Anonymous

“ Hyge′ia, the goddess of health, was a daughter of Æsculapius and Epione. She was represented as a young woman feeding a serpent, which is twined round her arm.
Hy′las. A beautiful boy beloved by Hercules. The nymphs were jealous of him, and spirited him away while he was drawing water for Hercules.
Hy′men, the Grecian god of marriage, was either the son of Bacchus and Venus, or, as some say, of Apollo and one of the Muses. He was represented as a handsome youth, holding in his hand a burning torch. ”

“ In Scandinavian mythology the god of wisdom.
Mind, see Erinnys.
Miner′va, the goddess of wisdom, war, and the liberal arts, is said to have sprung from the head of Jupiter fully armed for battle. She was a great benefactress of mankind, and patroness of the fine arts. She was the tutelar deity of the city of Athens. She is also known by the names of Pallas, Parthenos, Tritonia, and Glaukopis. She was very generally worshipped by the ancients, and her temple at Athens, the Parthenon, still remains. ”

“ Venus indirectly caused the Trojan War, for, when the goddess of discord had thrown amongst the goddesses the golden apple inscribed “To the fairest,” Paris adjudged the apple to Venus, and she inspired him with love for Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. Paris carried off Helen to Troy, and the Greeks pursued and besieged the city (see Helen, Paris, and Troy) . Venus is mentioned by the classic poets under the names of Aphrodite, Cypria, Urania, Astarte, Paphia, Cythera, and the laughter-loving goddess. ”

“ Æ′gis, the shield of Jupiter, so called because it was made of goat skin.
“Where was thine Ægis Pallas that appall’d?”
Byron.
“Tremendous, Gorgon frowned upon its field,
And circling terrors filled the expressive shield.”
“Full on the crest the Gorgon’s head they place,
With eyes that roll in death, and with distorted face.”
Pope.
Æ′gle. The fairest of the Naiads.
Ael′lo, the name of one of the Harpies.
Æne′as was the son of Anchises and Venus. He was one of the few great captains who escaped the destruction of Troy. ”

“ Atalan′ta was daughter of Cæneus. The oracle told her that marriage would be fatal to her, but, being very beautiful, she had many suitors. She was a very swift runner, and, to get rid of her admirers, she promised to marry any one of them who should outstrip her in a race, but that all who were defeated should be slain. Hippomenes, however, with the aid of Venus, was successful. That goddess gave him three golden apples, one of which he dropped whenever Atalanta caught up to him in the race. ”

“ Greeks called him Agineus because the streets were under his guardianship, and he was called Pythius from having killed the serpent Python. Apollo is usually represented as a handsome young man without beard, crowned with laurel, and having in one hand a bow, and in the other a lyre. The favourite residence of Apollo was on Mount Parnassus, a mountain of Phocis, in Greece, where he presided over the Muses. Apollo was the accredited father of several children, but the two most renowned were Æsculapius and Phæton. ”

“ A Roman goddess who took care of young infants.
Nemæ′an Lion, see Hercules.
Nem′esis, the goddess of vengeance or justice, was one of the infernal deities. Her mother was Nox. She was supposed to be constantly travelling about the earth in search of wickedness, which she punished with the greatest severity. She is referred to by some writers under the name of Adrastæa. The Romans always sacrificed to this goddess before they went to war, because they wished to signify that they never took up arms but in the cause of justice. ”

“ Philoct′etes was son of Pœas, and one of the companions of Jason on his Argonautic expedition. He was present at the death of Hercules, and received from him the poisoned arrows which had been dipped in the blood of the Hydra. These arrows, an oracle declared, were necessary to be used in the destruction of Troy, and Philoctetes was persuaded by Ulysses to go and assist at the siege. He appears to have used the weapons with great dexterity and with wonderful effect, for Paris was amongst the heroes whom he killed. ”

“ They did so on a ram, whose hide became the Golden Fleece (see Phryxus and Helle) . Ino destroyed herself, and was changed by Neptune into a sea-goddess.
Ino′a were festivals in memory of Ino.
Instrumental Music, see Euterpe.
I′o was a daughter of Inachus, and a priestess of Juno at Argus. Jupiter courted her, and was detected by Juno, when the god turned Io into a beautiful heifer. Juno demanded the beast of Jupiter, and set the hundred-eyed Argus to watch her. Jupiter persuaded Mercury to destroy Argus, and Io was set at liberty, and restored to human shape. ”

