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·▼希腊罗马神话和《圣经》中的英语典故+;



1.An Apple of Discord争斗之源;不和之因;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

  传说希腊阿耳戈英雄(Argonaut)珀琉斯(Peleus)和爱琴海海神涅柔斯的女儿西蒂斯(Thetis)在珀利翁山举行婚礼,大摆宴席。
他们邀请了奥林匹斯上(Olympus)的诸神参加喜筵,不知是有意还是无心,惟独没有邀请掌管争执的女神厄里斯(Eris)。这位女神恼羞成怒,决定在这次喜筵上制造不和。于是,她不请自来,并悄悄在筵席上放了一个金苹果,上面镌刻着“属于最美者”几个字。天后赫拉(Hera),智慧女神雅典娜(Athena)、爱与美之神阿芙罗狄蒂(Aphrodite),都自以为最美,应得金苹果,获得“最美者”称号。她们争执不下,闹到众神之父宙斯(Zeus)那里,但宙斯碍于难言之隐,不愿偏袒任何一方,就要她们去找特洛伊的王子帕里斯(Paris)评判。三位女神为了获得金苹果,都各自私许帕里斯以某种好处:赫拉许给他以广袤国土和掌握富饶财宝的权利,雅典娜许以文武全才和胜利的荣誉,阿芙罗狄蒂则许他成为世界上最美艳女子的丈夫。年青的帕里斯在富贵、荣誉和美女之间选择了后者,便把金苹果判给爱与美之神。为此,赫拉和雅典娜怀恨帕里斯,连带也憎恨整个特洛伊人。后来阿芙罗狄蒂为了履行诺言,帮助帕里斯拐走了斯巴达国王墨涅俄斯的王后---绝世美女海伦(Helen),从而引起了历时10年的特洛伊战争。不和女神厄里斯丢下的那个苹果,不仅成了天上3位女神之间不和的根源,而且也成为了人间2个民族之间战争的起因。因此,在英语中产生了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

  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 throwing us an apple of discord,we soon quarrelled again.

  The dispute about inheriting estate formed an apple of discord between them.

  This problem seems to be an apple of discord between the Soviet union and the USA.







  2.The Heel of Achilles 亦作The Achilles' Heel唯一弱点;薄弱环节;要害

  The Heel of Achilles直译是“阿基里斯的脚踵”,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。传说他是希腊密耳弥多涅斯人的国王珀琉斯和海神的女儿西蒂斯所生的儿子。阿基里斯瓜瓜坠地以后,母亲想使儿子健壮永生,把他放在火里锻炼,又捏着他的脚踵倒浸在冥河(Styx)圣水里浸泡。因此阿基里斯浑身象钢筋铁骨,刀枪不入,只有脚踵部位被母亲的手捏住,没有沾到冥河圣水,成为他的唯一要害。在特洛伊战争中,阿基里斯骁勇无敌,所向披靡,杀死了特洛伊主将,著名英雄赫克托耳(Hector),而特洛伊的任何武器都无法伤害他的身躯。后来,太阳神阿波罗(Apollo)把阿基里斯的弱点告诉了特洛伊王子帕里斯,阿基里斯终于被帕里斯诱到城门口,用暗箭射中他的脚踵,负伤而死。

  因此,the heel of Achilles,也称the Achilles' heel,常用以表示a weak point in something that is otherwise without fault;the weakest spot等意思。

  eg:The shortage of fortitude is his heel of Achilles.

  His Achilles' heel was his pride--he would get very angry if anyone criticized his work.3.Helen of Troy
            

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速度还真的不是一般的快
            

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一定會一定會。


捨不得也只能收藏旅行的時光

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lonelybaby 有空来发发帖吖~~
            

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帖子有點舊,放下來咯

捨不得也只能收藏旅行的時光

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哇``内容很丰富哦!多谢楼主吖`!让我拥有了这么多的资料..

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21.Cast pearls before swine对牛弹琴;白费好意

  To Cast pearls before swine的意思是“珍珠头在猪猡前面”。
swine是个旧词,书面词,即今为pigs,不过swine单复同行,本句为复数。

  这个成语源自《新约。马太福音》第7章:“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs,neither cast ye your pearls before swine,lest they trample them under their feet,and turn again and rend you”.由于to cast pearls efore swine,比喻确切,在后世不断引用中而成为一个国际性成语,常用来表示to offer sth valuable or beautiful to those who can't appreciate it;to give what is precious to those who are unable to understand its value等意思,含有轻蔑嘲笑色彩。按其字面意义,这个成语与汉语成语“明珠按投”相似,但是寓意不同,基本上不对应;按一比喻意义,它相当于“对牛弹琴”,“向驴说经”“一番好意给狗吃”“狗咬吕洞宾,不识好人心”等。

  She read them Shakespeare,but it was casting pearls before swine

  I won't waste good advice on John any more because he never listens to it.I won't cast pearls before swine.

