Apostrophe
An exclamatory passage in a classical drama, typically addressed to an absent person or personified thing (Noun).
Tarentum
Ancient Greek city, located in present-day Italy (Noun).
Epidamnus
Ancient Greek city in modern Corfu. Was also known as Dyrrachium during the Roman period (Noun).
Wend
Go somewhere indirectly, Meander (Verb).
Pauper
A poor person, Indigent (Adjective).
Parasite
A parasite is an organism which relies on another organism for living. In the classical Greco-Roman period, rich people had flatterers around them who were entirely dependent for their livelihood on their mentor. Parasites, or Parasitus in Latin, were stock characters in the comedies of Plautus, like Parasitus Medicus and Parasitus Piger.
Wench
Prostitute (Archaic, Noun).
Concoct
Fabricate, Devise, Invent (Verb).
Bungle
Mishandle, Mismanage, Mess up (Verb).
Ganymede
A Trojan hero of the Greek mythologies, son of Tros of Dardania (Noun).
Adonis
Greek mythological character, mortal lover of Aphrodite (Noun).
Conjecture
Speculation, Guess, Presumption (Noun).
Prudence
Wisdom, Judiciousness (Noun).
Girdle
Belt, Strap, Waistband (Noun).
Drachma
Erstwhile currency of Greece (Noun).
Grandiose
Magnificent, Majestic, Imposing (Adjective).
Concise
Brief, Succinct (Adjective).
Temperamental
Capricious, Volatile, Erratic (Adjective).
Wanton
Malicious, Wicked, Spiteful (Adjective). c.f. Shakespeare: “As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; / They kill us for their sport” (King Lear).
Skiff
Light rowing boat (Noun).
Concubine
Mistress, Paramour (Archaic, Noun).
Exorbitant
Excessive, Prohibitive, Extortionate (Adjective).
Boorishness
Coarseness, Rudeness, Impoliteness (Noun).
Divine Intervention
An epic device, common in Homer, in which gods invent the course the action of the drama and thereby change the fates of the characters involved.
Fogey
A conservative person (Noun).
