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Typhon

(Encyclopedia)Typhon tīfēˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, fierce and monstrous son of Gaea. He was the father of Echidna—a monster half woman and half dragon—and of Cerberus, Hydra, the Sphinx, and the Chimer...

Helenus

(Encyclopedia)Helenus hĕlˈənəs [key], in Greek mythology, Trojan who was gifted with prophetic powers; son of Priam and Hecuba. When Helen was given to Deiphobus after the death of Paris, Helenus in anger betra...

Polyphemus

(Encyclopedia)Polyphemus pŏlĭfēˈməs [key], in Greek mythology, a Cyclops. He was a shepherd and the son of Poseidon. In the Odyssey, Polyphemus imprisoned Odysseus and his men in his cave. They gave him wine a...

Euclid, Greek mathematician

(Encyclopedia)Euclid yo͞oˈklĭd [key], fl. 300 b.c., Greek mathematician. Little is known of his life other than the fact that he taught at Alexandria, being associated with the school that grew up there in the l...

Hercules, Greek hero

(Encyclopedia)Hercules both: hĕrˈəklēzˌ [key], most popular of all Greek heroes, famous for extraordinary strength and courage. Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon, made love to both Zeus and her husband on the same n...

Hipparchus, Greek astronomer

(Encyclopedia)Hipparchus, fl. 2d cent. b.c., Greek astronomer, b. Nicaea, Bithynia. He is the first systematic astronomer of whom there are records. He made his observations chiefly on the island of Rhodes. Ptolemy...

Antenor, Greek sculptor

(Encyclopedia)Antenor ăntēˈnôr [key], fl. last half of 6th cent. b.c., Greek sculptor who executed the bronze statues of the tyrannicides Harmodius and Aristogiton. In 480 b.c., Xerxes carried these statues awa...

Greek literature, ancient

(Encyclopedia)Greek literature, ancient, the writings of the ancient Greeks. The Greek Isles are recognized as the birthplace of Western intellectual life. The next period of Greek literature reached its zenith i...

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