The history of the phraseological unit “Gordian knot” dates back to ancient times. In the first millennium BC. On the territory of modern Turkey there was a powerful state - Phrygia. Its inhabitants were mainly engaged in raising livestock and agriculture, folk crafts flourished in the country, the Phrygian rulers pursued an active foreign policy and took part in the Trojan Wars against Greece (8th century BC).
In the ninth century BC. The capital of the kingdom - the city of Gordion - was shaken by a wave of internecine wars. It was during this period of time that the concept of the “Gordian knot” arose. Its meaning is associated with the oracle’s prediction that a person will soon appear who is capable of taking control of the country into his own hands. According to the prediction, the new ruler will enter the city in an open carriage. The first person to enter Gordion after the prediction was a peasant named Gordius. The inhabitants of the city immediately declared the newcomer their new king. As a sign of gratitude, Gordius presented his cart to the god Zeus, tying its shaft with a complex, intricate knot to a pillar sticking out of the ground near the temple. Soon the oracle announced that the person who untied this knot would be able to become the ruler of not only Phrygia, but the entire East. However, over the many centuries of existence of this prediction, not a single craftsman was able to untie the Phrygian king’s cart from the pillar. In connection with this, this stable expression began to be used to describe any situation that cannot be resolved by ordinary means. By the way, the name Gordius was very common in the territory of the Phrygian state. This was the name of the first king of the country, who laid the foundation for the Gordian dynasty and built a new capital - the city of Gordion (instead of the then existing Kelen).
In the third century BC. Emperor of Macedonia Alexander the Great goes to the East with the goal of conquering the Persian state. In 333, he approaches the ancient, still preserved (despite the fact that Phrygia itself ceased to exist about three centuries ago) city of Gordion and visits the temple of Zeus. Alexander the Great was very inquisitive, like all Greeks, so he certainly wanted to visit this ancient sanctuary and see if the legendary “Gordian knot” really existed. When the inhabitants of the defeated city brought the ruler of Macedonia to the temple of Zeus, he took out his sword and, with the words “This is how I will solve this problem,” cut the knot. After this event, another phraseological expression arose - “cutting the Gordian knot,” meaning that with the help of physical force one can solve any problem that seems at first glance insoluble.
According to the explanatory dictionary, the term “intricacy” is considered a synonym for the “Gordian knot,” meaning a complex construction and further presentation of one’s thoughts or an insidious plan. In modern Russian, this expression is rarely used, most often in fiction or historical literature.
Whether the “Gordian knot” actually existed is not known for certain. No scientific evidence of this has been found to date. Some historians argue that this legend is just a folk invention and an attempt to explain the origin of the popular expression. The main evidence of the existence of the prosperous country of Phrygia two millennia ago is the ruins of the oldest cities found on the territory of modern Turkey (which, according to myths, was where the Phrygians lived).
In the concept of modern man, a “Gordian knot” is a difficult, overwhelming task, the solution of which is not possible in a standard way. Cutting the Gordian knot means finding an extraordinary creative solution to this problem.
Do you know what we are talking about?
The history of many phraseological units originates in the distant past, and, as a rule, is associated with a series of legendary events and mythical characters. In the Educational section we will find out who tied the Gordian knot and why, the meaning of the term and who managed to cut it.
To find an explanation of the origin of this phrase, let us turn to ancient ancient mythology. A long time ago, even before our era, in a majestic state called Phrygia, located on the territory of Asia Minor, a misfortune happened. Due to a series of military conflicts, the once powerful and prosperous country lost its ruler. The Phrygian people, tired of civil strife, had no choice but to turn to the priest-diviner for help. The oracle's visions said that anarchy in the state would soon come to an end. A new king will ascend to the throne, who will stop the bloodshed in Phrygia. The first person to ride an open chariot into the vicinity of the capital was prophesied by the priest to become a ruler.
Where does the phraseological unit “Gordian Knot” come from?
A lucky chance befell the ordinary farmer Gordius, whom the jubilant Phrygian people considered the newly-made king. A villager who unexpectedly came to power presented the pagan gods with a gift - that same cart. Its king placed it in the center of the city of Gordion, which he named in his honor. The newly-minted ruler tied the yoke of the chariot with a very complex knot, which was so tangled that no one could untie it. Immediately a new prophecy appeared, promising to become the ruler not only of the Phrygian kingdom, but of all of Asia, a craftsman capable of unraveling the cunning weave.
