1、English Allusions from Ancient Mythology and the Bible 神话与圣经典故 Group one,1. An Apple of Discord 争斗之源；祸根,An Apple of Discord直译为“纠纷的苹果”，出自荷马史诗Iliad中的希腊神话故事 阿耳戈英雄(Argonaut)珀琉斯(Peleus) 西蒂斯(Thetis) 奥林匹斯(Olympus) 女神厄里斯(Eris) 天后赫拉(Hera)，智慧女神雅典娜(Athena)、爱与美之神阿芙罗狄蒂(Aphrodite)， 众神之父宙斯(Zeus) 绝世美女海伦(Helen)， 在英语
2、中产生了an apple of discord这个成语，常用来比喻any subject of disagreement and contention; the root of the trouble; dispute等意义,1.An Apple of Discord争斗之源；不和之因；祸根,这个成语最初为公元2世纪时的古罗马历史学家马克朱里尤斯丁(Marcus Juninus Justinus) 所使用，后来广泛的流传到欧洲许多语言中去，成为了一个国际性成语。 eg: He threw us an apple of discord,We soon quarreled again. The d
3、ispute about inheriting estate formed an apple of discord between them.,the heel of Achilles / the Achilles heel,weak point in something that is otherwise without fault; the weakest spot The shortage of fortitude is his heel of Achilles. His Achilles heel was his pride-he would get very angry if any
4、one criticized his work.,2. the Heel of Achilles / the Achilles Heel 唯一弱点；薄弱环节；要害,The Heel of Achilles直译是“阿基里斯的脚跟”，是个在欧洲广泛流行的国际性成语。它源自荷马史诗Iliad中的希腊神话故事。 阿基里斯是希腊联军里最英勇善战的骁将，也是荷马史诗Iliad里的主要人物之一。传说他是希腊国王Peleus(珀琉斯)和海神的女儿Thetis(西蒂斯)所生的儿子。,3. Helen of Troy,3. Helen of Troy,Helen of Troy 直译“特洛伊的海伦“，源自源自荷马
5、史诗Iliad中的希腊神话故事。 Helen是希腊的绝世佳人，美艳无比，嫁给希腊南部邦城斯巴达国王墨涅俄斯(Menelaus)为妻。 阿枷门农(Agamemnon)为联军统帅，浩浩荡荡，跨海东征，攻打特洛伊城，企图用武力夺回海轮。足智多谋的奥德修斯(Odusseus)的“木马计”，里应外合才攻陷了特洛伊。,3. Helen of Troy,In modern English，Helen of Troy means beautiful girl or woman; beauty who ruins her country a terrible disaster brought by sb or
6、sth you like best,4.Greek Gift(s) 阴谋害人的礼物；黄鼠狼拜年，不安好心,Greek Gift(s) translated as “希腊人的礼物”，出自荷马史诗 奥德赛 (Odyssey) 以及古罗马杰出诗人维吉尔(Publius Virgilius Maro, 70BC 19BC)的史诗伊尼特(Aeneis)中关于特洛伊城陷落经过的叙述。,4.Greek Gift(s),当特洛伊人要把大木马拖进城的时候，祭司(flamen)拉奥孔(Laocoon)劝说不要接受希腊人留下的东西。他说：“我怕希腊人，即使他们来送礼”这句话后来成了一句拉丁谚语：“Timeo Dan
7、aos,et dona ferenteso.“（原文的达奈人Danaos，即泛指希腊各部族人）译成英语就是：I fear the Greeks, even when bringing gifts.其简化形式Greek Gifts.,4.Greek Gift(s),由此，Greek gift成为一个成语，表示a gift with some sinister purposes of the enemy; one given with intent to harm; a gift sent in order to murder sb等意思，按其形象意义，这个成语相当与英语的俚谚：When the
8、fox preaches, take care of your geese；也与汉语“黄鼠狼给鸡拜年-不安好心”类似,4.Greek Gift(s),He is always buying you expensive clothes, Im afraid they are Greek gifts for you. Be on guard against the Greek gifts!,Its Greek to me（我不知道）,英国人一般都不懂希腊语。这句话的直译是：对于我这是希腊语。自然是不明白的意思。 Greek Kalends（幽默，诙谐方式表达的永远不） Kalends是罗马日历的第
