The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

of the barrier placed between God and humanity
by human sinfulness. At the time of the crucifi xion
of Jesus Christ, the curtain of the temple was torn.
This dramatic event, noted in the Gospels, is seen
as a symbol of one of the chief benefi ts brought
about by the death of Jesus Christ: the barrier
between God and humanity caused by sin has been
torn down, so that there is now free access for
believers to God on account of Christ’s death”
(NIV <strong>The</strong>matic Reference Bible, p. 1,099). Legend has
it that the veil was spun by the virgin mary herself.
<strong>The</strong> image of the torn veil was variously taken
up, for example, at the time of the Reformation
(when it represented the abolition of the offi cial
priesthood), by Romantic poets (who used it as an
image of the search for personal truth or liberty),
and by many other writers as a simple image of
spiritual, sexual, or other revelation. This last thunderous
communication brought him understanding. At
last the veil of the temple was rent, and he comprehended
for the fi rst time how he had been betrayed.
venereal See venus.
vengeance is mine My revenge over my enemy is
complete. Generally quoted today by those who
are gloating over some victory against their rivals,
the phrase comes from the Bible, although it was
originally meant to convey the desirability of leaving
matters of retribution to divine providence. It
appears in its original context in the form of a
quotation of Paul writing to the Romans: “Dearly
beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give
place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is
mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19,
quoting Deuteronomy 32:35). “ ‘Thank God, that
kept thine hand from blood- guiltiness, rash young
man!’ answered the curate. ‘Vengeance is mine,
saith the Lord, and I will repay it’ ” (Sir Walter
Scott, Kenilworth, 1821).
veni, vidi, vici See i came, i saw, i conquered.
Venus (veenbs) <strong>The</strong> archetype of a feminine
beauty. Venus was the Roman goddess of fertility
and love and the equivalent of the Greek Aphrodite.
According to mythology she emerged from
the sea, variously from the foam of the waves or
out of a seashell. She was herself the mother of
Eros. In modern usage any woman described as a
Venus is considered exceptionally beautiful. Other
derivatives of the name of Venus include the adjective
venereal, which variously refers to the genitalia
and related sexual matters, especially to sexually
transmitted diseases. “<strong>The</strong> sleeping Faun that lay in
the alcove by the doorway had its twin brother
that slumbered, and the silver Venus that stood in
the sunlight held out her arms to a Venus as lovely
as herself ” (Oscar Wilde, A House of Pomegranates,
1891).
Venus’s hair stone See thetis’s hair stone.
vesta (vestb) A type of short match, found commonly
in the home since its introduction early in
the 20th century. <strong>The</strong> name is an allusion to Vesta,
the Roman goddess of the hearth and the equivalent
of the Greek Hestia, who was widely worshiped
throughout the Roman Empire. Her sacred
fi re at the Temple of Vesta in the Forum at Rome
was kept burning by specially chosen maidens
known as the vestal virgins. <strong>The</strong>se attendants were
trained from the age of 10 and were expected to
keep themselves pure; if they were found to have
been unfaithful they faced death or severe punishment.
In modern usage any woman who is deemed
to place undue (or hypocritical) importance on her
vesta
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