Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Triton , in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Triton, in Greek mythology, son of Poseidon. He was a creature of the sea, the upper half of his body being human, the lower fishlike. Later legends speak of many Tritons, sometimes described as ridin...

Aegina, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Aegina ējīˈnə [key], in Greek mythology, river nymph, daughter of the river god Asopus. She was abducted by Zeus to the island Oenone, where she bore him a son, Aeacus. Aeacus later renamed the is...

Aeneas, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Aeneas ĭnēˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, a Trojan, son of Anchises and Aphrodite. After the fall of Troy he escaped, bearing his aged father on his back. He stayed at Carthage with Queen Dido, the...

Python, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Python, in Greek mythology, a huge serpent. In some myths the infant Apollo slew Python at the oracle of Gaea in Delphi; in others Apollo killed the serpent in order to claim the oracle for himself. T...

Adonis, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Adonis ədōˈnĭs, ədŏnˈĭs [key], in Greek mythology, beautiful youth beloved by Aphrodite and Persephone. He was born of the incestuous union of Myrrha (or Smyrna) and Cinyras, king of Cyprus. A...

Siren, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Siren sīˈrən [key], in Greek mythology, one of three sea nymphs, usually represented with the head of a woman and the body of a bird. Daughters of Phorcus or of Achelous, the Sirens inhabited an is...

Prometheus, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Prometheus prōmēˈthēəs [key], in Greek mythology, great benefactor of mankind. He was the son of the Titan Iapetus and of Clymene or Themis. Because he foresaw the defeat of the Titans by the Oly...

Proteus, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Proteus prōˈtēəs, –tyo͞os [key], in Greek mythology, prophetic old man of the sea who tended the seals of Poseidon. He could change himself into any shape he pleased, but if he were nevertheles...

Perseus, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Perseus pûrˈsēəs, –so͝os [key], in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Danaë. His grandfather, Acrisius, had been warned by an oracle that his grandson would kill him and therefore put Perseus an...

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...