“Strong in new arms the giant Handel stands,Like bold Briareus with a hundred hands.”
“Strong in new arms the giant Handel stands,Like bold Briareus with a hundred hands.”
Briseis(brī-sē´is).—Daughter of Brises and beloved by Achilles. She was the occasion of a feud between Achilles and Agamemnon.
Bucephalus(bū-sef´a-lus)—i. e.bull-headed. The favorite charger of Alexander the Great, so named because he was branded with a bull’s head. No one but Alexander was able to mount this celebrated horse, which always knelt down to receive his master. He died in India after carrying Alexander through all his campaigns. Alexander built a city near the place where he died, and named it Bucephala in memory of him.
Busiris(bū-sī´ris).—A king of Egypt who cruelly sacrificed strangers to Jupiter. He attempted to sacrifice Hercules, but the latter slew him and all his ministers.
Buto(bū´tō).—An Egyptian goddess identified with Latona.
C
Cacus(kā´kus).—Son of Vulcan; a huge giant and notorious robber; lived in a cave on Mount Aventine. He stole the oxen of Hercules, which the latter had taken from Geryon, in Spain, whereupon Hercules slew him.
Cadmus(kad´mus).—Son of the Phœnician king Agenor, and brother of Europa. His father sent him to search for his sister, who had been carried off by Jupiter, and he was directed to follow a certain cow, and to build a city on the spot where the cow fell down with fatigue. In this way he became the founder of Thebes, in Bœotia. Near this place was a well guarded by a dragon, which Cadmus slew, and sowed the teeth of the monster. From these arose armed men, who killed each other, with the exception of five, who were the ancestors of the Thebans. All this he did on the direction of Minerva, and Jupiter gave him Harmonia for his wife. The marriage was celebrated in the citadel of Thebes, and all the Olympian gods were present at the ceremony. Cadmus gave Harmonia a famous robe of state (peplus) and a necklace (see “Harmonia”) which he had received from Vulcan. Their children were Autonoë, Ino, Semele, Agave, Polydorus and Illyrius. Cadmus introduced among the Greeks an alphabet of sixteen letters.
Cæneus(sē´nūs).—Originally a maiden, named Cænis, who was beloved by Neptune and changed by him into a boy, and at the same time made invulnerable. In the lower worlds she recovered her female form.
Calchas(kal´kas).—The most eminent of the Greek soothsayers at the siege of Troy. He died of grief on meeting Mopsus, who was a wiser soothsayer, and predicted things which Calchas could not.
Calliope(kal-lī´op-ē).—The Muse of epic poetry. See “Musæ.”
Callirrhoe(kal-lir´ro-ē).—Second wife of Alcmæon. She induced her husband to get the peplus and necklace of Harmonia, whereupon he was slain. See “Alcmæon.”
Callisto(kal-lis´tō).—An Arcadian nymph beloved by Jupiter, by whom she became the mother of Arcas. Jupiter changed her into a she-bear, and afterwards placed her among the stars asUrsa major.
Calpe(kal´pē).—One of the Pillars of Hercules; now Gibraltar.
Calydon(kal´i-dōn).—A very ancient town in Ætolia. In the mountains around it the celebratedCalydonian Boar Hunttook place. The story is as follows: During the reign of Œneus, king of Calydon, Diana sent a huge boar to devastate the country, because the king had neglected her divinity. All the heroes of the age joined together for the purpose of killing this boar. Meleager, son of Œneus, slew the boar, and gave its hide to Atalanta, with whom he was in love. See “Atalanta.”
Calypso(kal-ip´sō).—A nymph who ruled in the island of Ogygia, on which Ulysses was shipwrecked on his journey home from Troy. She desired Ulysses to marry her, and detained him on the island for seven years.
Camenæ(kam-ē´nē).—Originally prophetic nymphs belonging to the religion of ancient Italy, afterwards identified with the Muses.
Campus Martius(kam´pus mar´shi-us)—i. e.the plain of Mars; so named because it was consecrated to the god Mars. An open plain outside the walls of Rome, where the Roman youths performed their gymnastic and warlike exercises, and where the Roman people met for the purpose of electing magistrates.
Capitolium(kap-it-ō´li-um).—The temple of Jupiter and the citadel of Rome.
Cassandra(kas-san´dra).—Daughter of Priam, king of Troy, and Hecuba. She possessed great beauty, and was beloved by Apollo, who bestowed on her the gift of prophecy. She disappointed him, however, whereupon the god ordained that no one should believe her predictions. On the fall of Troy she fell to the share of Agamemnon, who took her to Mycenæ, where she was murdered by Clytæmnestra.
CastorandPollux(kas´tor,pol´luks).—Twin brothers, often called the Dioscuri (di-os´ku-rī),i. e.sons of Zeus (Jupiter), because they were the sons of Jupiter and Leda, the wife of Tyndareus, king of Sparta. Castor was famous for his skill in managing horses, and Pollux for his ability as a boxer. Castor was supposed to be mortal, while Pollux was immortal. They took part in the celebrated expedition of the Argonauts, and assisted the Romans against the Latins in the great battle of Lake Regillus. They were greatly attached to each other, and were placed by Jupiter among the stars as Gemini (jem´in-ī),i. e.twins, where they served as a guide to mariners. They were worshiped more especially as the protectors of sailors.
Cauther.—In Mohammedan mythology the lake of paradise, whose waters are as sweet as honey, as cold as snow, and as clear as crystal; and any believer who tastes thereof is said to thirst no more.
Cecrops(sē´krops).—The most ancient king of Attica, founder of Athens. He decided in favor of Athena (Minerva) when she and Neptune contended for the possession of Attica. The citadel of Athens was called Cecropia after him.
Celeus(sel´e-us).—King of Eleusis, husband of Metanira, and father of Triptolemus and Demophon. He entertained the goddess Ceres, who in return taught his sonTriptolemus(q.v.) agriculture.
Centauri(sen-taw´rī), orCentaurs—i.e.the bull-killers—were a fabulous race living in Thessaly, half men and half horses. They were defeated in a famous fight with theLapithæ(q.v.), and expelled from their country.Chiron(kī´ron) was the most celebrated of them (q.v.).