Thus, the meaning of the expression “Gordian Knot” is associated with the enthronement of a simple farmer, who, in order to maintain power in his hands, came up with a kind of puzzle. And this phrase can be interpreted as an extremely complex, problematic situation that cannot be solved by standard methods.
Phrygia on the map of Asia Minor. Times of Antiquity.
Not a single sage, in pursuit of illusory power, failed. The Gordian knot became a real obstacle for adventurers on the way to the desired throne. It took several centuries to solve this difficult, intricate problem. And, as it turned out, her solution lay on the surface, but no one could guess what needed to be done for this.
In the third century BC, when only one city of Gordion remained from the once powerful Phrygian kingdom, the Emperor of Macedonia Alexander the Great, during a campaign against the Persians, accidentally came across the old cart of Gordius on the way. Macedonian, having heard the ancient legend, tried to solve the problem with an elementary, and at the same time, extraordinary method. The great commander did not waste time unraveling the knot; he simply cut it with a sword. According to the Oracle's prediction, the priests of the Temple of Zeus proclaimed Alexander the Great the great conqueror of all eastern lands.
Bust of Alexander III the Great (323 - 356 BC)
Since then, for an original solution to complex, confusing circumstances, they have used the stable phrase “Cutting the Gordian Knot.”
According to researchers, this beautiful story is just folk fiction. No reliable facts about Gordiya’s incident with the cart were found in the sources. Many historical artifacts found during excavations of ancient settlements on the territory of modern Turkey indicate the existence of the Phrygian state.
05.10.2018 18.02.2019 Alexander Firtsev
Not everything in life always goes smoothly, the way we want it; often obstacles and certain circumstances appear on the way, in the interweaving of which a person can get confused, never achieving his goal. This state of affairs has long been called "Gordian knot", why are difficulties compared to a “knot” and why is it “Gordian”? Answers to the questions asked can be found below.
The meaning of phraseology
The phrase “Gordian Knot” denotes a complex web of circumstances, an insidious plan, an overly difficult task, the solution of which will require a lot of effort, time, and a non-standard approach to achieving the desired result.
A stable phrase appears in fiction and historical literature; it is synonymous with the word “intricacy” and has analogues in foreign languages. Thus, the “Gordian knot” in English is represented as “gordian knot”, the French say “nud gordien”, and the Germans “gordischer Knoten”.
Examples of use in Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” and Turgenev’s “Rudin”, respectively:
- “... it is easy to remove, just as it is difficult to unravel a Gordian knot.”
- “...Some kind of Gordian knot got tight - I had to cut it...!”
The phrase “cutting the Gordian knot” is popular in use, which is interpreted as resolving a confusing, complex, in its original understanding, matter in a direct way. It is generally accepted that if the circumstances turn out to be so contradictory and confusing, and the problem is not solved, at first glance, in a logical way, all that remains is to go head-on, to solve it in an instant, i.e. thus, “cutting the Gordian knot.”
Origin of phraseology
The legend originated in ancient times, from the beginning of the existence of the state of Phrygia (west of modern Turkey), when the capital Gordion became the center of internecine wars. Everyone believed in the oracle's prediction, which predicted the appearance of a new ruler who would appear on an open cart, and supposedly he would concentrate power in his hands.
The first to cross the threshold was the poor man Gordius, and it was his inhabitants who declared him their new king. In honor of such an event, as a symbol of gratitude, the peasant gave his cart to Zeus, and he did this by tying it with a kind of knot to a pillar near the temple.
Later, a new prediction appeared that the one who unties this knot will become the ruler of Phrygia and the entire East, and will conquer all of Asia. For many centuries, the inhabitants waited for the craftsman and the future greatest ruler, but no one yielded to the knot, no one ever untied the cart of the Phrygian king.
As a result, centuries later, a situation that could not be resolved by the standard method began to be called the “Gordian Knot.”
The story continues. In the 3rd century BC. Alexander the Great, Emperor of Macedonia, sets out to conquer the Persian state. Approaching Gordion, he wished to visit the temple of Zeus and verify for himself the existence of the legendary “knot”. Seeing a knot that no one could untangle for several centuries, the emperor took out a sword and, with the words “This is how the problem is solved,” cut it off.
After this, an accompanying phraseological unit arose "cutting the Gordian knot", which is interpreted as solving any impossible task with the help of physical force.
Alexander the Great cuts the Gordian knot | Painting by: Jean-Simon Barthelemy (France) It is impossible to say with certainty that the “Gordian knot” took place; there is no scientific confirmation of this. There is an opinion among historians that this legend is just a fiction and an original interpretation of a stable circulation. Today there are only ruins of cities on the territory of modern Turkey, as small evidence of the existence of the country of Phrygia.
