Older Than Feudalism: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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** The ''Daodejing'' by [[Laozi]] and other foundational texts of Taoism.
** The ''Daodejing'' by [[Laozi]] and other foundational texts of Taoism.
** ''[[The Art of War (Literature)|The Art of War]]'', probably by Sūn Zǐ (also spelled Sun Tzu).
** ''[[The Art of War (Literature)|The Art of War]]'', probably by Sūn Zǐ (also spelled Sun Tzu).
** ''[[The Thirty Six Stratagems]]'', usually attributed to Sūn Zǐ or Zhuge Liang.
** ''[[The Thirty-Six Stratagems]]'', usually attributed to Sūn Zǐ or Zhuge Liang.
* The Zoroastrian holy book, Avesta.
* The Zoroastrian holy book, Avesta.
* The Manichean holy book, Shabuhragan.
* The Manichean holy book, Shabuhragan.
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* [[All of the Other Reindeer]]: Hephaestus was either born crippled and abandoned at birth, or born ugly and crippled when his father threw him off of Olympus. In ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'' the other gods mock him for his lameness. A Homeric Hymn has Hera describe her son with disgust. He still manufactures most of their great weapons.
* [[All of the Other Reindeer]]: Hephaestus was either born crippled and abandoned at birth, or born ugly and crippled when his father threw him off of Olympus. In ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'' the other gods mock him for his lameness. A Homeric Hymn has Hera describe her son with disgust. He still manufactures most of their great weapons.
* [[All Planets Are Earthlike]]: Showed up in the first space travel story ever, ''[[A True History (Literature)|A True History]]'' by 2nd century author Lucian. (This is excusable because the telescope wouldn't be invented until the Renaissance.) Not only is the moon Earthlike, but so is ''the Sun''.
* [[All Planets Are Earthlike]]: Showed up in the first space travel story ever, ''[[A True History (Literature)|A True History]]'' by 2nd century author Lucian. (This is excusable because the telescope wouldn't be invented until the Renaissance.) Not only is the moon Earthlike, but so is ''the Sun''.
* [[Almost Dead Guy]]: A Greek legend, based ''looooosely'' on the historical Marathon run.
* [[Almost-Dead Guy]]: A Greek legend, based ''looooosely'' on the historical Marathon run.
* [[Alternate History]]: Book IX of Livy's ''History of Rome''.
* [[Alternate History]]: Book IX of Livy's ''History of Rome''.
* [[Anachronic Order]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' is written this way. One of the major principles of Judaism is ''Ein Mukdam Umeuchar Batorah'', which basically means don't assume things happen in the order they're written.
* [[Anachronic Order]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' is written this way. One of the major principles of Judaism is ''Ein Mukdam Umeuchar Batorah'', which basically means don't assume things happen in the order they're written.
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* [[Everything's Worse With Bears]]: In ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' (2 Kings 2) when a group of children mocked Elisha for his baldness, he cursed them, whereupon two bears came out of a forest to maul them.
* [[Everything's Worse With Bears]]: In ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' (2 Kings 2) when a group of children mocked Elisha for his baldness, he cursed them, whereupon two bears came out of a forest to maul them.
* [[Expecting Someone Taller]]: [[The Bible (Literature)|Jesus]].
* [[Expecting Someone Taller]]: [[The Bible (Literature)|Jesus]].
* [[Explain Explain Oh Crap]]: Deianira in ''Trachiniae'', telling the chorus about the "strange sight" that is the bubbling, disintegrating piece of cloth she used to smear a "love potion" onto a shirt she just gave her husband.
* [[Explain, Explain, Oh Crap]]: Deianira in ''Trachiniae'', telling the chorus about the "strange sight" that is the bubbling, disintegrating piece of cloth she used to smear a "love potion" onto a shirt she just gave her husband.
* [[Face Heel Turn]]: In the back story of [[Euripides (Creator)|Euripides]]'s play ''Hecuba'', Achilles defected to Troy after falling in love with Polyxena, one of its princesses.
* [[Face Heel Turn]]: In the back story of [[Euripides (Creator)|Euripides]]'s play ''Hecuba'', Achilles defected to Troy after falling in love with Polyxena, one of its princesses.
* [[The Face of the Sun]]: This type of solar iconography first showed up in Roman and late Greek religious artwork, such as the sides of temples.
* [[The Face of the Sun]]: This type of solar iconography first showed up in Roman and late Greek religious artwork, such as the sides of temples.
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* [[Fashion Hurts]]: Plutarch mentions painful footwear.
* [[Fashion Hurts]]: Plutarch mentions painful footwear.
* [[The Fatalist]]: All the time. Thetis warned her son Achilles that two fates awaited him: if he went to Troy, he would die young, but become famous forever. If he stayed home, he would live a long time, but be forgotten. He went to troy and was not shy about courting death. Hector knew he was fated to die at Achilles's hands, but eventually chose to face him.
* [[The Fatalist]]: All the time. Thetis warned her son Achilles that two fates awaited him: if he went to Troy, he would die young, but become famous forever. If he stayed home, he would live a long time, but be forgotten. He went to troy and was not shy about courting death. Hector knew he was fated to die at Achilles's hands, but eventually chose to face him.
* [[Feed the Mole]]: One of [[The Thirty Six Stratagems]].
* [[Feed the Mole]]: One of [[The Thirty-Six Stratagems]].
* [[Fighting for A Homeland]]: The march of the Ten Thousand, as depicted in [[Xenophon (Creator)|Xenophon]]'s ''[[Anabasis (Literature)|Anabasis]]''. The Hebrews fighting the Canaanites in ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''. The Trojan refugees in ''[[The Aeneid (Literature)|The Aeneid]]''.
* [[Fighting For A Homeland]]: The march of the Ten Thousand, as depicted in [[Xenophon (Creator)|Xenophon]]'s ''[[Anabasis (Literature)|Anabasis]]''. The Hebrews fighting the Canaanites in ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''. The Trojan refugees in ''[[The Aeneid (Literature)|The Aeneid]]''.
* [[Fire-Forged Friends]]: The Spartans and Thebans encouraged soldiers to have a lover in the army so that they'd fight harder to protect them. And if they died, hopefully they'd go [[Axe Crazy]] in a quest for vengeance.
* [[Fire-Forged Friends]]: The Spartans and Thebans encouraged soldiers to have a lover in the army so that they'd fight harder to protect them. And if they died, hopefully they'd go [[Axe Crazy]] in a quest for vengeance.
* [[Fire of Comfort]]: The domain of Hestia, Greek goddess of the Hearth. She was associated with the fireplace and the joys of domesticity. A Homeric Hymn to her mentions her place of honor in the residences of every immortal god and every mortal man.
