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Pikeville High School Academic Team The Big List of Mythology Terms Achates The faithful friend and companion of Aeneas. In Vergil's Aeneid he is often called fidus Achates, "faithful Achates." Achilles The son of Peleus and the Nereid Thetis, and king of the Myrmidons, a Thessalian tribe. He is the hero of Homer's Iliad and became the prototype of the Greeks' conception of manly valor and beauty. He took part in the Trojan War on the side of the Greeks as their most illustrious warrior, and slew the Trojan hero Hector. Achilles had been dipped in the Styx by his mother, which rendered him invulnerable except in the heel by which she held him and where he was fatally wounded by an arrow shot by Paris, Hector's younger brother, or, according to another version of the story, by the god Apollo, who had assumed Paris' shape. See Iliad Index Actaeon A celebrated huntsman, son of Aristaeus and Autonoe, the daughter of Cadmon. Having seen Diana bathing, he was changed by her into a stag and torn to pieces by his own dogs. Adonis A beautiful youth, beloved by Venus. When he was killed by a wild boar, Venus changed his blood into the flower which is still called Adonis after him. Aeneas A Trojan hero, the son of Anchises and Venus. He is the hero of Vergil's Aeneid, which describes his exploits after the fall of Troy until his arrival in Italy. He is revered as the ancestral hero of the Romans. Aeolus King of the Aeolian islands, father of Halcyone; appointed by Jupiter keeper of the winds and later considered to be the wind god. He received Ulysses hospitably and gave him, tied up and made harmless in a leather bag, all the ill winds which were later let out by his companions. Aesculapius The god of medicine. Son of Apollo and Coronis and father of Machaon. His foster father was the Centaur Chiron. He became a great healer, able to restore life to the dead. Alarmed by this, Pluto, the lord of the realm of the dead, induced Zeus to kill him. At the request of Apollo he was placed among the stars. His oracles on earth were numerous. Agamemnon King of Mycenae, brother of Menelaus and leader of the Greek expedition against Troy. Because of his refusal to release Chryseis, Achilles withdrew from the fight. Things went bad for the Greeks. Agamemnon, like most of the other leaders, was wounded, but finally he managed to reconcile Achilles. After the return of the victorious Greek army, Agamemnon was killed by his wife's, Clytemnestra's, lover Aegisthus. Ajax (Gr. Aias) Son of Telamon; as a hero in the Trojan War second only to Achilles. He was sent to placate Achilles after the latter's quarrel with Agamemnon. He had an undecided encounter with the Trojan hero Hector and later defended and rescued the bodies of Patroclus and Achilles. He died by his own hand after having seen the coveted armor of Achilles go to Ulysses. From his blood sprang the Hyacinth, which bears the letters "ai" on its leaves, the first letters of his name and also the Greek for "woe." Alcestis Daughter of Pelias, wife of Admetus, who had won her by driving a 1 chariot drawn by lions and boars. When Admetus fell ill, Alcestis saved his life by agreeing to die in his stead. Hercules saved her by laying in wait for Death, whom he forced to abandon his prey. According to another version, Persephone released her from the underworld. Amazons A word of unknown origin, interpreted by the Greeks as signifying "without breast." A legendary race of warlike women forming a state from which men were excluded, and dwelling on the coast of the Black Sea. Many Greek heroes got involved with them. One of Hercules' labors was the task to fetch the girdle of the Amazon Queen Hippolyta, whom he had to kill in the process. Theseus carried off the Amazon Queen Antiope and had to give battle to her female warriors in the heart of Athens. Achilles slew the Amazon Queen Penthesilea who had come to the assistance of the Trojans. Amaterasu Japanese sun goddess. Literally, "the great illuminating queen of heaven." Child of Izanami and Izanagu, the first man and woman of Shinto mythology. She is the mythological ancestress of the Japanese Imperial Family. Frequently shown in masculine dress and invoked before battle, she is also the goddess of weaving. After her brother, the moon god Tsukinoye, murdered her favorite lady in waiting, she hid in a cave. Without sun, the crops withered and died, and the Gods began to age. Finally, she was tricked into coming out by Ama-No-Uzume (literally, queen of laughter), who performed a bawdy dance. When she heard laughter, she followed the sound and saw Ama-No-Uzume dancing. Amaterasu laughed so hard she fell down and rolled out of the cave. Ambrosia Celestial food used by the gods. Amphitrite One of the Nereids. As the wife of Neptune, she was the successor to Tethys, the wife of Oceanus, who had been the Titan ruling over the watery element. She was a daughter of Nereus and Doris, and the mother of Triton. Anansi African spider god. Intermediary god of the Ashanti, he helped to create the world by molding some of his spider webbing. He is a trickster diety who gave mankind fire by tricking the gods. His mythology survives in the "Aunt Nancy" stories of the old South. Andromache The wife of Hector and mother of Astyanax. After Hector's death and the fall of Troy she was allotted to Neoptolemus of Epirus, but eventually became the wife of Hector's brother Helenus. Andromeda The daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia. To placate Neptune she had to be chained to a rock, but was delivered by Perseus who married her and killed his rival Phineus. After death she was placed among the stars. Antaeus A gigantic wrestler (son of Earth and Sea, Ge and Poseidon), whose strength was invincible so long as he touched the earth. Hercules succeeded in killing him by lifting him up from the earth and squeezing him to death. Antigone Daughter of Oedipus, and the Greek ideal of filial and sisterly fidelity. Antilochus Son of Nestor and friend of Achilles. He was chosen to break to Achilles the news of Patroclus' death. Antilochus himself was killed by Memnon, the son of Aurora and Tithonus. The three friends, Antilochus, Achilles, and Patroclus were buried in the same mound. Ulysses saw them walking together in the underworld. 2 Anubis Egyptian god of embalming, son of Nephtys and Osiris. His aunt Isis taught him the art of embalming. He is one of the most important gods of the underworld because he leads the dead soul to judgment and lies in wait to eat the souls of those whose evil deeds outweigh their good ones. Aphrodite See Venus. Apollo One of the great gods of Olympus, son of Jupiter and Latona; like his sister Diana, born on Delos, which is sacred to him. He was the god of archery, prophecy, music, and healing. As the leader of the Muses, he was given the lyre which Mercury had invented, and in turn gave music to woman when she was created. The musician Orpheus was his son. As the god of healing he bore the name of Paeon, sharing it with other gods, and became the father of Aesculapius. He was the successor of Hyperion as sun god and became identified with Helios, in whose stead he was considered the father of Phaethon. See also Phoebus. Apollo's exploits in myth and poetry are numerous. He killed the serpent Python; he loved the nymph Daphne and changed her at her request into a bay tree, he supplied king Midas with a pair of asses' ears for having voted for Pan and against Apollo in a trial of musical skill; inadvertently he killed Hyacinthus; with his sister he took revenge on Niobe for having insulted his mother; for one year he was the servant of king Admetus to atone for his unjust attack on the Cyclopes who had made the bolt with which Jupiter killed Apollo's son Aesculapius; he induced Diana to kill Orion; in the Trojan war he intervened on behalf of Chryseis and thus precipitated the quarrel of Agamemnon and Achilles; he healed Hector and assisted him in his struggle with Patroclus; he guided the arrow which killed Achilles; it was he who gave Cassandra, whom he loved, the gift of prophecy; etc. Apollo was the incarnation of the Greek ideal of youthful manhood. As such he became a favorite subject of Greek and later art. Apollo, oracles of Apollo had several oracles: one in Ionia, one on the island of Delos, and one famous one in Delphi, known as the Delphic or Delphian oracle. Arachne A maiden skilled in weaving, who was changed to a spider by Minerva for having the presumption to challenge the goddess to a contest in weaving. Arcadia A district of the Peloponnesus which, according to Vergil, was the home of pastoral simplicity and happiness. Ares Called Mars by the Romans. The Greek god of war, and one of the great Olympian deities. Argonauts Jason's crew in search of the Golden Fleece. Ariadne The daughter of King Minos of Crete. She fell in love with Theseus and gave him a sword and a clew of thread with which to kill the Minotaur and find his way out of the labyrinth. Theseus fled with her to Naxos and abandoned her there. Her laments aroused the compassion of Bacchus, who married her and gave her a crown which after her death was transformed into the celestial constellation of the crown of Ariadne. Artemis A Greek deity identified by the Romans with Diana. See Diana. 