Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Lethe

(Encyclopedia)Lethe lēˈthē [key], in Greek mythology, river of forgetfulness in Hades. The dead drank from Lethe upon their arrival in the underworld. ...

Hyperboreans

(Encyclopedia)Hyperboreans hīˌpərbôrˈēənz, –bôrēˈənz [key], in Greek mythology, people dwelling in a state of perfect bliss in the Far North who were Apollo worshipers. ...

Bacchus

(Encyclopedia)Bacchus băkˈəs [key], in Roman religion and mythology, god of wine; in Greek mythology, Dionysus. Dionysus was also the god of tillage and law giving. He was worshiped at Delphi and at the spring f...

Gloria in excelsis

(Encyclopedia)Gloria in excelsis ĕksĕlˈsĭs [key] [Lat.,=glory in the highest], the Angelic Hymn or greater doxology, ancient Christian hymn beginning, according to the Authorized Version, “Glory be to God on ...

Palamedes

(Encyclopedia)Palamedes păləmēˈdēz [key], in Greek mythology, crafty Greek hero of the Trojan War. Because he had exposed Odysseus when he tried to evade going to war, Odysseus falsely accused him of treachery...

trident

(Encyclopedia)trident trīˈdənt [key], in Greek mythology, three-pronged fork borne by Poseidon. It was variously represented as a fishing spear, a goad, or forked lightning. ...

Ogyges

(Encyclopedia)Ogyges ŏjˈĭjēz [key], in Greek mythology, ancient king of Boeotia or Attica. During his reign the Ogygian flood, a vast and destructive deluge, occurred. ...

Amphitrite

(Encyclopedia)Amphitrite ămfĭtrīˈtē [key], in Greek mythology, queen of the sea; daughter of Nereus. She was the wife of Poseidon and mother of Triton. ...

Cerynean hind

(Encyclopedia)Cerynean hind sĕrĭnēˈən [key], in Greek mythology, golden-horned hind sacred to Artemis. The fourth labor of Hercules was to capture the hind. ...

Gorgon

(Encyclopedia)Gorgon gôrˈgən [key], in Greek mythology, one of three monstrous sisters, Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa; daughters of Ceto and Phorcus. Their hair was a cluster of writhing snakes, and their faces we...