Biblical and Mythological Allusions Review

Apostle who is paid to betray Jesus and identifies Jesus for the Roman soldiers by kissing him

Roman senators who conspired to assassinate Julius Caesar

Brother of Agamemnon; husband of Helen

Norse god of light and purity, son of the god Odin and the goddess Frigg. 

Nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island for seven years by enchanting him with her singing

Nazirite strongman and his Philistine girlfriend who betrays him and cuts his hair

Goddess of love, desire and beauty

In the Bible, first man created by God

In the Bible, man who built a boat to save his family from the great flood

Winged monsters with the head and breasts of women and the talons of aneagle

Old testament prophet raised in Pharaoh’s household; leads Jews intofreedom from Egypt

Son of Achilles who killed King Priam in the Trojan War

In Greek mythology, first human woman. Opened a box releasing all the evils of humanity

Legendary British King who, with the Knights of the Round Table, ruled over Camelot.

Wife of Abraham who becomes mother of Isaac in her 90s

Greek hero who kills Hector; vulnerable where he was held as his mom dipped him in River Styx

Carthaginian Queen who committed suicide after Aeneas left her

Daughter of Uranus and Gaia, with Zeus the mother of the Muses, goddess of memory

Lover of Zeus, he turned her into a white heifer to hide her from his wife Hera

Monster with the head of a bull and body of a man who lived in theCretan labyrinth

Sons of Oedipus and Jocasta. Kill each other in a war for control of Thebes.

Wife to Jason. Murdered her two children to avenge her husband's betrayal

Jewish king in time of Jesus

Roman governor who condemns Jesus to death

Boatman who ferries souls across the Styx

Wife of King Arthur

King of Thebes who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother

Greek goddess/queen who turns men into pigs

The Egyptian handmaid of Sarai, who gave her to Abram to bear a child.

Artist who built the labyrinth for the Minotaur, father of Icarus

Son of Isaac and two of his wives, one of whom he was tricked into marrying

Land in the Bible to which Ham was banished. Land was later promised to Abraham

Philosopher who taught pleasure is measure of good and painof evil; thought soul died with body

Form of the devil who tempts first woman to eat fruit of the Tree ofKnowledge of Good and Evil

Titan who ate his own children. Overthrown by his own son Zeus and imprisoned in Tartarus.

Stepfather of Jesus

Greek demi-god known for his beauty

In the Bible, woman who accuses Joseph of rape after he refuses her sexual advances

Greek sculptor and the statue he fell in love with. Aphrodite brought the statue to life

Powerful Greek warrior and King who stood at the wallsof Thebes and taunted the gods

Woman kidnapped by Zeus in the form of a white bull

King of Troy; father of Paris and Hector

Twin sons of Leda; later transformed into the constellation Gemini

Meal shared by Jesus and his follower’s the night before his crucifixion

Man who endures misfortunes as a test of his faith

Mother of Jesus

Egyptian queen and last of the Pharaohs; lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony

Jewish leader who persecuted early Christians until he was converted on the road to Damascus

Wife of Agamemnon, mother of Iphigenia and Orestes; murdered her husband

In the Bible, the children of angels and human women, often described as giants

Known for his beauty, he saw his own reflection in the water and fell in love with it

Greek goddesses of destiny. They controlled the thread of life of every mortal

Son of Zeus and Niobe. Zeus orders Hermes to kill him.

Son of Zeus; Messenger of the gods; god of trade, thieves, travelers, sports

Wife of Odin, goddess of atmosphere and clouds. Associated with wisdom 

Norse goddess associated with  love, sexuality, beauty, fertility, gold, war, and death. 

River that forms the border between the world of the living and theUnderworld

Titan known as the creator of mankind who gifted mankind with fire stolen from Mount Olympus

Stepdaughter of Herod who asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter

Leader of Greek forces in Trojan War; later murdered by his wife

Goddess kidnapped by Hades and forced to live in the Underworld for halfthe year

Son of Gaia and Uranus, father of Helios, Selene, and Eos. Overthrown by the Olympians. 

