The Tyrant’s Tomb by Rick Riordan

ab urbe conditaLatin for from the founding of the city. For a time, Romans used the acronym AUC to mark the years since the founding of Rome.

Achillesa Greek hero of the Trojan War; a nearly invulnerable warrior who slayed the Trojan hero Hector outside the walls of Troy and then dragged his corpse behind his chariot

Aphroditethe Greek goddess of love and beauty. Roman form: Venus

Aresthe Greek god of war; the son of Zeus and Hera, and half brother to Athena. Roman form: Mars

ArgentumLatin for silver; the name of one of Reyna’s two automaton greyhounds that can detect lying

Argo IIa flying trireme built by the Hephaestus cabin at Camp Half-Blood to take the demigods of the Prophecy of Seven to Greece

Artemisthe Greek goddess of the hunt and the moon; the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin of Apollo. Roman form: Diana

Asclepiusthe god of medicine; son of Apollo; his temple was the healing center of ancient Greece

Athenathe Greek goddess of wisdom. Roman form: Minerva

aura(aurae, pl.) wind spirit

AurumLatin for gold; the name of one of Reyna’s two automaton greyhounds that can detect lying

aveLatin for hail, a Roman greeting

Bacchusthe Roman god of wine and revelry; son of Jupiter. Greek form: Dionysus

ballista(ballistae, pl.) a Roman missile siege weapon that launches a large projectile at a distant target

Bellonaa Roman goddess of war; daughter of Jupiter and Juno

Benito Mussolinian Italian politician who became the leader of the National Fascist Party, a paramilitary organization. He ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943, first as a prime minister and then as a dictator.

blemmyaea tribe of headless people with faces in their chests

Britomartisthe Greek goddess of hunting and fishing nets; her sacred animal is the griffin

Burning Mazea magical, puzzle-filled underground labyrinth in Southern California controlled by the Roman emperor Caligula and Medea, a Greek sorceress

cacasecadried poop

Caldecott Tunnela four-lane highway that cuts through the Berkeley Hills and connects Oakland and Orinda, California. It contains a secret middle tunnel, guarded by Roman soldiers, that leads to Camp Jupiter.

Caligulathe nickname of the third of Rome’s emperors, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, infamous for his cruelty and carnage during the four years he ruled, from 37 to 41 CE; he was assassinated by his own guard

Camp Half-Bloodthe training ground for Greek demigods, located in Long Island, New York

Camp Jupiterthe training ground for Roman demigods, located in California, between the Oakland Hills and the Berkeley Hills

Celestial bronzea powerful magical metal used to create weapons wielded by Greek gods and their demigod children

centurionan officer in the Roman army

charmspeaka rare type of hypnotism power that chosen children of Aphrodite possess

Ciceroa Roman statesman who was renowned for his public speeches

Circus Maximusa stadium designed for horse and chariot racing

cloaca maximaLatin for greatest sewer

clunisLatin for buttocks

cohortgroups of legionnaires

Colosseuman elliptical amphitheater built for gladiator fights, monster simulations, and mock naval battles

CommodusLucius Aurelius Commodus was the son of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius; he became co-emperor when he was sixteen and emperor at eighteen, when his father died; he ruled from 177 to 192 CE and was megalomaniacal and corrupt; he considered himself the New Hercules and enjoyed killing animals and fighting gladiators at the Colosseum

Cumaean Sibylan Oracle of Apollo from Cumae who collected her prophetic instructions for averting disaster in nine volumes but destroyed six of them when trying to sell them to Tarquinius Superbus of Rome

Cyclops(Cyclopes, pl.) a member of a primordial race of giants, each with a single eye in the middle of his or her forehead

cynocephalus(cynocephali, pl.) a being with a human body and a dog’s head

Dantean Italian poet of the late Middle Ages who invented terza rima; author of The Divine Comedy, among other works

Daphnea beautiful naiad who attracted Apollo’s attention; she transformed into a laurel tree in order to escape him

decimationthe ancient Roman punishment for bad legions in which every tenth soldier was killed whether they were guilty or innocent

Delosa Greek island in the Aegean Sea near Mykonos; birthplace of Apollo

Demeterthe Greek goddess of agriculture; a daughter of the Titans Rhea and Kronos. Roman form: Ceres

denarius(denarii, pl.) a unit of Roman currency

Dianathe Roman goddess of the hunt and the moon; the daughter of Jupiter and Leto, and the twin of Apollo. Greek form: Artemis

DionysusGreek god of wine and revelry; the son of Zeus. Roman form: Bacchus

dryada spirit (usually female) associated with a certain tree

Eagle of the Twelfththe standard of Camp Jupiter, a gold icon of an eagle on top of a pole, symbolizing the god Jupiter