9、一天。古希腊不用罗马日历，永远不会有这一天。, The last supper,5. Bone of the Bone and Flesh of the Flesh,Bone of The Bone and Flesh of the Flesh直译“骨中之骨,肉中之肉“,出自圣经中关于上帝造人的神话. Adam and Eve, Adam said: “This is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh”（这是我骨中之骨,肉中之肉）。,5. Bone of the Bone and Flesh of the Flesh,Bone of The Bone
10、and Flesh of the Flesh常用来比喻血缘上的亲属关系或思想上的团结一致，即as close as flesh and blood; to be inseparately linked to each other Our army is bone of the bone and flesh of the flesh of the people.,6.Adams Apple喉结,亚当是圣经中人类的始祖，而苹果的历史比人类的历史还悠久。英语谚语：An apple a day keeps the doctor away.但据圣经故事上说，苹果也给人类带来了麻烦，男人的喉结就是因吃苹果
11、引起的。正当亚当吃的时候，上帝来了，所以亚当急忙吞下去，不料哽在喉咙间了。eg: Your Adams apple isnt apparent.,6.The Apple of Ones Eye,The Apple of Ones Eye的字面意思是“某人眼里的苹果”，在这里，apple指的是the pupil (瞳孔，眼珠)，大概因眼珠圆的象苹果之故。瞳孔是眼睛最重要的部分，失去瞳孔，光线就无法通过虹膜sth extremely precious to one; sb dearly loved等意 中心的圆孔进入眼内而变成了瞎子。所以，这个成语常用来比喻象爱护眼珠一样爱护某个最心爱的人或珍贵的
12、东西，即表示a cherished person or object;,6.The Apple of Ones Eye,Little Mary is the apple of her fathers eye. Mind the reputation of your school as you care for the apple of your eye.,6.The Apple of Ones Eye,成语the apple of ones eye是固定结构，不得写成the apple of the eye of的形式；在搭配上，它常与动词be，keep, care for等连用。按其想象意义
13、，它与汉语成语“掌上明珠”颇相似，但其比喻的对象比汉语“掌珠”更广，因“掌珠”通常指心爱的女儿，而不能用与其他场合。,7.The writing/Finger on the Wall不详之兆；大祸临头,这个成语的字面意思是“墙上的文字（或手指）”，而实际含义是a sign or warning of impending disaster（迫在眉睫的凶兆）；a sign that sth bad will happen ; a feeling that ones number is up；等等。出自圣经,7.The writing/Finger on the Wall,“墙上的文字（或手指）”
14、表示身死国亡的凶兆。 英语中这个成语有几种表达方式：the writing/handwriting on the wall / a finger on the wall, 通常与be，like等系动词连用；有时写成see/read the writing on the wall，表示提出警告, such as : Dont you see the writing on the wall, 有时候也可省略on the wall, - Dont you see the writing？,7.The writing/Finger on the Wall,Johns employer had less
15、 and less work for him; John could read the writing on the wall.When Bills team lost four games in a row, he saw the handwriting on the wall.,8. The Salt of the Earth 社会中坚；民族精华；优秀份子; 精英,The Salt of the Earth这个成语，字面意思“世上的盐” The Salt of the Earth一词出自圣经，据新约。马太福音（Matthew）第5章记载：Jesus said to his disciple
16、: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? “,8. The Salt of the Earth,在这里，salt用于转义，表示flavor；of the earth即of the world。这是耶稣论“福“，所讲福音（gospel） 结尾的话，他把门徒比做“世上的盐”，这是极高的称赞。这句话在后世不断引用变成了一个典故性成语，转义为the most valuable members of society; the finest type of humanity; a person or a group of people having the best character,8. The Salt of the Earth,He does a lot of good jobs and is considered to be the salt of the world. You all are the salt of the earth. Our hope is placed on you.,Thank you !,