* [[Fire of Comfort]]: The domain of Hestia, Greek goddess of the Hearth. She was associated with the fireplace and the joys of domesticity. A Homeric Hymn to her mentions her place of honor in the residences of every immortal god and every mortal man.
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* [[Hell]]: The Christian concepts of [[Heaven]] and Hell go back to the [[The Bible (Literature)|New Testament]]. The [[Fire and Brimstone Hell|fire-and-brimstone version]] was inspired, however, by the lakes of fire in the Egyptian [[The Underworld|underworld]] where damned souls were often punished.
* [[Hell]]: The Christian concepts of [[Heaven]] and Hell go back to the [[The Bible (Literature)|New Testament]]. The [[Fire and Brimstone Hell|fire-and-brimstone version]] was inspired, however, by the lakes of fire in the Egyptian [[The Underworld|underworld]] where damned souls were often punished.
* [[Hell of a Heaven]]: Happens in one version of the classic Indian epic ''[[Mahabharata]]''.
* [[Hell of a Heaven]]: Happens in one version of the classic Indian epic ''[[Mahabharata]]''.
* [[Hello Nurse]]: Helen of Troy.
* [[Hello, Nurse!]]: Helen of Troy.
* [[Hermit Guru]]: John the Baptist, and the [[Real Life]] Pillar Hermits.
* [[Hermit Guru]]: John the Baptist, and the [[Real Life]] Pillar Hermits.
* [[Hero Killer]]: Typhon in [[Classical Mythology]], who is terrifying enough to make the gods flee Olympus, and [[Badass]] enough to defeat Zeus in a straight up fight. From a Trojan perspective Achilles is definitely this; one could make a case for [[Implacable Man|Mezentius]] or Turnus in ''[[The Aeneid]]''.
* [[Hero-Killer]]: Typhon in [[Classical Mythology]], who is terrifying enough to make the gods flee Olympus, and [[Badass]] enough to defeat Zeus in a straight up fight. From a Trojan perspective Achilles is definitely this; one could make a case for [[Implacable Man|Mezentius]] or Turnus in ''[[The Aeneid]]''.
* [[Heroic Bastard]]: Almost all of the demigod heroes in [[Greek Mythology]], such as Heracles. Karna in the ''[[Mahabharata]]'', and Jephthah in ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''.
* [[Heroic Bastard]]: Almost all of the demigod heroes in [[Greek Mythology]], such as Heracles. Karna in the ''[[Mahabharata]]'', and Jephthah in ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''.
* [[Hit Me Dammit]]: In Kings 20:35-37, a prophet of God needs to be beaten and bruised in order to deliver the message God had for King Ahab (It makes sense in context).
* [[Hit Me Dammit]]: In Kings 20:35-37, a prophet of God needs to be beaten and bruised in order to deliver the message God had for King Ahab (It makes sense in context).
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* [[Hot Amazon]]: In ''[[The Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Aethiopis]]'', Achilles falls in love with Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons.
* [[Hot Amazon]]: In ''[[The Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Aethiopis]]'', Achilles falls in love with Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons.
* [[Hot Librarian]]: The Greek goddess Athena was beautiful ''and'' wise.
* [[Hot Librarian]]: The Greek goddess Athena was beautiful ''and'' wise.
* [[How Do You Like Them Apples]]: Eris's Apple of Discord in the [[Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Trojan Cycle]].
* [[How Do You Like Them Apples?]]: Eris's Apple of Discord in the [[Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Trojan Cycle]].
* [[Human Pincushion]]: Saint Sebastian's legend says that his martyrdom had him become this. In a subversion, he [[Made of Iron|actually survived]], so he "had" to be flogged to death.
* [[Human Pincushion]]: Saint Sebastian's legend says that his martyrdom had him become this. In a subversion, he [[Made of Iron|actually survived]], so he "had" to be flogged to death.
* [[Hydra Problem]]: Heracles fought the [[Trope Namer]]. He had to burn the stumps to stop its [[Healing Factor|heads from groing back.]]
* [[Hydra Problem]]: Heracles fought the [[Trope Namer]]. He had to burn the stumps to stop its [[Healing Factor|heads from groing back.]]
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* [[Lover and Beloved]]: Common in Ancient Greece; they called this [[Erastes Eromenos]].
* [[Lover and Beloved]]: Common in Ancient Greece; they called this [[Erastes Eromenos]].
* [[Love Ruins the Realm]]: [[The Aeneid (Literature)|Dido's fling with Aeneas]] supposedly started the Punic Wars. Prince Paris abducting Helen started the Trojan War. Marcus Antonius allowing Cleopatra to co-rule opened him up to bad PR and ultimately civil war.
* [[Love Ruins the Realm]]: [[The Aeneid (Literature)|Dido's fling with Aeneas]] supposedly started the Punic Wars. Prince Paris abducting Helen started the Trojan War. Marcus Antonius allowing Cleopatra to co-rule opened him up to bad PR and ultimately civil war.
* [[Luck Based Mission]]: Keno slips, Chinese Han Dynasty, circa 205 BCE.
* [[Luck-Based Mission]]: Keno slips, Chinese Han Dynasty, circa 205 BCE.
* [[Lysistrata Gambit]]: The [[Trope Namers]], ''[[Lysistrata (Theatre)|Lysistrata]]'', was published during this time.
* [[Lysistrata Gambit]]: The [[Trope Namers]], ''[[Lysistrata (Theatre)|Lysistrata]]'', was published during this time.
* [[Macho Masochism]]: Mucius Scaevola was an ancient Roman who demonstrated his courage and loyalty to the city by thrusting his hand into a flame until it was consumed, when an enemy tried to threaten him.
* [[Macho Masochism]]: Mucius Scaevola was an ancient Roman who demonstrated his courage and loyalty to the city by thrusting his hand into a flame until it was consumed, when an enemy tried to threaten him.
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* [[The Man Behind the Man]]: Some Bible students believe that Isaiah 14:12 (particularly in the King James Version) and Ezekiel 28:12-19 is God talking to [[The Devil|The Man Behind The Kings]].
* [[The Man Behind the Man]]: Some Bible students believe that Isaiah 14:12 (particularly in the King James Version) and Ezekiel 28:12-19 is God talking to [[The Devil|The Man Behind The Kings]].
* [[The Man in The Moon]]: A [[Talmud (Literature)|Talmudic]] tradition holds that the face of Jacob is engraved upon the Moon.
* [[The Man in The Moon]]: A [[Talmud (Literature)|Talmudic]] tradition holds that the face of Jacob is engraved upon the Moon.
* [[Marked Bullet]]: The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sling_(weapon) sling bullets] with "ΔΕΞΑΙ" (Greek for "take that") engraved on them.
* [[Marked Bullet]]: The [[wikipedia:Sling (weapon)|sling bullets]] with "ΔΕΞΑΙ" (Greek for "take that") engraved on them.