Cephalus(sef´al-us).—Was beloved by Aurora, whose advances he rejected from love of his wife Procris. Aurora asked him to try the fidelity of Procris. Having metamorphosed him into a stranger, he appeared, laden with rich presents, before her. The presents caused her to yield, whereupon her husband discovered himself. She fled in shame to Crete, but afterwards returned, disguised as a youth, with a dog and spear (the gifts of Diana) that never missed their object. To obtain these, Cephalus promised to love the youth, who then made herself known to him as his wife Procris. In this way a reconciliation was effected. Afterwards Cephalus, while out hunting, accidentally killed her with the never-erring spear.
Cepheus(sē´fūs).—King of Ethiopia and father of Andromeda.
Cerberus(ser´ber-us).—The three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to the lower world.
Ceres(sē´rēz).—The goddess of agriculture, especially of the cultivation of corn; called Demeter (dē-mē-tēr) by the Greeks. She was the daughter of Saturn and Rhea, and sister of Jupiter and Pluto. She became by Jupiter the mother of Proserpine. The latter was carried off by Pluto. When Ceres found this out, she did not allow the earth to bring forth any fruits, and Jupiter was compelled to send Mercury into the lower world to fetch back Proserpine. Pluto consented, but gave Proserpine part of a pomegranate to eat. In consequence of this she was obliged to spend one-third of the year with Pluto. The earth then brought forth fruit again. This legend evidently refers to the concealment of seed-corn in the earth and its subsequent reappearance above the surface. The Romans sacrificed pigs to Ceres. The decrees of the senate were deposited in her temple.
Ceyx(sē´ix).—Son of Lucifer and husband of Alcyone.
Charites(char´it-ēz)—Gr., theGraces—were the goddesses who confer all grace. They were the daughters of Jupiter and were three in number, their names being Aglaia (ag-lā´i-a),i. e.the bright one; Euphrosyne (ū-fros´i-nē),i. e.the cheerful or mirthful one; andThalia(thal-ī´a),i. e.the blooming one. They were the personifications of grace and beauty, and enhanced by refinement and gentleness the enjoyments of life. They were the friends of the Muses and specially favored poetry.
Charon(kär´on).—Son of Erebus; was the ferryman of Hades who conveyed the souls of the departed across the rivers Acheron and Styx, receiving in return the obolus placed in the mouth of every corpse before burial.
Charybdis(ka-rib´dis).—A dangerous whirlpool between Italy and Sicily, oppositeScylla(q.v.).
Chibiabos.—A musician, ruler in the land of spirits, and friend of Hiawatha. Personification of harmony in nature.
Chimæra(ki-mē´ra)—i. e.a she-goat.—A fabulous, fire-breathing monster with a lion’s head, a serpent’s tail, and agoat’sbody. She was killed by Bellerophon, mounted on Pegasus. The myth relates to a volcano in Lycia.
Chione(ki´on-ē).—Daughter of Dædalion. She was shot by Diana because she compared her beauty with that of the goddess.
Chiron(kī´ron).—A centaur famous for his knowledge of medicine, plants, music and divination. Son of Saturn and Philyra, the tutor of Æsculapius, Achilles and Hercules. Being accidentally wounded by one of the poisoned arrows of Hercules, he gave up his immortality and was changed into the constellation Sagittarius.
Chloris(klor´is).—The Greek goddess of flowers, identical with Flora.
Chou.—An Egyptian god corresponding to the Roman Hercules.
Circe(sir´sē).—Daughter of Helios (the sun) and Perse, famous for her magic arts. She lived on the Island of Ææa, on which Ulysses was cast on his voyage home from Troy. Circe met his companions, whom he had sent to explore the country, and offered them a magic cup, on tasting which they all became, with the single exception of Eurylochus, changed into swine. Ulysses, on hearing of it, obtained from Mercury the rootmoly, which fortified him against enchantment, and compelled Circe to restore his companions to their former shape. He then remained with her for a year, and she bore him a son, Telegonus.
Clio(klē´o).—The Muse of history. See “Musæ.”
Clotho(klō´tho).—The spinner of the thread of life; one of the Fates. See “Parcæ.”
Clusium(klū´si-um).—One of the oldest and most important of the twelve Etruscan cities, the residence of Porsena, in the neighborhood of which was the famous sepulchre of this king in the form of a labyrinth.
Clytæmnestra(klī-tem-nes´tra).—Daughter of Tyndarus and Leda, and sister of Helen, Castor and Pollux; wife of Agamemnon, and mother of Orestes, Electra and Iphigenia. While her husband was absent at Troy she lived with Ægisthus, and on his return the guilty pair murdered him. In revenge for this deed, her own son Orestes put her to death.
Cnidus(knī´dus), orGnidus.—A city on the southwestern coast of Caria, in Asia Minor, highly celebrated for the statue of Venus, by Praxiteles, the famous sculptor, which stood in her temple there.
Cocytus(ko-sī´tus)—i.e. the river of wailing. A river in the lower world.
Colchis(kol´chis).—A country in Asia, lying on the eastern part of the Black Sea, celebrated on account of the Golden Fleece (see “Argonautæ”).
Comus(kō´mus).—The god of mirth and joy, represented as a winged youth.
Concordia(kon-kor´di-a).—The Roman goddess of concord. Camillus, in B. C. 367, erected a temple in her honor to celebrate the reconciliation between the patricians and plebians.
Corybantes(kor-i-ban´tes).—Priests of Cybele (sib´el-ē), or Rhea, in Phrygia, who worshiped her with riotous dances to the sound of cymbals.
Creusa(kre-ū´sa).—Daughter of Priam and Hecuba, wife of Æneas, and mother of Ascanius. She perished at the capture of Troy.
Cronos(kron´os).—The Greek divinity corresponding to the RomanSaturnus(q.v.).
Cumæ(kū´mē).—A very ancient town on the coast of Campania, said to have been founded B. C. 1050. It was celebrated as the residence of the earliest Sibyl. Tarquinius Superbus died here.