Gordian knot Book. Express An intractable, confusing matter, task, etc. - And so you broke up with your girlfriend? - asked Alexandra Pavlovna... - I broke up... I cried, and she cried, and the devil knows what happened... The Gordian knot somehow got tight - I had to cut it, but it hurt!(Turgenev. Rudin). - From the name of a complex, tangled knot that no one could untie, tied, according to legend, by the Phrygian king Gordius. Lit.: Mikhelson M.I. Russian thought and speech... - St. Petersburg, 1912. - T. 1. - P. 209; Ashukin N. S., Ashukina M. G. Winged words. - M., 1960. - P. 150.
Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST. A. I. Fedorov. 2008.
Synonyms:See what the “Gordian knot” is in other dictionaries:
Gordian knot- According to the legend told by ancient historians, the Phrygians, who were ordered by an oracle to elect as king the one who first met them with a cart on the way to the temple of Zeus, met a simple farmer Gordi and proclaimed him king. Telegu,... ... Dictionary of popular words and expressions
GORDIAN KNOT- The knot tied by the Phrygian Gordius on the chariot in the temple, which was dedicated to Jupiter; the knot was tangled so skillfully that the oracle predicted that whoever unraveled it would have dominion over all of Asia: Alexander the Great cut the knot with a sword. Therefore, Gordian... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
GORDIAN KNOT Modern encyclopedia
GORDIAN KNOT Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Gordian knot- according to ancient Greek legend, an intricate knot with which the Phrygian king Gordius tied a yoke to the pole of a cart. The oracle's prediction said that whoever untied the knot would gain dominion over the world. According to legend, Alexander the Great in 334 BC. e. V… … Political science. Dictionary.
Gordian knot- THE GORDIAN KNOT, according to Greek legend, is an intricate knot with which the Phrygian king Gordius tied a yoke to the pole of a cart. The oracle predicted: whoever unties the knot will gain dominion over the world. Alexander the Great in 334 BC in response to... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Gordian knot- intricacy Dictionary of Russian synonyms. Gordian knot noun, number of synonyms: 2 question (21) ... Synonym dictionary
GORDIAN KNOT Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
GORDIAN KNOT- THE GORDIAN KNOT. see node. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
Gordian knot- ■ Relates to the ancient world... Lexicon of common truths
Gordian knot- according to ancient Greek legend, an intricate knot with which the Phrygian king Gordius tied a yoke to the pole of a cart. The oracle's prediction said that whoever untied the knot would gain dominion over the world. According to legend, Alexander the Great in 334 BC. e. V… … encyclopedic Dictionary
Books
- The Gordian Knot: A Novel, Schlink, Bernhard. For the first time in Russian! A detective story from the bestselling author of The Reader and Summer Deceptions! “The Gordian Knot” is a detective story by Bernhard Schlink about the secrets of industrial espionage translated into Russian for the first time. IN…
Phraseologism “The labors of Hercules.” The phraseological unit “Where ours has not disappeared” is a catch phrase. Gordian knot, . “The Gordian Knot” is a detective story by Bernhard Schlink about the secrets of industrial espionage translated into Russian for the first time. We now use it in this meaning. The phraseological unit “The voice of one crying in the wilderness” is a catch phrase.
Having become the king of Phrygia, he founded the capital, giving it his name, and in the citadel of the city he installed his cart, thanks to which he came to power, entangling the yoke of the cart with a complex knot of dogwood. Most ancient historical writers report that a young warrior entered the ancient temple, took a closer look at the famous knot and, instead of unraveling it, pulled out a sword and cut it with one blow.
He took out his sword and, in front of the eyes of his soldiers and temple priests, in one fell swoop he cut the bast knot, over which the artists who wanted to become famous had struggled for so long. The Phrygian king Gordius brought a chariot as a gift to the temple of Zeus. An ox yoke was tied to its shaft - tied with such a complex knot of dogwood bast that no skilled person could untangle it.
While I was tying the knot I had already grown old! The first to enter the city on his cart was the unknown peasant Gordy. Gordius tied the yoke to the pole of the cart. The phraseological unit “The Ugly Duckling” is about a person whose true merits are revealed completely unexpectedly to those around him. The emergence of a phraseological unit is the name of a fairy tale by H. H. Andersen (1805-1875). It says that one day among the hatched ducklings there was one ugly one - the “ugly duckling”, unlike his brothers.