3 Atalanta A beautiful maiden who participated in the Calydonian boar hunt. When Meleager bestowed on her as trophies the head and the hide of the boar which he had killed, she became the innocent cause of a conflict in which Meleager and two of his uncles lost their lives. According to another legend, Atalanta had been warned by an oracle not to marry. In order to make things difficult for her suitors she promised to be the prize in a race. She lost the race to Hippomenes, who then forgot to thank Venus and was changed into a lion as was also his bride. Athena (Athene) The goddess of wisdom and of the arts and sciences in Greek mythology, corresponding to the Roman Minerva. She sprang full-armored from the head of Zeus. Athens was called after her as the result of a contest in which the prize went to the deity that had bestowed upon man the most useful boon. Athene's was the olive tree; Neptune's the horse. Athens The capital of Attica, about four miles from the sea, between the small rivers Cephissus and Ilissus. Atlantis A mythic island of great extent which was supposed to have existed in the Atlantic Ocean. It is first mentioned by Plato (in the Timaeus and Critias), and Solon was told of it by an Egyptian priest, who said that it had been overwhelmed by an earthquake and sunk beneath the sea 9000 years before his time. Atlas One of the Titans warring against the gods and condemned to uphold the heavens on his shoulders. He was a brother of Prometheus, son of Iapetus and father of the Pleiades. A king by the name of Atlas had the garden of the Hesperides in his realm and was their uncle or father. Attica A division of ancient Greece, the chief city of which was Athens. August Personage of Jade Chinese god of heaven, husband of Wang Muyiang. Lord of the sky, he rules over humankind and lives at the center of the earth. Aurora Identical with Eos, goddess of the dawn. Bacchus In Roman mythology, the god of wine, the Dionysus of the Greeks, son of Jupiter and Semele, also known as Libus. Semele, at the suggestion of Juno, asked Jupiter to appear before her in all his glory, but the foolish request proved her death. Jupiter saved the child which was prematurely born by sewing it up in his thigh until it came to maturity. His foster-father was Silenus. Bacchus entered Thebes in a chariot drawn by elephants, and, according to some accounts, he married Ariadne after Theseus had deserted her in Naxos. Baldur Norse sun god. Son of Freya and Odin, he was compassionate to a fault. At his birth, which was witnessed by all living beings, Freya made them all individually swear not to harm her son. The one object she forgot to ask was mistletoe. Loki, jealous at Baldur's popularity with the gods, remembered this and dared a blind man to throw a sprig of mistletoe at Baldur. Baldur instantly fell dead. However, he was resurrected after Ragnarok and placed in charge of the new earth that had sprung from the disaster. Baucis See Philemon and Baucis. Bellerophon A grandson of Sisyphus. Riding on Pegasus he slew the fire -breathing Chimaera. He was worshipped as a demigod at Corinth. 4 Bellona The Roman goddess of war, represented as the sister or wife of Mars. Boreas A personification of the north wind. He tried to be gentle with the nymph Orithyia, whom he loved dearly, but he could not breathe soothingly or sigh softly, and, true to his real character, he carried her off and became by her the father of Zetes and Calais. Boreas is at times called a son of Aeolus, the ruler of the winds, who lived in a cave in Mount Haemus in Thrace. Cadmus King of Phoenicia and Telephassa, by his wife Harmonia father of Actaeon and Ino. He was reputedly the introducer of the Greek alphabet. Seeking his sister Europa, carried off by Jupiter, he had strange adventures -- sowing in the ground teeth of a dragon he had killed, which sprang up as armed men who slew each other. The five survivors helped him to found the city of Thebes. Caduceus The staff of Mercury, which he received from Apollo in exchange for the lyre. It was originally of olive wood. Its garlands were later replaced by serpents. At the top there were two wings. Calliope One of the nine Muses, mother of Orpheus by Apollo; the patroness of epic poetry. Calypso The queen of the island Ogygia, on which Ulysses was wrecked. She kept him there for seven years, and promised him perpetual youth and immortality if he would remain with her forever. Cassandra The daughter of Priam and Hecuba, gifted with the power of prophecy; but Apollo, whose advances she had refused, brought it to pass that no one believed her predictions, although they were invariably correct, as in the case of the coming of the Greeks. Castor and Pollux Twin brothers, offspring of Leda and Jupiter in the guise of a swan. Castor was famous as a horseman. Pollux as a pugilist. They accompanied the Argonauts and became the patron deities of seamen and voyagers. They were the brothers of Clytemnestra and Helen, whom they rescued when she was carried off by Theseus. During their war with Idas and Lynceus, Castor was slain. Pollux being inconsolable, Jupiter placed both brothers among the stars. They are also known as the Dioscuri (sons of Zeus) and Tyndaridae after Tyndareus, their mother's husband. Centaurs Originally, an ancient race, inhabiting Mount Pelion in Thessaly; in later accounts, they are represented as half horse and half man. Cerberus Watch dog at the entrance to Hades; offspring of Typhaon and Echidna; generally represented with three heads, a mane of serpents' heads and a serpent's tail. Ceres The Roman name of Mother Earth, the protectress of agriculture and of all the fruits of the earth; later identified with the Greek Demeter. Ceridwen Welsh mother goddess, and mother of the famous bard Taliesin. She is usually portrayed stirring a cauldron, which contains simmering herbs that grant wisdom to the drinker. She is featured briefly in The Mabinogion, a collection of Welsh myths. Chaos Original Confusion in which earth, sea, and air were mixed up together. It was personified by the Greeks as the most ancient of the gods. The egg of Nyx, the daughter of Chaos, was floating on Chaos and from it arose the world. 5 Charon The son of Erebos, who conveyed in his boat the shades of the dead across the rivers of the lower regions. Charybdis A sea monster which sucked in and discharged the sea three times a day in a terrible whirlpool. Charybdis was a maiden above but ended in a fish begirt with dogs. Together with Scylla she was placed in the Strait of Messina. Chimaera A fire-breathing monster of divine origin. It was part lion, part goat, and part dragon. It dwelled in Lycia and was finally killed by Bellerophon bridling Pegasus with a golden bridle given him by Minerva. Aeneas found it in the infernal regions. Chiron The wisest of the centaurs, son of Cronos and Philyra. He was instructed by Apollo and Diana and became in turn the teacher of Aesculapius and many distinguished Grecian heroes. He helped Peleus to win the hand of the goddess Thetis. On his death he was placed by Jupiter among the stars where he appears in the shape of the constellation Sagittarius. Circe A sorceress, sister of Aeetes, who lived in the island of Aeaea. When Ulysses landed there, Circe turned his companions into swine, but Ulysses resisted the metamorphosis by virtue of a herb called moly, given him by Mercury. Clio One of the nine Muses, the patroness of history. Clotho One of the three Fates, daughter of Themis (Law). Her name signifies "spinner." She spins the thread of human life. Clytemnestra The wife of Agamemnon, whom she and her paramour Aegisthus murdered after his return from Troy. She was slain by her son Orestes. Corn Mother Native American. According to this myth, corn was created when a warrior, who had gone into the forest seeking a vision to save his people from starvation, was met by a warrior woman dressed in silky white strands, who challenged him to wrestle with her. Not wanting to harm a woman, at first he was very gentle, until she told him that if he could not defeat her, she would kill him. After he had defeated the warrior woman in battle, she told him to take her body and bury it because it would become food for his people. Cornucopia Also called the horn of plenty or the horn of Amalthaea. According to one legend it was broken off the goat Amalthaea by the infant Jupiter, who endowed it with the magic power of becoming filled with whatever its owner wished, and gave it to his nurses. Crete One of the largest islands of the Mediterranean Sea, lying south of the Cyclades. Cronus One of the Titans, son of Uranus and Ge, father (by Rhea) of Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. He dethroned his father as ruler of the world, and was in turn dethroned by his son, Zeus or Jupiter. By the Romans he was identified with Saturn. Cupid The god of love in Roman mythology (Lat. cupido, desire, passion), identified with the Greek Eros; son of Mercury and Venus. He is