Cupido(kū-pī´dō), orCupid(kū´pid); called Eros (er´ōz) by the Greeks. The god of love, son of Venus, his father being either Jupiter, Mars or Mercury. He is represented as a boy with golden wings, armed with a bow and a golden quiver full of arrows. He is so mischievous that he shoots his arrows at gods and men alike. Sometimes his eyes are covered, so that he acts blindly. He is the usual companion of his mother.
Cybele(sib´e-lē); called Rhea (rē´a) by the Greeks. A goddess, originally Phrygian, regarded as goddess of the earth. She was daughter of Uranus (ū´ran-us) and Ge (jē), and the wife of Saturn, and the mother of Jupiter, Juno, Pluto, Neptune, Ceres and Vesta. As Saturn devoured all her children, Cybele, just before the birth of Jupiter, went to Crete. When Jupiter was born, she gave Saturn a stone wrapped up like an infant, which the god, supposing it to be the child, swallowed. Cybele is usually figured seated on a throne and having a crown of towers on her head. She is frequently referred to as the “tower-crowned Cybele.” The lion was sacred to her.
Cyclopes(sī-klō´pēz), orCyclops(sī´klops)—i. e.beings with onecircular eyein the middle of their foreheads. These were a fabulous race of giants living in Sicily. They were shepherds, but devoured human beings. They were also Vulcan’s workmen, volcanoes, especially Mount Ætna in Sicily, being regarded as their workshops, in which they made the armor for gods and heroes. The chief among them wasPolyphemus(q.v.).
Cyllene(sil-lē´nē).—The highest mountain in Peloponnesus, on which Mercury was born.
Cynthus(sin´thus).—A mountain of Delos, celebrated as the birthplace of Apollo and Diana, who are hence called, respectively, Cynthius and Cynthia (sin´thi-a).
Cyprus(sī´prus).—A large island in the Mediterranean, renowned in ancient, no less than in modern, times for its fertility. It was one of the chief seats of the worship of Venus.
Cythera(si-thē´ra).—An island in the Ægean Sea, celebrated for the worship of Venus.
D
Dædalus(dē´da-lus).—A mythical personage skillful as a sculptor and architect. He made the wooden cow for Pasiphaë, and when Pasiphaë gave birth to the monster, the Minotaur, Dædalus constructed the labyrinth in which it was kept. For doing this Minos, king of Crete, imprisoned him; but he escaped, and as Minos had seized all the ships on the coast of the island, Dædalus made wings for himself and his son Icarus, and they flew away. Dædalus flew safely[827]over the Ægean, alighting at Cumæ, in Italy; but Icarus was slower in his flight, and the rising sun melted the wax by which the wings were fastened to his body, and he fell into the sea and was drowned; hence that part of the sea was calledIcarian.
Danae(dan´a-ē).—Daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos. Her father confined her in a brazen tower, as an oracle declared that she would have a son that would kill his grandfather. Here, however, Jupiter visited her in a golden shower, and she became the mother of Perseus. Acrisius then shut up mother and child in a chest, which he threw into the sea; but Jupiter caused the chest to come ashore at the island of Seriphos, when Dictys, a fisherman, found them and took them to the king of the country. See “Perseus.”
Danai(dan´a-ī).—The Greeks. See “Danaus.”
Danaides(dan-ā´i-dēz).—The fifty daughters of KingDanaus(q.v.).
Danaus(dan´a-us).—Son of Belus and twin-brother of Ægyptus (see “Ægyptus”). Lynceus, son of Belus, whose life was spared by Hypermnestra, avenged the death of his brothers by killing his father-in-law, Danaus. The fifty daughters of Danaus—called the Danaides—were punished in the lower world by being compelled everlastingly to pour water into a sieve. From Danaus, who was king of Argos (which was the most ancient city of Greece), the Greeks collectively were called Danai.
Daphne(daf´nē).—Daughter of the river-god Peneus. Her great beauty attracted the god Apollo, who pursued her; but just as she was being overtaken her prayer for aid was answered by her being changed into a laurel tree, the Greek word for which is Daphne. This tree consequently became the favorite tree of Apollo and was sacred to him.
Dardanus(dar´dan-us).—Son of Jupiter and Electra, the mythical ancestor of the Trojans.
Deianira(dē-ya-nī´ra).—Daughter of Œneus and wife of Hercules. She was beloved by the river god Achelous and by Hercules; but Hercules overcame his opponent in a fight for her, and obtained her as his wife. She accidentally killed her husband by giving him a poisoned garment to wear, and on seeing what she had done hanged herself (see “Hercules”).
Deidamia(dē-id-a-mī´a).—Daughter of Lycomedes, at whose court Achilles was concealed in maiden’s attire. She became, by Achilles, the mother of Pyrrhus or Neoptolemus.
Deiphobus(dē-if´ob-us).—Son of Priam and Hecuba. After the death of Paris he married Helen. He was killed in a barbarous manner by Menelaus, Helen’s first husband.
Delos(dē´los).—The smallest of the Cyclades (islands), the birthplace of Apollo and Diana, and the most holy seat of the worship of the former.
Delphi(del´fī).—A small town in Phocis, very celebrated on account of its oracle of Apollo. Homer always refers to it under its old name, Pytho. It was looked upon as the central point of the whole earth, and was hence called “the navel of the earth.” The oracle was consulted in the center of the splendid temple of Apollo. Here there was a small opening in the ground, from which a mephitic vapor occasionally arose. A tripod was placed over this opening, and the priestess—called Pythia, from Pytho—sat on it. In this way she inhaled the vapor, and the words she then uttered were believed to be inspired by Apollo. The priests took the words down and communicated them to the persons who had desired to consult the oracle.
Demeter(dē-mē-tēr). See “Ceres.”
Deucalion(dū-kā´li-on).—Son of Prometheus, king of Phthia, in Thessaly, and husband of Pyrrha. He and his wife were the only human survivors of a great deluge which Jupiter sent to destroy mankind. They were preserved during the nine days’ flood in a ship which Deucalion built on the advice of his father. The ship finally rested on Mount Parnassus, in Phocis. On the direction of Themis, Deucalion and his wife threw “the bones of their mother,”i. e.the stones of the earth, behind them, those thrown by Deucalion becoming men, and those thrown by Pyrrha becoming women. In this way the earth was repeopled.