“ Hercules at last killed the vulture and set Prometheus free.
Prophecy, see Nereus.
Proser′pine. A daughter of Jupiter and Ceres. Pluto carried her off to the infernal regions and made her his wife. She was known by the names of “the Queen of Hell,” Hecate, Juno Inferna, and Libitina.
“He sung, and hell consented
To hear the poet’s prayer,
Stern Proserpine relented,
And gave him back the fair.” ”

“ Casta′li′des, a name of the Muses, from the fountain Castalia or Castalius.
Cas′tor, son of Jupiter and Leda, twin brother of Pollux, noted for his skill in horsemanship. He went with Jason in quest of the Golden Fleece.
Cau′ther, in Mohammedan mythology, is 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.
Cel′eno was one of the Harpies, progenitor of Zephyrus, the west wind.
Cen′taur. A huntsman who had the fore-part like a man, and the remainder of the body like a horse. ”

“ The goddess of orphans.
Orchards, see Feronia.
O′reads were mountain nymphs, attendants on Diana.
Orgies. Drunken revels. The riotous feasts of Bacchus were so designated.
Ori′on. A famous handsome giant, who was blinded by Œnopion for a grievous wrong done to Merope, and he was expelled from Chios. The sound of the Cyclopes’ hammers led him to the abode of Vulcan, who gave him a guide. He then consulted an oracle, and had his sight restored, as Longfellow says, by fixing
“His blank eyes upon the sun.” ”

“ The Egyptian god Jupiter.
Hephæs′tos. The Greek Vulcan.
He′ra. The Greek name of Juno.
Her′acles, is the same as Hercules.
Her′cules was the son of Jupiter and Alcmena. The goddess Juno hated him from his birth, and sent two serpents to kill him, but though only eight months old he strangled the snakes. As he [Pg 46] got older he was set by his master Eurystheus what were thought to be twelve impossible tasks, which have long been known as the “Twelve Labours of Hercules.” They were:—
First, To slay the Nemean Lion. ”

“ A name of Diana.
Tropho′nius. One of Jupiter’s most famous oracles.
Troy. The classic poets say that the walls of this famous city were built by the magic sound of Apollo’s lyre. See Dardanus, Helen, Hercules, Paris.
Trumpeters, see Tritons.
Truth. A daughter of Time, because Truth is discovered in the course of Time. Democritus says that Truth lies hidden at the bottom of a well.
Tutel′ina. A rural divinity—the goddess of granaries. ”

“ Night soon will seize, and you must go below,
To story’d ghosts and Pluto’s house below.”
Creech.
Plu′tus, the god of riches, was son of Jason and Ceres. He is described as being blind and lame; blind because he so often injudiciously bestows his riches, and lame because fortunes come so slowly.
[Pg 90]
Plu′vius. A name of Jupiter, because he had the rain in his control.
Podalir′ius. A famous surgeon, a son of Æsculapius, who was very serviceable amongst the soldiers in the Trojan war.
Poet, see Parnassus.
Poetry, see Apollo, Calliope, The Muses. ”

“ Antæ′us, a giant who was vanquished by Hercules. Each time that Hercules threw him the giant [Pg 9] gained fresh strength from touching the earth, so Hercules lifted him off the ground and squeezed him to death.
An′teros, one of the two Cupids, sons of Venus.
Antic′lea, the mother of Ulysses.
Anti′ope was wife of Lycus, King of Thebes. Jupiter, disguised as a satyr, led her astray and corrupted her.
Anu′bis (or Herman′ubis) . “A god half a dog, a dog half a man.” Called Barker by Virgil and other poets.
Aon′ides, a name of the Muses, from the country Aonia.
Aph′rodi′te, a Greek name of Venus. ”

“ A knotty stick is in one hand, and a staff entwined with a serpent is in the other, while a dog lies at his feet.
“Thou that dost Æsculapius deride,
And o’er his gallipots in triumph ride.”
Fenton.
Æ′son was father of Jason, and was restored to youth by Medea.
Æ′ta, a king of Colchis, was father of Medea.
Agamem′non was the son of Plisthenes and brother of Menelaus. He was king of the Argives. His brother’s wife was the famous Helen, daughter of Tyndarus, king of Sparta; and when she eloped with Paris, Agamemnon was appointed leader of the Greeks in their expedition against Troy. ”

“ God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation ”

