National Idioms -4

Today we are looking at Greece and the Greeks and the expressions that exist in the English language relating to them.

First of all there is a fixed idiom that is used to say that something doesn't not make any sense to you. In Spanish people tend to say that something looks Chinese, but in English we say "It's all Greek to me!".

Secondly, there is a proverb which comes from Virgil's Aeneid and relates back to the time when the Greeks tricked the people of Troy with their gift horse. The actual wording in Virgil's work was “Whatever it is, I fear Greeks even when they bring gifts.” (Spoken by Laocoon, “Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes.”) In English we have simplified this and say 'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts". The expression is used to remind people that they should not trust their enemies.

Finally for today we have an expression that comes from Greek mythology to talk about a small fault or weakness in somebody or something that could lead to their destruction or failure. The expression is of course 'Achilles Heel' in reference to the great Greek hero who was killed when an arrow was shot into his heel.