Earthborna race of six-armed giants, also called Gegenes

Elysiumthe paradise to which Greek heroes are sent when the gods grant them immortality

Erythraean Sibyla prophetess who presided over Apollo’s Oracle at Erythrae in Ionia

eurynomos(eurynomoi, pl.) a corpse-eating ghoul that lives in the Underworld and is controlled by Hades; the slightest cut from their claws causes a wasting disease in mortals, and when their victims die, they rise again as vrykolakai, or zombies. If a eurynomos manages to devour the flesh of a corpse down to the bones, the skeleton will become a fierce undead warrior, many of whom serve as Hades’s elite palace guards.

Euterpethe Greek goddess of lyric poetry; one of the Nine Muses; daughter of Zeus and Mnemosyne

fascesa ceremonial ax wrapped in a bundle of thick wooden rods with its crescent-shaped blade projecting outward; the ultimate symbol of authority in ancient Rome; origin of the word fascism

Fatesthree female personifications of destiny. They control the thread of life for every living thing from birth to death.

fauna Roman forest god, part goat and part man

Faunusthe Roman god of the Wild. Greek form: Pan

Field of Marspart battlefield, part party zone, the place where drills and war games are held at Camp Jupiter

First Titan Waralso known as the Titanomachy, the eleven-year conflict between the Titans from Mount Othrys and the younger gods, whose future home would be Mount Olympus

Forumthe center of life in New Rome; a plaza with statues and fountains that is lined with shops and nighttime entertainment venues

fuerteSpanish for strong

fulminataarmed with lightning; a Roman legion under Julius Caesar whose emblem was a lightning bolt (fulmen)

Gaeathe Greek earth goddess; wife of Ouranos; mother of the Titans, giants, Cyclopes, and other monsters

Gamelionthe seventh month of the Attic or Athenian calendar that was used in Attica, Greece, at one time; roughly equivalent to January/February on the Gregorian calendar

Germanibodyguards for the Roman Empire from the Gaulish and Germanic tribes

Greek firea magical, highly explosive, viscous green liquid used as a weapon; one of the most dangerous substances on earth

Grove of Dodonathe site of the oldest Greek Oracle, second only to Delphi in importance; the rustling of trees in the grove provided answers to priests and priestesses who journeyed to the site. The grove is located in Camp Half-Blood Forest and accessible only through the myrmekes’ lair.

Hadesthe Greek god of death and riches; ruler of the Underworld. Roman form: Pluto

Harpocratesthe Ptolemaic god of silence and secrets, a Greek adaptation of Harpa-Khruti, Horus the Child, who was often depicted in art and statuary with his finger held up to his lips, a gesture symbolizing childhood

harpya winged female creature that snatches things

Hecatethe goddess of magic and crossroads

Hectora Trojan champion who was ultimately slain by the Greek warrior Achilles and then dragged by the heels behind Achilles’s chariot

Heliosthe Titan god of the sun; son of the Titan Hyperion and the Titaness Theia

Hephaestusthe Greek god of fire, including volcanic, and of crafts and blacksmithing; the son of Zeus and Hera, and married to Aphrodite. Roman form: Vulcan

Herathe Greek goddess of marriage; Zeus’s wife and sister; Apollo’s stepmother. Roman form: Juno

Hermesthe Greek god of travelers; guide to spirits of the dead; god of communication. Roman form: Mercury.

hippocampusa sea creature with a horse’s head and a fish’s body

Horatius Coclesa Roman officer who, according to legend, single-handedly defended the Sublician Bridge over the Tiber River from the invading Etruscan army

Hyacinthusa Greek hero and Apollo’s lover, who died while trying to impress Apollo with his discus skills

immortuosLatin for undead

Imperial golda rare metal deadly to monsters, consecrated at the Pantheon; its existence was a closely guarded secret of the emperors

IrisGreek goddess of the rainbow

jiangshiChinese for zombie

Julius Caesara Roman politician and general whose military accomplishments extended Rome’s territory and ultimately led to a civil war that enabled him to assume control of the government in 49 BCE. He was declared “dictator for life” and went on to institute social reforms that angered some powerful Romans. A group of senators conspired against him and assassinated him on March 15, 44 BCE.