Goddess of the moon. Daughter of the titans Hyperion and Theia

The pantheon of Norse Gods

Ravens that fly all over the world and bring information to Odin

Blind prophet visited by Odysseus in Hades

Trojan queen married to Priam; mother of Hector and Paris

Twin sons of Mars, who were suckled by a she-wolf. One killed the other, then founded Rome

Greek god of War

Sisters with hair made of snakes and a gaze that can turn people to stone

Trojan hero who was the son of Priam. Killed by Achilles for slaying Patroclus

In the Bible, the first woman created by God

Daughter of Cronus and Rhea; Goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, domesticity, family

Prophet and patriarch who established a covenant with God; father ofIshmael and Isaac

God of music, poetry, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, sun, light and knowledge

Pair of Greek monsters between which Odysseus must pass

In Norse mythology, the world where the gods live

Sacred container for broken pieces of Ten Commandments

Shepherd who killed Goliath, later becomes King of Israel

Greek Titan who holds up the sky

Punished by standing in water beneath a fruit tree, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp

He traveled to Hades to bring back his dead wife, but he looked back and she couldn't follow

One of the nine worlds of Norse Mythology; homeland of primordial darkness, cold, mist, and ice

Greek demigod known for incredible strength, completed 12 labors

Norse god who is chief of the Aesir. Has two ravens.

North African city ruled by mythological queen Dido; destroyed by Rome in real life

Cousin of Jesus; baptized Jesus in River Jordan; beheaded by King Herod

Catastrophes that God inflicted on Egypt when Pharaoh refused to let Moses leave with the Jews

One of 12 sons; sold into slavery in Egypt; became advisor to Pharaoh

City of Priam, besieged by Greek army for ten years

Part goat, part man. God of nature, shepherds, flocks, goats. Often associated with sexuality

Philistine giant killed by slingshot

Three-headed dog who guards the Underworld

Greek god of the underworld

Legendary Trojan who survives the sack of Troy and goes on to found anew city in Italy

In the Bible, man raised from the dead by Jesus

In the Old Testament, food that God provided for the Israelites while in the desert.

Founded Athens, killed the Minotaur

One-handed Norse god associated with law, glory and war

Name for the human world in Norse mythology

Daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, condemned to death for burying her brother Polyneices

Knight of the Round Table who had an affair with Guinevere

In Norse mythology, sister of Gunnar. Loves and marries Sigurd, although he loves Brynhild

In Medieval legend, the cup or platter used by Jesus at the Last Supper

Town in the Bible destroyed by God. Lot's family is saved, however (except his wife).

“Place of the Skull;” Site of Jesus’ crucifixion

Greek god of the sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses

Son of Odysseus

Female figures who choose who dies in battle,then takes the chosen to Valhalla

Greek warrior in the Trojan war. Along with Odysseus, stole the Trojan Palladium

Greek god of fire, metalworking, stone masonry, forges and the art of sculpture, blacksmiths

Goddesses of vengeance and personification of the dead’s anger

Greek city founded by Cadmus. Eventually ruled by Oedipus

Son of King David; renowned for his wisdom and his 700 wives

Home of Odysseus

Greek philosopher, student of Plato, tutor to Alexander the Great

Mortal woman who became the wife of Eros. Became goddess of the soul

Chief followers of Jesus

Price paid in exchange for betraying Jesus

Magician who tried to buy St. Peter’s power; challenges Peter to a magicduel

Son of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon, plots to avenge his father's murder by his mother

In Norse mythology, a great battle that will end the world, which will resurface anew

Daughter of Tantalus who was punished for her arrogance with the loss of all her children

