Trojan War - (Greek mythology) a great war fought between Greece and Troy; the Greeks sailed to Troy to recover Helen of Troy, the beautiful wife of Menelaus who had been abducted by Paris; after ten years the Greeks (via the Trojan Horse) achieved final victory and burned Troy to the ground; "the story of the Trojan War is told in Homer's Iliad"

Augean stables - (Greek mythology) the extremely dirty stables that were finally cleaned by Hercules who diverted two rivers through them

Pandora's box - (Greek mythology) a box that Zeus gave to Pandora with instructions that she not open it; she gave in to her curiosity and opened it; all the miseries and evils flew out to afflict mankind

Delphic oracle, Oracle of Apollo, oracle of Delphi, Temple of Apollo - (Greek mythology) the oracle at Delphi where a priestess supposedly delivered messages from Apollo to those who sought advice; the messages were usually obscure or ambiguous

Elysian Fields, Elysium - (Greek mythology) the abode of the blessed after death

Charybdis - (Greek mythology) a ship-devouring whirlpool lying on the other side of a narrow strait from Scylla

classical mythology - the system of mythology of the Greeks and Roman together; much of Roman mythology (especially the gods) was borrowed from the Greeks

Colchis - (Greek mythology) a region on the Black Sea south of the Caucasus that was the site of an ancient country where (according to Greek mythology) Jason sought the Golden Fleece

Acheron, River Acheron - (Greek mythology) a river in Hades across which the souls of the dead were carried by Charon

Cocytus, River Cocytus - (Greek mythology) a river in Hades that was said to be a tributary of the Acheron

Lethe, River Lethe - (Greek mythology) a river in Hades; the souls of the dead had to drink from it, which made them forget all they had done and suffered when they were alive

Liakoura, Mount Parnassus, Parnassus - (Greek mythology) a mountain in central Greece where (according to Greek mythology) the Muses lived; known as the mythological home of music and poetry; "Liakoura is the modern name of Mount Parnassus"

River Styx, Styx - (Greek mythology) a river in Hades across which Charon carried dead souls

Alcyone, Halcyon - (Greek mythology) a woman who was turned into a kingfisher

Demogorgon - (Greek mythology) a mysterious and terrifying deity of the underworld

Argus - (Greek mythology) a giant with 100 eyes; was guardian of the heifer Io and was slain by Hermes

Calypso - (Greek mythology) the sea nymph who detained Odysseus for seven years

sea nymph - (Greek mythology) a water nymph who was the daughter of Oceanus or Nereus

Cyclops - (Greek mythology) one of a race of giants having a single eye in the middle of their forehead

Scylla - (Greek mythology) a sea nymph transformed into a sea monster who lived on one side of a narrow strait; drowned and devoured sailors who tried to escape Charybdis (a whirlpool) on the other side of the strait

Stentor - the mythical Greek warrior with an unusually loud voice who died after losing a shouting contest with Hermes

Cerberus, hellhound - (Greek mythology) 3-headed dog guarding the entrance to Hades; son of Typhon

Charon - (Greek mythology) the ferryman who brought the souls of the dead across the river Styx or the river Acheron to Hades

Chimaera, Chimera - (Greek mythology) fire-breathing she-monster with a lion's head and a goat's body and a serpent's tail; daughter of Typhon

Circe - (Greek mythology) a sorceress who detained Odysseus on her island and turned his men into swine

Dardanus - (Greek mythology) founder of Troy

Geryon - (Greek mythology) a mythical monster with three heads that was slain by Hercules

Gorgon - (Greek mythology) any of three winged sister monsters and the mortal Medusa who had live snakes for hair; a glance at Medusa turned the beholder to stone

Grace - (Greek mythology) one of three sisters who were the givers of beauty and charm; a favorite subject for sculptors

Aglaia - (Greek mythology) one of the three Graces

Euphrosyne - (Greek mythology) one of the three Graces

Thalia - (Greek mythology) one of the three Graces

Harpy - (Greek mythology) vicious winged monster; often depicted as a bird with the head of a woman

Hydra - (Greek mythology) monster with nine heads; when struck off each head was replaced by two new ones; "Hydra was slain by Hercules"

Hyperborean - (Greek mythology) one of a people that the ancient Greeks believed lived in a warm and sunny land north of the source of the north wind