Hay
fever
Allergic rhinitis,
also known as hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose which occurs when the immune
system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and
symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, itchy,
and watery eyes, and swelling around the eyes. The fluid from the nose is
usually clear. Symptom onset is often within minutes following exposure and
they can affect sleep, the ability to work, and the ability to concentrate at
school. Those whose symptoms are due to pollen typically develop
symptoms during specific times of the year. Many people with allergic
rhinitis also have asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, or atopic
dermatitis.
Cupid
In classical
mythology, Cupid is the god of desire, erotic
love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love
goddess Venus and the war god Mars. He is also known in Latin as Amor ("Love").
His Greek counterpart is Eros.
Although
Eros is generally portrayed as a slender winged youth in Classical Greek art,
during the Hellenistic period he was increasingly portrayed as a chubby
boy. During this time, his iconography acquired the bow and arrow that
represent his source of power: a person, or even a deity, who is shot by
Cupid's arrow is filled with uncontrollable desire. In myths, Cupid is a minor
character who serves mostly to set the plot in motion. He is a main character
only in the tale of Cupid and Psyche, when wounded by his own weapons he
experiences the ordeal of love. Although other extended stories are not told
about him, his tradition is rich in poetic themes and visual scenarios, such as
"Love conquers all" and the retaliatory punishment or torture of
Cupid.
Helena
Helena,
or Saint Helena (c. 250 – c. 330), was a
Greek native from the Greek city of Drepana in the province of Bithynia in Asia
Minor. She became the consort of
the future Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus (reigned
293–306) and the mother of the future Emperor Constantine
the Great (reigned 306–337). She ranks as an important figure in
the history of Christianity and of the world due to her major
influence on her son. In her final years, she made a religious tour of Syria
Palaestina and Jerusalem, during which she allegedly discovered the True
Cross. Pious beliefs also associate her to the
foundation of the Vatican Gardens.
Theseus
Theseus was
the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. Like Perseus, Cadmus,
or Heracles, Theseus battled and overcame foes that were identified with
an archaic religious and social order. In the same way that Heracles was
the founding hero for the Dorians, Theseus was a founding hero for the
Athenians. The Athenians regarded Theseus as a great reformer; his name comes
from the same root as θεσμός, Greek for "The Gathering". The
myths surrounding Theseus—his journeys, exploits, and family—have provided
material for fiction throughout the ages.
Hippolyta
In
Classical Greek mythology, Hippolyta was the Amazonian queen
who possessed a magical girdle that was given to her by her father, Ares,
the god of war. The girdle was a waist belt that signified her authority as
queen of the Amazons. She figures prominently in the myths of both Heracles and
Theseus. As such, the myths about her are varied enough
that they may be about several different women.
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound
Lines, Inc., usually shortened to Greyhound,
is an intercity bus common carrier serving over 3,800
destinations across North America. The company's first route began in Hibbing,
Minnesota in 1914, and the company adopted the name The Greyhound
Corporation in 1929. Since October 2007, Greyhound has been a subsidiary
of British transportation company FirstGroup, but continues to be based in Dallas,
Texas, where it has been headquartered since 1987. Greyhound and sister
companies in FirstGroup America are the largest
motorcoach operators in the United States and Canada.
Pun
The pun,
also called paronomasia, is a form of word
play that exploits multiple meanings of a term,
or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These
ambiguities can arise from the intentional use of homophonic, homographic, metonymic,
or figurative language. A pun differs from a malapropism in
that a malapropism is an incorrect variation on a correct expression, while a
pun involves expressions with multiple correct interpretations. Puns may be
regarded as in- jokes or idiomatic constructions, as their usage and
meaning are specific to a particular language and its culture.
Puns
have a long history in human writing. Sumerian
cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs were originally based on
punning systems, and the Roman playwright Plautus was famous for his
puns and word games. Punning has been credited as
the fundamental concept behind alphabets, writing, and even human civilization.
Globe
Theatre
The Globe
Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William
Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by
Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on
land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas
Brend and grandson Sir Matthew Brend, and was destroyed by fire on 29
June 1613. A second Globe Theatre was built on the same site by
June 1614 and closed by an Ordinance issued on 6 September 1642.
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William
Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by
many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where the sorcerer Prospero,
rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to
her rightful place using illusion and skilful manipulation. He conjures up a
storm, the eponymous tempest, to cause his usurping brother Antonio and the
complicit King Alonso of Naples to believe they are shipwrecked and marooned on
the island. There, his machinations bring about the revelation of Antonio's
lowly nature, the redemption of the King, and the marriage of Miranda to
Alonso's son, Ferdinand.
