Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Dardanus

(Encyclopedia)Dardanus därˈdənəs [key], in Greek mythology, founder of Troy; son of Zeus and the Pleiad Electra. His descendants, the Trojans, were sometimes called the Dardani. ...

Cretan bull

(Encyclopedia)Cretan bull, in Greek mythology, giant bull that Hercules captured as his seventh labor. Some versions of the legend state that this bull was the same one that carried Europa to Crete; others claim th...

Notre-Dame de Paris

(Encyclopedia)Notre-Dame de Paris nôˈtrə-däm də pärēˈ [key] [Fr.,=Our Lady of Paris], cathedral church of Paris, a noble achievement of early Gothic architecture in France. It stands upon the Île de la Cit...

Rhadamanthus

(Encyclopedia)Rhadamanthus rădˌəmănˈthəs [key], in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Europa. Renowned for his justice on earth, the gods made him one of the judges of the dead. ...

Actaeon

(Encyclopedia)Actaeon ăktēˈən [key], in Greek mythology, son of Aristaeus and Autonoë. Because he saw Artemis bathing naked, she changed him into a stag, and his own dogs killed him. ...

Alcinoüs

(Encyclopedia)Alcinoüs ălsĭnˈōəs [key], in Greek mythology, king of Phaeacia, father of Nausicaä. He aided Odysseus in his journey back to Ithaca. In the story of Jason, he protects Jason and Medea from the ...

Penthesilea

(Encyclopedia)Penthesilea pĕnˌthĕsəlēˈə [key], in Greek mythology, an Amazon queen. In the Trojan War, she led a troop of Amazons against the Greeks. She was killed by Achilles, who then fell in love with he...

Erebus

(Encyclopedia)Erebus ĕrˈĭbəs [key], in Greek religion and mythology, personification of darkness. According to Hesiod, Erebus sprang from Chaos and was the father of Day. His name was sometimes used for Hades. ...

Antilochus

(Encyclopedia)Antilochus ăntĭlˈəkəs [key], in Greek mythology, young hero of the Trojan War, a favorite of Achilles. While protecting his father, Nestor, he was killed by Memnon. He was buried with Achilles an...

Protesilaus

(Encyclopedia)Protesilaus prōˌtĕsĭlāˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, Thessalian prince who was killed in the Trojan War. A prophecy foretold that the first man who touched Trojan soil would be the first to die...

Browse by Subject