of the Eastern names of Venus.
Asteria (Aste′ria), daughter of Caeus, was carried away by Jupiter, who assumed the shape of an eagle.
Astrea (Astre′a), mother of Nemesis, was the goddess of justice; she returned to heaven when the earth became corrupt.
“… Chaste Astrea fled,
And sought protection in her native sky.”
Atalanta (Atalan′ta) was daughter of Caeneus. The oracle told her that marriage would be fatal to her, but, being very beautiful, she had many suitors. She was a very swift runner, and, to get rid of her admirers, she promised to marry any one of them who should outstrip her in a race, but that all who were defeated should be slain. Hippomenes, however, with the aid of Venus, was successful. That goddess gave him three golden apples, one of which he dropped whenever Atalanta caught up to him in the race. She stopped to pick them up, and he was victorious and married her. They were both afterward turned into lions by Cybele, for profaning her temple.
Ate (A′te). The goddess of revenge, also called the goddess of discord and all evil. She was banished from heaven by her father Jupiter.
“With Ate by his side come hot from hell.”
Athena (Athe′na), a name obtained by Minerva as the tutelary goddess of Athens.
Atlas, was King of Mauritania, now Morocco, in Africa. He was also a great astronomer. He is depicted with the globe on his back, his name signifying great toil or labor. For his inhospitality to Perseus that king changed him into the mountain which bears his name of Atlas. A chain of mountains in Africa is called after him, and so is the Atlantic Ocean. He had seven daughters by his wife Pleione, they were called by one common name, Pleiades; and by his wife Aethra he had seven more, who were, in the same manner, called Hyades. Both the Pleiades and the Hyades are celestial constellations.
Atreus (At′reus), the type of fraternal hatred. His dislike of his brother Thyestes went to the extent of killing and roasting his nephews, and inviting their father to a feast, which Thyestes thought was a sign of reconciliation, but he was the victim of his brother’s detestable cruelty.
“Media must not draw her murdering knife,
Nor Atreus there his horrid feast prepare.”
Atropos (At′ropos), one of the three sisters called The Fates, who held the shears ready to cut the thread of life.
Atys (A′tys), son of Croesus, was born dumb, but when in a fight he saw a soldier about to kill the king he gained speech, and cried out, “Save the king!” and the string that held his tongue was broken.
Atys (A′tys) was a youth beloved by Aurora, and was slain by her father, but, according to Ovid, was afterward turned into a pine-tree.
Augaeas (Aug′aeas), a king of Elis, the owner of the stable which Hercules cleansed after three thousand oxen had been kept in it for thirty years. It was cleansed by turning the river Alpheus through it. Augaeas promised to give Hercules a tenth part of his cattle for his trouble but, for neglecting to keep his promise, Hercules slew him.
Augury (Au′gury). This was a means adopted by the Romans of forming a judgment of futurity by the flight of birds, and the officiating priest was called an augur.
Aurora (Auro′ra), the goddess of the morning,
“Whose rosy fingers ope the gates of day.”
She was daughter of Sol, the sun, and was the mother of the stars and winds. She is represented as riding in a splendid golden chariot drawn by white horses. The goddess loved Tithonus, and begged the gods to grant him immortality, but forgot to ask at the same time that he should not get old and decrepit. See Tithonus.
“… So soon as the all-cheering sun
Should, in the farthest east, begin to draw
The shady curtains of Aurora’s bed.”
Auster (Aus′ter), the south wind, a son of Jupiter.
Avernus (Aver′nus), a poisonous lake, referred to by poets as being at the entrance of the infernal regions, but it was really a lake in Campania, in Italy.
Averruncus Deus (Averrun′cus Deus), a Roman god, who could divert people from evil-doing.
Axe, see Daedalus.
Baal (Ba′al), a god of the Phoenicians.
Baal-Peor (Ba′al-Pe′or), a Moabitish god, associated with licentiousness and obscenity. The modern name is Belphegor.
Babes, see Rumia Dea.
Bacchantes (Bac′chantes). The priestesses of Bacchus.
Bacchus (Bac′chus), the god of wine, was the son of Jupiter and Semele. He is said to have married Ariadne, daughter of Minos, King of Crete, after she was deserted by Theseus. The most distinguished of his children is Hymen, the god of marriage. Bacchus is sometimes referred to under the names of Dionysius, Biformis, Brisaeus, Iacchus, Lenaeus, Lyceus, Liber, and Liber Pater, the symbol of liberty. The god of wine is usually represented as crowned with vine and ivy leaves. In his left hand is a thyrsus, a kind of javelin, having a fir cone for the head, and being encircled with ivy or vine. His chariot is drawn by lions, tigers, or panthers.
“Jolly Bacchus, god of pleasure,
Charmed the world with drink and dances.”
Balios (Ba′lios). A famous horse given by Neptune to Peleus as a wedding present, and was afterward given to Achilles.
Barker, see Anubis.
Bassarides (Bassar′ides). The priestesses of Bacchus were sometimes so called.
Battle, see Valhalla.
Bear, see Calisto.
Beauty, see Venus.
Bees, see Mellona.
Belisama (Belisa′ma), a goddess of the Gauls. The name means the Queen of Heaven.
Bellerophon (Beller′ophon), a hero who destroyed a monster called the Chimaera.
Bellona (Bello′na), the goddess of war, and wife of Mars. The 24th March was called Bellona’s Day, when her votaries cut themselves with knives and drank the blood of the sacrifice.
“In Dirae’s and in Discord’s steps Bellona treads,
And shakes her iron rod above their heads.”
Belphegor (Belphe′gor), see Baal-Peor.
Belus (Be′lus). The Chaldean name of the sun.
Berecynthia (Berecyn′thia),