Diana(dī-ā´na).—Twin-sister of Apollo, the virgin goddess of the moon and of hunting, called by the Greeks Artemis (ar´te-mis). She was the daughter of Jupiter and Latona, and was born on the island of Delos. She is represented as armed with a bow, quiver and arrows, and was also regarded as identical with the moon (in Greek, Selene), her brother Apollo being looked upon as the sun (or Helois).
Dido(dī´dō).—Daughter of the Tyrian king Belus, and reputed founder of Carthage. Æneas, on his journey from Troy, landed at Carthage, and was handsomely entertained by Dido. She fell in love with the hero, and, on his leaving her to proceed to Italy, she, in despair, destroyed herself on a funeral pile. Dido is also called Elissa.
Diomedes(di-o-mē´dēz).—A famous hero at the siege of Troy. He was the son of Tydeus and Deïpyle, and is hence frequently called Tydides (ti-dī´dēz). Next to Achilles, he was the bravest hero in the Greek army. The gods themselves were supposed to be taking part in this memorable siege, some being ranged on one side and some on the other. Diomedes was under the special protection of Minerva. He not only engaged in conflict with the Trojan heroes, Hector and Æneas, but even wounded both Venus and Mars, who had espoused the cause of the Trojans. Diomedes and Ulysses carried off the palladium from the city of Troy, the safety of which was contingent on its possession (see “Troy”). At the end of the Trojan war he returned to Argos, where he found his wife (Ægialea) living in adultery with Hippolytus—a punishment visited upon him by the angry Venus. He consequently left Argos, and went to Ætolia. He afterwards settled at Daunia, in Italy, where he married Evippe, the daughter of Daunus, and died at an advanced age.
Dione(di-ō´nē).—A female Titan who became, by Jupiter, the mother of Venus.
Dirce(dir´sē).—Wife of Lycus, king of Thebes, who married her after divorcing his former wife, Antiope (an´ti-o-pē). On account of the cruelty with which she treated Antiope, Amphion and Zethus—Antiope’s sons by Jupiter—took terrible vengeance on Dirce. They tied her to a wild bull, which dragged her about till she perished, and then threw her body into a fountain near Thebes, which was from that time called the Fountain of Dirce.
Dis(dīs).—A contraction of Dives,i. e.rich; the god of the infernal regions. See “Pluto.”
Discordia(dis-kor´di-a); in Greek, Eris (er´is).—The goddess of strife or discord. She was the sister of Mars, and, with him, delighted in the noise and tumult of war. It was she who threw the celebrated golden apple into the assembly of gods, for a full account of the results of which see “Paris.”
Donar.—A name given, sometimes, to Thor, the thunder-god, in Norse mythology.
Doris(dōr´is).—Daughter of Oceanus and Thetis. She married her brotherNereus(q.v.), and became the mother of the fifty Nereides.
Draupnir.—The marvelous ring belonging to Odin, with which he worked magic. It was burned on the funeral pyre of his son Balder.
Droma.—The chain forged for the purpose of binding the Fenris wolf, but which he broke. Hence the proverb, “to dash out of Droma.”
Dryades(dry´a-dez), orDryads.—Wood-nymphs. See “Nymphæ.”
E
Echidna(e-kīd´na).—A monster, half woman and half serpent. She was the mother of the Chimæra, Cerberus, the Lernean Hydra, and other monsters. She was killed in her sleep by Argus with the hundred eyes.
Echo(ek´ō).—A nymph who, because she kept Juno in incessant conversation while Jupiter was sporting with the nymphs, was punished by being changed into an echo. In this state she fell in love with Narcissus—a beautiful youth, who was incapable of the tender passion—and, as her love was not returned, she pined away till nothing remained but her voice.
Elbegast.—One of the dwarfs of Scandinavian mythology who dwelt in a magnificent palace underground, and drew their servants from the bosom of the earth.
Elberich.—In the German hero-legends a dwarf who aided the Lombard emperor Otnit to win the daughter of the soldan of Syria. He is identical with the Oberon of French and English fairy mythology.
Egil.—The Vulcan of northern mythology, one of the three brothers who married the swan-maidens. He was a great archer, killed his brother, Volünd, by command of the king, and himself later became a peasant.
Electra(e-lek´tra).—Daughter of Agamemnon and Clytæmnestra. She saved the life of her brother Orestes, and afterwards the two avenged the death of Agamemnon by slaying their mother, Clytæmnestra. See “Orestes.”
Eira.—An attendant of the goddess Fuigga, and a skillful nurse. She gathered herbs and plants for the cure of both sickness and wounds and taught the science to women.
Eleusis(el-ū´sis).—A very ancient city of Attica, famous for its mysteries of Ceres, to whom was erected a magnificent temple.
Elis(ē´lis).—A country on the west coast of the Peloponnesus. In it was Olympia, where every four years a splendid festival was held in honor of Jupiter.
Elysium(e-lizh´i-um).—The Elysian fields. That part of the lower world which forms the abode of the blessed.
Enceladus(en-sel´ad-us).—One of the hundred-armed giants who made war upon the gods. He was slain by Jupiter, and buried under Mount Ætna.
Endymion(en-dim´i-on).—A youth of surpassing beauty who so moved the cold heart of the virgin goddess of the moon (Diana or Selene), that she kept him in a perpetual sleep on Mount Latmus, in Caria, that she might kiss him without his knowledge.
Eos(ē´ōz).—See “Aurora.”
Ephesus(ef´e-sus).—The chief of the twelve Ionian cities in Asia Minor, with a celebrated temple of Diana. The latter was regarded as one of the wonders of the world. It was always a very flourishing city, and was visited by St. Paul and St. John.
Elf.—The water sprite, known also as Elb, from which the name of the river Elbe is said to be derived. Elves are more properly known as mountain fairies, or those airy creatures that dance on the grass or sit in the leaves of trees and delight in the full moon.