represented as a winged boy, carrying a bow and arrows. One legend says that he wets with blood the grindstone on which he sharpens his arrows. Cupid and Psyche is an 6 episode in the Golden Ass of Apuleius. See Psyche. Cybele Anatolian earth goddess. Cybele's priests were called Corybantes, and they ritually castrated themselves to make themselves more like her. Cyclopes Creatures with one circular eye in the middle of their foreheads, of whom Homer speaks as a gigantic and lawless race of shepherds in Sicily, who devoured human beings; they helped Vulcan to forge the thunderbolts of Zeus under Aetna. Daedalus Literally, the cunning worker. A personification of skill in the mechanical art; the patron of artists' and craftsmen's guilds. As the hero of legends and tales, Daedalus was an inventive Athenian, son of Metion and grandson of Erechtheus, who originated axes, awls, bevels, and the like. He was the architect who built the labyrinth for King Minos of Crete. Imprisoned in it himself, Daedalus fashioned wings for himself and his son Icarus and escaped to Sicily. Icarus fell into the sea, but his father reached Sicily safely. Daedalus also had a nephew, Perdix, of whose skill he was envious. He tried to kill him by pushing him off a tower but Minerva intervened, saving the boy's life by changing him into a partridge. Danae Daughter of King Acrisius of Argos who did not want her to marry and kept her imprisoned because he had been told that his daughter's son would kill him. Jupiter came to her in the disguise of a shower of gold and she became the mother of Perseus. She and her child were set adrift in a chest and saved by a fisherman on the island of Seriphos. Daphne A nymph, daughter of a river god and loved by Apollo, who killed his rival Leucippus. Daphne escaped and was later changed into a laurel or bay tree which remained henceforth the favorite tree of the sun god. Delphi A town of Phocis at the foot of Mount Parnassus, famous for a temple of Apollo and an oracle which was silenced only in the 4th century a.d. Demeter One of the great Olympian deites of Greece, identified with the Roman Ceres. She was the goddess of vegetation and the protectress of marriage. Persephone (Proserpine) was her daughter. See Proserpine. Diana A Roman goddess, later identified with the Olympian Artemis, who was daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin-sister of Apollo. She was the goddess of the moon and of hunting, protectress of women, and -- in earlier times at least -- the great mother goddess of Nature. Dido The name given by Vergil to Elissa, founder and queen of Carthage. She fell in love with Aeneas, who was compelled by Mercury to leave the hospitable queen. Elissa, in grief, burns herself to death on a funeral pyre. Dionysus See Bacchus. Dryad A nymph whose life was bound up with that of a tree. Also called hamadryad or in English, wood nymph. Echo The nymph of Diana, who, shunned by Narcissus, faded to nothing but a voice. She was punished by Juno because her prattling had prevented Jupiter's irate wife from surprising him in the company of the nymphs; she was condemned never to speak first and never to be silent when anyone else spoke. 7 Electra Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Electra, with the help of her brother, Orestes, avenged Clytemnestra's murder of Agamemnon by murdering, in turn, Clytemnestra and her new husband, Aegisthus. Elysium A happy land, where there is neither snow, nor cold, nor rain. Hither favored heroes like Menelaus, pass without dying, and live happy under the rule of Rhadamanthus. In the Latin poets, Elysium is part of the lower world, and the residence of the shades of the blessed. Erebus A place of darkness through which the souls passed on their way to Hades. Hence loosely, the nether regions of which Proserpine and Pluto were the rulers. Personified, Erebus was among the first beings, son of Chaos, brother of Nyx, and, dwelling in Hades, father of Aether and Day. Erinys See Fury. Eris The goddess of discord, sister of Ares or Mars. At the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, Eris, being uninvited, threw into the gathering an apple bearing the inscription "For the Fairest," which was claimed by Juno, Venus, and Minerva. Paris, being called upon for judgment, awarded it to Venus. Eros The Greek god of love, the youngest of all the gods; equivalent to the Roman Cupid. See Cupid. Eteocles and Polynices The two sons of Oedipus. After the expulsion of their father, they agreed to reign alternate years in Thebes. Eteocles took the first turn, but at the close of the year refused to resign the scepter to his brother. This was the cause of the "Seven against Thebes." Eteocles and Polynices met in combat and each was slain by the other's hand. Eumenides Literally, the gracious ones. A euphemistic term, used by the Greeks to refer to the terrible Erinyes or Furies in order to propitiate them. See Fury. Europa A daughter either of Phoenix or of Agenor, famed for her beauty. Jupiter in the form of a white bull carried her off and swam with her to the island of Crete. She was the mother of Minos, Rhadamanthus and Evandros and according to some forms of the legend, of the Minotaur. Eurydice The wife of Orpheus. Fleeing from an admirer, she was killed by a snake and borne to Tartarus, where Orpheus sought her and was permitted to bring her to earth if he would not look back at her following him. He could not resist, however, and Eurydice was forced to return to the shades. Eurynome Female Titan, the wife of Ophion. Eurytion The Centaur, who, at the marriage feast of Pirithous with Hippodamia, became intoxicated and offered violence to the bride, thus causing the celebrated battle of the Lapithae and Centaurs. Eurytion was also the name of the giant guarding Geryon's cattle and slain by Hercules. Fates The three goddesses determining the course of human life. They are described as daughters of Night -- to indicate the darkness and obscurity of human destiny -- or of Zeus and Themis, that is, "daughters of the just heavens." They were Clotho, who spun the thread of life; Lachesis, who held it and fixed its length; and Atropos, who cut it off. 8 Faunus In Roman mythology, a rural deity; son of Picus, grandson of Saturn and father of Acis, the suitor of Galatea, and of Latinus, the father of Lavinia. He, as well as Silvanus, came to be more and more identified with the Greek Pan, with whom he had many traits in common. His priests were the Luperci, his main festival the Lupercalia. When not viewed as an individual, he appeared in the multiformity of the fauns, possibly under the influence of the Greek panes, satyrs, etc., in their relation with Pan. Freya Warrior goddess and goddess of marriage in Teutonic mythology. Wife of Odin, she was the mother of Baldur and a formidable warrior, often fighting beside Odin and Thor. She was the goddess to whom the Valkyries brought the fallen heroes before whisking them away to Valhalla. Loki frequently promised her to various giants and monsters in order to get his way. Friday is named after her. Frigga or Frigg In Scandinavian mythology, the supreme goddess, wife of Odin. She presided over marriages, and may be called the Juno of Asgard. In Teutonic mythology she is confused with Freya. Fury The Furies, in Greek Erinyes or euphemistically Eumenides, were avenging spirits of retributive justice. Their names, when in course of time their number had come to be fixed at three, were Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. Their task was to punish crimes not within the reach of human justice. Through Aeschylus the tradition developed that after the time when they had intervened in the case of Orestes, their functions no longer covered cases of "guiltiness" free from moral guilt. In spite of their inexorable sternness, they wept when they heard Orpheus implore the deities of the underworld to restore Eurydice to life. Gaea or Ge The personification of the Earth, called Tellus by the Romans; described as the first being that sprang from Chaos. She gave birth to Uranus and Pontus. Gaea and Uranus, that is Earth and Heaven, were the parents of the Titans. According to another story, Gaea, Erebus, and Love were the first of beings. By Gaea's powers plants potent for enchantment are produced. To her as to Neptune, Themis, and others prophetic influence was attributed. Ganymede The most beautiful of all mortals. He was carried off to Olympus that he might fill the cup of Zeus and live among the immortal gods. Gemini The constellation Twins, that is, the brothers Castor and Pollux, whom Jupiter rewarded for their brotherly attachment by placing them together among the stars when Castor was slain and Pollux was inconsolable. Golden Fleece The story is that Ino persuaded her husband, Athamas, that his son Phryxus was the cause of a famine which desolated the land. Phryxus was ordered to be sacrificed but made his escape over sea on the winged ram, Chrysomallus, which had a golden fleece. At Colchis, he sacrificed the ram to Zeus and gave the fleece to King Aeetes. It later formed the quest of Jason's Argonautic expedition, and was stolen by him. Gorgons Three monstrous females with huge teeth, brazen claws, and snakes for hair, the sight of whom turned beholders to stone; Medusa, the most famous, was slain by Perseus. Graces Three goddesses who enhanced the enjoyments of life by refinement and gentleness; they were Aglaia (brilliance), Euphrosyne (joy), and Thalia (bloom). 