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space, whose predictions, among other things, have included the development of the communication satellite.

The Observer, 1997

Sibyl The Sibyls were prophetesses in ancient Greece. They included the Cumaean Sibyl, who guided Aeneas through the underworld. The term can be applied to someone who can prophesy the future.

Tiresias In Greek mythology, Tiresias was a blind prophet from Thebes who was renowned for his wisdom. He played a prominent part in the Oedipus legend.

writing on the wall • See BELSHAZZAR.

Prostitutes

It is likely that the use of classical allusions provided writers in the past

with a conveniently euphemistic term for an occupation they may well

have been reluctant to refer to directly.

Aspasia Aspasia was a famous Greek courtesan, daughter of Axiochus of Miletus. She came to Athens, where she acquired fame by her beauty, culture, and wit. She so captivated Pericles that he made her his lifelong companion.

The athenian virgins . . . grew up into wives who stayed at home . . . and looked after the husband's dinner. And what was the consequence of that, sir? that they were such very insipid persons that the husband would not go home to eat his dinner, but preferred the company of some Aspasia or Lais.

THOMAS LOVE PEACOCK Crotchet Castle, 1831

Mr. Valera is merely describing what all men desire in a woman, an Aspasia, the captivating femme galante, indifferent to morality, who was the adoring mistress and adviser to Pericles of ancient Greece.

ALFRED BESTER Galatea Calante, the Perfect Popsy, 1980

Jezebel Jezebel was a Phoenician princess of the 9th century BC, the wife of Ahab, king of Israel. She was denounced by Elijah for promoting the worship of the Phoenician god, Baal, and trying to destroy the prophets of Israel. Her idolatry and her use of cosmetics led to the use of her name to represent female depravity, shamelessness, and wickedness.

I have been a Jezebel, a London prostitute, and what not.

SAMUEL RICHARDSON Pamela, 1740

'Mr Slope,' said Mrs Proudie, catching the delinquent at the door, 'I am surprised that you should leave my company to attend on such a painted Jezebel as that' ANTHONY TROLLOPE Barchester Towers, 1857

He was going to an evening at his Lodge. You know what this Jezebel did? Only snipped off the ends of his evening trousers. With nail scissors.

JOHN MORTIMER Rumpole of the Bailey, 1978

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Lais Lais was a celebrated Greek courtesan, a Sicilian, carried to Corinth at the time of the Athenian expedition to Sicily. Popular with philosophers like Demosthenes, Xenocrates, and Diogenes, she was killed by the townswomen, who were jealous of her beauty.

Mary Magdalene In the New Testament, Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus, who cured her of evil spirits (Luke 8:2). She is traditionally identified with the 'sinner' of Luke 7: 37, and can typify the reformed prostitute.

'Trying to help women who've come to grief! Old Jolyon did not quite understand. 'To grief?' he repeated; then realised with a shock that she meant exactly what he would have meant himself if he had used that expression. Assisting the Magdalenes of London! What a weird and terrifying interest!

JOHN CALSWORTHY A Man ofProperty, 1906

Phryne Phryne was a celebrated Greek courtesan of the 4th century BC, said to have been the model for such beautiful statues as the Cnidian Venus of Praxiteles and the Venus Anadyomene of Apelles. Phryne became so wealthy that she offered to pay for the rebuilding of the walls of Thebes.

Her underclothes are positively Phrynean.

ALDOUS HUXLEY Point Counter Point, 1928

Whore of Babylon The (Scarlet) Whore of Babylon is referred to in the Book of Revelation. She is described as a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns: 'The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication'. On her forehead was written: 'Babylon the great, mother of harlots and abominations of the earth' (Rev. 17: 3-5). The term was applied to the Roman Catholic Church by the early Puritans.

Now there was Valentine—toute belle—and Mrs O'Connor, who at her best mightily resembled the Whore of Babylon.

ALICE THOMAS ELLIS The 27th Kingdom, 1982

Punishment

As can be seen from the allusions grouped here, punishment for misdeeds is a fundamental concept in classical mythology and in the Old Testament, particularly the Book of Genesis. The punishments meted out to wrongdoers in the underworld have always fascinated poets and writers, providing them with a macabre descriptive set piece of collective punishment. In the Odyssey, for example, Odysseus observes the sufferings of SISYPHUS, TANTALUS, and TiTYus during his visit to the land of the dead. There is a similar episode in Spenser's Faerie Queen. • See also Curse, Revenge.

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If they knew how old I am they would flay me with their terrible brushes—flay me like St Bartholomew.

ROBERTSON DAviES Fifth Business, 1970

Battus In Greek mythology, Battus was a shepherd of Arcadia, who saw the god Hermes steal the flocks of Admetus. He was bribed by the god not to tell and pointing to a stone declared: 'Sooner will that stone tell of your theft than I.' When he was tricked into breaking his promise, Hermes turned him into a stone.