Elivagar.—In Norse mythology the name of a great stream in Chaos, flowing from a fountain in the land of mist. This stream was much frequented by the elves at their creation.
Erato(er’a-tō).—The Muse of amatory poetry. See “Musæ.”
Erebus(er´e-bus).—The god of darkness, son of Chaos and brother of Nox (night). The name signifies darkness, and is frequently used to designate the lower world.
Erechtheus(e-rek´thūs).—An ancient and mythical king of Athens. See “Athenæ.”
Eridanus(ē-rid´an-us).—The Greek name of the river Padus (Po), into which Phaethon fell when struck by the lightning of Jupiter. See “Phaethon.”
Erinyes(er-in´i-es).—TheFuriæ(q.v.).
Erl-king.—Name given to the king of the elves, or a spirit of the air. According to tradition, its home is in the Black Forest of Germany, and it appears as a goblin, working harm and ruin, especially among children.
Eryx(er´ix).—A high mountain in the northwest of Sicily, on the summit of which stood an ancient and celebrated temple of Venus.
Eumenides(ū-men´i-dēz).—See “Furiæ.”
Euphrosyne.—See “Charites.”
Europa(ū-rō´pa).—The beautiful daughter of the Phœnician king Agenor. Jupiter was so charmed with her that he obtained possession of her by the following stratagem: He assumed the form of a bull among the herds of Agenor, and Europa and her maidens were delighted with the tameness of the noble animal, so much so that at length Europa ventured to mount his back, whereupon the god plunged into the sea and carried her over to Crete. Here Jupiter assumed his proper shape, and Europa bore him Minos, Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon.
Eurydice(ū-rid´i-sē).—Wife ofOrpheus(q.v.).
Eurystheus(ū-ris´thūs).—Son of Sthenelus and grandson of Perseus, a king of Mycenæ. Jealous of the fame of Hercules, and wishing to destroy him, Eurystheus, at the command of Juno, imposed upon Hercules his famous twelve labors.
Euterpe(ū-ter´pē).—One of theMuses(q.v.).
F
Fada.—A fée or kobold of the south of France, sometimes called “Hada.” These house-spirits, of which, strictly speaking, there are but three, bring good luck in their right hand and ill luck in their left.
Fafnir.—In northern mythology the eldest son of the dwarf king Hreidmar. The slaying of Fafnir is the destruction of the demon of cold or darkness who had stolen the golden light of the sun.
Fates.—See “Parcæ.”
Faunus(faw´nus).—Son of Picus, grandson of Saturn, institutor of tillage and grazing, and after his death the protecting deity of agriculture and of shepherds, and also a giver of oracles. He is identical with the Greek god Pan, and is represented with horns and goat’s feet.
Faustulus(faws´tu-lus).—A shepherd who brought up Romulus and Remus.
Flora(flō´ra).—The Roman goddess of flowers and spring.
Fortuna(for-tū´na); called Tyche (tik´ē) by the Greeks. The goddess of fortune. She is variously represented: with the horn of plenty, indicative of the plentiful gifts of fortune; with a rudder, to signify that she guides the affairs of men; with a ball, emblematic of the shifting and changing character of the fickle goddess.
FrekiandGeri.—The two wolves of Odin. When Odin, seated on his throne, overlooks heaven and earth, his two wolves lie at his feet.
Frey.—Scandinavian god of the sun and of rain, and hence of fertility and peace. He was one of the most popular of the northern divinities. No weapons were ever allowed in Frey’s temple, although oxen and horses were sacrificed to him. His name was connected with the taking of any solemn oath, a heavy gold ring being dipped in the blood of the sacrifice and the oath sworn upon the ring. One of the most celebrated of the temples built to Frey was at Therva, in Iceland.
Freyja.—She was the sister of Frey, and the wife of Odur, who abandoned her on her loss of youth and beauty, and was changed into a statue by Odin, as a punishment. She is known as the northern goddess of beauty and love; plants were called Freyja’s hair, and the butterfly, Freyja’s hen.
Frigga.—In Scandinavian mythology the wife of Odin, the queen of the gods, and the mother of Baldur, Thor, etc. She sometimes typifies the earth, as Odin does the heavens. The Anglo-Saxons worshiped her as Frea. The name survives in Friday.
Frodi.—The son of Frey, a god of peace. Under his direction two giantesses turned a pair of magic millstones which ground out gold according to his wish and filled his coffers. Excited by greed he forced them to labor, allowing rest only long enough for the singing of one verse. When Frodi himself slept, the giantesses changed their song and proceeded to grind out an army of troops to invade the land. These troops represent the vikings.
Furiæ(fū´ri-ē).—The Furies; called Eumenides (ū-men´-i-dēz),i. e.the gracious or well-meaning ones, by the Greeks; three goddesses of vengeance, whom the Greeks so much dreaded that they dared not to call them by their real names, hence referred to them by the euphemism Eumenides. The Romans also called them Diræ (dī´rē). Their names were Alecto (a-lek´tō), Megæra (me-gē´ra) and Tisiphone (tī-sif´-onē). They were the daughters of Earth or of Night, and were terrible winged maidens with serpents twined in their hair and with blood dripping from their eyes. They were stern and inexorable, punishing the guilty both in this world and after death. They dwelt in Tartarus—i. e.Hades. The sacrifices offered to them were black sheep and a drink of honey mixed with water, the latter, called alibation(lī-bā´shun), being poured forth out of a cup in their honor.
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Galatea(gal-a-tē´a).—A sea nymph. See “Acis.”
Ganesa.—Goddess of wisdom, in Hindu mythology.
Gangler.—The gate-keeper in Odin’s palace who gave the explanation of the northern mythology that it might be recorded.
Ganymedes(gan-i-mē´dēz), orGanymede(gan´i-mēd).—Son of Tros and Callirrhoe, a beautiful youth who was carried off by Jupiter’s eagle from Mount Ida to heaven, that he might be cup-bearer to the gods in place of Hebe. Jupiter compensated his father by presenting him with a pair of divine horses.
