Ellis Edward Sylvester
1000 Mythological Characters Briefly Described. Adapted to Private Schools, High Schools and Academies
Stone (rolling), see Sisyphus.
Streets, see Apollo.
Stymphalides (Stym′phali′des). The carnivorous birds destroyed in the sixth labor of Hercules.
Styx. A noted river of hell, which was held in such high esteem by the gods that they always swore “By the Styx,” and such an oath was never violated. The river has to be crossed in passing to the regions of the dead. See Achilles and Thetis.
“To seal his sacred vow by Styx he swore: —
The lake with liquid pitch, – the dreary shore.”
DRYDEN.
“… Infernal rivers that disgorge
Into the burning lake their baleful streams,
Abhorrèd Styx, the flood of deadly hate.”
Suada (Sua′da), the goddess of Persuasion. See Pitho.
Success, see Bonus Eventus.
Sun, see Aurora, Belus, Sol, and Surya.
Sunflower, see Clytie.
Suradevi (Sura′de′vi). The Hindoo goddess of wine.
Surgeon (Sur′geon), see Podalirius.
Surya (Su′ry′a). The Hindoo god corresponding to the Roman Sol, the sun.
Swallow, see Itys.
Swan, see Cygnus and Leda.
Swiftness, see Atalanta.
Swine, see Circe.
Sylphs. Genii who, according to Plato, lived in the air.
“The light coquettes as Sylphs aloft repair,
And sport and flutter in the fields of air.”
POPE.
Sylvester (Sylves′ter). The name of Mars when he was invoked to protect cultivated land from the ravages of war.
Syrinx. The name of the nymph who, to escape from the importunities of Pan, was by Diana changed into reeds, out of which he made his celebrated pipes, and named them “The Syrinx.”
Tacita (Tac′ita). The goddess of Silence. See Harpocrates, also Horus.
Tantalus (Tan′talus). Father of Niobe and Pelops, who, as a punishment for serving up his son Pelops as meat at a feast given to the gods, was placed in a pool of water in the infernal regions; but the waters receded from him whenever he attempted to quench his burning thirst. Hence the word “tantalizing”.
Speaking of this god, Homer’s Ulysses says: “I saw the severe punishment of Tantalus. In a lake, whose waters approached to his lips, he stood burning with thirst, without the power to drink. Whenever he inclined his head to the stream, some deity commanded it to be dry, and the dark earth appeared at his feet. Around him lofty trees spread their fruits to view; the pear, the pomegranate, and the apple, the green olive, and the luscious fig quivered before him, which, whenever he extended his hand to seize them, were snatched by the winds into clouds and obscurity.”
“There, Tantalus, along the Stygian bound,
Pours out deep groans, – his groans through hell resound.
E’en in the circling flood refreshment craves
And pines with thirst amidst a sea of waves.”
“… And of itself the water flies
All taste of living wight, as once it fled
The lip of Tantalus.”
MILTON.
Tartarus (Tar′tarus). An inner region of hell, to which the gods sent the exceptionally depraved.
Telchines (Telchi′nes). People of Rhodes, who were envious sorcerers and magicians.
Tellus (Tel′lus). A name of Cybele, wife of Saturn, and the Roman deity of mother-earth.
Tempests, see Fro.
Temple. An edifice erected to the honor of a god or goddess in which the sacrifices were offered.
Tenth Muse. Sappho was so called.
Tereus (Ter′eus) was a son of Mars. He married Procne, daughter of the king of Athens, but became enamored of her sister Philomela, who, however, resented his attentions, which so enraged him that he cut out her tongue. When Procne heard of her husband’s unfaithfulness she took a terrible revenge (see Itys). Procne was turned into a swallow, Philomela into a nightingale, Itys into a pheasant, and Tereus into a hoopoe, a kind of vulture, some say an owl.
Tergemina (Tergemi′na). A name of Diana, alluding to her triform divinity as goddess of heaven, earth, and hell.
Terminus (Ter′minus). The Roman god of boundaries.
Terpsichore (Terpsich′ore). One of the nine Muses; she presided over dancing.
Terra. The Earth; one of the most ancient of the Grecian goddesses.
Thalestris (Thales′tris). A queen of the Amazons.
Thalia (Thali′a). One of the nine Muses; she presided over festivals, pastoral poetry and comedy.
Thalia (Thali′a). One of the Graces. (See Charities).
Thamyris (Tham′yris). A skilful singer, who presumed to challenge the Muses to sing, upon condition that if he did not sing best they might inflict any penalty they pleased. He was, of course, defeated, and the Muses made him blind.
Theia (The′ia) or Thea. A daughter of Uranus and Terra, wife of Hyperion.
