Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Morpheus

(Encyclopedia)Morpheus môrˈfēəs [key], in Greek and Roman mythology, god of dreams. The son of Hypnos (or Somnus), the god of sleep, he brought dreams of human forms. His brothers Phobetor and Phantasos induced...

Hügel, Friedrich, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Hügel, Friedrich, Baron von frēˈdrĭkh bärōnˈ fən hüˈgəl [key], 1852–1925, British Roman Catholic religious writer, b. Florence; son of an Austrian diplomat. After his marriage (1873), Hü...

Eos

(Encyclopedia)Eos ēˈŏs [key], in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of dawn; daughter of the Titans Hyperion and Theia. Every morning she arose early and preceded her brother Helios into the heavens. Her husb...

farming, in taxation

(Encyclopedia)farming, in the history of taxation, collection of taxes through private contractors. Usually, the tax farmer paid a lump sum to the public treasury; the difference between that sum and the sum actual...

Conrad II, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire

(Encyclopedia)Conrad II, c.990–1039, Holy Roman emperor (1027–39) and German king (1024–39), first of the Salian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. With the end of the Saxon line on the death of Henry II, the ...

Flora

(Encyclopedia)Flora, in Roman religion, goddess of flowers and fertility. Her festival, the Floralia, Apr. 28–May 1, was celebrated with great gaiety and licentiousness. ...

Hera

(Encyclopedia)Hera hĭrˈə, hērˈə [key], in Greek religion and mythology, queen of the Olympian gods, daughter of Kronos and Rhea. She was the wife and sister of Zeus and the mother of Ares and Hephaestus. A je...

Severus (Lucius Septimius Severus), Roman emperor

(Encyclopedia)Severus or Septimius Severus (Lucius Septimius Severus) sĕptĭmˈēəs sēvēˈrəs [key], 146–211, Roman emperor (193–211), b. Africa. He was campaigning in Pannonia and Illyria when the emperor...

serpent

(Encyclopedia)serpent, term sometimes used to designate the larger species of snakes in mythology and folklore, a name often applied to any sinuous, crawling creature, chiefly to a snake. No sea serpents have been ...

Browse by Subject