Garm.—A fierce dog that kept guard at the entrance of Hel’s kingdom, the realm of the dead. He could be appeased by the offering of a Hel-cake which always appeared in the hand of one who, on earth, had given bread to the needy.
Genius(jē´ni-us).—The protecting spirit or genius of a person, place, etc.; called by the Greeks Dæmon. They were represented as the guardians of men and of justice, and the Greek philosophers held that every human being at his birth had a dæmon assigned to him, which accompanied him throughout life. Every place, also, had its genius, which appeared in the form of a serpent eating fruit placed before him. In works of art genii are commonly represented as winged beings.
Gerda.—Wife of Frey, and daughter of the frost giant Gymir. She is so beautiful that the brightness of her naked arms illuminates both air and sea.
Giallar Bridge.—The bridge of death, over which all must pass.
Giallar Horn, The.—Heimdall’s horn, which went out into all worlds whenever he chose to blow it. According to northern mythology, he blew a long-expected blast as a rallying call to the battle which ended the reign of the gods Odin, Frey, and Tyr.
Gian ben Gian.—In Arabia, king of the Ginns or Genii, and founder of the Pyramids. He was overthrown by Azazel or Lucifer.
Gigantes(ji-gan´tēz).—A fabulous race of huge beings, with terrible countenances and the tails of dragons. They endeavored to storm the heavens, being armed with huge rocks and trunks of trees; but the gods, with the assistance of Hercules, destroyed them all, and buried them under Ætna and other volcanoes. This story probably had its origin in volcanic convulsions.
Glaucus(glaw´kus).—(i) A fisherman who became a sea-god by eating a part of the divine herb sown by Saturn, (ii) Son of Sisyphus. Was torn to pieces by his own mares, because he had despised the power of Venus. (iii) The commander of the Lycians in the Trojan war. He was slain by Ajax.
Golden Fleece.—See “Argonautæ.”
Gill.—The infernal river of Scandinavian mythology.
Ginungagap.—In Norse mythology the vast chaotic gulf of perpetual twilight which existed before the present world, and separated the region of fog from the region of heat. Giants were the first beings who came to life among the icebergs that filled this vast abyss.
Gorgons(gor’gonz).—Three frightful female monsters who turned all they looked upon into stone. Their names were Medusa (me-dū´-sa), Euryale (ū-rī´al-e) and Stheno (sthē´no), and they were daughters of Phorcys and Ceto. Their heads were covered with serpents in place of hair, and they had wings, frightful teeth and brazen claws. Of the three, Medusa alone was mortal. She was killed byPerseus(q.v.).
Gladsheim.—The palace of Odin, in which were the great hall Valhalla (the hall of the slain) and the twelve seats occupied by the gods when holding council.
Glasir.—A marvelous grove in Asgard, in which the leaves were all of shimmering red gold.
Glendoveer.—In Hindu mythology is a kind of sylph, the most lovely of the good spirits.
Gnome.—One of a class of spirits or imaginary beings which were supposed to tenant the interior parts of the earth, and in whose charge mines, quarries, etc., were left. Rübezahl, of the German legends, is often cited as a representative of the class.
Goblins and Bogies.—Familiar demons of popular superstition, a spirit which lurks about houses. It is also called hobgoblin. Goblin is used in a serious sense by Shakespeare inHamlet, where the ghost is supposed to be a “spirit of health or goblin damned.”
Graces, The Three.—See “Charites.”
Gradivus(grad-i´vus).—i. e.the marching one. A surname of Mars.
Grææ(grē´ē), lit., “the old women” (Gr.).—So called because they had gray hair from their birth. They were the sisters of the Gorgons, and were three in number. They had but one eye and one tooth to use between them.
Gyas(jī´as),Gyes(jī´ēz), orGyges(jī´jēz).—One of the giants with a hundred hands who made war upon the gods.
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Hades(hā´dez).—See “Pluto.”
Hæmon(hē´mon).—Son of Creon, king of Thebes. He loved Antigone, and killed himself on hearing that she was condemned by Creon to be shut up in a subterranean cave.
Harmonia(har-mō´ni-a).—Daughter of Mars and Venus, and wife of Cadmus. On the wedding-day Cadmus received a necklace, which afterwards became famous, inasmuch as it became fatal to all who possessed it.
Harpocrates(har-pok´ra-tēz).—The god of mystery and silence, and, on that account, represented as having been born with his finger in his mouth. He was the son of Osiris. His statue stood at the entrance of most of the Egyptian temples.
Harpyiæ(har´pi-ē).—The Harpies—i. e.the Robbers or Spoilers, hideous rapacious monsters, half bird and half woman. They were three in number. Homer described them as carrying off people who had disappeared.
Hebe(hē-bē).—The goddess of youth, daughter of Jupiter and Juno. She was the cup-bearer to the gods, in which office she was afterwards supplanted by Ganymede. She became the wife of Hercules after he was deified.
Hecate(hek´a-tē).—Daughter of Perses and Asteria, the presider over enchantments, etc. She was looked upon as a kind of threefold goddess—viz., Luna (the moon) in heaven, Diana on earth, and Proserpine in the lower world—and is accordingly represented with three bodies or three heads. Dogs, honey and black female lambs were sacrificed to her.
Hector(hek´tor).—Eldest son of Priam, king of Troy, and Hecuba, and husband of Andromache. He was the chief hero of the Trojans in their war with the Greeks. He was slain in single combat by Achilles, who chased him thrice round the walls of the city, and, after having slain him, tied his body to his chariot and dragged it thrice round the walls. The character of Hector as a warrior, husband, father and son is very finely drawn by Homer in theIliad.
Hecuba(hek´u-ba).—Wife of Priam, king of Troy. After the fall of Troy she was carried away as a slave by the Greeks and suffered great misfortunes.
Heimdall.—In northern tales a god who lived in the celestial fort Himinsbjorg, under the farther extremity of the bridge Bifrost, and kept the keys of heaven. He is the watchman or sentinel of Asgard, sees even in sleep, can hear the grass grow, and even the wool on a lamb’s back. Heimdall, at the end of the world, will wake the gods with his trumpet.