Phraseologism “Newspaper duck”. Newspaper canard - about false news published in newspapers. Later, this word allegedly turned into “lug ente” (which literally means “lying duck”), and then simply into “duck” with a figurative meaning already known to us.
Cutting the Gordian knot is:
Phraseologism “Hamburg account”. The Hamburg score is about evaluating something without discounts or concessions, with extreme demands. The emergence of phraseology - the words of the Austrian minister Rechberg. Phraseologism “We should make nails out of these people” about people who are famous for their perseverance or stubbornness. The emergence of the phraseological unit is from the poem by N. S. Tikhonov (1896-1979) “The Ballad of Nails” (1922), which talks about human perseverance.
There are no survivors." I wish I could make nails out of these people: There wouldn’t be any stronger nails in the world.” The phraseological unit “Highlight of the program” (of the season) has the following meanings: 1) the best number, the best artist in the concert, causing a sensation; 2) the best program for something. And sometimes in a conversation you can hear something like this: “This is the crux of it all.”
Phraseologism “Wherever you work, just don’t work” is about lazy people who just want to be idle. The phraseology “Where ours hasn’t disappeared” is used to mean that experienced people can get out of a difficult situation. The phraseology “Where should we, fools, drink tea” is used as irony, even malice, they say, we are small people, where can we be without other people’s advice! The emergence of a phraseological unit is an expression belonging to one of A.S.’s closest friends. Pushkin (1799-1837) to P. P. Kaverin.
The phraseological unit “Hero of our time” is used in relation to a person whose thoughts and deeds most fully express the spirit of modernity, and is used either approvingly or ironically. The phraseology “The main thing, guys, is not to grow old in your heart” is used to encourage people whose youth is already behind them.
Phraseologism “To burn people’s hearts with a verb.” The meaning of this ironic expression: everything looked good in the plans, but in reality nothing worked out. The origin of the phraseological unit comes from the famous Russian proverb: “You’re as stupid as a cork, where you stick it, it sticks out.” The phraseological unit “Stupid as a gray gelding” is used to mean very stupid. The motivation for the turnover is transparent.
According to legend, it was believed that the person who could unravel this “Gordian knot” would become the ruler of all of Asia. And so, in 334 BC, the capital of Phrygia was conquered by the greatest of the commanders of antiquity - Alexander the Great. 1. According to legend, the oracle ordered the Phrygians to elect as king the one who first met them with a cart on the way to the temple of Zeus. This first person they met was a simple farmer named Gordius.
See what the “Gordian knot” is in other dictionaries:
The phraseological phrase “Gordian knot” means a situation when a certain problem or task is so complex that a non-standard, original approach is required to solve it. Zeus: - And in general! With interest (return, enough) The word “interest” was in the Old Russian language. It meant “excess”, “surplus”. Some derivative words were formed from it; so, for example, the percentages that a person, further...
Phraseologisms starting with the letter G. Meaning and origin
Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language. - M.: Astrel, AST. A. I. Fedorov. Zeus in Gardium, Galatia. From now on, every lie in the press is called a canard. Marvelous? However, there is another version of the origin of the turnover. It is also possible that this new meaning only superimposed on the previous negative semantics of “duck”. However, supporters of this opinion have serious opponents - the Germans. And one cannot help but listen to their arguments.
From a collection of critical articles by V. Shklovsky entitled “The Hamburg Account” (1928). But, apparently, the Hamburg score is Shklovsky’s own expression. Hannibal is at the gate! (Hannibal ante portas!) Hannibal threatened the existence of Rome in the 3rd century BC, but the Romans remembered him two centuries later.
The expression is a semantic tracing paper from French. clou de la saison (de l'exposition). The origin of the phrase is associated with the name of the Eiffel Tower (resembling a nail), built for the 1889 World Exhibition in Paris and causing a sensation. What kind of nail is this? And is he related to an ordinary, well-known nail that can be driven into a wall?
And so, under the influence of a foreign word that has a figurative meaning, our “nail” also began to live a second, figurative life. If you now hear that such and such a play is “the highlight of the season,” be sure to watch it in the theater. 1. Landowners-serfs, leaving their estates for the cities for the winter, gave balls and receptions where “winter” crayfish were considered a gourmet dish. Serfs had to catch them in cold water. 2. Originally, the expression meant “to drown,” since crayfish spend the winter at the bottom of reservoirs.
Phraseologism “The voice of one crying in the wilderness.” My node was beating!!! Phraseologism “Guarantees not worth the paper they are written on.” Phraseologism “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration” that a true genius is distinguished primarily by hard work and perseverance.