Junothe Roman goddess of marriage; Jupiter’s wife and sister; Apollo’s stepmother. Greek form: Hera

Jupiterthe Roman god of the sky and king of the gods. Greek form: Zeus

Jupiter Optimus MaximusLatin for Jupiter, the best and greatest god

Khromanda(Khromandae, pl.) a humanoid monster with gray eyes, a shaggy blond pelt, and doglike teeth; it can only communicate in loud shrieks

Koronisdaughter of a king; one of Apollo’s girlfriends, who fell in love with another man. A white raven Apollo had left to guard her informed him of the affair. Apollo was so angry at the raven for failing to peck out the man’s eyes that he cursed the bird, scorching its feathers. Apollo sent his sister, Artemis, to kill Koronis, because he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Kronosthe Titan lord of time, evil, and the harvest. He is the youngest but boldest and most devious of Gaea’s children; he convinced several of his brothers to aid him in the murder of their father, Ouranos. He was also Percy Jackson’s primary opponent. Roman form: Saturn

Labyrinthan underground maze originally built on the island of Crete by the craftsman Daedalus to hold the Minotaur

lamiaRoman term for zombie

Lar(Lares, pl.) Roman house gods

legionnairea member of the Roman army

Lemurianfrom the ancient continent of Lemuria, now lost, but once thought to be located in the Indian Ocean

Letomother of Artemis and Apollo with Zeus; goddess of motherhood

libriLatin for books

lictoran officer who carried a fasces and acted as a bodyguard for Roman officials

Little Tibernamed after the Tiber River of Rome, the smaller river that forms the barrier of Camp Jupiter

Lunathe moon Titan. Greek form: Selene

Lupathe wolf goddess, guardian spirit of Rome

maenada female follower of Dionysus/Bacchus, often associated with frenzy

manubalistaa Roman heavy crossbow

Marsthe Roman god of war. Greek form: Ares

Medeaa Greek enchantress, daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis and granddaughter of the Titan sun god, Helios; wife of the hero Jason, whom she helped obtain the Golden Fleece

Meleagera prince who the Fates predicted would die when a piece of firewood was consumed. When his mother discovered that Meleager had killed her two brothers, she threw the wood into the fire, bringing about his death.

MeliaiGreek nymphs of the ash tree, born of Gaea; they nurtured and raised Zeus in Crete

Mercurythe Roman god of travelers; guide to spirits of the dead; god of communication. Greek form: Hermes

Minervathe Roman goddess of wisdom. Greek form: Athena

Mista magical force that prevents mortals from seeing gods, mythical creatures, and supernatural occurrences by replacing them with things the human mind can comprehend

Mount Olympushome of the Twelve Olympians

Mount Othrysa mountain in central Greece; the Titans’ base during the ten-year war between the Titans and the Olympians; the seat of the Titans in Marin County, California; known by mortals as Mount Tamalpais

Mount Vesuviusa volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy that erupted in the year 79 CE, burying the Roman city of Pompeii under ash

mustera formal assembly of troops

myrmekea giant antlike creature the size of a full-grown German shepherd. Myrmekes live in enormous anthills, where they store shiny loot, like gold. They spit poison and have nearly invincible body armor and vicious mandibles.

naiada female water spirit

Nereida spirit of the sea

Neroruled as Roman Emperor from 54 to 58 CE; he had his mother and his first wife put to death; many believe he was responsible for setting a fire that gutted Rome, but he blamed the Christians, whom he burned on crosses; he built an extravagant new palace on the cleared land and lost support when construction expenses forced him to raise taxes; he committed suicide

New Romeboth the valley in which Camp Jupiter is located and a city—a smaller, modern version of the imperial city—where Roman demigods can go to live in peace, study, and retire

Nine Musesgoddesses who grant inspiration for and protect artistic creation and expression; daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne; as children, they were taught by Apollo. Their names are: Clio, Euterpe, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Polymnia, Ourania, and Calliope.

nuntiusLatin for messenger

nympha female deity who animates nature

Oliver Cromwella devout Puritan and influential political figure who led the parliamentary army during the English Civil War

Oracle of Delphia speaker of the prophecies of Apollo

Ouranosthe Greek personification of the sky; husband of Gaea; father of the Titans

Panthe Greek god of the Wild; the son of Hermes. Roman form: Faunus

pandos(pandai, pl.) a man with gigantic ears, eight fingers and toes, and a body covered with hair that starts out white and turns black with age

People’s Parka property located off Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California, that was the site of a major confrontation between student protestors and police in May 1969

Phlegethonthe River of Fire in the Underworld

Plutothe Roman god of death and ruler of the Underworld. Greek form: Hades

Pomerian Linethe border of Rome

Pompeiia Roman city that was destroyed in 79 CE when the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried it under ash

