西方文化主要有两个源头:一为希腊(Hellenic)文化，一为希伯莱(Hebrew)文化，而希腊文化中的希腊神话(Greek mythology)对英语影响非常广泛。今天我们就来聊聊来自希腊神话的那些单词。
1. cicerone: a guide who conducts sightseers: 导游
来源：Cicerone (or ciceroni) take their name from the Roman statesman and orator Cicero, who was renowned for his long-windedness as well as for his elegant style, though they rarely match his scholarship or eloquence.
该词来源于古罗马政治家和辩论家西塞罗。西塞罗因其独步天下的雄辩之术而闻名于世。后人就把cicerone这个词来指代导游，因为导游对名胜古迹，历史文化遗产等了如指掌，可以对着游客侃侃而谈，其口才和知识面就像当年的西塞罗一样。
例句：The cicerone took us to a lot of shopping places.
导游带我们去了很多地方购物。
2. hector: [ˈhɛktɚ] To bully; to intimidate or harass by bluster or personal pressure. vt.吓唬，欺凌
来源：In the Iliad, Hector was the leader of the Trojan forces, and the very model of nobility and honor. In the war against the Greeks he killed several great warriors before being slain by Achilles. His name began to take on its current meaning only after it was adopted by a crowd of bullying rowdies in late-17th-century London.
在希腊神话中，赫克托耳Hector是特洛伊(Troy)的大王子及第一勇士，被称为“特洛伊的城墙”。最后和阿喀琉斯(Achilles)决斗，死在对方手里。在与阿喀琉斯决斗之前他已经杀了多名希腊勇士，其名字令敌人闻风丧胆，所以从其名字产生了小写的hector一词，表示“令人恐惧的人”。
17世纪时英国伦敦的街头小混混们将自己称为“hector”，玷污了赫克托耳的名声。所以后来hector的含义急转直下，变成贬义，用来表示“威吓、欺凌，恃强凌弱者”。
3. hedonism: An attitude or way of life based on the idea that pleasure or happiness should be the chief goal. 享乐主义
来源：Derived from the Greek word for "pleasure," hedonism over the ages has provided the basis for several philosophies. The ancient Epicureans and the more modern Utilitarians both taught and pursued hedonistic principles.
享乐主义(Hedonism)又叫伊壁鸠鲁主义（Epicureanism），是一个哲学思想，认为享乐是人类最重要的追求。词语的来源是希腊语的"pleasure"。享乐主义是所有动作皆可被一个人会产生的享受与痛楚所决定，力求将享乐与痛苦的距差增至最大。含义：享乐主义（hedonism）产生于古希腊的爱利亚学派，是受到人们诋毁最多的一种哲学。
例:We shall advocate patriotism,collectivism and socialism while combating socialills such as money-worshiping,hedonism and ultra-egoism.
倡导爱国主义、集体主义、社会主义思想，反对和抵制拜金主义、享乐主义、极端个人主义。
4. nestor: ['nestə] A senior figure or leader in one's field.(某一行业或领域中的)聪明的长者，贤明长辈
Nestor was another character from the Iliad, the eldest of the Greek at Troy. He was noted for his wisdom and his talkativeness, both of which increased as he aged. These days a nestor need not go on at such length; he may share his knowledge or give advice with few words.
在希腊神话中，涅斯托尔（Nestor）是皮洛斯（Pylos）的国王。在特洛伊战争期间，他年纪已经非常大了（据说大约有110岁），但依然带着两个儿子加入了希腊联军。他经验丰富、德高望重，经常为年轻的战士出谋划策，并想方设法促使阿基里斯和阿伽门农的和解。特洛伊战争结束后，他没有参与对特洛伊城的洗劫，而是顺利返回了皮洛斯。在《奥德赛》中，奥德修斯的儿子远渡重洋来到皮洛斯，向涅斯托尔打听父亲的下落。涅斯托尔热情款待了他，但无法告知他父亲的下落。在荷马史诗及希腊神话中，他被看作是一名善于提供建议的睿智长者，因此，他的名字也就成了“睿智长者”的代名词。
例：After dinner the guest of honor, a nestor among journalists, shared some of his wisdom with the other guests
5. spartan: [ˈspɑ:rtn] Marked by simplicity and often strict self-discipline or self-denial. 严于自律的; 简朴的，节约的; 精炼的;
来源：In ancient times, the Greek city of Sparta had a reputation for enforcing a highly disciplined, severe way of life among its citizens so as to keep them ready for war at any time. The city required physical training for men and women and maintained a common dinning hall and communal child care, but provided few physical comforts.