  ...and when I let the upper floor to Cap'en Cuttle,oh i do a thankless thing,and cast pearls before swine

  










22.a wolf in sheep's clothing批着羊皮的狼;貌善心恶的人

  耶稣在加利利一带传道布教,收了很多信徒。有一天,他对门徒说:"Beware of false prophets,which come to you in sheep's clothing,but inwardly they are ravening wolves"

  eg:Mrs.Martin trusted the lawyer until she realized that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing

  One who teaches morality and practises immorality is a wolf in lamb's skine
  










23.separate the sheep from the goats区别好坏,分清良莠

  《新约。马太福音》记述:“And before him shall be gathered all nations:and he shall separate them one from another,as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats”

  由于《圣经》的影响,sheep和goat在英语中的形象截然不同,前者比喻好人,后者比喻坏人。英语中有关goat的成语,大多贬义。如:to play the goat=play the fool(瞎胡闹);to get sb's goat(触动肝火) ;等等。《圣经》说牧羊人要分辨绵羊和山羊,“把绵羊安置右边,山羊左边”。据说野山羊常混进羊群里,引诱绵羊,故牧养人必须把它们区分开来,以免混淆。

  由此,人们用to separate the sheep from the goats这个成语,来比喻to separate the good from the wicked; to divide good or useful people from bad or useless

  eg:We'll go through the list of members,and separate the sheep from the goats

  Have faith in me,please.I can separate the sheep from the goats
 
            

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19.Not an iota of没有一点点,丝毫也不

  iota是希腊字母表中第9个字母“I”的名称。not an iota of 出自《新约。马太福音》第5章:“律法的一点一画都不能废去,都要成全。”因为iota是希腊字母表中最小的一个字母,它有时可以写作一短横置于其他字母之上;遗漏这一点点对发音并无什么影响,只按规则不能减少而已。《福音书》所说的律法,系指“摩西律”,意即无论何人都不允许随便废去这戒律哪怕是最小的一条,甚至其中的一个字母,一个小小短横也不得更动或遗漏。

  由此,在语言中遗留下来这个成语,转义表示not a bit of ;not one jot or little;not at all等意思。iota在这里,相当于汉语“小不点儿”的意思。

  Eg:Science deals with things in a practical way.Science means honest,solid knowledge,allowing not an iota of falsehood,and it involves herculean efforts and gruelling toil.

  There is not an iota of truth in the story.
  






20.The Salt of the Earth社会中坚;民族精华;优秀份子

  The Salt of the Earth这个成语,字面意思“世上的盐”

  盐是饮食中不可缺少的调味品,人体若缺盐,健康就会受到影响,出现种种疾病。盐还有杀菌、解毒、消炎、除污等多种功用,它既是“百药之王”,又是工业之母,确是值得珍视的东西。在许多民族的习俗汇总,盐被当作敬客的高贵礼品。

  The Salt of the Earth一词出自《圣经》,据《新约。马太福音》(Matthew)第5长记载:耶稣对他的门徒说:"Ye are the salt of the earth:but if the salt have lost his savor,wherewith shall it be salted? " 在这里,salt用于转义,表示flavor;of the earth即of the world。这是耶稣登山垂训论"福",所讲福音结尾的话,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 sociey;the finest type of humanity;a person or a group of people having the best character 之意

  eg: 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
            

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17.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东西,即表示a cherished person or object;sth extrmely precious to one; sb dearly loved等意

   这个成语来字《旧约。申命记》(Deuteronomy)第32章“耶和华遇见他在旷野荒凉、野兽吼叫之地,就环绕他,看顾他,保护他如同保护眼里的瞳人。”在圣经其他地方也有类似的话。英文版《旧约。诗篇》(Psalm)第17章有这样的句子:"Keep me as the apple of the eye,hide me under the shadow of the wings"

   成语the apple of one's 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,它与汉语成语“掌上明珠”颇相似,但其比喻的对象较汉语“掌珠”更广,因“掌珠”通常指心爱的女儿,而不能用与其他场合。

   egittle Mary is the apple of her father's eye

  Mind the reputation of your school as you care for the apple of your eye.







  18.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。其语言外壳与内涵是怎样联系起来的呢?还是出自《圣经》

  据《旧约。但以理书》(Daniel)第5章记述:有一次古巴比伦(Babylonian)的国王伯沙撒(Belshazar)正在宫殿里设宴纵饮时,突然,不知从哪里出现了一个神秘的手指,当者国王的面,在王宫与灯台相对的粉墙上写西了四个奇怪的单词:MENE(弥尼)、MENE(弥尼)、TEKEL(提客勒)、UPHARSING (乌法珥新)。国王张皇失措,惊恐万分,谁也不懂墙上所写的字是什么意思。后来叫来了被虏的犹太预言家但以理,才明白了这几个字的意思就是大难临头。他说:“弥尼就是上帝已经数算你国的年日到此为完毕;提客勒就是你被称在天平里显出你的亏欠;乌法珥新就是你的国分裂,归与玛代人和波斯人。”果然,当夜伯沙撒被杀,又62岁的玛代人大利乌取而代之。

  依次,“墙上的文字(或手指)”就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或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 he wall的句型,表示提出警告,such as on't you see the writing on the wall, 有时候也可省略on the wall,只说Don't you see the writing?意思也是一样的。

   eg:This inexplicable incident seemed,like the Babylonian finger on the wall,to be spelling out the letter of my judgement...

  In this house of his there was writing on every wall.His business-like temperament protested against a mysterious warning that she was not made for him.

  John's emplyer had less and less work for him;John could read the writing on the wall.

  The writing on the wall is clear:if man behaves like an animal and allow hs population to increase while each nation steadily increases he coplexity and range of its environment,nature will take her course and the law of the Jungle will prevail.

  When Bill's team lost four games in a row,he saw the handwriting on the wall.
            

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