Achilles is back, in armour made by a god. So Zeus lets the gods fight too.
The Iliad · C2
Book Twenty: The Gods Go to War
Modality and probability (might well, may as well, could hardly, there is no knowing, in all likelihood), on the cards, it stands to reason, beat about the bush, a close shave and as luck would have it: C2 language for fate and chance.
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SOPHIA
PHILO
And Aeneas has to face him? Again?
The story
After Homer’s Iliad, Book Twenty
With Achilles back, the fall of Troy that very day was on the cards, so Zeus let the gods go to war. Apollo urged Aeneas to face Achilles: Achilles might well kill him, but it stood to reason, said the god, that a son of Aphrodite could stand against a son of a sea nymph.
Achilles insulted him, and Aeneas answered with his whole family tree, and then told him to stop beating about the bush: they may as well fight. Aeneas picked up a rock that two men today could hardly lift.
There is no knowing what Zeus would have done if Aeneas had died there; in all likelihood he would have, if Poseidon had not lifted him over the battle. It was a close shave. Then Hector came; and as luck would have it, Apollo snatched him away in a mist.
The tongue of man is twisty, and there are words in plenty in it, of every kind.
Probability
DEMETRIA
Achilles might well kill him. It was on the cards. In all likelihood, he would have died. There is no knowing what Zeus would have done.
SOPHIA
might / may / could well = quite likely. on the cards = likely to happen. in all likelihood = very probably. there is no knowing / telling + wh-.
Logic and options
PHILO
It stands to reason. Stop beating about the bush: we may as well fight. A rock two men could hardly lift.
SOPHIA
it stands to reason = it’s logical. beat about the bush. may / might as well = the sensible option now. could hardly (never couldn’t hardly).
Chance
MARCOS
What a close shave! And as luck would have it, Apollo saved Hector.
SOPHIA
a close shave / call. as luck would have it = by chance.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| might well; in all likelihood; on the cards | probability | Achilles might well kill him. |
| there is no knowing + wh- | impossibility of knowing | There’s no knowing what he’ll do. |
| may as well; could hardly | options; near-impossibility | We may as well fight. |
| it stands to reason; beat about the bush | logic; directness | It stands to reason that… |
| a close shave; as luck would have it | chance | As luck would have it, Apollo saved him. |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct form.
1. Achilles might ___ kill him.
2. The fall of Troy was on the ___.
3. We may ___ well fight.
4. A rock that two men could ___ lift.
5. There is no ___ what Zeus would do.
6. In all ___, he would have died.
B · Write
Write the correct form of the word in brackets, or the missing word.
7. It stands to that his mother is greater.
8. Stop beating about the and fight.
9. That was a close for Aeneas!
10. As luck would it, Apollo saved Hector.
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “I couldn’t hardly breathe.”
12. “The bus has gone; we may as well walk.”
13. “There is no knowing what he will do.”
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