How did the expression “Olympic calm” come about?
When they say “Olympic calm,” they mean absolute equanimity. Many people associate this expression with the Olympic Games, believing that it describes confident Olympic athletes. But this is not so - the expression has no connection with the Olympics.
The expression “Olympic calm” appeared in ancient times. It was probably used even before the first Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. It is not connected with competitions, but with Mount Olympus, located in the region of Thessaly on the coast of the Aegean Sea.
The Greeks believed that gods lived on the top of this mountain. Homer wrote in the Odyssey that the top of this mountain is not disturbed by wind, rain or snow. There was always a cloudless sky above her, on which the Sun shone during the day and the Moon adorned itself at night. Of course, all these are just myths - the mountain sacred to the Greeks was no different from others.
Sophocles, Aristotle and Virgil used the concept of Olympus in a broader sense. They argued that this was not some modest peak, but a vault of heaven where celestial beings lived. The Greeks, by the way, called the gods “Olympians.” They, as befits gods, always preserved the majestic solemnity of their appearance and imperturbable calm of spirit.
Although, to be honest, the peace among the celestials was very relative. Anyone who is familiar with Greek mythology remembers well what the gods of Olympus were doing. They plotted around the clock, cheated on their spouses with other gods, people and even animals, raped for fun or to maintain intrigue, killed unwanted people and even sometimes ate them. In general, we lived a busy life, which does not seem peaceful at all.