* [[Massive Multiplayer Crossover]]: The Classical myth of Jason and the Argonauts: name a Greek hero, he was probably in this one, everyone from Hercules to Oedipus. Many had sons at Troy.
* [[Massive Multiplayer Crossover]]: The Classical myth of Jason and the Argonauts: name a Greek hero, he was probably in this one, everyone from Hercules to Oedipus. Many had sons at Troy.
* [[Matriarchy]]: The Amazons, first mentioned in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'', are the sexist variety, supposedly demonstrating why women should never rule.
* [[Matriarchy]]: The Amazons, first mentioned in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'', are the sexist variety, supposedly demonstrating why women should never rule.
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* [[No Mister Bond I Expect You to Dine]]: In the [[Book of Genesis (Literature)|Book of Genesis]], Joseph does this to his brothers in Egypt. [[Subverted]], because he actually intends them no harm at all.
* [[No Mister Bond I Expect You to Dine]]: In the [[Book of Genesis (Literature)|Book of Genesis]], Joseph does this to his brothers in Egypt. [[Subverted]], because he actually intends them no harm at all.
* [[No Place for Me There]]: In [[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]], Moses could not enter [[The Promised Land]] because of his impiety at Meribah (never mind that the other Israelites frequently surpassed him by leaps and bounds). King David could not build the Temple of Jerusalem because he was a man of war, and the temple had to be built by a man of peace (his son Solomon).
* [[No Place for Me There]]: In [[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]], Moses could not enter [[The Promised Land]] because of his impiety at Meribah (never mind that the other Israelites frequently surpassed him by leaps and bounds). King David could not build the Temple of Jerusalem because he was a man of war, and the temple had to be built by a man of peace (his son Solomon).
* [[Nostalgia Aint Like It Used to Be]]: In many myths of this period, the ambiguous "past" was much better than life at the time; for example, people lived much longer (Genesis), they mingled with gods, etc. [[Hesiod (Creator)|Hesiod]]'s myth of the Five Ages explicitly describes the decline of humanity.
* [[Nostalgia Ain't Like It Used to Be]]: In many myths of this period, the ambiguous "past" was much better than life at the time; for example, people lived much longer (Genesis), they mingled with gods, etc. [[Hesiod (Creator)|Hesiod]]'s myth of the Five Ages explicitly describes the decline of humanity.
* [[Nouveau Riche]]: ''Satyricon'' (c. 60 CE) has Trimalchio, a freed slave that has come to untold riches and is not afraid to show it off.
* [[Nouveau Riche]]: ''Satyricon'' (c. 60 CE) has Trimalchio, a freed slave that has come to untold riches and is not afraid to show it off.
* [[Obfuscating Insanity]]: Odysseus tried this in the [[Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Trojan Cycle]], to avoid having to go to Troy. The [[The Bible (Literature)|biblical David]] did it when in exile before he became king.
* [[Obfuscating Insanity]]: Odysseus tried this in the [[Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Trojan Cycle]], to avoid having to go to Troy. The [[The Bible (Literature)|biblical David]] did it when in exile before he became king.
* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: The original Brutus and the Roman emperor Claudius are two famous [[Truth in Television]] examples.
* [[Obfuscating Stupidity]]: The original Brutus and the Roman emperor Claudius are two famous [[Truth in Television]] examples.
* [[Occupiers Out of Our Country]]: One of the first known examples is that of the Jewish Zealots, of the 1st century BCE.
* [[Occupiers Out of Our Country!]]: One of the first known examples is that of the Jewish Zealots, of the 1st century BCE.
* [[Off the Table]]: In Roman legend, the Cumaean sybil visited Tarquin the Elder (the last king of Rome, 6th century BCE) and offered him nine books of prophecy for a great price. He refused; she burned three of them and offered the rest at the same price. After repeating this, he finally paid the original price for the remaining three.
* [[Off the Table]]: In Roman legend, the Cumaean sybil visited Tarquin the Elder (the last king of Rome, 6th century BCE) and offered him nine books of prophecy for a great price. He refused; she burned three of them and offered the rest at the same price. After repeating this, he finally paid the original price for the remaining three.
* [[Old Retainer]]: Odysseus's old nurse in ''[[The Odyssey (Literature)|The Odyssey]]''; Phoenix to Achilles in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]''.
* [[Old Retainer]]: Odysseus's old nurse in ''[[The Odyssey (Literature)|The Odyssey]]''; Phoenix to Achilles in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]''.
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* [[Platonic Cave]]: Plato's philosophy, of course.
* [[Platonic Cave]]: Plato's philosophy, of course.
* [[Please Shoot the Messenger]]: In [[Classical Mythology]], Iobates was the King of Lycia. His nephew Proetus sent Bellerophon to Iobates with a note that said "Kill the bearer of this message."
* [[Please Shoot the Messenger]]: In [[Classical Mythology]], Iobates was the King of Lycia. His nephew Proetus sent Bellerophon to Iobates with a note that said "Kill the bearer of this message."
* [[Please Spare Him My Liege]]: Large portions of [[The Bible (Literature)|Numbers and Leviticus]] consist of the Israelites doing something to piss God off, God threatening to wipe them all out, Moses pleading with Him, and then God agreeing to destroy only a few thousand instead.
* [[Please Spare Him, My Liege]]: Large portions of [[The Bible (Literature)|Numbers and Leviticus]] consist of the Israelites doing something to piss God off, God threatening to wipe them all out, Moses pleading with Him, and then God agreeing to destroy only a few thousand instead.
* [[Power Incontinence]]: King Midas just can't stop turning everything to gold... his food, his water, his daughter...
* [[Power Incontinence]]: King Midas just can't stop turning everything to gold... his food, his water, his daughter...
* [[The Power of Rock]]: In [[The Bible (Literature)|Book of Joshua]], Joshua destroyed the walls of Jericho with music.
* [[The Power of Rock]]: In [[The Bible (Literature)|Book of Joshua]], Joshua destroyed the walls of Jericho with music.
* [[Preachers Kid]] (diabolic type): In [[The Bible (Literature)|Leviticus]] 10:1,2 the very first High Priest, Aaron (the brother of Moses), had two of his sons mess up.
* [[Preacher's Kid]] (diabolic type): In [[The Bible (Literature)|Leviticus]] 10:1,2 the very first High Priest, Aaron (the brother of Moses), had two of his sons mess up.
* [[Prodigal Hero]]: [[The Bible (Literature)|Moses]] exiles for some time, then comes back to free the Israelites from slavery.
* [[Prodigal Hero]]: [[The Bible (Literature)|Moses]] exiles for some time, then comes back to free the Israelites from slavery.
* [[The Promised Land]]: Canaan in the book of Exodus, which is also the [[Trope Namer]].