9 Grail or Graal The Holy Grail or Sangreal is the cup from which the Saviour drank at the Last Supper. It was taken by Joseph of Arimathea to Europe, where it was lost. Its recovery became the sacred quest for King Arthur's knights. Gryphon or griffin A fabulous animal, with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, dwelling in the Rhipaean mountains, between the Hyperboreans and the one-eyed Arimaspians, and guarding the gold of the North. Hades Originally, the god of the nether world. Later the name was used to designate the gloomy subterranean land of the dead. After the river Styx; also called Stygian realm. Halcyone Daughter of Aeneas and wife of Ceyx. When Ceyx was drowned, she flew to his floating body, and the pitying gods changed them both into birds, kingfishers, who nest at sea during a certain calm week in winter, the "halcyon days." Harmonia The daughter of Venus and Mars; given by Jupiter in marriage to Cadmus of Thebes. Vulcan's wedding gift to her was a necklace which proved fatal to all its successive owners. Harpies Winged monsters, half women, half birds, armed with sharp claws, and defiling everything they touched. They were driven away by the Argonauts from their victim Phineus and withdrew to an island where Aeneas found them, one of them predicting dire sufferings for the Trojans. In the legends of Charlemagne, Astolpho freed king Senapus of Abyssinia from the Harpies that had blinded him and snatched away his food. Hebe The goddess of youth, and cup-bearer of the immortals before Ganymede superseded her. She was the wife of Hercules, and had the power of making the aged young again. Hecate One of the Titans, the only one that retained her power under the rule of Zeus. She was the daughter of Perses and Asteria, and became a deity of the lower world after taking part in the search for Persephone. She taught witchcraft and sorcery, was a goddess of the dead, and became identified with Selene, Artemis, and Persephone. Hector Eldest son of Priam, the noblest of all the Trojan chieftains in Homer's Iliad. After holding out for ten years, he was slain by Achilles, who dragged the dead body thrice around the walls of Troy. Hecuba In Homer's Iliad, second wife of Priam, and mother of nineteen children, including Hector. When Troy was taken by the Greeks she fell to the lot of Ulysses. She was afterwards metamorphosed into a dog, and threw herself into the sea. Helen of Troy The daughter of Zeus and Leda, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. She eloped with Paris and brought about the destruction of Troy, which forms the subject of Homer's Iliad. After the Trojan War Helen returned to Menelaus. Later legends state that Helen did not accompany Paris all the way to Troy but was detained in Egypt. Helenus In Vergil's Aeneid, the prophet, the only son of Priam that survived the fall of Troy. He was allowed to marry Andromache, his brother Hector's widow. 10 Helios Ancient Greek sun god. He drove his chariot from East to West each day. The center of his worship was Rhodes. His position as sun god was gradually assumed by Apollo. Hera The Greek Juno, daughter of Cronus and Rhea, the wife and sister of Zeus. The word means "chosen one." Hercules A mighty Greek hero, son of Jupiter and Alemena, who took part in the expedition of the Argonauts and won immortality by accomplishing twelve feats which are known as the Labors of Hercules. He was killed by Deianira, his wife, who gave him the fatal garment steeped in the blood of Nessus which she thought to be a love-spell. After death, Hercules was placed among the stars. He was worshiped as the god of physical strength. See also Labors of Hercules; Pillars of Hercules. Hermes See Mercury. Hero and Leander Hero, a priestess of Venus, fell in love with Leander, who swam across the Hellespont every night to visit her. One night he was drowned, and heartbroken Hero drowned herself in the same sea. Hippolyta The queen of the Amazons who consented to yield her girdle to Hercules and was slain by him when he thought erroneously that she had betrayed him. Hippolyta is also given instead of Antiope as the name of the queen of the Amazons whom Theseus espoused. Hippolytus The son of Theseus. He repulsed the advances of his stepmother Phaedra, the daughter of Minos, who thereupon managed to arouse falsely the jealousy of her husband. At Theseus' request Neptune frightened Hippolytus' horses, thus causing a fatal accident. When the innocence of the youth became evident, Aesculapius with the help of Diana restored him to life, and Phaedra committed suicide. Hippomenes The youth who won Atalanta in a foot race, beguiling her with golden apples thrown for her to pick up. Failing to thank Venus, he was changed into a lion, as was also his bride. Homer The blind poet of Greece, about 850 b.c. Horus The Elder (Hor) Egyptian sky god. He was usually represented as a falcon and his eyes were the sun and the moon. He was the god of goodness and light, and Egyptian kings were believed to be incarnations of him. Horus The Younger Egyptian god, born to Isis and Osiris. Best known as the avenger of Osiris, he fought Set (Osiris's brother and murderer) and returned him to the desert. Horus is usually portrayed as a child suckling at Isis's breast. Hydra A monster of the Lernean marshes, in Argolis. It had nine heads, and it was one of the twelve labors of Hercules to kill it. As soon as he struck off one of its heads, two shot up in its place. Hygeia Goddess of health and daughter of Aesculapius. Her symbol was a serpent drinking from a cup in her hand. Hyperboreans Literally, those beyond the north wind. A happy people, living in 11 the north in blissful inaccessibility, in a land of sunshine and abundance, exempt from disease and the ravages of war. Their lives lasted a thousand years which they spent in the worship of Apollo. Hyperion A Titan, son of Uranus and Ge, father of Helios, Selene, and Eos, precursor of Apollo the sun god. He was the owner of the island of Thrinakia where Lampetia and Phaethusa tended his cattle. Icarus The son of Daedalus. He flew with his father from Crete; but the sun melted the wax with which his wings were fastened on, and he fell into the sea, hence called the Icarian. Iliad Epic poem of the Trojan War by Homer. Ilium See Troy. Io The beautiful daughter of Inachus, king of Argos. Jupiter, who had been flirting with her, changed her into a heifer to conceal her from Juno. Argus, who had a hundred eyes, was charged by Juno to watch the heifer. Mercury, at Jupiter's request, killed Argos, and Juno sent a gadfly to chase the heifer all over the world. On the Nile Io finally recovered her shape and was returned to her family after Jupiter had promised not to pay her any more attentions. Io was by Jupiter the mother of Epaphus, the ancestor of Aegyptus, Damaus, Cepheus, and Phineus. In the allegorical interpretation of mythology Io is the moon. Iris Goddess of the rainbow; the messenger of the gods when they intended discord. The rainbow is the bridge or road let down from heaven for her accommodation. Isis Egyptian goddess of magic, wife of Osiris, sister of Nephtys. As the Egyptian goddess of magic, she was invoked by the priests of ancient Egypt. In her most famous myth, her brother Set, jealous of her husband, Osiris, murdered him and tore his body into 14 pieces so that Isis would not be able to find them. With her sister Nephtys, she roamed all of Egypt until she found the pieces. Putting them back together, she embalmed him and gave him a proper burial. Ithaca The home of Ulysses and Penelope. Janus A solar deity; doorkeeper of heaven and patron of the beginning and end of things. He had two faces, one for the rising sun and one for sunset. The first month of the year was named for him. The gates of his temples were kept open in time of war. He was the builder of the Janiculum, which Aeneas saw when he set foot on Italian soil. Jason Son of the Thessalian king Aeson and nephew of the usurper Pelias. He took part in the Calydonian Hunt and was the leader of the Argonautic expedition to secure the Golden Fleece from Aeetes, king of Colchis. This he accomplished with the help of Aeetes' daughter Medea, whom he married and later deserted for the Corinthian princess Creusa. See Medea. Jove Another name of Jupiter, the latter being Jovis pater, father Jove. See Jupiter. Juno The "venerable ox-eyed" wife of Jupiter, and queen of heaven, of Roman mythology. She is identified with the Greek Hera, was the special protectress 12 of marriage and of woman, and was represented as a war goddess. Jupiter From Jovis pater, "father Jove." Also called Jove and, in Greek, Zeus. The supreme deity of classical antiquity, father of gods and men; son of Saturn and Rhea, brought up by the daughters of King Melisseus of Crete on the milk of the goat