This paper investigates how the economic crisis in Greek and the possible threat of a ‘Grexit’ from the Eurozone caused a production of tropes carrying a classical style, meaning that they reside in Greek ancient history and mythology. For instance, Greece is presented as Europe’s ‘Achilles heel’, the economic decline as a ‘modern Greek tragedy’, the prospect for recovery as the ‘Sisyphean’ curse, etc. The author examines the impact of these clichés and suggests that these Hellenic tropes can be used either as weapons or antidotes; either they represent or “disguise’ Greece as an economic, political and cultural thorn in the European flesh.