Language from Mythology: Note: Some words we use today that were derived from characters, places, etc. of Greek/Roman myth. Interesting, don't you think? WORD - MEANING - DERIVED FROM aphrodisiac - arousing sexual desire - Aphrodite, goddess of love atlas - a book of maps - Atlas, Titan who held the sky on his shoulders cereal wheat, oats, corn Ceres, goddess of agriculture cloth fabric formed by weaving Clotho, the Fate that spun the thread of life chronology arrangement of events in time Cronos, god of time cornucopia horn of plenty Cornucopia echo repetition of a sound Echo, who could only repeat the last word erotic concerning sexual love Eros, god of love fortune chance happening or luck Fortuna, goddess of luck hermaphrodite one of both sexes Hermaphroditus hypnosis sleeplike state Hypnos, god of sleep jovial good cheer Jove - alternate name of Jupiter junoesque stately bearing Juno - stately, majestic goddess martial relating to war Mars, god of war mercurial quick and changeable Mercury, messenger god Midas touch ability to make money Midas mnemonics system to improve memory Mnemosyne, goddess of memory music, musical arrangement of sounds of harmony the Muses narcissism excessive love of oneself Narcissus panic sudden terror Pan plutocracy government run by the wealthy Pluto, god of wealth psychology science of mental behavior Psyche somnambulism to act while asleep Somnus, god of sleep stentorian extremely loud Stentor, the herald tantalize keeping in sight but out of reach Tantalus terpsichorean relating to dancing Terpsichore typhoon tropical cyclone Typhon venerate regard with reverence Venus venereal transmitted by sex Venus vestal chaste, pure Vesta volcano opening in earth's crust that ejects lava Vulcan zephyr gentle west wind Zephyrus