* [[The Promised Land]]: Canaan in the book of Exodus, which is also the [[Trope Namer]].
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* [[Proper Lady]]: ''[[The Odyssey (Literature)|The Odyssey]]'' features Penelope, Queen of Ithaca, who remains loyal to her missing husband Odysseus for twenty years, keeping her suitors at bay. She was cited as the greatest example of marital faithfulness in the classical world.
* [[Proper Lady]]: ''[[The Odyssey (Literature)|The Odyssey]]'' features Penelope, Queen of Ithaca, who remains loyal to her missing husband Odysseus for twenty years, keeping her suitors at bay. She was cited as the greatest example of marital faithfulness in the classical world.
* [[A Protagonist Shall Lead Them]]: Saul, Moses, David, etc.
* [[A Protagonist Shall Lead Them]]: Saul, Moses, David, etc.
* [[Psycho Ex Girlfriend]]: Euripides's [[Medea (Theatre)|Medea]], after Jason dumped her for the princess of Corinth. This did not end well.
* [[Psycho Ex-Girlfriend]]: Euripides's [[Medea (Theatre)|Medea]], after Jason dumped her for the princess of Corinth. This did not end well.
* [[Public Domain Artifact]]: Many such artifacts are drawn from very old stories, but it happened back then too. The Golden Fleece was used by various mythographers in their retellings of the Argonauts story, and Hercules's bow showed up in his stories and the [[Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Trojan Cycle]].
* [[Public Domain Artifact]]: Many such artifacts are drawn from very old stories, but it happened back then too. The Golden Fleece was used by various mythographers in their retellings of the Argonauts story, and Hercules's bow showed up in his stories and the [[Trojan Cycle (Literature)|Trojan Cycle]].
* [[Pungeon Master]]: [[God]] made some puns in ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''.
* [[Pungeon Master]]: [[God]] made some puns in ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''.
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* [[Purple Is Powerful]]: In [[Ancient Rome]], the Patrician class were the only people allowed to wear Tyrian purple.
* [[Purple Is Powerful]]: In [[Ancient Rome]], the Patrician class were the only people allowed to wear Tyrian purple.
* [[Purpose Driven Immortality]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' contains several examples of people who were promised that they would not die until they saw some prophesy fulfilled, such as Simeon who was promised he would live to see the Lord's Messiah.
* [[Purpose Driven Immortality]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' contains several examples of people who were promised that they would not die until they saw some prophesy fulfilled, such as Simeon who was promised he would live to see the Lord's Messiah.
* [[Pyrrhic Victory]]: The [[Trope Namer]] is the Greek general and king [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhus_of_Epirus Pyrrhus of Epirus], who tried to conquer Italy. Rome beat him in a war of attrition partly because of Roman improvements on Greek military doctrine (combined arms tactics, and generals commanding from the rear instead of leading from the front), but mostly because they could replace their forces fairly readily and Pyrrhus couldn't.
* [[Pyrrhic Victory]]: The [[Trope Namer]] is the Greek general and king [[wikipedia:Pyrrhus of Epirus|Pyrrhus of Epirus]], who tried to conquer Italy. Rome beat him in a war of attrition partly because of Roman improvements on Greek military doctrine (combined arms tactics, and generals commanding from the rear instead of leading from the front), but mostly because they could replace their forces fairly readily and Pyrrhus couldn't.




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* [[Smite Me, O Mighty Smiter!]]: One of the Ajaxes in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'' curses the gods until Poseidon and Zeus both smite him.
* [[Smite Me, O Mighty Smiter!]]: One of the Ajaxes in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'' curses the gods until Poseidon and Zeus both smite him.
* [[Soiled City On a Hill]]: The state of the world just before [[The Great Flood]] occurred, and of Sodom and Gomorrah. Atlantis in [[Classical Mythology]], and Dvārakā in the ''[[Mahabharata (Literature)|Mahabharata]]'', both sank into the seas for this reason.
* [[Soiled City On a Hill]]: The state of the world just before [[The Great Flood]] occurred, and of Sodom and Gomorrah. Atlantis in [[Classical Mythology]], and Dvārakā in the ''[[Mahabharata (Literature)|Mahabharata]]'', both sank into the seas for this reason.
* [[Solar Powered Magnifying Glass]]: Used to light the Olympic torch in ''[[The Clouds (Theatre)|The Clouds]]''. Greek historian Lucian claimed that Archimedes built a giant bronze mirror and set fire to ships attacking Syracuse, but the story is hard to believe.
* [[Solar-Powered Magnifying Glass]]: Used to light the Olympic torch in ''[[The Clouds (Theatre)|The Clouds]]''. Greek historian Lucian claimed that Archimedes built a giant bronze mirror and set fire to ships attacking Syracuse, but the story is hard to believe.
* [[The Sons and The Spears]]: The oldest known version is by Plutarch.
* [[The Sons and The Spears]]: The oldest known version is by Plutarch.
* [[Sorcerer's Apprentice Plot]]: Lucian's ''Philopseudes'', 150 CE.
* [[Sorcerer's Apprentice Plot]]: Lucian's ''Philopseudes'', 150 CE.
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* [[Stranger in A Familiar Land]]: [[Homer (Creator)|Homer]]'s ''Odyssey''.
* [[Stranger in A Familiar Land]]: [[Homer (Creator)|Homer]]'s ''Odyssey''.
* [[Straw Character]]: Plato regularly used strawmen as opponents to Socrates in his Socratic Dialogues.
* [[Straw Character]]: Plato regularly used strawmen as opponents to Socrates in his Socratic Dialogues.
* [[Suddenly Suitable Suitor]]: In the classical Sanskrit play ''The Recognition of Śakuntalā''.
* [[Suddenly-Suitable Suitor]]: In the classical Sanskrit play ''The Recognition of Śakuntalā''.
* [[Supernatural Aid]]: Gods granted Perseus the use of winged sandals and the Cap of Hades (which rendered all wearers invisible) so he could slay Medusa.
* [[Supernatural Aid]]: Gods granted Perseus the use of winged sandals and the Cap of Hades (which rendered all wearers invisible) so he could slay Medusa.
* [[Superpowerful Genetics]]: Greek myths included Sisyphos, who literally talked his way out of Tartaros. His son Sinon convinced the Trojans to bring the [[Trojan Horse]] into their city. Apparently lying is genetic.
* [[Superpowerful Genetics]]: Greek myths included Sisyphos, who literally talked his way out of Tartaros. His son Sinon convinced the Trojans to bring the [[Trojan Horse]] into their city. Apparently lying is genetic.
* [[Tag Team Suicide]]: "Pyramus and Thisbe" by Ovid, the inspiration behind ''[[Romeo and Juliet (Theatre)|Romeo and Juliet]]''.
