" or "possessed with divine fury," now called a "religious fanatic." Another popular meaning is "fan" or "devotee" or "adherent" to someone or something (204). "Draconian measures" whips up mental images of fierce justice. In short, after a prolonged campaign to exact vengeance for deeds done, the Athenians appointed Dracon to draw up a system of justice. He did and it became the foundation for all Western judicial systems (38). The punishment for most crimes was death, thus "draconian measures." Later, Plutarch in his "Life of Solon" says that Draco "wrote his laws not with ink, but with blood," or "laws written in blood." Macrone fills his book with many words and phrases derived from the Greek and Roman history, philosophy, and drama, then adds a chapter of Miscellany. If we were boys who lived in the nineteenth century, we would have studied both languages in school and not need this book of etymologies. Although we are

This book will be fascinating for anyone who is interested in words and expressions. The bits of history associated with the expressions are informative and a delight to read. I enjoyed leafing through it and digesting bits and pieces at a time.

It's Greek to Me is a nice review of the classical origins of some of the common phrases that are used today. Macrone gives quick reviews of the stories or myths from which these phrases are taken and concisely gives the reader an idea of the classical meaning as well as the modern one. A nice review for the general reader, but if you wish to delve more deeply into classical myth and literature try Oxford's Classical Dictionary.

I took a class in Greek mythology and found this book to be extremely useful in learning the stories. The only drawback is that the book is not real thorough. But overall, it gives a great overview.