What does it mean to cut the Gordian knot? What does the phraseological unit “Gordian Knot” mean? How to tie a Gordian knot
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 farming, 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.
Where does the expression "Gordian knot" come from?
Lyaxander
According to an ancient legend, the oracle ordered the inhabitants to elect as king the one who would be the first to cross their path with a cart. The first to come across was a resident whose name was Gordius. As a token of gratitude, he gave the temple of Zeus a cart, on which he rode into the city. And he tied her to the altar with a complex knot made of dogwood bast. This knot was so complicated that no one could untangle it. Then they said: whoever unravels him will conquer the whole world. Alexander the Great entered Phrygia, cut this knot and became the ruler of this land. The meaning of the phraseological unit Gordian knot, or Cutting the Gordian knot - This means solving a difficult, confusing problem in a simple, often forceful way.
-Irinka-
Many expressions came to us from ancient legends, becoming winged. Such an expression is the phraseological unit “Gordian knot”.
"Gordian knot"- these are circumstances that are very confusing, and it is very difficult to understand and find a way out of them.
This phraseological unit is rooted in a long-standing legend.
The essence of the legend is this:
The kingdom of Phrygia, left without a ruler, began to look for a reward for him. To do this, people went for advice to the oracle, who ordered them to set off and the first person on the cart should become their ruler.
The Phrygians, having obeyed the oracle, met on their way Gordius, a simple landowner, who became their king. Exactly Gordius ordered to install a cart entangled with a complex knot of dogwood bast rope.
The person who could cut this knot was promised to become the ruler of all Asia. No one was able to cut this knot. And only a year later, in 334 BC, this knot was destroyed Alexander the Great. With the help of his sword and hefty strength I was able to cut the Gordian knot.
Galina78
Cutting the Gordian knot - this expression came to us from the depths of distant times and, of course, it has a deep meaning, which in this expression means solving a very difficult problem very quickly and correctly. If we look at an ancient legend that tells about how this Gordian Knot was formed, we will learn that a man named Gordius tied his cart with a very intricate knot to the altar base and left it there, and no matter how hard the inhabitants of ancient Rome tried to untangle the knot, but everything their efforts were in vain, and when Alexander the Great appeared, he did not bother with the knot for a long time and unravel it, but simply cut it with one swing of his sword and therefore immediately became famous.
If you believe the legend, then King Gordius tied his cart to the altar of the Temple of Zeus with this knot. Yes, the knot was so complex that no one could untie it. And then there was a prediction that whoever unraveled it, the whole world would submit to him. When the capital of Phrygia conquered Macedonian, he did not try to split hairs for long, but cut this knot with one blow of his sword. This is where the phrase “cut the Gordean knot” came from, that is, boldly and decisively solve a difficult problem.
Ludvigo
To become the ruler of Asia, it was necessary to untie the knot of dogwood bast, woven by the former simple farmer Gordius, who became the king of Phrygia. According to one version, in 334 BC, Alexander the Great cut the knot, according to another, he untied it, performing a simple action
This expression began to be used when it is necessary to solve an extremely important and complex problem simply and sharply, decisively, without delay.
Origin of the word Gordian knot
Lenochka
The Gordian knot is a complex knot, tied according to legend by the Phrygian king Gordius, which was cut by Alexander the Great. In a figurative sense, it can mean any complex task. “Cutting the Gordian knot” means using a non-classical, extraordinary and, at the same time, highly effective form of solving a problem.
Legend [edit | edit wiki text]According to legend, the priests of the Phrygian Temple of Zeus predicted that the first one to enter their city would be the most outstanding king in the entire history of the country. The first to enter the city on his cart was the unknown peasant Gordy. He was chosen as the Phrygian king. In memory of this event, he donated a cart to the Temple of Zeus, on which he rode into the city. Gordius tied her to the altar with such a complex knot of dogwood bast that no skilled worker could unravel it. The oracle predicted that the person who unravels the Gordian knot will submit to the whole world. He will create an empire that will include all of Asia.
And so the capital of Phrygia was conquered by the greatest of the commanders of antiquity - Alexander the Great. Most writers report that a young warrior entered the ancient temple, took a closer look at the famous knot and, drawing his sword, cut it with one blow. The priests interpreted this as follows: “He will conquer the world! But with the sword, not diplomacy." However, according to the story of Aristobulus, “Alexander easily managed to solve the problem and free the yoke by removing a hook from the front end of the drawbar - the so-called “gestor”, which secures the jugular belt.”
Tatycvet
Another poetic legend. 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. There was no shortage of attempts: the oracle predicted that the person who unraveled the Gordian knot would take possession of the whole world.
And so the capital of Phrygia was conquered by the greatest of the commanders of antiquity, Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). The young warrior entered the old temple, took a closer look at the famous knot and suddenly, drawing his sword, cut it with one blow.
We call any complicated matter or difficult to resolve issue a Gordian knot. “Cutting the Gordian knot” means: boldly and energetically solving a difficult matter.
GORDIAN KNOT, according to ancient Greek legend, is 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. in response to the offer to untangle the knot, he cut it with a sword (hence “cut the Gordian knot” - make a quick and bold solution to a confusing and complex issue).
What does the Gordean knot mean?
Natalya Golikova
That's right, the Gordian knot. According to ancient Greek legend, an intricate knot was used by the Phrygian king Gordius to tie 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. in response to the offer to untangle the knot, he cut it with a sword (hence “cut the Gordian knot” - make a quick and bold solution to a confusing and complex issue).
⚓ Otters ☸
There are other meanings for this term, see Knot (meanings).