古代希腊人中的斯巴达人生活清苦，崇尚武艺。整个斯巴达社会等于是个管理严格的大军营。斯巴达的婴儿呱呱落地时，就抱到长老哪里接受检查，如果长老认为他不健康，他就被抛到荒山野外的弃婴场去。母亲用烈酒给婴儿洗澡，如果他抽风或失去知觉，这就证明他体质不坚强，任他死去，因为他不可能成长为良好的战士。男孩子7岁前，由双亲抚养。父母从小就注意培养他们不爱哭、不挑食、不吵闹、不怕黑暗、不怕孤独的习惯。7岁后的男孩，被编入团队过集体的军事生活。他们要求对首领绝对服从，要求增强勇气、体力和残忍性，他们练习跑步、掷铁饼、拳击、击剑和殴斗等。为了训练孩子的服从性和忍耐性，他们每年在节日敬神时都要被皮鞭鞭打一次。他们跪在神殿前，火辣辣的皮鞭如雨点般落下，但不许求饶，不许喊叫。男孩到12岁，编入少年队。他们的生活更严酷了，光头赤脚，无论冬夏只穿一件外衣，平时食物很少，但鼓励他们到外面偷食物吃。
由于斯巴达的这种严格的军事化训练和清苦的生活方式，就从斯巴达的名称Sparta中产生了形容词spartan，表示“清苦的、质朴的”。
6. stentorian: loud, often with especially deep richness of sound.声音响亮的，洪亮的。
来源：Stentor, like Hector, was a warrior in the Iliad, but on the Greek side. His unusually powerful voice made him the natural choice for delivering announcements and proclamations to the assembled Greek army. One who speaks in a stentorian voice thus can be heard clearly at a considerable distance.
来源：斯屯托耳（Stentor）是希腊神话传说中一名参加特洛伊战争的希腊军人，天生一副大嗓门，声如洪钟，一个人的声音比得上50人，因此在军中担任传令官。据说天后曾经化身为他的形象，用他的大嗓门来鼓励希腊将士。斯屯托耳后来与神使赫尔墨斯比赛谁的嗓门更大。凡人哪斗得过神灵，结果斯屯托耳比输了，自己也力竭而亡。但他凭借自己的大嗓门名垂青史，英语单词stentorian就源自他的名字Stentor。
7. stoic: Seemingly indifferent to pleasure or pain.禁欲主义者
来源： The Stoics were members of a philosophical movement that first appeared in ancient Greek and lasted through the Roman era. They taught that humans should seek to free themselves from joy, grief, and passions of all kinds in order to attain wisdom. They have given their name to a personal attitude that some cultures and individuals still proudly cultivate.
来源于斯多葛派，该学派强调顺从天命，要安于自己在社会中所处的地位，要恬淡寡欲，只有这样才能得到幸福。
8. sybaritic: Marked by a luxurious or sensual way of life. adj.奢侈逸乐的;
The ancient city of Sybaris, founded by the Greek in Italy, was famous for the wealth and hedonistic self-indulgence of its citizens, whose love of extravagance and sensuality made sybaritic a term for such leanings in any era.
在古希腊南部城邦中，有一座城市叫做锡巴里斯（Sybaris）。这座城市因富饶与奢糜而闻名于世。他们吃的是珍贵的海鞘，家里养着鹌鹑，喜欢把玫瑰花瓣撒在床上睡觉。甚至因为懒惰，他们还发明了夜壶，并且把夜壶装饰得十分华美，宴会和旅行时都随身携带。这种穷奢极欲最终导致了锡巴里斯的灭亡。据说有次锡巴里斯和邻近一个弱国交战。当双方军队接近时，对方的军鼓手忽然奏起锡巴里斯节日游行时的曲目。锡巴里斯的战马一听到这些乐曲，便整齐地迈开舞步，像梦游一般，根本不听骑兵的使唤。为了在节日游行中显得更优雅，锡巴里斯骑兵队特意把战马训练得可以跟着固定的音乐节拍起舞，没想到这却成了他们的死亡旋律。锡巴里斯灭亡了，却给我们留下了一个英语单词sybarite，它本指锡巴里斯人，现在用来形容奢侈淫乐的人。
到今天为止，vocabulary builder 这本书的第一单元就学完啦。