* [[Tag-Team Suicide]]: "Pyramus and Thisbe" by Ovid, the inspiration behind ''[[Romeo and Juliet (Theatre)|Romeo and Juliet]]''.
* [[Taken for Granite]]: Everybody who ever looked at a Greek Gorgon. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt in [[Genesis (Literature)|Genesis]] 19.
* [[Taken for Granite]]: Everybody who ever looked at a Greek Gorgon. Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt in [[Genesis (Literature)|Genesis]] 19.
* [[Take That]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' includes several passages that amount to insults directed at enemies of ancient Israel, such as saying that the people of Moab and Ammon were descended from the products of [[Parental Incest]]. [[Euripides (Creator)|Euripides]]'s ''[[Electra (Theatre)|Electra]]'' mocks a plot development in [[Aeschylus (Creator)|Aeschylus]]'s ''Oresteia''.
* [[Take That]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]'' includes several passages that amount to insults directed at enemies of ancient Israel, such as saying that the people of Moab and Ammon were descended from the products of [[Parental Incest]]. [[Euripides (Creator)|Euripides]]'s ''[[Electra (Theatre)|Electra]]'' mocks a plot development in [[Aeschylus (Creator)|Aeschylus]]'s ''Oresteia''.
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* [[Trail of Bread Crumbs]]: Theseus, on Ariadne's advice, used a ball of twine this way in the Cretan Labyrinth.
* [[Trail of Bread Crumbs]]: Theseus, on Ariadne's advice, used a ball of twine this way in the Cretan Labyrinth.
* [[Translator Microbes]]: In the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit blessed Jesus's Disciples so that when they preached, anyone could understand their words, regardless of language barriers.
* [[Translator Microbes]]: In the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit blessed Jesus's Disciples so that when they preached, anyone could understand their words, regardless of language barriers.
* [[Traumatic C Section]]: Agamemnon wants to do this to pregnant Trojan women in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]''.
* [[Traumatic C-Section]]: Agamemnon wants to do this to pregnant Trojan women in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]''.
* [[Traumatic Haircut]]: Samson suffers this in the ''[[Book of Judges (Literature)|Book of Judges]]''.
* [[Traumatic Haircut]]: Samson suffers this in the ''[[Book of Judges (Literature)|Book of Judges]]''.
* [[Tricking the Shapeshifter]]: Zeus learned that his wife Metis would bear a son who would overthrow him, so he tricked her into shapeshifting into a fly, and swallowed her whole. Thus he tricked Fate as well.
* [[Tricking the Shapeshifter]]: Zeus learned that his wife Metis would bear a son who would overthrow him, so he tricked her into shapeshifting into a fly, and swallowed her whole. Thus he tricked Fate as well.
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* [[Warrior Poet]]: King David slew giants, won wars... wrote poetry, and once danced naked to celebrate the return of the Ark.
* [[Warrior Poet]]: King David slew giants, won wars... wrote poetry, and once danced naked to celebrate the return of the Ark.
* [[We Have Become Complacent]]: Croesus and Solon, as described in Herodotus' ''[[Histories (Literature)|Histories]]''.
* [[We Have Become Complacent]]: Croesus and Solon, as described in Herodotus' ''[[Histories (Literature)|Histories]]''.
* [[Welcome Back Traitor]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''.
* [[Welcome Back, Traitor]]: ''[[The Bible (Literature)|The Bible]]''.
* [[What Happened to The Mouse?]]: Several examples in [[Classical Mythology|Classical]], [[Norse Mythology|Norse]], and [[The Bible (Literature)|Judeo-Christian mythology]], ranging from Aeneas after evading Achilles in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'' to Jesus Christ's stepfather Joseph after [[The Four Gospels (Literature)|Luke 2:41-51]]. See [[What Happened to The Mouse?|the trope page]] for details.
* [[What Happened to The Mouse?]]: Several examples in [[Classical Mythology|Classical]], [[Norse Mythology|Norse]], and [[The Bible (Literature)|Judeo-Christian mythology]], ranging from Aeneas after evading Achilles in ''[[The Iliad (Literature)|The Iliad]]'' to Jesus Christ's stepfather Joseph after [[The Four Gospels (Literature)|Luke 2:41-51]]. See [[What Happened to The Mouse?|the trope page]] for details.
* [[Who's On First?]]: [[The Odyssey (Literature)|Odysseus]] telling Polyphemus that his name was "Nobody," leading to Polyphemus screaming to the other Cyclopes that "Nobody has blinded me!" Naturally, they saw no need to go help him.
* [[Who's On First?]]: [[The Odyssey (Literature)|Odysseus]] telling Polyphemus that his name was "Nobody," leading to Polyphemus screaming to the other Cyclopes that "Nobody has blinded me!" Naturally, they saw no need to go help him.
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[[Category:index]]
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]
[[Category:Older Than Feudalism]]
[[Category:Trope]]

Revision as of 22:53, 25 January 2014

All of The Oldest Ones in The Book first recorded after the invention of the Greek alphabet (c. 800 BCE) and before the fall of Rome (c. 476 CE). Works from this period include:

Note: Tropes originating in other mythologies/religions almost never belong in here, as we have no idea whether those stories even existed by the 5th century CE, or what forms they took, centuries before they were first written down. Even Norse and Celtic mythology are only Older Than Print; although they're derived at least in part from earlier (unwritten) stories, the details are fundamentally un-dateable. Early folklorists often started with the assumption that folktales and myths never changed; more research has shown that people can and do modify all sorts of tales for many purposes.

Tropes that date back to this time period:

A-C

 Jesus: Beware the yeast of the Pharisees.

Apostles: He's upset that we didn't bring any bread!

  • Cool and Unusual Punishment: In addition to physical tortures, Greek Mythology features a variety of less physical tortures such as those inflicted upon Tantalos and Sisyphos (in The Odyssey) and Atlas (in Theogony). The biblical Cain's punishment for killing his brother was to be shunned by all people for the rest of his life.
  • Cool Horse: Laomedon and Achilles both own immortal horses in The Iliad; Alexander the Great had the amazing Bucephalus; Helios has fire horses; and Poseidon has half-fish hippokampoi.
  • Cool Sword: Perseus's sword was a gift from the gods, according to Aeschylus and Apollodorus.
  • Could Say It, But...: This trope was known as "evasio" to Roman rhetoricians like Cicero, and it was used in law courts and speeches.
  • Country Mouse: From Aesop's "The City Mouse and the Country Mouse". Trope Namer.
  • The Creon: Creon of Thebes was a recurring character in early Greek drama, right hand of Oedipus Rex who avowed that he had no intention or desire to become king. He was later forced into the position anyway, much to Thebes' regret.