Helena(hel´en-a), orHelene(hel´en-ē); commonly called Helen of Troy. Daughter of Jupiter and Leda, and sister of Castor and Pollux. She was the greatest beauty of her age, and her hand was sought by the noblest chiefs of Greece. She chose Menelaus (men-e-lā´us), and became by him the mother of Hermione. She eloped withParis(q.v.) to Troy, and hence arose the Trojan war, as all the Greek chiefs, who had been former suitors of Helen, resolved to avenge her abduction, and sailed with Menelaus against Troy. After the death of Paris she married his brother Deiphobus (de-if´ob-us). On the capture of Troy, after a ten years’ siege, she became reconciled to Menelaus, and returned with him to Sparta, where they lived for a number of years in peace and happiness.
Helenus(hel´e-nus).—A celebrated soothsayer, son of Priam, king of Troy, and Hecuba. He deserted his countrymen and joined the Greeks—some say voluntarily, others that he was taken prisoner by the Greeks.
Heliades(hē´li-a-dēz).—Daughters of the Sun (Helios). They lamented the death of their brother Phaethon so bitterly that the gods, in compassion, metamorphosed them into poplar trees and their tears into amber.
Helicon(hel´i-kon).—A mountain in Bœotia, sacred to Apollo and the Muses. The famous fountains of the Muses, Aganippe and Hippocrene, sprang here.
Helios(hē´li-os).—The god of the sun. See “Phœbus” and “Apollo.”
Helle(hel´lē).—Sister ofPhrixus(q.v.). When she and her brother were riding through the air upon the ram with the golden fleece she fell into the sea, which was thence called the Hellespont—i. e.the sea of Helle; now called the Dardanelles.
Hephæstus(hē-fēs´tus).—The god of fire. See “Vulcan.”
Hera.—See “Juno.”
Hercules(her´kū-lēz); called Heracles (hē´ra-klēz) by the Greeks.—The most celebrated hero of antiquity, noted especially for his Twelve Labors. He was the son of Jupiter and Alcmene. He showed his prowess at a very early age, for when the jealous Juno sent two serpents to destroy him as he lay in his cradle, the infant hero strangled them with his own hands. His first great adventure happened while he was tending the oxen of his supposititious father, Amphitryon, the husband of Alcmene. A huge lion devastated the flocks of Amphitryon and Thespius, king of Thespiæ. Hercules slew the lion, and thenceforth wore the skin as a garment, although some state that the lion’s skin of Hercules was taken from the Nemean lion which Hercules killed as one of his labors. Next he defeated and killed King Erginus, to whom the Thebans paid tribute. Creon, king of Thebes, gave him his daughter Megara in marriage, and she bore him several children. Soon afterwards Juno drove him mad, and in this state he killed his children. His grief was so great that he went into voluntary exile and was purified by Thespius. He then consulted the celebrated oracle at Delphi as to where he should settle, and was ordered to live at Tiryns and to serve Eurystheus (ū-ris´thūs) for twelve years, after which he should become immortal. It was at the bidding of Eurystheus that he performed the following Twelve Labors. Hercules usually carried a huge club which he had cut for himself in the neighborhood of Nemea.
(i)The fight with the Nemean lion.Eurystheus ordered Hercules to bring him the skin of this monster. Finding his club and arrows useless, he strangled the animal with his own hands.
(ii)The fight against the Lernean Hydra.This monster, which had nine heads, of which the middle one was immortal, dwelt in a swamp, and ravaged the country of Lerna, near Argos. When Hercules struck its heads with his club, for each head he struck off two more appeared. With the assistance of his servant he then burned off its heads, and buried the immortal one under a huge rock. Having done this, he poisoned his arrows with the bile of the monster, thus rendering the wounds inflicted by them incurable.
(iii)Capture of the Arcadian stag.This animal had golden antlers and brazen feet, and Hercules was ordered to bring it alive to Eurystheus. After pursuing it in vain for a whole year, he at length wounded it with an arrow, caught it, and bore it away on his shoulders.
(iv)Capture of the Erymanthian boar.Hercules chased this animal through the deep snow, and at last caught it in a net and delivered it alive to Eurystheus.
(v)Cleansing of the stables of Augeas.Augeas, king of Elis, had a herd of three thousand oxen, whose stalls had not been cleansed for thirty years, and Hercules was ordered to cleanse them in one day. He did it by turning the rivers Alpheus and Peneus through the stalls.
(vi)Destruction of the Stymphalian birds.These birds had brazen claws, wings and beaks, used their feathers as arrows, and ate human flesh. They dwelt on a lake near Stymphalus, in Arcadia. Minerva provided Hercules with a brazen rattle, by the noise of which he roused the birds and then killed them with his arrows.
(vii)Capture of the Cretan bull.This was a mad bull that made great havoc in the island of Crete. Hercules caught it, and brought it home on his shoulders.
(viii)Capture of the mares of Diomedes.These mares were fed with human flesh. Hercules, with a few friends, seized them and led them to Eurystheus.
(ix)Seizure of the girdle of the queen of the Amazons.The daughter of Eurystheus having expressed a desire to obtain the girdle of Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons, Hercules was sent to fetch it. After an eventful journey he at length reached the country of the Amazons, and was kindly received by Hippolyte. Juno, however, excited the Amazons against him, and in the contest that ensued Hercules killed Hippolyte and carried off her girdle.
(x)Capture of the oxen of Geryon.Geryon was a monster with three bodies. His cattle were guarded by a giant and a two-headed dog. On his journey he erected two pillars (Calpe and Abyla) on the two sides of the Straits of Gibraltar, which were hence called the Pillars of Hercules. He slew the giant, the dog and Geryon himself, and reached home safely with the oxen.
(xi)Bringing the golden apples of the Hesperides(Hes-per´id-ēz). These apples, which were given by Ge (the earth) to Juno at her wedding, were kept by the Hesperides and a dragon on Mount Atlas. Hercules obtained the apples, and afterwards dedicated them to Minerva, who restored them to their former place.