Norse god associated with mischief. Father of Hel,Jormungand and Fenrir

Roman god depicted with two faces. The god of beginnings and transitions

Greek sailors who sought the Golden Fleece; leader was married to Medea

In the Bible, an idol made by the Israelites while Moses went up to Mount Sinai

Sons of Adam in the Bible; one killed the other, committing the first murder

Building destroyed by God, who confused the people’s languages aspunishment

In the Book of Revelation, four beings symbolizing Disease, War, Famine, and Death

In Norse mythology, an immense tree whose branches extend far into the heavens

Greek goddess; mother of Achilles. She dipped him by the heel into the River Styx

Norse shieldmaiden and Valkyrie. Imprisoned in a ring of flames when rescued by Siegfried

Sons of Isaac, one of whom tricked the other out of his birthright

Jesus’ descent into Hell, where he freed worthy souls who diedbefore his crucifixion

Mountain where Ark came to rest after Great Flood

One of the rivers of Hades, river of forgetfulness

Wife of Menelaus; kidnapping by Paris begins Trojan War

Huge Greek warrior who fought in the Trojan war; son of Telamon

In the Bible, gifts given by Three Wisemen to baby Jesus

Long-suffering, faithful wife of Odysseus

Greek Goddess of the harvest

Collection of teachings by Jesus, including the Beatitudes (i.e.“Blessed are the peacemakers”)

Queen raped by Zeus in the form of a swan; mother of Helen, Castor and Pollux

Greek god, keeper of the winds

Hall in Asgard ruled by Odin where those who die in combat are take by the valkyries

Virtuous Hebrew woman who is spied on, then blackmailed, by a group ofdirty, old men

Legendary birthplace of Jesus

Two lovers, forbidden by their parents to marry, who communicate through a crack in the walls

Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Plotted revenge against mother for murdering her father

Apostle who denies knowing Jesus three times before the cock crows. First Pope.

Twin sister of Apollo, goddess of the hunt

Son of Daedalus; flew too close to the son with his wax wings and fellto his death

Norse god of  thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees,strength. Has a magic hammer.

Hero in Norse mythology who rescues Brynhild from a ring of fire

Placed on the head of Jesus by Roman soldiers to  mock him as “King of the Jews”

Group of kings who follow a star in the heavens to visit baby Jesus andgive him gifts

Wife of Zeus; Goddess of Marriage, Women, Childbirth, and Family

Greek hero who spends a decade trying to return home after Trojan War

One of the five rivers of the Underworld, known as the River of Woe

Perfect place; created by God for first hum

Murderer chosen over Jesus to be freed by people of Judea

Trojan prince. Kidnapped Helen, which started the Trojan War.

Greek king whose touched turned everything to gold

Cyclops, son of Poseidon. Attacks Odysseus and his crew

Son of Aphrodite, God of love

Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Agamemnon sacrifices her so his ships can sail to Troy

Mythological creatures who are half men, half horse

Dangerous bird-women who lured men to their death with their song; oftendepicted as mermaids

Greek king cursed to eternally push a boulder up a hill, only to watchit roll down again

Cornish knight and Irish princess who had an adulterous love affair

Greek god of the sky, lightning, thunder, law, order, justice

Brother of Europa and founder of Thebes

Son of Zeus. Beheaded Medusa and saved Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus. 

Assyrian queen who legalized incest in order to legitimize her relationship with her own son

Roman goddess of fortune

Greek god of the sun

Beloved companion of Achilles who is killed by Hector during the Trojan War

Greek god of the grape harvest, winemaking, wine, fertility, theater

Roman deities who protected the family and the Roman state

Daughter of Zeus, goddess of wisdom

Garden where Jesus prayed and his disciples slept the night before Jesus' crucifixion

Son of the sun God. Lost control of the sun chariot so was killed by Zeus

Jewish high priest who organized the plot to arrest and execute Jesus

Nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, goddesses of inspiration

Place where first humans are forced to go after sinning 

Jewish leaders who were in conflict with Jesus; conspired with Romans tohave him arrested