  • Crippling Overspecialization: Roman Legionnaires were trained to fight as a cohesive unit, not as individuals. While this strategy worked them quite well most of the time, it hit a massive snag during the Battle of Teutoburg Forest. The thick woods and rough terrain of the region forced the Romans to split into smaller groups, which enabled the Germanic tribesmen, who were better fighters individually, to overwhelm and defeat them. The defeat proved to be psychologically devastating for Rome, bringing an abrupt halt to its then-relentless expansion.
  • Crossover: The Argonautica (3rd century BCE).
  • Crowd Song: The chorus in Greek drama.
  • Crying Wolf: The original is one of Aesop's Fables.
  • Cunning Like a Fox: In Aesop's Fables.
  • Cutting the Knot: The original Gordian Knot.


D-I

  • Daddy's Girl: According to The Iliad, Athena is Zeus' favorite child. Ares claims that Zeus rarely bothers to restrict her behavior. She also has the boyish traits associated with the trope.
  • A Date With Rosie Palms: Genesis 38 is the source for an outdated term for masturbation, Onanism. [4]
  • David Versus Goliath: The Trope Namer is from the Book of Samuel in The Bible.
  • The Day of Reckoning: The Book of Revelation in The Bible.
  • Dead Person Conversation: Odysseus converses with several ghosts in Homer's Odyssey.
  • Death By Childbirth: Likely as old as our species, what with our disproportionately huge heads and tiny, tiny hips. In The Bible, Jacob's favorite wife Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin.
  • Death Takes a Holiday: Sisyphos tied up Thanatos in Greek Mythology, and nobody could die until Ares rescued him.
  • Deconstruction: Euripides's Trojan Women and Hecuba portrayed The Trojan War as a human tragedy rather than a sweeping epic tale of martial valor in the Homeric tradition, by showing the human consequences of war and its aftermath on the conquered people, and the cruelty and violence of the "heroic" invaders.
  • Democracy Is Bad: Plato's The Republic, various ancient Chinese writings.
  • Demythtification: Euhemerus' treatment of Greek mythology is the alternate trope namer.
  • Denied Food As Punishment: Tantalos killed his son and tried to trick the gods into eating him. Punished in Tartaros, he stands forever in a pool of water, surrounded by fruit trees, but whenever he reaches for it the water drains away and the branches blow out of reach.
  • Determinator: Odysseus does get home.
  • Different As Night and Day: Artemis and Apollo became this quite literally after the Greeks and Romans started regarding them as sun god and moon goddess.
  • Different for Girls: In the Trojan Cycle, when Thetis disguised her son Achilles in drag, he completely failed to pull it off -- not that he really wanted to dodge the draft.
  • Dishing Out Dirt: Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, is also the Earth-shaker who causes earthquakes.
  • Distressed Damsel: Andromeda and Hesione, both in the same pickle: their parents pissed off Poseidon, and had to sacrifice them to giant sea monsters to save their kingdoms. Thanks, Mom!
  • Don't Look Back: In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (Book of Genesis), looking back got Lot's wife turned into a pile of salt. Orpheus lost his wife Eurydice (again) because he looked back when leading her out of Hades.
  • Double Entendre: A favorite tactic of Greek comedians. Aristophanes's plays are full of them.
  • Double Standard: In The Odyssey the nymph Calypso complains about this. She points out that male gods frequently sleep with mortal women, but are "harsh and far too jealous" when goddesses take mortal lovers.
  • Downer Ending: Rather common in Greek Mythology. The Odyssey has the murder of Agamemnon. The Returns told the deaths of several characters of the Trojan War. The Telegony has Odysseus killed accidentally by one of his own sons. The Argonauts' story ends with Jason's ignominous death. Greek tragedy almost required this trope.
  • Draft Dodging: Odysseus tried to avoid joining the Trojan War by pretending to be insane, but the other princes called his bluff. Thetis tried to get her son Achilles out of it by dressing him in drag.
  • Dressing As the Enemy: Homer's Iliad.
  • Driven By Envy: Cain killing Abel in The Bible.
  • Driven to Suicide: King Saul from The Bible. Queen Iocaste in Oedipus the King.
  • Drives Like Crazy: Yes, really: Jehu, son of Nimshi drives his chariot "like a madman" (The Bible, 2 Kings 9:20). When Phaethon drove the sun chariot recklessly, he died and nearly destroyed all life on Earth.
  • The Drunken Sailor: In The Odyssey, the ship was almost home when the sailors decided to crack open Odysseus's pouch, assuming he was hoarding wine or gold. It actually contained all the winds, which immediately blew them way off course.
  • Dual-Wielding: Dimachaerii type gladiators in Ancient Roman games.
  • Dude, She's Like, in A Coma: In Greek Mythology the handsome Endymion is enchanted to eternally sleep, with his youth and beauty preserved. Meanwhile Selene, goddess of the Moon, frequently makes love to him.
  • Due to The Dead: Achilles dragging and abusing Hector's corpse in The Iliad exemplifies the evil version. The protagonists in Sophocles's Antigone and Electra exemplify the good form.
  • Dumb Muscle: Ajax in The Iliad. Olympic "meatbag" athletes, according to some ancient Greek philosophers. Heracles was portrayed this way in Attic comedy, for example in The Birds (in the "canonical" myths, he is reasonably clever).
  • Dystopia: Prophesied in the Book of Revelation.
  • Earn Your Happy Ending: Homer's Odyssey ends with the protagonist triumphant and the evildoers punished, but boy does Odysseus have to earn it. He literally goes through Hell, and 20 years of exile, angst, and heartsickness, to get home. This epic was held up as the prototype of comedy, which originally just meant any story with a happy ending.
  • Eats Babies: In the Theogony, the Titan Cronus swallowed his own children, though unlike Child Eaters he didn't make a habit of seeking out more babies.
  • Eaten Alive: Some characters in Greek myth die this way, such as Odysseus's shipmates in Polyphemos's cave. Some gods, such as Prometheus and the siblings of Zeus, suffer this and survive, because Greek gods can't die.
  • Emotional Bruiser: Hector in The Iliad: mighty warrior, devoted husband and father, and named by Helen as the only one who's nice to her but Priam.
  • Enthralling Siren: The Sirens and their fatally enthralling voices in Greek Mythology.
  • Epic Catalog: The Catalogue of Ships in Book II of The Iliad is probably the most famous one in ancient epic poetry.
  • Eureka Moment: Trope Namer is Archimedes in his bath, allegedly.
  • Even the Guys Want Him: Narcissus of late Greek and Roman myth.
  • Every Man Has His Price: Excessive amounts of bribery were commonplace in The Roman Republic.
  • Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": The Bible never specifically states exactly which pharaoh is involved in the Book of Exodus.