Amalthea, escaped the fate of his brothers and sisters who were swallowed by their father, defeated the Titans and banished them to Tartarus, and installed himself with his wife, Juno, on Olympus, where Themis (Law) occupies a place near his throne. He is the father of Vulcan by Juno, of the Muses by Mnemosyne, of Apollo by Latona, of Mercury by Maia, of Rhadamanthus and Minos by Europa, of Perseus by Danae, of Hercules by Alemena, of Castor, Pollux, Helen, and Clytemnestra by Leda, of Bacchus by Semele, of Amphion by Antiope, etc., and of Minerva, who sprang from his head without a mother. In his flirtations, as with Io and Callisto, he is troubled by Juno's jealousy and appears often in the shape of an animal. He carries away Europa as a bull, appears before Leda as a swan, and escapes the monsters in the shape of a ram. Jupiter wields the thunder and has used it to kill Phaeton, Aesculapius, Capaneus, and many others. He has the power to place mortals among the stars and did so, for instance, in the case of Chiron, Orpheus, and the Pleiades. His activities are varied and numerous. He created woman and sent her as a punishment to Prometheus; he brought about the Deucalian Flood; he fastened the floating island of Delos; instituted the Olympian games, etc. His oracle was at Dodona. He was identified with the Egyptian god Amen as Jupiter Ammon. The Sibylline books were kept in his temple at Rome. His statue by Phidias is known as the Olympian Jupiter. Khnum Egyptian creator god. He created humankind out of clay and is frequently depicted at a potter's wheel. Kwan-Yin Chinese goddess of compassion. She is frequently depicted in Chinese statues as sitting on a lotus flower, sometimes carrying a child in her arms. She was one of the first goddesses assimilated into Buddhist culture, and she is called "The Buddha of Compassion" because she sacrificed her treasures in heaven to come to the aid of mankind. In the famous Chinese saga The Journey to the West, which talks about the journey of a T'ang priest and his disciple the Monkey King, she frequently comes to their aid. Labors of Hercules The twelve tasks which won Hercules immortality. They were: (1) to slay the Nemean lion; (2) to kill the Lernean hydra; (3) to catch the Arcadian stag; (4) to destroy the Erymanthian boar; (5) to cleanse the stables of King Augeas; (6) to destroy the cannibal birds of the Lake Stymphalis; (7) to capture the Cretan bull; (8) to catch the horses of the Thracian Diomedes; (9) to get possession of the girdle of Queen Hippolyta of thc Amazons; (10) to capture the oxen of the monster Geryon; (11) to get possession of the apples of the Hesperides; (12) to bring up from Hades the monstrous dog Cerberus. Laius Greek king, father of Oedipus, he was cursed by the gods because he raped the young son of a neighboring king. Because of his crime, Apollo cursed him; telling him that his son would murder him and marry his mother. In order to avoid this, he sent a footman with his son, Oedipus, into the wilderness with orders that the child be left on a mountaintop to die. The footman felt pity on the baby, and gave it to a nearby shepherd, who raised him as his own son. Oedipus, at maturity, met his father on the road and, not knowing who he was, killed him, thereby fulfilling the prophecy. Latinus In Roman legend, a king of Latium, the son of Faunus and father of Lavinia. He was told in a dream by his father that his daughter's union with a 13 foreigner would produce a race destined to subdue the world. That foreigner was Aeneas. Leda Wife of Tyndareus and mother of Helen, Clytemnestra, Castor and Pollux. In later legends the father of her children was the Swan, under which disguise Jupiter concealed himself. Legba African god of crossroads. Literally, "tricky spirit." He is the son of Yemoja, the sea goddess, and Obatala, the sky god of Nigerian mythology. He is usually portrayed as a "court jester" and brings messages from the gods to man. (See Mercury.) In African art, he is portrayed wearing traveling clothes in black and red. These are not his colors, but the colors of his best friends, Oggun (god of iron) and Chango (god of thunder). Lethe One of the rivers of Hades, which the souls of all the dead taste, that they may forget everything said and done when alive. Gr. letho, latheo, lanthano, to cause persons not to know. Loki Norse god of fire. In Norse mythology, it is Loki who sets the wheel of fate in motion, causing many problems along the way. Loki was originally a friend of the other gods, sometimes helping them (as in the case of Thor's hammer) or harming them (Loki's murder of Baldur). During Ragnarok (The Twilight of the Gods mentioned in Warner's operas), he sided with the giants and wolves who were destroying the castle in which the gods lived. Lotus-eaters or Lotophagi Name of a people who ate the fruit of a plant called lotus. The companions of Ulysses who landed among them and partook of their food lost all memory of home and had to be dragged away before they would continue their voyage. Mars The Roman god of war; identified in certain aspects with the Greek Ares. He was also the patron of husbandmen. Medea A sorceress, daughter of Aeetes, king of Colchis and possessor of the Golden Fleece. By her sorcery she helped Jason to secure the Golden Fleece. As Jason's wife, she rejuvenated her father-in-law Aeson and killed Jason's uncle Pelias. When Jason deserted her to marry the Corinthian princess Creusa, Medea sent her a poisoned robe, killed her own and Jason's children, and, after setting fire to the palace, escaped to Athens, where she married Aegeus, the father of Theseus. As Aegeus' wife, she tried to make her husband poison his own son. Detected in her scheming she had to flee to Asia where the country called Media still bears her name. Medusa One of the Gorgons. Once a beautiful maiden, a goddess punished her by changing her hair into serpents and herself into a frightful monster, the sight of which turned all living things into stone. Perseus cut off her head which was then fixed in Minerva's Aegis. From her blood sinking into the earth, the winged horse Pegasus arose. Megaera In Greek mythology, one of the Furies. See Fury. Menelaus King of Sparta and husband of Helen of Troy, one of the principal figures in the Trojan conflict. Mentor A friend of Ulysses whose form Minerva assumed when she accompanied Telemachus in his search for his father. 14 Mercury The Roman equivalent of the Greek Hermes, son of Maia and Jupiter, to whom he acted as messenger. He was the god of science and commerce, patron of travellers and rogues, vagabonds and thieves. Metamorphoses A series of tales in Latin verse by Ovid, chiefly mythological, beginning with the creation of the world, and ending with the deification of Caesar and the reign of Augustus. Midas A king of Phrygia, son of Gordius and Cybele. He assisted Bacchus' teacher Silenus, whereupon the grateful god granted his wish that everything he touched should turn into gold. When he found that even his food was not exempt from his new influence, he managed to have it transferred to the river Pactolus. In a contest between Apollo and Pan, Midas insisted that the prize should go to Pan. Thereupon Apollo had his ears changed into asses' ears. Milo A Greek athlete of the last part of the sixth century b.c. He was born in Crotona and led the triumphant army of his native city against the city of Sybaris in 510 b.c. He won six prizes as a wrestler at the Olympic games, six more at the Pythian games, and crowned his glories by carrying a four-year-old heifer through a huge stadium, then killing it and eating it all in a single day. He was eaten by wolves while his hands were caught in a split tree which he had tried to tear apart. Minerva The Roman goddess of wisdom, patroness of the arts and trades, sprung fully armed from the head of Jupiter. She is identified with the Greek Athene, and was one of the three chief deities, the others being Jupiter and Juno. The most famous statue of this goddess was by Phidias, and was anciently one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Minos A legendary king and lawgiver of Crete, the son of Jupiter and Europa, who became after his death one of the judges in the underworld. He is often identified with his grandson, the father of Ariadne and Phaedra, who built the labyrinth for the Minotaur and exacted a tribute from the Athenians until Theseus intervened and killed the monster. The word Minos is now generally considered to have been a title rather than a proper name. Minotaur A monster, half bull and half man, offspring of a bull sent by Neptune and Pasiphae, the wife of King Minos of Crete. Hence the name (Gr. tauros, ''a bull"). Minos kept it in the labyrinth built by Daedalus and fed it human bodies exacted as a tribute from the Athenians. When Theseus arrived as one of the victims, he managed to kill the monster with the help of Minos' daughter Ariadne, who had fallen in love with him. Monkey King Chinese trickster god. A popular god with the Chinese, he was also assimilated into the Buddhist pantheon. He frequently gets into trouble because of his insatiable hunger and