Allusion Information List 2nd 6 Wks 
ALLUSION VOCABULARY
Second Six Weeks
1. Herculean: a. adj. - of extraordinary power, size, or difficulty relating to the characteristics of Hercules; having enormous strength. (Most often used in capitalized form when referring to Herculean task: may not require great strength, even though expression comes
b. from name of mythical superhero. Such a task is a difficult or dangerous one.) Given twelve impossible tasks. Hercules completed all of them overcoming great difficulties. He was carried off the Heaven to live with the gods.
c. Mythology
2. Homeric: a. adj. - of epic proportions; heroic.
b. relating to characteristics of Greek poet, Homer, author of
Iliad/Odyssey (epic poems).
c. Literary
3. hyacinth: a. noun - plant of lily family - from bulb - fragrant
b. Hyacinthus - hero of Greek myth who was a prince of Sparta noted for his unusual beauty. He attracted the love of the god Apollo and also that of the jealous West Wind, Zephyrus, who caused Hyacinthus to be accidentally killed by Apollo at a discus throwing contest. Apollo memorialized him with a hyacinth growing from the youth's blood.
c. Mythology 4. hydra: a. noun - a diverse evil not to be overcome by a single effort.
b. Nine-headed serpent or monster slain by Hercules as his second labor. When each was cut off it was replaced by two others. It had poisonous breath.
c. Mythology
5. hyperion: a. adj. - sun related; representation of light/beauty. (Most often used in capitalized form when alluding to Hyperion task - like Herculean task.)
b. Hyperion - a Titan, originally considered god of sun; this became function of son, Helios. (His three children symbolized the three important sources of light; Selena was goddess of moon and Eos (or Roman goddess Aurora) was goddess of dawn. (Shakespeare uses this allusion in Hamlet, Troilus and Cressida, and Venus and Adonis)
c. Mythology
6. hypnosis: a. noun - state that resembles sleep but is induced by a
Second Six Weeks
1. Herculean: a. adj. - of extraordinary power, size, or difficulty relating to the characteristics of Hercules; having enormous strength. (Most often used in capitalized form when referring to Herculean task: may not require great strength, even though expression comes
b. from name of mythical superhero. Such a task is a difficult or dangerous one.) Given twelve impossible tasks. Hercules completed all of them overcoming great difficulties. He was carried off the Heaven to live with the gods.
c. Mythology
2. Homeric: a. adj. - of epic proportions; heroic.
b. relating to characteristics of Greek poet, Homer, author of
Iliad/Odyssey (epic poems).
c. Literary
3. hyacinth: a. noun - plant of lily family - from bulb - fragrant
b. Hyacinthus - hero of Greek myth who was a prince of Sparta noted for his unusual beauty. He attracted the love of the god Apollo and also that of the jealous West Wind, Zephyrus, who caused Hyacinthus to be accidentally killed by Apollo at a discus throwing contest. Apollo memorialized him with a hyacinth growing from the youth's blood.
c. Mythology 4. hydra: a. noun - a diverse evil not to be overcome by a single effort.
b. Nine-headed serpent or monster slain by Hercules as his second labor. When each was cut off it was replaced by two others. It had poisonous breath.
c. Mythology
5. hyperion: a. adj. - sun related; representation of light/beauty. (Most often used in capitalized form when alluding to Hyperion task - like Herculean task.)
b. Hyperion - a Titan, originally considered god of sun; this became function of son, Helios. (His three children symbolized the three important sources of light; Selena was goddess of moon and Eos (or Roman goddess Aurora) was goddess of dawn. (Shakespeare uses this allusion in Hamlet, Troilus and Cressida, and Venus and Adonis)
c. Mythology
6. hypnosis: a. noun - state that resembles sleep but is induced by a