Themis (The′mis), a daughter of Coelus and Terra, and wife of Jupiter, was the Roman goddess of laws, ceremonies, and oracles.
Theseus (The′seus). One of the most famous of the Greek heroes. He was a son of Aegeus, king of Athens. He rid Attica of Procrustes and other evil-doers, slew the Minotaur, conquered the Amazons and married their Queen.
“Breasts that with sympathizing ardor glowed,
And holy friendship such as Theseus vowed.”
BUDGELL.
Thesmorphonis (Thesmorpho′nis). A name of Ceres.
Thetis (The′tis). A sea-goddess, daughter of Nereus and Doris. Her husband was Peleus, king of Thessaly, and she was the mother of the famous Achilles, whom she rendered all but invulnerable by dipping him into the River Styx. See Achilles.
Thief, see Laverna, Mercury.
Thor. The Scandinavian war-god (son of Odin), who had rule over the aerial regions, and, like Jupiter, hurled thunder against his foes.
Thor’s Belt is a girdle which doubles his strength whenever the war-god puts it on.
Thoth. The Mercury of the Egyptians.
Thread of Life, see Fates.
Thunderbolts, see Cyclops.
Thunderer, The, Jupiter. See Tonitrualis.
“O king of gods and men, whose awful hand
Disperses thunder on the seas and land,
Disposing all with absolute command.”
VIRGIL.
“The eternal Thunderer sat enthroned in gold.”
HOMER.
“So when thick clouds enwrap the mountain’s head,
O’er heaven’s expanse like one black ceiling spread;
Sudden the Thunderer, with flashing ray,
Bursts through the darkness and lets down the day.”
POPE.
Thya (Thy′a), a name of Ops.
Thyades (Thya′des). Priestesses of Bacchus, who ran wild in the hills, wearing tiger-skins and carrying torches.
Thyrsus (Thyr′sus), a kind of javelin or staff carried by Dionysus and his attendants. It was usually wreathed with ivy and topped by a pine-cone. See Bacchus.
Tides, see Narayan.
Time (or Saturn). The husband of Virtue and father of Truth.
Tisiphone (Tis-iph′one). One of the Furies, daughter of Nox and Acheron, who was the minister of divine vengeance upon mankind.
Titan (Ti′tan). Elder brother of Saturn, who made war against him, and was ultimately vanquished by Jupiter.
Titans (Ti′tans) were the supporters of Titan in his war against Saturn and Jupiter. They were the sons of Uranus and Gaea, men of gigantic stature and of great strength. Hence our English word Titanic.
Tithonus (Ti-tho′nus). The husband of Aurora. At the request of his wife the gods granted him immortality, but she forgot at the same time to ask that he should be granted perpetual youth. The consequence was that Tithonus grew old and decrepit, while Aurora remained as fresh as the morning. The gods, however, changed him into a grasshopper, which is supposed to moult as it gets old, and grows young again.
Tityus (Tit′yus). A son of Jupiter. A giant who was thrown into the innermost hell for insulting Diana. He, like Prometheus, has a vulture constantly feeding on his ever-growing liver, the liver being supposed to be the seat of the passions.
Toil, see Atlas.
Tombs, see Manes.
Tongue, see Tereus.
Tonitrualis (Tonitrua′lis), or Tonans. The Thunderer; a name of Jupiter.
Towers, see Cybele.
Tragedy, see Melpomene.
Trees, see Aristaeus.
Tribulation, see Echidna.
Triformis (Trifor′mis), see Tergemina.
Triptolemus (Triptol′emus). A son of Oceanus and Terra. He was a great favorite of the goddess Ceres, who cured him of a dangerous illness when he was young, and afterwards taught him agriculture. She gave him her chariot, which was drawn by dragons, in which he carried seed-corn to all the inhabitants of the earth, and communicated the knowledge given to him by Ceres. Cicero mentions a Triptolemus as the fourth judge of the dead.
“Triptolemus, whose useful cares intend
The common good.”
POPE.
Triterica (Triteri′ca). Bacchanalian festivals.
Tritons (Tri′tons) were sons of Triton, a son of Neptune and Amphitrite. They were the trumpeters of the sea-gods, and were depicted as a sort of mermen – the upper half of the body being like a man, and the lower half like dolphins.
Trivia (Tri′via). A surname given to Diana, because she presided over all places where three roads meet.
Trophonius (Tropho′nius). A legendary hero of architecture, and one of Jupiter’s most famous oracles.
Troy. The classic poets say that the walls of this famous city were built by the magic sound of Apollo’s lyre. See Dardanus, Helen, Hercules, Paris.
Trumpeters, see Tritons.