Bedonebyasyoudid In Charles Kingsley's children's story The Water-Babies (1863), Mrs Bedonebyasyoudid is a character encountered by Tom after he becomes a water-baby. She rewards good behaviour and punishes bad, illustrating the moral lesson that you reap what you sow.

Any qualms I might have had about deceiving Anita, disappeared completely on her wedding day. She had turned into Mrs Be-Done-By-As-You-Did.

FAY WELDON Life Force, 1992

Erinyes • See FURIES.

Eve • See ADAM AND EVE.

Furies In Greek mythology, the Furies (also known as the Erinyes) were the avenging spirits of punishment, often represented as three winged goddesses with snakes twisted in their hair. Their names were Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone, and they relentlessly pursued and punished wrongdoers who had otherwise escaped punishment, often when there was no human avenger left alive. Among the crimes they were particularly concerned with were the killing by one member of a family of another, blasphemy against the gods, and treachery to a host or guest. They were sometimes called the Eumenides, 'the kindly ones', a euphemism intended to placate them.

The Vengeance, uttering terrific shrieks, and flinging her arms about her head like all the forty Furies at once, was tearing from house to house, rousing the women.

CHARLES DICKENS A Toie of Two Cities, 1859

Gilderoy's kite Gilderoy was a famous Scottish highwayman, said to have been hanged higher than other criminals because of the wickedness of his crimes. To be hanged higher than Gilderoy's kite is to be punished more severely than the very worst criminal.

Ixion In Greek mythology, Ixion was a Thessalian king who tried to seduce Hera, for which he was punished by being bound to a fiery wheel that revolved unceasingly through the underworld. • See special entry u HADES on p. 172.

Jezebel Jezebel was a Phoenician princess of the 9th century BC, the wife of Ahab, king of Israel. She was denounced by Elijah for promoting the worship of the Phoenician god Baal, and trying to destroy the prophets of Israel. At the command of Jehu she was thrown out of a window and killed. Her carcass was eaten by dogs, so that when they went to bury her, 'they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands'. It was decreed that 'in the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: And the carcase of Jezebel shall be dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shalt not say This is Jezebel' (2 Kgs. 9: 32-37).

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Red flames will lick round their feet like the dogs lickin' Jezebel's blood in the Good Book.

STELLA GIBBONS Cold Comfort Farm, 1932

Lot's wife According to Gen. 19: 24, God destroyed the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone as a punishment for the depravity and wickedness of their inhabitants. Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was allowed to escape from the destruction of Sodom with his family. His wife disobeyed God's order not to look back at the burning city and she was turned into a pillar of salt.

'I shall walk out of the office and never step into it again. I shall not even bestow the backwardest of glances upon it. Let Sodom and Gomorrah be razed—but I shall not be turned into a pillar of salt' 'Is it Macao and Hong Kong you mean, when you talk of Sodom and Gomorrah? Or perhaps Ganton? I trust I am not to be cast in the role of Lot's wife!

TIMOTHY MO An Insular Possession, 1986

Marsyas In Greek mythology, Marsyas was a satyr who was a skilful fluteplayer. He challenged Apollo to a musical contest and was flayed alive for his presumption when he lost.

over whom providence holds the scourge of its resentment.'—'You are right, Sophy,' cried my son Moses, 'and one of the ancients finely represents so malicious a conduct, by the attempts of a rustic to flay Marsyas, whose skin, the fable tells us, had been wholly stript off by another.'

OLIVER GOLDSMITH The Vicar of Wakefield, 1766

Midas Midas was a legendary king of Phrygia, who, according to one story, was granted by Dionysius his desire that everything he touched should turn into gold. When he found that he was unable to eat or drink, Midas begged to be released from the gift and was instructed to wash in the River Pactolus.

Nemesis Nemesis was the Greek goddess of retribution and vengeance, the agent of divine punishment for wrongdoing and especially for hubris, the presumptuous defiance of the gods.

Arthur would so gladly have persuaded himself that he had done no harm! And if no one had told him the contrary, he could have persuaded himself so much better. Nemesis can seldom forge a sword for herself out of our consciences—out of the suffering we feel in the suffering we may have caused: there is rarely metal enough there to make an effective weapon.

GEORGE EUOT Adam Bede, 1859

you can do until Nemesis breathes down your neck.'

DICK FRANCIS Trial Run, 1978

Peeping Tom According to legend, Tom the Tailor was said to have peeped at Lady Godiva when she rode naked through the streets of Coventry, as a result of which he was struck blind. He was thereafter known as Peeping Tom.

Prometheus In Greek mythology, Prometheus was a demigod, one of the