has a longstanding friendship with Kwan-Yin, goddess of compassion. In one of his most famous myths, he found out about the banquets given by Wang Muyiang, goddess of jade. Arriving before everyone else, he took bites out of all the foods displayed, including the peaches of immortality. When the Imperial Court of Heaven realized what he had done, they tried to destroy him with fire, thunder, and water but could not because he had eaten of the peaches and was now immortal. Because of his ability to see through the disguises of demons, he was sent to the west with the T'ang priest as a disciple and protector. Morpheus Ovid's name for the son of Sleep and god of dreams; so called from 15 Gr. morphe, form, because he gives these airy nothings their form and fashion. Muses Daughters of Jupiter and Mnemosyne (Memory). They were goddesses of memory and later of the arts and sciences. Their number came eventually to be fixed as nine. They lived on Mt. Helicon and were put in charge of Pegasus by Minerva. Their names and special domains were: Calliope -- epic poetry; Clio -history, Erato -- love poetry; Euterpe -- lyric poetry; Melpomene tragedy; Polyhymnia -- sacred poetry; Terpsichore -- choral dance; Thalia -- comedy; and Urania -- astronomy. Apollo was their guardian and leader and was hence called Musagetes. Mycenae Ancient Greek city, capital of Agamemnon's kingdom. Naiad A nymph of a lake, river, fountain, etc. The naiads derived their vitality and in turn gave life to the water in which they dwelled. Narcissus The son of Cephisus; a beautiful youth who saw his reflection in a fountain, and thought it the presiding nymph of the place. He gradually pined away for love of this unattainable spirit, and nothing remained but a flower which the nymphs called by his name. He was beloved by Echo and his fate was a punishment for his cruel indifference to her passion. Nemesis The goddess of just distribution. Because of her persecution of the excessively rich or proud, she came to be regarded as a goddess of retributive justice. She was represented with wings, the wheel of fortune, in a chariot drawn by griffins, and was often confused with Adrastea, the goddess of the inevitable. Nephtys Egyptian goddess of the desert, sister of Isis, mother of Anubis. Although she was the wife of Set, he could not give her children, and so with Isis's help, she bore a son (Anubis) by Osiris. After Osiris's murder she left Set in disgust and joined the house of Isis. Neptune The Roman god of the sea, corresponding with the Greek Poseidon. Nereids Sea nymphs, beautiful daughters of Nereus and Doris. They were fifty (or one hundred) in number; they played, danced, and were wooed by the Tritons. The most famous were Amphitrite, Thetis, and Galatea. Nestor A king of Pylos, son of Neleus, renowned for his wisdom, justice, and knowledge of war, the oldest councilor of the Greeks before Troy. Niobe Daughter of Tantalus, proud Queen of Thebes, whose seven sons and seven daughters were killed by Apollo and Diana, at which Amphion, her husband, killed himself, and Niobe wept until she was turned to stone. Nu Kua Chinese goddess of marriage and gardening. Originally half-woman, half -dragon, she created the race of human beings with legs and liked the legs so much that she fashioned a pair for herself. She taught humankind to garden so that she would not have to feed them herself. Nymphs Beautiful maidens, lesser divinities of nature: dryads and hamadryads, tree-nymphs; naiads, spring-, brook-, and river-nymphs; Nereids, sea-nymphs; oreads, mountain-or hillnymphs. Odin Chief god of the Norse, though not necessarily the most popular (See Thor), he is best known for the ways in which he gained wisdom. In one myth, he 16 gave his eye to the blind keeper of the Well of Wisdom in order to take a drink. In another, he hung upside down from the "world tree" -- Yggdrasil -- so that he might be able to read the rune stones that lay at its base. Odysseus See Ulysses. Odyssey Homer's epic poem, relating the wandering of Ulysses from the end of the Trojan War until his return to Ithaca. Oedipus Greek hero and king. Son of Laius and Jocasta. Because of a curse placed upon his father, Laius, Oedipus was sent into the wilderness, not knowing that he was the son of royalty. On the road to Thebes, he met Laius, who demanded that Oedipus get out of the way. In the ensuing argument, Oedipus killed his father. Once he arrived at Thebes, he answered the riddle of the Sphinx and was unknowingly allowed to marry Jocasta, Queen of Thebes and his mother. They had four children -- Ismene, Antigone, Eteocles, and Polynices. When a plague struck Thebes, the Delphic oracle (the oracle of Apollo) declared that until the murderer of Laius was found, the plague would continue. It was then that Tiresias, the blind seer of Thebes, revealed to Oedipus who he really was. His wife and mother, Jocasta, hung herself in remorse at her unknowing crime, and Oedipus blinded himself with the pins from her gown. Oedipus fled to Colonus with his two daughters and was welcomed there. However, Creon, Laius's brother and the new king, kidnapped Ismene and Antigone. It was at Colonus that Oedipus was taken into heaven by the gods. His daughters remained with Creon, while his grown sons, Eteocles and Polynices, fought over the kingdom and eventually killed one another in battle. Olympus The dwelling-place of the dynasty of gods of which Zeus or Jupiter was the head, corresponding to the Norse Valhalla. Ophion The king of the Titans who ruled Olympus until dethroned by the gods Saturn and Rhea. Oracles Answers from the gods to questions from mortals seeking knowledge or advice on the future. They were usually given in equivocal form so as to fit any event. Also, the places where such answers were given forth by a priest or priestess. Orestes The son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Because of his crime in killing his mother he was pursued by the Furies until purified by Minerva. Orion A giant and hunter, son of Neptune. In the attempt to gain possession of Merope, he was blinded by her father Oenopion but restored to sight by Apollo. He became a favorite with Diana, whose brother Apollo made her kill him inadvertently. Diana placed him among the stars where he appears as the constellation Orion with dog Sirius following him. Orpheus A Thracian poet, son of Apollo and Calliope, whose music moved even inanimate objects. He took part in the Argonautic expedition and appeased a storm. When his wife, Eurydice, died, he charmed Pluto, who released her on condition that he would not look back. He did turn round and lost her again. He perished, torn to pieces by infuriated Thracian maenads. Osiris Egyptian god of the dead, brother of Set and Nephtys, husband of Isis, father of Horus the Younger. Osiris was the god of vegetation, until his death at the hands of his brother. Out of compassion for his sister Nephtys, who was childless, he lay with her in order that she might have a child. 17 Ovid A Latin poet in the time of Augustus who wrote the poetical fables called Metamorphoses. Pallas Athene Pan See Minerva. Called Faunus by the Romans, the Greek god of nature and the universe. Pandora Literally, the all-gifted. The first woman, dowered with gifts by every god, yet entrusted with a box she was cautioned not to open. Curious, she opened it, and out flew all the ills of humanity, leaving behind only hope, which remained. She is to be compared with Eve. Pantheon The gods, goddesses, and mythical heroes of a culture. Paris The son of Priam, king of Troy, and Hecuba; through his abduction of Helen he is the cause of the Trojan War. It was he who awarded the Apple of Discord and the title of "Fairest" to Venus, who in return assisted him to carry off Helen, for whom he deserted his wife, Oenone. At Troy, Paris earned the contempt of all by his cowardice; he killed Achilles with a poisoned arrow and suffered the same fate at the hands of Philoctetes when the city was taken. Parnassus A mountain near Delphi, Greece, with two summits, one of which was consecrated to Apollo and the Muses, the other to Bacchus. Parthenon The great temple on the Acropolis at Athens to Athene Parthenos (i.e.,the Virgin). Patroclus The loyal friend of Achilles. When Achilles refused to fight to annoy Agamemnon, he sent Patroclus in his own armor to the battle. Patroclus was slain by Hector. Pegasus The winged horse of the Muses, born of the sea foam and the blood of the slaughtered Medusa. He was caught by Bellerophon, who mounted him and destroyed the Chimaera, when Bellerophon attempted to ascend to heaven, he was thrown from the horse, and Pegasus mounted alone to the skies to become the constellation of the same name. When the Muses contended with the daughters of Pieros, Mount Helicon rose heavenward, Pegasus gave it a kick and brought out of the mountain the soul-inspiring waters of the fountain Hippocrene. Pele Hawaiian fire goddess. One of the most important of the Hawaiian pantheon and one of its few survivors. She created the Hawaiian archipelago as a result of her ongoing feud with her sister Na-Maka-Ka-Ahi, the ocean. Pelias Jason's uncle, who usurped the Argonaut's kingdom, promising to return it to him if Jason would bring him the Golden Fleece. Penelope The wife of Ulysses, who, waiting twenty years for his return from the Trojan War, put off the suitors for her hand by promising to choose one when her weaving was done, but unravelled at night what she had woven by day. Persephone See Proserpine. Perseus Son of Jupiter and Danae, slayer of the Gorgon Medusa, and deliverer of Andromeda from the sea-monster Phaedra The daughter of Pasiphae and King Minos of Crete; sister of Ariadne. 