Truth. A daughter of Time, because Truth is discovered in the course of Time. Democritus says that Truth lies hidden at the bottom of a well.
Tutelina (Tutel′ina). A rural divinity – the goddess of granaries.
Two Faces, see Janus.
Typhoeus (Typhoe′us), see Typhon.
Typhon (Ty′phon). A monster with a hundred heads who made war against the gods, but was crushed by Jove’s thunderbolts, and imprisoned under Mount Etna.
“… Typhon huge, ending in snaky twine.”
MILTON.
Typhon (Ty′phon). In Egyptian mythology the god who tried to undo all the good work effected by Osiris. According to the Greek writer, Hesiod, Typhon or Typhoeus was a monster giant, son of Terra and Tartarus.
Uller (Ul′ler). The Scandinavian god who presided over archery and duels.
Ulysses (Ulys′ses). A noted king of Ithaca, whose exploits in connection with the Trojan war, and his adventures on his return therefrom, are the subject of Homer’s Odyssey. His wife’s name was Penelope, and he was so much endeared to her that he feigned madness to get himself excused from going to the Trojan war; but this artifice was discovered, and he was compelled to go. He was of great help to the Grecians, and forced Achilles from his retreat, and obtained the charmed arrows of Hercules from Philoctetes, and used them against the Trojans. He enabled Paris to shoot one of them at the heel of Achilles, and so kill that charmed warrior. During his wanderings on his homeward voyage he was taken prisoner by the Cyclopes and escaped, after blinding Polyphemus, their chief. At Aeolia he obtained all the winds of heaven, and put them in a bag; but his companions, thinking that the bags contained treasure which they could rob him of when they got to Ithaca, cut the bags, and let out the winds, and the ships were immediately blown back to Aeolia. After Circe had turned his companions into swine on an island where he and they were shipwrecked, he compelled the goddess to restore them to their human shape again. As he passed the islands of the Sirens he escaped their allurements by stopping the ears of his companions with wax, and fastening himself to the mast of his ship. His wife Penelope was a pattern of constancy; for, though Ulysses was reported to be dead, she would not marry any one else, and had the satisfaction of finding her husband return after an absence of about twenty years. The Greek name of Ulysses is Odysseus.
“To show what pious wisdom’s power can do,
The poet sets Ulysses in our view.”
Undine (Un′dine). A water-nymph, or sylph, who, according to fable, might receive a human soul by marrying a mortal.
Unknown God, An. With reference to this God, nothing can be more appropriate than St. Paul’s address to the Athenians, as recorded in the 17th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles:
“Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshiped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: for in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”
Unxia (Unx′ia). A name of Juno, relating to her protection of newly married people.
Urania (Ura′nia). A daughter of Jupiter and Mnemosyne – one of the Muses who presided over astronomy.
Uranus (Ura′nus), literally, heaven. Son and husband of Gaea, the Earth, and father of Chronos (Time) and the Titans. The Greek name of Coelus; his descendants are sometimes called Uranides.
Urgus (Ur′gus). A name of Pluto, signifying the Impeller.
Ursa Major (Ur′sa Ma′jor), see Calisto.
Ursa Minor (Ur′sa Mi′nor), see Arcas.
Usurers, see Jani.
Utgard Loki (Ut′gard Lo′ki). In Scandinavian mythology the king of the giants.
Valhalla (Valhal′la). The Scandinavian temple of immortality, inhabited by the souls of heroes slain in battle.
Vali (Va′li). The Scandinavian god of archery.
Valleys, see Vallonia.
Vallonia (Vallo′nia). The goddess of valleys.
Varuna (Varu′na). The Hindoo Neptune – generally represented as a white man riding on a sea-horse, carrying a club in one hand and a rope or noose to bind offenders in the other.
Vedius (Ve′dius). The same as Vejovis.
Vejovis (Vejo′vis). “Little Jupiter” – a name given to Jupiter when he appeared without his thunder.
Vejupiter (Veju′piter), see Vejovis.
Vengeance, see Nemesis.
Venus (Ve′nus). The goddess of beauty, and mother of love. She is said to have sprung from the foam of the sea, and was immediately carried to the abode of the gods on Olympus, where they were all charmed with her extreme beauty. Vulcan married her, but she permitted the attentions of others of the gods, and notably of Mars, their offspring being Hermione, Cupid, and Anteros. After this she left Olympus and fell in love with Adonis, a beautiful youth, who was killed when hunting a wild boar. Venus indirectly caused the Trojan War, for, when the goddess of discord had thrown among the goddesses the golden apple inscribed “To the fairest,” Paris adjudged the apple to Venus, and she inspired him with love for Helen, wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. Paris carried off Helen to Troy, and the Greeks pursued and besieged the city (see Helen, Paris, and Troy). Venus is mentioned by the classic poets under the names of Aphrodite, Cypria, Urania, Astarte, Paphia, Cythera, and the laughter-loving goddess. Her favorite residence was at Cyprus. Incense alone was usually offered on her altars, but if there was a victim it was a white goat. Her attendants were Cupids and the Graces.