  • Everything's Better With Rainbows:
    • Rainbows used by characters: In Greek religion, the rainbow was personified as the goddess Iris, and was the path left by her as she travelled between heaven and earth.
    • Rainbows as symbols: In Genesis 9, the rainbow is the sign of God's promise that he will never again destroy the Earth with a flood.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Dates back to The Bible, in which the Devil often shown in this fashion, being unable to appeal to anything other than selfish desires when manipulating humans.
  • Everything's Worse With Bears: In The Bible (2 Kings 2) when a group of children mocked Elisha for his baldness, he cursed them, whereupon two bears came out of a forest to maul them.
  • Expecting Someone Taller: Jesus.
  • Explain, Explain, Oh Crap: Deianira in Trachiniae, telling the chorus about the "strange sight" that is the bubbling, disintegrating piece of cloth she used to smear a "love potion" onto a shirt she just gave her husband.
  • Face Heel Turn: In the back story of Euripides's play Hecuba, Achilles defected to Troy after falling in love with Polyxena, one of its princesses.
  • The Face of the Sun: This type of solar iconography first showed up in Roman and late Greek religious artwork, such as the sides of temples.
  • Fairest of Them All: The Judgement of Paris in the Trojan Cycle, when Eris deliberately provoked a fight between goddesses using an Apple of Discord inscribed with the words "to the fairest." The resulting fight caused the Trojan War.
  • Fake Defector: In The Aeneid and The Odyssey Sinon surrenders to the Trojans, claiming he defected from the Greeks, so he can convince the Trojans that the Trojan Horse is a gift.
  • Faking the Dead: Orestes in Electra.
  • False Rape Accusation: Potiphar's wife, after failing to rape the biblical Joseph, tells her husband that Joseph raped her.
  • Fanon: The Bible never states that there are three Magi, never even gives a definite number, and doesn't specify that they were male. It also doesn't specify that the fruit Adam and Eve ate was an apple, and doesn't refer to Mary Magdalene as a prostitute.
  • Fashion Hurts: Plutarch mentions painful footwear.
  • The Fatalist: All the time. Thetis warned her son Achilles that two fates awaited him: if he went to Troy, he would die young, but become famous forever. If he stayed home, he would live a long time, but be forgotten. He went to troy and was not shy about courting death. Hector knew he was fated to die at Achilles's hands, but eventually chose to face him.
  • Feed the Mole: One of The Thirty-Six Stratagems.
  • Fighting For A Homeland: The march of the Ten Thousand, as depicted in Xenophon's Anabasis. The Hebrews fighting the Canaanites in The Bible. The Trojan refugees in The Aeneid.
  • Fire-Forged Friends: The Spartans and Thebans encouraged soldiers to have a lover in the army so that they'd fight harder to protect them. And if they died, hopefully they'd go Axe Crazy in a quest for vengeance.
  • Fire of Comfort: The domain of Hestia, Greek goddess of the Hearth. She was associated with the fireplace and the joys of domesticity. A Homeric Hymn to her mentions her place of honor in the residences of every immortal god and every mortal man.
  • Flash Back: Homer's Odyssey.
  • Flipping the Table: Jesus does this with the moneychangers in the temple.
  • Fluffy the Terrible: A nasty-looking dog named "Puppy" in The Satyricon.
  • Food Chains: Eating some pomegranate seeds in The Underworld forced Persephone to return there every year. In the Homeric Hymns, Hades force-fed her. Odysseus almost loses several men to the lotus-eating addiction.
  • Forbidden Fruit: The Adam and Eve story from Genesis is the Trope Namer.
  • Forged By the Gods: Hephaestus forges new armour and shield for Achilles, a knife for Peleus, and the shield and armour of Heracles. The Cypria mentions a spear, created by the Athene, Hephaestus, and Chiron, for Peleus.
  • A Form You Are Comfortable With: In Greek Mythology, Zeus apparently did this sort of thing whenever he had an affair with a mortal woman, at least according to the story in which his true form turned the woman Semele to ash. In The Bible, angels occasionally tried to appear in human form, since their true forms were bizarre Eldritch Abominations.
  • Funny Foreigner: A staple of ancient Greek and Roman comedy. An example is Triballos, a "barbarian god" serving as an ambassador to Cloudcuckooland in Aristophanes' The Birds.
  • Gate of Truth: Described in The Underworld in Homer's Odyssey and Virgil's Aeneid.
  • Gender Bender: Tiresias in Greek Mythology, Iphis and Hermaphroditos in Ovid's Metamorphoses, and Bhangasvana and Shikandin in the Mahabharata.
  • Genius Bruiser: Odysseus is a powerful Badass, and also a master of cunning and strategy. Heracles is sometimes depicted this way, too.
  • Genius Cripple: Hephaestus was a crippled god, yet a brilliant craftsman who created magnificent works, including weapons, armor, and robots.
  • Genre Deconstruction: See Deconstruction above.
  • Giant Squid: Large squids were first described by Aristotle, but Pliny the Elder is the first to give them more explicitly gigantic proportions (heads "as big as a cask" and 30 ft. arms) in his Natural History. The actual animals are presumably Older Than Dirt.
  • God and Satan Are Both Jerks: The Book of Job: God bets Satan that Job won't ever lose faith, regardless of how Satan messes the man up.
  • Going Native: Octavian's propaganda against Mark Antony made the latter out to be the Ur Example.
  • Gold Fever: Discussed in Book II of the Aeneid, when Aeneas recounts how King Polymestor of Thrace murdered Polydorus, the son of his ally King Priam of Troy, to rob Polydorus' treasure of gold. Aeneas' words auri sacra fames, the "accursed hunger for gold", was a popular quote even in antiquity.
  • Gosh Dang It to Heck: The third commandment of the Hebrews: "You shall not take the name of Y**H your God in vain, for Y**H will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7, NKJV). Euphemisms for this four-letter word were "the Name" in speech or "Lord" in prayer.
  • Grand Theft Me: Yayati, after the curse of his father-in-law that he should become old and infirm, asked his sons to exchange their youthful body with his. All refused except the youngest son, Puru, who was crowned after his reign. Puru was the ancestor of the Kauravas and the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. His brother Yadu was the ancestor of the Yadavas -- thus the ancestor of Krishna.
  • Gratuitous Greek: Several Roman authors often inserted Greek quotations into their works.
  • Gray Eyes: Athena is always described as glaukopis, meaning she has blue-green, or blue-gray eyes (or in an alternate translation, owl eyes). Translations typically simplify it to "gray-eyed."
  • Grey and Gray Morality: The Achaeans and Trojans in The Iliad.
  • Guile Hero: Odysseus. Ruth and Queen Esther in The Bible. Krishna in the Mahabharata.
  • Heads or Tails: Dates back to Ancient Rome, according to The Other Wiki.