18 She became the wife of Theseus and fell in love with her stepson Hippolytus. When her advances were repulsed, she aroused the jealousy of her infatuated husband and Hippolytus was killed. When his innocence became evident, Phaedra committed suicide and Aesculapius with the help of Diana restored Hippolytus to life. Phaethon The son of Phoebus, who undertook to drive his father's chariot, but was upset and would have set the world on fire had not Zeus transfixed him with a thunderbolt. Philemon and Baucis Poor cottagers of Phrygia, husband and wife, who entertained Jupiter so hospitably that he promised to grant them whatever request they made. They asked that both might die together. Philemon became an oak, Baucis a linden tree, and their branches intertwined at the top. Philoctetes A famous archer, to whom Hercules, at death, gave his arrows. He joined the Greeks against Troy but was left behind on Lemnos because of the offensive smell of a festering wound. An oracle having declared that only the arrows of Hercules could fell Troy, Philoctetes was sent for. He went to Troy, slew Paris, and the prophecy came true. Phoebus (from Greek phoibos, "bright"). An epithet of Apollo, particularly in his quality as the sun god. See Apollo. The name often stands for the sun personified. Phoenix A messenger to Achilles; also, a miraculous bird, dying in fire by its own act and springing up alive from its own ashes. Pillars of Hercules Two mountains facing each other; one, Calpe (now the Rock of Gibraltar), on the southwest corner of Spain in Europe, the other, Abyla, on the northern coast of Africa. Pleiades Seven of Diana's nymphs who were changed into stars. Pluto Identical with Hades and Dis. The ruler of the infernal regions, son of Saturn, brother of Jupiter and Neptune, and husband of Proserpine. Plutus In Greek mythology, the son of Iasion and Demeter. He was associated with Irene, the goddess of peace. Jupiter blinded him to make sure that he would bestow his gifts indiscriminately on good men and bad. Polynices See Eteocles and Polynices. Polyphemus One of the Cyclopes, a giant with only one eye in the middle of his forehead, who lived in Sicily. He was in love with Galatea and crushed his successful rival Acis with a rock. He was blinded by Ulysses, whom he had taken prisoner with twelve members of his crew. Poseidon The Greek god of the sea; son of Cronus and Rhea, brother of Zeus and Pluto, husband of Amphitrite. In Roman mythology, he became assimilated to Neptune. See Neptune. Priam In Greek legend, king of Troy when that city was sacked by the Greeks, husband of Hecuba, and father of fifty sons and many daughters, among whom were Hector, Helenus, Paris, Deiphobus, Agenor, Polyxena, Troilus, Cassandra, and Polydorus. When Hector was slain, the old King went to the tent of Achilles and made a successful plea for the body of his dead son. After the gates of Troy 19 were thrown open by the Greeks concealed in the wooden horse, Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles, slew the aged Priam. Procrustes A robber of Attica who seized travelers and bound them on his iron bed, stretching the short ones and cutting short the tall. Thus he was served himself by Theseus. Prometheus Literally, "forethought." One of the Titans, son of Iapetus and Clymene. Jupiter entrusted him with the task of making men out of mud and water. Out of pity for their state, he gave them fire, stealing it from heaven, and was punished by being chained to Mount Caucasus, where an eagle preyed on his liver. He was finally released by Hercules. Proserpine (Greek Persephone) One of the greater goddesses; daughter of Ceres and wife of Pluto, who carried her off to his realm against the will of her mother and, by intervention of Jupiter, had to agree to a compromise by which she was to pass half the time (winter) with her husband and the other half (summer) with her mother. At times she was identified with Hecate. While queen of the infernal regions, Theseus tried to carry her off. When Venus sent Psyche to her to fetch some of her beauty in a little box, it developed to be a bit of Stygian sleep. Proteus Neptune's herdsman, an old man and a prophet, famous for his power of assuming different shapes at will. Psyche A beautiful maiden, personification of the human soul, sought by Cupid (Love), to whom she responded. She lost him through curiosity, wanting to see him though he only came to her by night, but was finally, through his prayers, made immortal, and restored to him. Psyche is a symbol of immortality. Pygmalion A sculptor, in love with a statue he had made, which was brought to life by Venus; also, a brother of the Queen Dido. Pyramus Lover of Thisbe, his nextdoor neighbor. Their parents opposing, they talked through cracks in the housewall, and agreed to meet in the near-by woods. There Pyramus, finding a bloody veil and thinking Thisbe slain, killed himself, and she, seeing his body, killed herself. (Burlesqued in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream). Python A monstrous serpent which arose from the mud left by the deluge of Deucalion. It lurked in the caves of Mount Parnassus and was slain by Apollo. Ra Egyptian sky god. By himself, he created the set of nine deities known as the Ennead. These include Shu, god of air; Tefnut, goddess of rain; Geb, god of the earth; Nut, goddess of the sky; Horus the Elder; Nephtys, goddess of the desert; Isis, goddess of magic; Osiris, god of the dead; and Set, god of the desert. When Ra began to age, the Ennead feared that he would die. Isis agreed to cure him if he taught her his secret name, known only to himself. Only when he was near death would Ra give Isis his name. With this, Isis created a spell and saved the dying king. Remus Twin brother of Romulus. See Romulus. Rhea A female Titan, wife of Cronus, her brother, and "Mother of the Gods," for example, of Jupiter, Neptune, Juno, Ceres, etc. She became identified with the Asiatic Cybele. 20 Romanus In legend, the son of Histion, grandson of Japhet, great grandson of Noah, and ancestor of the Romans. Romulus With his twin brother, Remus, the legendary founder of Rome. They were sons of Mars and Rhea Silvia. They were suckled by a she-wolf, and eventually set about founding a city but quarrelled over the plans, and Remus was slain by his brother. Romulus was taken to the heavens by his father in a fiery chariot, and was worshipped by the Romans under the name of Quirinus. Sagittarius A southern constellation, partly in the Milky Way, representing an archer (Lat. sagittarius, "archer'') who is identified as the Centaur Chiron, placed after his death among the stars by Jupiter. Also known by the English name Archer. Sappho Greek poetess who leaped into the sea from the promontory of Leucadia in disappointed love for Phaon. Saturn A Roman deity, identified with the Greek Cronus (time). He devoured all his children except Jupiter (air), Neptune (water), and Pluto (the grave). The reign of Saturn was celebrated by the poets as a ''Golden Age." Satyrs A race of immortal goatmen who dwelt in the woodlands. The most famous satyr was Silenus. Scylla A sea-nymph beloved by Gilaucus, but changed by the jealous Circe to a monster and finally to a dangerous rock on the Sicilian coast, facing the whirlpool Charybdis. Many mariners were wrecked between the two. Also, the daughter of King Nisus of Megara, who loved Minos, besieging her father's city; he, however, disliked her disloyalty and drowned her. Also, a fair virgin of Sicily, friend to the sea-nymph Galatea. Set Egyptian god of the desert, brother of Isis and Osiris, husband of Nephtys. Set was jealous and envious of his brother Osiris, and angered that he had been given the barren desert to reign while his brother was given the fertile Nile area. He therefore murdered Osiris and made sure to scatter the pieces so that Isis, with her magic, would not be able to find and bury him. Because of his crime he was banished to the desert forever. Seven against Thebes, Expedition of the An expedition against the city of Thebes by the heroes Adrastus (the only survivor), Polynices, Tydeus, Amphiaraus, Hippomedon, Capancus, and Parthenopaeus. Sibyl Any of a number of prophetesses whose special function it was to intercede with the gods on behalf of human supplicants. The most famous is the Cumaean Sibyl whom Aeneas consulted before descending to Avernus. Silvanus or Sylvanus In Roman mythology, the divine protector of woods, fields, cattle, etc. His characteristics were very much the same as those of the Greek Pan. Sirens Sea-nymphs, whose singing charmed mariners