Verticordia (Verti′cor′dia). A Roman name of Venus, signifying the power of love to change the hard-hearted. The corresponding Greek name was Epistrophia.
Vertumnus (Vertum′nus) (“the Turner,” “Changer”). God of spring, or, as some mythologists say, of the seasons; the husband of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and orchards.
Vesta (Ves′ta), daughter of Saturn and Cybele, was the goddess of the hearth and its fire. She had under her special care and protection a famous statue of Minerva, before which the Vestal Virgins kept a fire or lamp constantly burning.
Vestal Virgins (Ves′tal Vir′gins) were the priestesses of Vesta, whose chief duty was to see that the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta was not extinguished. They were always selected from the best families, and were under a solemn vow of chastity, and compelled to live perfectly pure lives.
Vialis (Via′lis). A name of Mercury, because he presided over the making of roads.
Victory (Vic′tory). A goddess, the daughter of Styx and Acheron, generally represented as flying in the air holding out a wreath of laurel. Her Greek name is Nike (Nicē). See Nicephorus.
Vidor. A Scandinavian god, who could walk on the water and in the air. The god of silence (corresponding with the classic Harpocrates).
Virtue. A goddess worshiped by most of the ancients under various names. The way to the temple of honor was through the temple of virtue.
Virtuous Women, see Juno.
Vishnu (Vish′nu). The Preserver, the principal Hindoo goddess.
Volupia (Volu′pia), see Angeronia.
Vulcan (Vul′can), the god of fire, was the son of Jupiter and Juno. He offended Jupiter, and was by him thrown out of heaven; he was nine days falling, and at last dropped into Lemnos with such violence that he broke his leg, and was lame forever after. Vulcan was married to Venus. He is supposed to have formed Pandora out of clay. His servants were the Cyclopes. He was the patron deity of blacksmiths, and as the smelter or softener of metal bears also the name of Mulciber.
“Men call him Mulciber; and how he fell
From heaven, they fabled, thrown by angry Jove,
Sheer o’er the crystal battlements.”
MILTON.
Vulcanalia (Vulcān-al′ia) were Roman festivals in honor of Vulcan, at which the victims (certain fish and animals) were thrown into the fire and burned to death.
War, see Bellona, Chemos, Mars.
Water, see Canopus.
Water-Nymphs, see Doris.
Wax Tablets, see Calliope.
Wealth, see Cuvera.
Weaving, see Ergatis.
Weeding, see Runcina.
Weights and Measures, see Mercury.
Well, see Truth.
West Wind, see Favonius.
Winds, see Aurora, Auster, Boreas, Zephyr.
Wine, see Bacchus, Suradevi.
Wisdom, see Pollear, Minerva.
Woden (Wo′den), the Anglo-Saxon form of the Scandinavian god Odin; Wednesday is called after him.
Women’s Safeguard, see Sospita.
Woodpecker, see Picus.
Woods, see Dryads.
World, see Chaos.
Xanthus (Xan′thus), the name of the wonderful horse of Achilles.
Yama (Ya′ma). The Hindoo devil, generally represented as a terrible monster of a green color, with flaming eyes.
Ygdrasil (Yg′dra′sil). The famous ash-tree of Scandinavian mythology, under which the gods held daily council.
Ymir (Y′mir). The Scandinavian god, corresponding to Chaos of the classics.
Youth (perpetual), see Tithonus.
Zephyr (Zeph′yr) or Zephyrus (Zeph′yrus). The west wind and god of flowers, a son of Astraeus and Aurora (Eos). See Favonius.
“Wanton Zephyr, come away.
. . .
The sun, and Mira’s charming eyes,
At thy return more charming grow.
With double glory they appear,
To warm and grace the infant year.”
JOHN HUGHES, 1700.
Zetes (Ze′tes), with his brother Calais, drove the Harpies from Thrace.
Zethus (Ze′thus), twin brother of Amphion. He was the son of Antiope and Zeus. See Amphion.
Zeus (Zūs). The Greek name of Jupiter, the greatest god in Grecian mythology. He was the god of the sky and its phenomena, and as such was worshiped on the highest mountains, on which he was enthroned. From Zeus come all changes in the sky or the winds; he is the gatherer of the clouds which dispense fertilizing rain; and is also the thunderer and hurler of lightning.
