Wednesday, November 21, 2012

M. E. VIII

Aeglé One of the Hesperides ( q. v.), and a name given to several of the nymphs

Jove Jupiter, the king of the gods in Roman mythology. ■ by Jove, an exclamation of surprise.

Pallantias and Pallantis Patronymics given to Aurora, the daughter of the giant Pallas. See EOS.

Dionysia The Greek festivals in honor of Dionysus, especially those at Athens, in which the Greek drama had its origins.

Alea 1. Class. Myth. an epithet of Athena referring to a sanctuary built in her honor by Aleus. 2. an ancient city on the E border of Arcadia, near Argolis.

Pirithous In Greek mythology, a king of the Lapithae who with his friend Theseus attempted to carry off Persephone from Hades, and was punished by Pluto by being bound to a rock. See LAPITHAE.

Laodus The son of Bias and Pero. He took part in the Argonautic expedition and in that of the Seven against Thebes.

Inachis A patronymic of Io ( q.v.) as daughter of Inachus ( Ovid, Fasti, i. 454 ). The goddess Isis ( q. v.) is also called Inachis, as being identified with Io.

Love A personification of erotic or passionate love: Cupid or Eros.

Mania an ancient Roman goddess of the dead.

Deiphobus In Greek legend, a son of Priam who married Helen after Paris was killed; slain by Menelaus.

sphinx 1. the Sphinx (in Greek mythology) a winged monster at Thebes that killed all who could not answer the riddle it put to them.

Moliones Class. Myth. Cteatus and Eurytus, the twin sons of Molione, sometimes said to have been joined at the waist. They were fathered by Poseidon and reared by Actor.

Pilumnus one of two ancient gods of fertility. Cf. Picumnus.

Iobates Class. Myth. a Lycian king commissioned by his son-in-law, Proetus, to kill Bellerophon: after surviving ordeals designed to destroy him, Bellerophon was believed to be divinely protected, and Iobates gave him half his kingdom.

ambrosia 1. In classical mythology, the food of the gods, giving immortality. 2. Any very delicious food or drink. 3. Beebread. 4. Bot. Any of a genus ( Ambrosia) of herbs, as reagweed.   [ < L < Gk. ambrosia < ambrotos immortal < a- not + brotos mortal]

giant 1. In legend and folklore, a being in human form but of supernatural size and strength. 2. In Greek mythology, one of the race of huge, manlike beings who warred against the gods of Olympus. 3. Any person or thing of great size, strength, capability, etc.: a mental giant. adj. 1. Of or typical of a giant. 2. Huge; great.   [ < OF geant < L gigas, -antis < Gk. gigas, -antos] ─ giantess n. fem.

Phocus Class. Myth. 1. the favorite son of Aeacus, by Psamathe, who was killed by his jealous half-brothers, Telamon and Peleus. 2. a son of Ornythia who married Antiope after purifying her of the murder of Dirce.

Nymphaea Class. Myth. an epithet of Aphrodite, meaning "bridal".

Colchis A region of the western Georgian S. S. R.; identified with the legendary land of the Golden Fleece: Russian Kolkhida.

Erinys Class. Myth. 1. any of the Furies. 2. an epithet of Demeter, meaning "fury".

Phaeacia In the Odyssey, an island visited by Odysseus after the fall of Troy. Also Phæacia. ─ Phaeacian adj. & n.

Telemachus In Greek legend, son of Odysseus and Penelope, who helped his father kill his mother's suiters.

Idyia Wife of the Colchian king Aeëtes, and mother of Medea ( q. v.). See Hes. Theog. 352.

Jupiter Pluvius Latin Jupiter considered as the sky god and the giver of rain.

Cadmus In Greek mythology, a Phoenician prince who killed a dragon and sowed its teeth, from which sprang armed men who fought one another until all but five were slain. With these he founded Thebes. He was supposed to have introduced the Phoenician alphabet into Greece.

Melanion Class. Myth. a youth of Arcadia, usually identified with Hippomenes as the successful suiter of Atalanta.

Aglaia Class. Myth. one of the Graces.  [< Gk: splendor, beauty]

Daedalus In Greek mythology, an Athenian architect and inventor who devised the Cretan Labyrinth in which he was later imprisoned with his son Icarus and from which they escaped by artificial wings. ─ Daedalian, Daedalean adj.

Aethalides Class. Myth. a son of Hermes who was one of the Argonauts and who was endowed with infallible memory.

Opis Class. Myth. a companion of Artemis.

Euryalus (1) One of the Argonauts and also of the Epigoni. (2) A Trojan, son of Opheltius, and one of the followers of Aeneas. Vergil has immortalized the inseperable friendship between him and Nissus. See NISSUS.

Danae In Greek mythology, the mother of Perseus by Zeus, who loved her in the form of a shower of gold.

Hippolytus In Greek mythology, the son of Theseus and Hippolyta who, having spurned the advances of his stepmother Phaedra, was unjustly accused of ravishing her and was killed when his horses were frightened by a sea monster sent by Poseidon, on whom Theseus called.

a-1964 Standard College Dictionary

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