Poseidonthe Greek god of the sea; son of the Titans Kronos and Rhea, and the brother of Zeus and Hades. Roman form: Neptune

praetoran elected Roman magistrate and commander of the army

praetoriumthe living quarters for the praetors at Camp Jupiter

princepsLatin for first citizen or first in line; the early Roman emperors adopted this title for themselves, and it came to mean prince of Rome

principiathe military headquarters for the praetors at Camp Jupiter

probatiothe rank assigned to new members of the legion at Camp Jupiter

Ptolemaicrelating to the Greco-Egyptian kings who ruled Egypt from 323 to 30 BCE

Pythona monstrous dragon that Gaea appointed to guard the Oracle at Delphi

River Styxthe river that forms the boundary between Earth and the Underworld

Romulusa demigod son of Mars, twin brother of Remus; first king of Rome, who founded the city in 753 BCE

Saturnaliaan ancient Roman festival held in December in honor of the god Saturn, the Roman equivalent of Kronos

satyra Greek forest god, part goat and part man

Selenethe moon Titan. Roman form: Luna

Senatea council of ten representatives elected from the legion at Camp Jupiter

Senate Housethe building at Camp Jupiter where the senators meet to discuss such issues as whether a quest should be granted or whether war should be declared

Sibyla prophetess

Sibylline Booksthe Cumaean Sibyl’s prophecies—prescriptions for warding off disasters—dating back to ancient Roman times, collected in nine volumes, six of which were destroyed by the Sibyl herself. The three remaining books were sold to the last Roman king, Tarquin, and then lost over time. Ella the harpy read a copy of the three Books and is trying to reconstruct all the prophecies with her photographic memory and the help of Tyson the Cyclops.

sica(siccae, pl.) a short, curved sword

Sommea battle of World War I fought by the British and French against the Germans by the River Somme in France

Somnusthe Roman god of sleep

spathaa Roman cavalry sword

spolia opimaone-on-one combat between two opposing leaders in a war, the ultimate display of courage for a Roman; literally, spoils of war

strix(strixes, pl.) a large blood-drinking owl-like bird of ill omen

Stymphalian birdsmonstrous man-eating birds with sharp Celestial bronze beaks that can tear through flesh. They can also shoot their feathers at prey like arrows.

Styxa powerful water nymph; the eldest daughter of the sea Titan, Oceanus; goddess of the Underworld’s most important river; goddess of hatred; the River Styx is named after her

sub rosaLatin for under the rose, meaning sworn to secrecy

Suburaa crowded lower-class area of ancient Rome

Summer of Lovea gathering of more than 100,000 hippies or “flower children” in the San Francisco neighborhood of Haight-Ashbury during the summer of 1967 to enjoy art, music, and spiritual practices while also protesting the government and materialistic values

TarquinLucius Tarquinius Superbus was the seventh and final king of Rome, reigning from 534 to 509 BCE, when, after a popular uprising, the Roman Republic was established

Temple Hillthe site just outside the city limits of New Rome where the temples to all the gods are located

Terminusthe Roman god of boundaries

Terpsichorethe Greek goddess of dance; one of the Nine Muses

terza rimaa form of verse consisting of three-line stanzas in which the first and third lines rhyme and the middle line rhymes with the first and third lines of following stanza

testudoa tortoise battle formation in which legionnaires put their shields together to form a barrier

Teumessian Foxa gigantic fox sent by the Olympians to prey upon the children of Thebes; it is destined never to be caught

Three Gracesthe three charities: Beauty, Mirth, and Elegance; daughters of Zeus

Tiber Riverthe third-longest river in Italy; Rome was founded on its banks; in ancient Rome, criminals were thrown into the river

Titansa race of powerful Greek deities, descendants of Gaea and Ouranos, who ruled during the Golden Age and were overthrown by a race of younger gods, the Olympians

triremea Greek warship, having three tiers of oars on each side

triumviratea political alliance formed by three parties

Trojan WarAccording to legend, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband, Menelaus, king of Sparta

Troya pre-Roman city situated in modern-day Turkey; site of the Trojan War

Underworldthe kingdom of the dead, where souls go for eternity; ruled by Hades

vappaeLatin for spoiled wines

ventus(venti, pl.) storm spirits

Venusthe Roman goddess of love and beauty. Greek form: Aphrodite

Via Praetoriathe main road into Camp Jupiter that runs from the barracks to the headquarters

Vnicornes ImperantLatin for Unicorns Rule

vrykolakas(vrykolakai, pl.) Greek word for zombie

Vulcanthe Roman god of fire, including volcanic, and of crafts and blacksmithing. Greek form: Hephaestus

Waystationa place of refuge for demigods, peaceful monsters, and Hunters of Artemis located above Union Station in Indianapolis, Indiana

Zeusthe Greek god of the sky and the king of the gods. Roman form: Jupiter