  • Healing Factor (Regenerative Immortality): Greek gods don't age, can't be killed by anything, and heal very quickly even from massive wounds. Poor Prometheus had his liver torn out every day and grown back by the next morning. The Hydra also had this: whenever Heracles cut a head off, it instantly grew two more. One of its heads was also physically indestructible, which got it buried under a big rock.
  • Hell: The Christian concepts of Heaven and Hell go back to the New Testament. The fire-and-brimstone version was inspired, however, by the lakes of fire in the Egyptian underworld where damned souls were often punished.
  • Hell of a Heaven: Happens in one version of the classic Indian epic Mahabharata.
  • Hello, Nurse!: Helen of Troy.
  • Hermit Guru: John the Baptist, and the Real Life Pillar Hermits.
  • Hero-Killer: Typhon in Classical Mythology, who is terrifying enough to make the gods flee Olympus, and Badass enough to defeat Zeus in a straight up fight. From a Trojan perspective Achilles is definitely this; one could make a case for Mezentius or Turnus in The Aeneid.
  • Heroic Bastard: Almost all of the demigod heroes in Greek Mythology, such as Heracles. Karna in the Mahabharata, and Jephthah in The Bible.
  • Hit Me Dammit: In Kings 20:35-37, a prophet of God needs to be beaten and bruised in order to deliver the message God had for King Ahab (It makes sense in context).
  • Hoist By His Own Petard: Oedipus's father Laios, when he's killed by the son he abandoned years earlier. Murderous King Diomedes, eaten by the freakish horses he used to feed human flesh. Corrupt minister Haman in The Bible, hung on the gallows he built for his rival.
  • Hollywood Atheist: Despite the name, this shows up at least as early as the book Hayy ibn Yaqzan.
  • Honor Before Reason: Cicero mentions Marcus Atilius Regulus, who had been captured by Carthage in the Punic Wars. He was sent to Rome to negotiate a Roman surrender, with the promise that he would return to Carthage. If he was unsuccessful, the Carthaginians would kill him. Regulus went to Rome, argued AGAINST surrender, and then returned and accepted execution by a Carthaginian sword.
  • Hope Springs Eternal: In Hesiod's story of Pandora's Box, hope was in the box (jar) to either help mortals, or deceive them.
  • Hope Sprouts Eternal: The olive branch was the sign to Noah that the flood waters were receding.
  • Hot Amazon: In Aethiopis, Achilles falls in love with Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons.
  • Hot Librarian: The Greek goddess Athena was beautiful and wise.
  • How Do You Like Them Apples?: Eris's Apple of Discord in the Trojan Cycle.
  • Human Pincushion: Saint Sebastian's legend says that his martyrdom had him become this. In a subversion, he actually survived, so he "had" to be flogged to death.
  • Hydra Problem: Heracles fought the Trope Namer. He had to burn the stumps to stop its heads from groing back.
  • Hypocrite: Agamemnon in The Iliad; you go to war over a woman being taken -- that means you shouldn't take another man's woman.
  • I Am Who?: Oedipus, especially in Sophocles's Oedipus the King.
  • I Am X, Son of Y: "I am Odysseus, son of Laertes". Commonly used in The Bible as well.
  • I Believe I Can Fly: Icarus, Pegasus, Harpies, Sirens, Hermes and Perseus with winged sandals...
  • Identical Stranger: Menaechmi, by the Roman author Plautus.
  • Idiot Plot: Menaechmi, in which the characters take way too long to realize both twins are present.
  • I Fell for Hours: In The Iliad, when Hephaestus recalls being flung off of Olympus by Zeus he says that he fell all day.
  • If I Wanted You Dead: The biblical David twice gets close enough to kill Saul, but stays his hand. Although not explicit, the message is clear. Saul doesn't get it.
  • I Gave My Word: The oaths of the suitors that required them to follow Menelaus to Troy. Also the Oath of the Styx that Greek gods cannot break, which has gotten Zeus, Helios, and others in big trouble...
  • Ignore the Fanservice: Socrates is above such things.
  • Impossible Task: Heracles, David, Psyche, and Perseus faced them in stories from this period.
  • Impoverished Patrician: The Roman Republic was full of them. One narrates Juvenal's Satires.
  • Improbable Aiming Skills: Odysseus shot an arrow throw the handle-rings of twelve axes in The Odyssey.
  • Improbable Food Budget: The seven years of plenty before Joseph's drought.
  • Improbable Weapon User: Samson killed an entire army of Philistines using a donkey's jaw.
  • Information Wants to Be Free: The Prometheus myth: the secret of fire given to the mortals against the other gods' will. Older Than They Think? Yup.
  • In the Blood: Original Sin in Genesis.
  • In the Name of The Moon: The heroes of Homer's Iliad do this, down to formulaic repetition originally designed to allow extemporaneous reciters of epic poetry to keep to the meter.
  • Invisible Jerkass: Plato's The Republic recounts the myth of Gyges, a shepherd who finds a ring of invisibility. Gyges promptly uses its power to seduce the queen, assassinate the king, and become king. Plato's moral is that morality is rooted completely in society, and with anonymity, all morality disappears.
  • Invisibility: The Ring of Gyges and the Cap of Hades.
  • Invisibility Cloak: The Cap of Hades, which rendered all wearers invisible; later borrowed by Perseus.
  • Ironic Hell: Tantalus and Sisyphus in Greek Mythology both ended up in versions of Tartarus that fit their crimes.
  • Irrevocable Message: The execution order in Antigone, by Sophocles. The result was death and tragedy, not played for laughs.
  • Irrevocable Order: In The Bible, the Medes and Persians had a law that if the king's ring was used to seal a proclamation then it could not be undone, not even if the king changed his mind. This plays a role in the stories of Esther and Daniel.
  • It Was a Gift: Perseus was given his mirror-like shield and winged sandals by the gods Athena and Hermes. In Greek Mythology, Philoctetes got the famous bow of Heracles at the latter's death.
  • I Will Wait for You: Odysseus's wife Penelope and his dog Argos both waited 20 years for him to return. Penelope kept a ton of obnoxious suitors hanging while she waited.


J-P


Q-Z

  1. Some of these stories may have originated before the Greeks invented their alphabet, but the only versions we have come from this period
  2. As the work page explains, some parts of the Torah/Pentateuch may originate from as early as 1000 BCE, but the dating is uncertain, and for simplicity's sake the whole Bible is included on this index.
  3. "For the love of money is the root of all evil." Meaning greed, not money itself.
  4. Some argue that, technically speaking, the sin in question, and thus the term, was Onan not impregnating his late brother's wife for him rather than what he did with his tonker instead, but in either case, the possibly wrong use of the term is older than dirt regardless.