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Pleiades, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Pleiades, in Greek mythology, seven daughters of Atlas and the nymph Pleione. According to one legend they were the attendants of Artemis and were changed into stars by the gods when they were pursued...

Galatea, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Galatea gălətēˈə [key], in Greek mythology. 1 Sea nymph, daughter of Nereus and Doris. She was loved by the brutish Polyphemus, a Cyclops who wooed her with love songs; but Galatea loved Acis, th...

Linus, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Linus, in Greek mythology. 1 Son of Apollo and Psamathe of Argos. He was deserted by his mother on a hillside and devoured by dogs. When Psamathe's father learned what his daughter had done, he had he...

Atlas, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Atlas ătˈləs [key], in Greek mythology, a Titan; son of Iapetus and Clymene and the brother of Prometheus. When the Titans were defeated, Atlas was condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders for al...

Arethusa, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Arethusa ărĭtho͞oˈsə [key], in Greek mythology, nymph favored by Artemis and loved by the river god Alpheus. While Arethusa was bathing in his stream, Alpheus rose up and tried to abduct her, but...

Aeneas, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Aeneas ĭnēˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, a Trojan, son of Anchises and Aphrodite. After the fall of Troy he escaped, bearing his aged father on his back. He stayed at Carthage with Queen Dido, the...

Lobachevsky, Nikolai Ivanovich

(Encyclopedia)Lobachevsky, Nikolai Ivanovich nyĭkəlīˈ ēväˈnəvĭch ləbəchĕfˈskē [key], 1793–1856, Russian mathematician. A pioneer in non-Euclidean geometry, he challenged Euclid's fifth postulate tha...

Ibn al-Haytham

(Encyclopedia)Ibn al-Haytham ălhəzĕnˈ [key], 965–c.1040, Arab mathematician. Ibn al-Haytham was born in Basra, but made his career in Cairo, where he supported himself copying scientific manuscripts. Among hi...

Orion, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Orion ōrīˈən [key], in Greek mythology, Boeotian hunter. When Oenopion delayed giving his daughter Merope to him, Orion, when drunk, violated her. Oenopion then blinded him, but his vision was res...

Andromeda, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Andromeda ăndrŏmˈĭdə [key], in Greek mythology, princess of Ethiopia, daughter of King Cepheus, king of Ethiopia, and Cassiopeia. According to most legends Cassiopeia angered Poseidon by saying t...