to leap into the sea; passing their island, Ulysses stopped the ears of his sailors with wax, and had himself lashed to the mast so that he could hear, but not yield to, their music. Sirius Orion's dog, which was changed into the Dog-star. 21 Sisyphus A legendary king of Corinth, condemned in Tartarus to perpetually roll up hill a big rock which, when the top was reached, rolled down again. Somnus In classic myth, the god of Sleep, the son of Night (Nox) and the brother of Death (Mors). Sphinx A monster, waylaying the road to Thebes, and propounding riddles to all passers on pain of death for wrong guessing. She killed herself in rage when Oedipus guessed correctly. Styx The river of Hate (Greek stugein, to hate) -- that flowed nine times round the infernal regions. The five rivers of hell are the Styx, Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon and Lethe. Tantalus Son of Jupiter and Pluto (daughter of Himantes); father of Pelops and Niobe. As a king of Mount Sipylus in Lydia, he revealed the secrets of the gods and was punished in Tartarus by having to stand under a loaded fruit tree up to his chin in water, the fruit and water retreating whenever he tried to satisfy his hunger or thirst. Tartarus The infernal regions of classical mythology; used as equivalent to Hades by later writers, but by Homer placed as far beneath Hades as Hades is beneath the earth. It was here that Zeus confined the Titans. Telemachus The only son of Ulysses and Penelope. He went to Pylos and Sparta in search for his father and helped him on his return to Ithaca to slay Penelope's suitors. Terra Goddess of the earth. Thalia The Muse of comedy and bucolic poetry. Thalia is also the name of one of the three Graces. It signifies "blooming." Thebes The chief city of Boeotia, Greece, founded by Cadmus, the Tyrian. Theseus Chief hero of Attica; son of Aegeus and Aethra; a great hero of many adventures. Thetis The chief of the Nereids. By Peleus she was the mother of Achilles. Thor Warrior god of thunder. The most popular of the Norse gods because of his patronage of sailors and laborers, who prayed to him for protection before going to work. With his hammer, he broke up the icy rivers each spring. In one of his myths, he dressed as a woman in order to fool the giants who had stolen his hammer. The giant demanded Freya in marriage in return for the magic hammer. So Thor, dressed as a young bride, went to the wedding as Freya. When the giant placed the hammer in the "bride's" lap, Thor leapt up from the seat and destroyed the giant. Tiresias A Theban seer. He had seen Minerva bathing and was blinded by her. Relenting, but unable to withdraw the punishment, she compensated him by giving the gift of second sight. After his death, Ulysses, at the request of Circe, consulted him in Hades. Titans A race of primordial deities, children of Heaven and Earth, finally overcome by the thunderbolts of rebellious Jupiter, who banished them to Tartarus, where they lie prostrate at the bottom of the pit. According to the 22 oldest accounts there were twelve Titans, six male and six female: Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Cronus, Theia, Rhea, Themis, Tethys, Mnemosyne, Phoebe. Triton The son of Neptune and Amphitrite, represented as a fish with a human head. It is this sea god that makes the roaring of the ocean by blowing through his shell. Trojan horse See Wooden Horse. Trojans Inhabitants of Troy, whose adventures under the leadership of Aeneas, after the fall of their city, form the subject matter of Vergil's Aeneid. Trojan War The legendary war sung by Homer in the Iliad as having been waged for ten years by the confederated Greeks against the men of Troy and their allies, in consequence of Paris, son of Priam, the Trojan king, having carried off Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Lacedemon (or of Sparta). The last year of the siege is the subject of the Iliad; the burning of Troy, and the flight of Aeneas is told by Vergil in his Aeneid. Troy City in Asia Minor, held to be identical with the Greek Ilium. In Greek legend, the capital of King Priam and object of the Trojan War. Typhon A fire-breathing monster, the father of the Sphinx, the Chimaera, and other monsters. He is often identified with Typhoeus, a son of Tartarus and Gaea, who begot the unfavorable winds or, according to other stories, is himself one of them. As a hundred-headed giant he warred against the gods and was banished by Jupiter to Tartarus under Mount Aetna. Typhon is also the name used by the Greeks for the Egyptian Set, the god of evil, who killed his brother (or father) Osiris. Ulysses The Roman name of the Greek Odysseus, of hero of Homer's Odyssey, and a prominent character in the Iliad. Unicorn (Latin unum cornu, one horn) A mythical animal, represented as having the legs of a buck, the tail of a lion, the head and body of a horse, and a single horn in the middle of its forehead. The oldest author that describes it is Ctesias (400 b.c.). Uranus A personification of Heaven. The son of Gaea or Earth and by her the father of the Titans. Valhalla "Hall of Warriors," a heavenly resting place for Norse warriors who had died bravely in battle. Warriors were chosen and carried to Valhalla by Valkyries, who were warrior demi-goddesses. There, they sat at tables and were given heavenly mead to drink. Valkyries Norse demi-goddesses, daughters of Odin and Erda. They were nine in number, the most famous being Brunhilde, who was Odin's favorite. The Valkyries were trained as warriors by Odin and Thor themselves. They rode the heavens on winged horses searching the battlefields for warriors who had died bravely to bring into Valhalla, the final resting place of valiant men. Venus In Roman mythology, the goddess of beauty and love. Originally of minor importance, she became through identification with the Greek Aphrodite one of the major characters in classical myths. She was the daughter of Jupiter and Dione. According to another view (influenced by association with the Greek term 23 aphros, "foam") she had sprung from the foam of the sea at Cyprus. Jupiter gave her in wedlock to Vulcan. She was the mother, by Vulcan, of Eros and Anteros; by Mars, of Harmonia; by Anchises, of Aeneas; etc. She wore a magic girdle which enabled its wearer to arouse love in others. She plays an important part in many legends and stories: she gave beauty as a gift to Pandora, the first woman; she fell in love with Adonis and after his death changed his blood into the anemone; she first objected and finally consented to her son Cupid's (Eros) love for Psyche; she had Atalanta and Hippomenes changed into lions; she consoled Ariadne and gave her Bacchus as her husband; she competed against Juno and Minerva for the apple of discord and was given the prize by Paris; she destined Helen, the wife of Menelaus, for Paris and caused thus the Trojan war; she sided with the Trojans against the Greeks and enlisted the help of her admirer Mars; etc. Vergil Publius Vergilius Maro (70-19 b.c.) Famous Roman epic and idyllic poet. Author of the Aeneid, which relates the adventures of Aeneas after he left Troy. Vesta In Roman mythology, one of the chief divinities, corresponding to the Greek Hestia. She was the virgin goddess of the hearth and presided over the central altar of family, city, tribe, and race. The vestals were her priestesses. Vestals Six stainless virgins, who watched as priestesses over the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta. The fire had originally been brought to Rome by Aeneas. When it went out, it was rekindled from the rays of the sun. Vesuvius, Mount Virgil A famous volcano near Naples, Italy. See Vergil. Virgo Constellation of the Virgin, representing Astraea, goddess of innocence and purity. Vulcan A son of Jupiter and Juno, husband of Venus, god of fire and the working of metals, identified with the Greek Hephaestus, and called also Mulciber, for example, the softener. His workshop was on Mount Etna where the Cyclops assisted him in forging thunderbolts for Jove. Wang Muyiang Chinese goddess of heaven and weaving. It is Wang Muyiang who gives the banquets attended by all in heaven. At the banquets, the peaches of immortality are served as dessert, as well as elixirs and potions of immortality. With her daughters, she weaves all of the garments of the Imperial Court of Heaven. Wooden Horse It was filled with armed men and left outside Troy as a pretended offering to Minerva when the Greeks feigned to sail away. It was accepted by the Trojans and brought into their city, but at night the hidden Greek soldiers destroyed the town. Zephyrus A personification of the west wind; the gentlest of all the sylvan deities. Also known as Favonious. He fans the inhabitants of Elysium and is the lover of Flora. When Apollo played at quoits with Hyacinthus Zephyris was jealous and drove the missile Apollo had pitched so that it killed Hyacinthus. He bore Psyche from her lonely mountain refuge to the flowery dale where Cupid was waiting for her and also brought her sisters to see her. 24 Zeus The Grecian Jupiter. The word means the "living one" (Sanskrit, Djaus, heaven). See Jupiter. 25