"Alexander the Great cuts the Gordian knot"
According to legend, the priests of the Phrygian temple of Zeus predicted that the first one to enter their city would be the most outstanding king in the entire history of the country. The first to enter the city on his cart was the unknown peasant Gordy. He was chosen as the Phrygian king. In memory of this event, he donated a cart to the Temple of Zeus, on which he rode into the city. Gordius tied her to the altar with such a complex knot of dogwood bast that no skilled worker could unravel it. The oracle predicted that the person who unravels the Gordian knot will submit to the whole world.
And so the capital of Phrygia was conquered by the greatest of the commanders of antiquity - Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). Most writers report that a young warrior entered the ancient temple, looked closely at the famous knot and suddenly, drawing his sword, cut it with one blow. The priests interpreted this as follows: “He will conquer the world! But with the sword, not diplomacy." However, according to the story of Aristobulus, “Alexander easily managed to solve the problem and free the yoke by removing a hook from the front end of the drawbar - the so-called “gestor”, which secures the jugular belt.”
The “Gordian knot” is the name given to any complicated matter or difficult to resolve issue. “Cutting the Gordian knot” means: boldly, decisively and energetically solving a difficult matter.
Elena Muromskaya
Gordius (Greek: Górdios), legendary founder of the Phrygian kingdom. According to legend, G., a farmer, was elected king at the direction of the oracle as the first person whom the Phrygians saw riding on a cart. Having become king, G. built the city of Gordion; He brought his cart as a gift to Zeus and, having installed it in the temple, tied the yoke to the drawbar with such a complex knot that no one could untie it. The oracle's prediction allegedly stated that whoever unties this "Gordian knot" will gain dominion over the world. According to legend, Alexander the Great visited Gordion in 334 and, when asked to unravel the knot, cut it with a sword. Hence the expression “cutting the Gordian knot,” that is, making a quick and bold solution to a confusing and complex issue.
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 of not only the Phrygian kingdom, but also 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.
Ushakov's Dictionary
Political Science: Dictionary-Reference Book
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. in response to the offer to untangle the knot, he cut it with a sword (hence “cut the Gordian knot” - make a quick and bold solution to a confusing and complex issue).
Ancient world. Dictionary-reference book
Gordian knot
Gordius, the legendary peasant and founder of the Phrygian kingdom, was elected king at the direction of the oracle, as the first person whom the Phrygians saw riding on a cart. Having become king, Gordius founded the capital, which bears his name, brought his cart as a gift to Zeus and, installing it in the temple, tied the yoke to the drawbar with such a complex knot that no one could untie it.
The oracle's prediction said that whoever managed to cope with the knot would take possession of all of Asia. In response to a proposal to unravel the knot, Alexander the Great, who visited Gordion in 334, cut it with a sword. This story is often retold in ancient literature, and the expression “cutting the Gordian knot” has become a proverb and means finding a way out of a difficult situation.
(Modern dictionary-reference book: Ancient world. Compiled by M.I. Umnov. M.: Olimp, AST, 2000)
Antiquity from A to Z. Dictionary-reference book
Gordian knot
In Greek mythology, in the fortress near Gordion (the main city of Phrygia) there was a war chariot of the legendary king Gordius, on which the yoke and drawbar were connected by a belt tied with a very complex knot. According to legend, whoever manages to untie the bonds is promised possession of Asia. In the winter of 334–333 BC. e. Alexander the Great cut the knot with a blow of his sword.
Lem's World - Dictionary and Guide
Gordian knot
a complex, intricate set of circumstances, from the legend of a complex knot tied by King Gordius and cut by Alexander the Great:
* “Usually, when the ship was sailing under its own power, all the crew members were in high spirits; this was especially felt in the wardroom, because even while eating they could forget about the Gordian knot that was tightening around them more and more.” - Fiasco*
* "Many people from different countries (somehow less from Poland) visit me to ask what I think on this topic. It cannot be said that I have a solution to this tightly woven Gordian knot in my head." - Megabit bomb. Mind (MI) *
* “We are forced to recognize the problem of artificial intelligence as ditochomic, since it arises when two systems collide: a person, who, in our assumption, understands what he is doing and saying, and a machine, which, very gradually improving in different directions, will imitate a partner. I am afraid that that an imitation may turn out to be both unconscious and a remarkable representation of consciousness. This difficulty has not yet been overcome, and therefore today it represents a Gordian knot, the unraveling or cutting of which only the future will have to do." - A moment. Paradoxes of consciousness (PC) *
According to legend, there really was a knot that could not be untangled.
And the legend goes like this:
Once the priests of the Phrygian temple of Zeus made the following prediction - whoever sets foot first outside the gates of the city must become a ruler, and he will be the king of kings.
The unsuspecting and unknown poor man Gordius rode into the city on his cart and was recognized as the king of Phrygia.
The cart was presented as a gift to the temple in which the prediction was made and tied to the altar.
But this knot was so intricate and cunning that no one could cope with it.
And then a second prediction arose that the one who unties this knot will become an even more powerful ruler and conquer the whole world.
And then one day, the great Macedonian found himself in front of a knot and everyone froze in anticipation of whether the knot would submit to him or not, how he would untie it. And looking at the tangled bast, Alexander pulled out his sword and cut it.
Expression value:
The phraseological unit “Gordian Knot” is a description of a confusing situation that is difficult to understand. And the more you solve it, the more confused it becomes.
But “cutting the Gordian knot” means resolving the situation in one fell swoop, and approaching it in a non-standard way.
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.