* "I’d seen these centaurs in the movies, but I hadn’t known they were real." This line plays on the popular image of centaurs from movies and literature, acknowledging their widespread presence in popular culture. It also sets up the contrast between the fantastical world of Greek mythology and the "real" world of the story.
* "The centaur grinned, revealing teeth that were more like tusks." This description evokes the wildness and ferocity of mythical creatures, highlighting the centaur's dangerous nature.
* "Grover wasn’t so sure about me. He said I had the “aura” of a demigod, but he wasn’t sure I was cut out for this kind of thing." Grover's statement hints at the divine lineage of demigods and their potential for greatness. This line subtly alludes to the classic mythology of heroes with divine ancestry.
These are not direct quotes from classical works, but they use the mythology of the story to build suspense and to establish the nature of the world.
To find more explicit allusions in *The Lightning Thief*, you might want to look at:
* Chapter 1: Percy's initial encounter with the Fury mentions Medusa and the myth of the Gorgons.
* Chapter 7: The encounter with Ares and the myth of the Trojan War are central to this chapter.
* Chapter 12: The reference to the Underworld and Hades plays on the myth of the afterlife.
Keep in mind that Riordan's style often incorporates mythology in a more subtle and integrated way, relying on reader knowledge and expectations to create a sense of the fantastical.