(xii)Bringing Cerberus from the lower world.This was not only the last, but the most difficult of the Twelve Labors of Hercules. Pluto, the god of the lower world, having given Hercules permission to carry off Cerberus provided he did not use force of arms, he succeeded in seizing the monster and carrying it to the upper world, taking it back again after having shown it to Eurystheus.
Having concluded his Twelve Labors, Hercules was released from the servitude of Eurystheus and returned to Thebes. Later, he became a servant to Omphale (om´fal-ē), queen of Lydia and widow of Tmolus, and lived with her in an effeminate manner, he wearing woman’s attire, while Omphale put on his lion’s skin. He afterwards marriedDeianira(q.v.), who accompanied him into exile after he had accidentally killed the boy Eunomus. Having to cross a river, Hercules went on first, leaving his wife to be carried over by the centaur Nessus. The latter attempted to do violence to her, but her screams were heard by Hercules, who shot an arrow into the heart of Nessus. Deianira preserved some of the blood of the centaur, as he told her it would enable her to keep the love of her husband. Unfortunately, however, the blood was poisoned with the arrow with which Hercules had shot Nessus, so that when Hercules put on a garment which had been steeped in the blood he speedily suffered most terrible torture, and in endeavoring to wrench the garment off, tore whole pieces of flesh from his body. Deianira, on seeing what she had unwittingly done, hanged herself. Hercules was carried off by the gods to Olympus and married Hebe.
Hermes(her´mēz).—See “Mercury.”
Hermione(her´mi-o-nē).—The beautiful daughter of Menelaus and Helen. She was married, first to Neoptolemus and secondly to Orestes.
Hero(he´rō).—A priestess of Venus in Sestos, beloved byLeander(q.v.).
Hesione(hē´si-o-nē).—Daughter of Laomedon, king of Troy, who was exposed by her father to the fury of a sea-monster in order to appease the anger of Apollo and Neptune. Hercules rescued her and gave her to Telamon, to whom she bore Teucer.
Hesperides(hes-per´id-ēz).—The guardians of the golden apples given by Ge (the Earth) to Juno at her marriage with Jupiter. They were three in number, and were the daughters of Atlas and Hesperis. See “Hercules.”
Hestia.—See “Vesta.”
Hippocrene(hip-po-krē´nē)—i. e.the Fountain of the Horse. A fountain near Mount Helicon, sacred to the Muses, and which is fabled to have been produced by a stroke of the hoof of the winged horse Pegasus.
Hippodamia(hip-po-da-mī´a).—Wife of Pirithous, at whose nuptials took place the celebrated fight between the Centaurs and Lapithæ.
Hippolyte(hip-pol´it-ē).—Daughter of Mars and queen of the Amazons. She was slain byHercules(q.v.).
Hippolytus(hip-pol´it-us).—Son of Theseus and Hippolyte. In consequence of a false accusation brought against him by his stepmother Phædra, he was thrown out of his chariot and dragged along the ground till he was dead. He was restored to life by Æsculapius.
Hippomenes(hip-pō´men-ēz).—Son of Megarus, who conqueredAtalanta(q.v.) in a race.
Hobomoko.—An evil spirit known among American Indians.
Hōdeken.—A famous German kobold, or domestic fairy servant; so called from wearing a little felt hat pulled down over his face.
Hoder.—In Norse mythology a blind god who destroyed his brother Baldur, at the instigation of Loki, without meaning to do so. He is the type of night and darkness, as Baldur is of light and day.
Hofvarpnir.—The fleet steed of Ina, in Scandinavian legend, which traveled through fire and air and enabled this messenger of the gods to see all that was happening on the earth.
Honir.—In Asgard tales, name given to the god of mind or thought.
Horæ(ho´rē); the Hours.—Daughters of Jupiter and Themis. They presided over the changes of the seasons, and kept watch at the gates of Olympus.
Horn of Plenty.—See “Amalthea.”
Horus.—The Egyptian god of the sun, son of Osiris and Isis, who was also worshiped in Greece and at Rome.
Hugin.—One of Odin’s two ravens, which carried him news from earth, and when not thus employed, perched upon his shoulders. The personification of thought or intellect.
Hugon.—A kind of evil spirit in the popular superstition of France—a sort of ogre made use of to frighten children.
Hyacinthus(hi-a-sin´thus).—A beautiful Spartan youth, beloved by Apollo, but accidentally killed by a blow of his quoit. From his blood sprang the flower of the same name.
Hyades(hī´a-dēz)—i. e.the Rainers. The name of seven nymphs forming a group in the head of Taurus. They were so called because when they rise simultaneously with the sun rainy weather is announced.
Hygeia(hi-jē´i-a).—The goddess of health, daughter of Æsculapius. She is often represented as a maiden in a long robe, and feeding a serpent from a cup.
Hylas(hi´las).—A beautiful youth who accompanied Hercules in the Argonautic expedition. On landing for water on the coast of Mysia, he was carried off by the Naiads.
Hymen(hi´men).—The god of marriage; represented as a handsome youth carrying in his hand a bridal torch.
Hymettus(hi-met´tus).—A mountain near Athens, famed for its honey and its marble.
Hyperborei(hī-per-bor´e-ī)—lit. “beyond the north wind.” A fabulous people living in the extreme north in a land of perpetual sunshine, in a state of perfect happiness.
Hyperion(hī-per-ī´ōn)—lit. “he who goes above.” (i) A name applied to the sun. (ii) A Titan, father of the sun.
Hypsipyle(hip-sip´i-lē).—Daughter of Thoas, king of Lemnos, in the time of the Argonauts.
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Iacchus(i-ak’us).—A name of Bacchus.
Iapetus(i-ap’et-us), or Japetus.—One of the Titans; father of Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus.
Icarus(ī-kar’us).—See “Dædalus.”
Ichthyophagi(ik-thi-of´a-jī)—i. e.fish-eaters.—A name given by the ancients to various peoples on the coasts of Asia and Africa.
Ida(ī´da).—(i) A mountain range near Troy, celebrated as the scene of the judgment ofParis(q.v.). From the summit of Ida the gods watched the battles in the plain of Troy. (ii) A high mountain in Crete, on which Jupiter was brought up.