Phrases From Greek & Roman Myths

Name:

Date:

Instructions: Match everyday expressions like "Achilles' heel," "Pandora's box," and "Midas touch" to the ancient myths that gave them their meaning.

1.
When we say someone has an "Achilles' heel," we mean they have a fatal weakness. Which Greek hero is this expression named after?
A
Achilles, the great warrior whose only vulnerable spot was his heel
B
Odysseus, the clever hero who was weak against flattery
C
Hercules, the strongman whose weakness was his temper
D
Perseus, the hero who feared looking at his reflection
2.
If someone "opens a Pandora's box," they have unleashed a flood of unexpected troubles. In the original myth, what was Pandora told NOT to do?
A
Open a jar (or box) she had been given as a wedding gift
B
Cross the River Styx without paying the ferryman
C
Look directly at the god Zeus on Mount Olympus
D
Eat the fruit from the sacred golden apple tree
3.
The phrase "Midas touch" describes someone who turns everything they attempt into success. In the original myth, King Midas's golden touch was actually a curse — why?
A
Everything he touched literally turned to gold, including his food and his daughter
B
His gold kept disappearing, stolen by the god Hermes each night
C
He could only touch gold, and everything else burned his hands
D
His gold cursed him to live forever but never feel happiness
4.
We use the phrase "Herculean task" to mean an enormously difficult job. What legendary labors is this expression based on?
A
The Twelve Labors of Hercules, a set of nearly impossible tasks assigned as punishment
B
The ten-year journey of Odysseus to return home after the Trojan War
C
The quest of Jason and the Argonauts to find the Golden Fleece
D
The daily task of Sisyphus, condemned to roll a boulder uphill forever
5.
A "siren song" refers to an irresistible but dangerous temptation. In Greek myth, what made the Sirens so deadly to sailors?
A
Their beautiful singing lured sailors to steer their ships onto the rocks
B
Their wailing cry could drive men permanently mad
C
They could shape-shift into friendly harbor pilots who led ships astray
D
Their song could stop a ship's crew from rowing, leaving them helpless at sea
6.
To be caught "between Scylla and Charybdis" means to face two equally bad choices. What were these two dangers in Greek myth?
A
A six-headed sea monster and a deadly whirlpool that sat on opposite sides of a narrow strait
B
Twin clashing rocks that crushed any ship trying to pass between them
C
Two rival sea gods who each demanded a sacrifice before letting a ship through
D
A blinding fog bank and a field of hidden reefs in the same stretch of sea
7.
The phrase "Pyrrhic victory" means a win that costs so much it is barely worth having. Which ancient king's experience gave us this expression?
A
King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who defeated the Romans but lost nearly his entire army doing so
B
King Priam of Troy, who won early battles but ultimately saw his city destroyed
C
King Croesus of Lydia, who won great wealth but was conquered by Persia
D
King Agamemnon of Mycenae, who won the Trojan War but was murdered on his return home
8.
"Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" comes from the story of the Trojan Horse. What gift did the Greeks offer the Trojans — and what was hidden inside?
A
A giant wooden horse offered as a peace offering, with Greek soldiers concealed inside
B
A golden chariot said to be blessed by the gods, which carried a hidden fire-starting device
C
A massive bronze bull presented as a tribute, rigged to release poison gas when heated
D
Casks of wine laced with a sleeping potion, meant to put the entire city guard to sleep
9.
If someone faces a "Sisyphean task," the work is endless and never gets anywhere. What was Sisyphus condemned to do for eternity?
A
Roll a boulder up a steep hill, only to watch it roll back down each time he neared the top
B
Carry the weight of the entire sky on his shoulders without ever being allowed to rest
C
Refill a bathtub that drained faster than water could be poured in
D
Count every grain of sand on every beach in the underworld and start again each century
10.
We describe someone as having a "narcissistic" personality when they are excessively self-admiring. Which myth is the word "narcissism" rooted in?
A
Narcissus, a youth so beautiful he fell in love with his own reflection in a pool and could not leave it
B
Adonis, a handsome young man so vain he refused all suitors and spent his days gazing at himself
C
Apollo, the sun god whose radiant appearance blinded anyone who looked directly at him
D
Ganymede, a boy so beautiful Zeus carried him to Olympus to serve as cup-bearer to the gods
11.
A "labyrinthine" problem is one that is hopelessly complex and maze-like. The Labyrinth in Greek myth was built to hold which creature?
A
The Minotaur — a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull
B
Cerberus — the three-headed dog who guarded the entrance to the Underworld
C
The Chimera — a fire-breathing creature with a lion's head, goat's body, and serpent's tail
D
The Gorgon Medusa — whose gaze could turn any living thing to stone
12.
To "fly too close to the sun" means to be brought down by overconfidence or over-ambition. Whose story is this expression drawn from?
A
Icarus, who ignored his father's warning and flew so high the sun melted his wax wings
B
Phaethon, who lost control of the sun god's chariot and was struck down by Zeus
C
Bellerophon, who tried to ride Pegasus all the way to Mount Olympus and was thrown off
D
Daedalus, the inventor who built wings of wax and feathers but tested them on a stormy day
13.
A "Cassandra" is someone whose accurate warnings are ignored by everyone around them. Why did no one believe Cassandra's prophecies in Greek myth?
A
Apollo gave her the gift of true prophecy but cursed her so that no one would ever believe her
B
She had once lied about a prophecy as a girl, and the Trojans never trusted her again
C
Her visions came only in riddles and symbols that people misunderstood as nonsense
D
Zeus struck her mute whenever she tried to warn anyone, so she could only write her prophecies
14.
The phrase "cut the Gordian knot" means to solve a complicated problem with a bold, unexpected action. According to legend, how did Alexander the Great handle the famous knot?
A
He simply drew his sword and sliced straight through it, rather than trying to untangle it
B
He found the hidden end buried inside the knot and pulled the whole thing apart in one motion
C
He soaked the knot overnight in water to swell the rope until the loops loosened on their own
D
He burned the post the knot was tied to so the rope fell free without being untied at all
15.
A "Procrustean bed" describes a scheme where facts or people are forced to fit a pre-set standard, even if it means distorting them. Who was Procrustes in Greek myth?
A
A villainous innkeeper who made guests fit his iron bed by stretching them or cutting off their legs
B
A tyrannical king who imposed the exact same tax on every subject regardless of their wealth
C
A craftsman who built armor that always fit the wearer's body perfectly — by reshaping the body
D
A ferryman who refused to carry anyone across the river unless they could answer his riddle

Find more free puzzles and brain games at www.SeniorBrainGames.org