“ Flo′ra, goddess of flowers and gardens, was wife of Zephyrus. She enjoyed perpetual youth. Her Grecian name was Chloris.
Flora′lia were licentious games instituted in honour of the goddess Flora.
Flowers, see Flora, Chloris, Hortensis, and Zephyrus.
Flute, see Marsyas.
Fortu′na, the goddess of fortune, had a temple erected to her by Servius Tullius. She was supposed to be able to bestow riches or poverty on mankind, and was esteemed one of the most potent of the ancient goddesses. She is usually represented [Pg 39] as standing on a wheel, with a bandage over her eyes, and holding a cornucopia. ”

“ It will be seen that the compiler has not confined himself to Greek and Roman Mythology, but has included the more important of the Egyptian, Scandinavian, and Hindoo deities, references to which often occur in modern literature.
The limited space at command has made it necessary to be as concise as possible, but every name connected [Pg viii] with Mythology, of any note at all, has, it is hoped, been included, and care has been taken to avoid repetitions as much as possible. ”

“ Genii were domestic divinities. Every man was supposed to have two of these genii accompanying him; one brought him happiness, the other misery.
Gen′itor. A Lycian name of Jupiter.
Geometry, see Mercury.
Ge′ryon was a triple-bodied monster who lived at Gades, where his numerous flocks were guarded by Orthos, a two-headed dog, and by Eurythion, a seven-headed dragon. These guardians were destroyed by Hercules, and the cattle taken away. ”

“ Besides confronting us at every turn in the museums and picture galleries, these deities and heroes are constantly mentioned by poets and portrayed by painters and sculptors, and they are used for the purpose of illustration in the literature of the day. Nothing is more common than to find the comic newspapers resorting to Mythology for subjects for their pictures ”

“ One of Aurora’s chariot horses, the other being Phæton.
Laoc′oon. One of the priests of Apollo, who was, with his two sons, crushed to death by serpents, because he opposed the admission of the wooden horse to Troy.
Laom′edon, son of Ilus, a Trojan king. He was famous for having, with the assistance of Apollo and Neptune, built the walls of Troy.
Lap′is. The oath stone. The Romans used to swear by Jupiter Lapis.
Lap′ithus, son of Apollo. His numerous children were called Lapithæ, and they are notorious for their fight with the centaurs at the nuptial feast of Perithous and Hippodamia. ”

“ This probably was the origin of the custom of burning incense at the altar.
Amal’thæ’a the goat which nourished Jupiter.
Am’azons were a nation of women-soldiers who lived in Scythia. Hercules totally defeated them, and gave Hippolyte, their queen, to Theseus for a wife. The race seems to have been exterminated after this battle.
Ambarva’lia were festivals in honour of Ceres, instituted by Roman husbandmen to purge their fields. At the spring festival the head of each family led an animal, usually a pig or ram, decked with oak boughs, round his grounds, and offered milk and new wine. ”

“ Ocy′pete. One of the Harpies, who infected everything she touched. The word means swift of flight.
Ocy′roe. A daughter of Chiron, who had the gift of prophecy. She was metamorphosed into a mare.
O′din. In Scandinavian mythology the god of the universe, and reputed father of all the Scandinavian kings. His wife’s name was Friga, and his two sons were Thor and Balder.
Œ′agrus. Father of Orpheus.
Œ′dipus. A son of Laius, King of Thebes, best known as the solver of the famous enigma propounded by the Sphinx.
Œno′ne. Wife of Paris, a nymph of Mount Ida, who had the gift of prophecy. ”

“ And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
[Pg 112]
Unx′ia. A name of Juno, relating to her protection of newly-married people.
Ura′nia. A daughter of Jupiter and Mnemosyne—one of the Muses who presided over astronomy.
Ura′nus. The Greek name of Cœlus; his descendants are sometimes called Uranids. ”

“ Jupiter was worshipped with great solemnity under various names by most of the heathen nations. The Africans called him Ammon; the Babylonians, Belus; and the Egyptians, Osiris (see Jove) . He was represented as a majestic personage seated on a throne, holding in his hands a sceptre and a thunderbolt ”

“ Mother of the gods, a daughter of Cœlus and Terra. She was known by the several names of Bona Dea, Rhea, Cybele, Magna Mater, Proserpine, Tellus, and Thya; and occasionally she is spoken of as Juno and Minerva. She personified [Pg 78] labour, and is represented as a comely matron, distributing gifts with her right hand, and holding in her left hand a loaf of bread. Her festival was the 14th day of the January calends. ”