Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Hercules, Greek hero

(Encyclopedia)Hercules both: hĕrˈəklēzˌ [key], most popular of all Greek heroes, famous for extraordinary strength and courage. Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon, made love to both Zeus and her husband on the same n...

hero, in Greek religion

(Encyclopedia)hero, in Greek religion, famous person, who after his death, was worshiped as quasi-divine. The heroes might be actual great men and women, real or imaginary ancestors, or “faded” gods and goddess...

Pollux, Greek hero

(Encyclopedia)Pollux, Greek hero: see Castor and Pollux. ...

Hero, Greek mathematician

(Encyclopedia)Hero, Greek mathematician: see Heron of Alexandria. ...

Hercules, in astronomy

(Encyclopedia)Hercules hûrˈkyəlēzˌ [key], in astronomy, northern constellation located between Lyra and Corona Borealis. It is traditionally depicted as the hero Hercules in a kneeling position. There are no v...

Hero, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Hero, in Greek mythology, priestess of Aphrodite in Sestos. Her lover, Leander, swam the Hellespont nightly from Abydos to see her. During a storm the light by which she guided him blew out, and he dr...

Hercules cluster

(Encyclopedia)Hercules cluster, giant globular star cluster in the northern constellation Hercules; cataloged as M13 or NGC 6205. The cluster is just visible to the naked eye and is the best example of a globular c...

anti-hero

(Encyclopedia)anti-hero, principal character of a modern literary or dramatic work who lacks the attributes of the traditional protagonist or hero. The anti-hero's lack of courage, honesty, or grace, his weaknesses...

Seghers, Hercules

(Encyclopedia)Seghers or Segers, Hercules Pietersz hĕrˈküləs pēˈtərs sāˈgərs [key], c.1589–c.1638, Dutch landscape painter and etcher, b. Haarlem. Seghers's work greatly influenced early 17th-century Du...

Segers, Hercules Pietersz

(Encyclopedia)Segers, Hercules Pietersz: see Seghers, Hercules Pietersz. ...