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Phaeacia

(Encyclopedia)Phaeacia fēāˈshə [key], in Greek mythology, island of Scheria (location unknown). It was inhabited by a seafaring people who were hospitable to sailors and fond of joyous, luxurious living. When O...

Salmoneus

(Encyclopedia)Salmoneus sălmōˈnēəs [key], in Greek mythology, king of Elis; son of Aeolus. Pretending to be Zeus, he demanded sacrifices, threw torches to imitate lightning, and made noises like thunder with h...

Hecate

(Encyclopedia)Hecate hĕkˈətē, hĕkˈĭt [key], in Greek religion and mythology, goddess of ghosts and witchcraft. Originally she seems to have been an extremely powerful and benevolent goddess, identified with ...

Hermaphroditus

(Encyclopedia)Hermaphroditus hərmăfrədīˈtəs [key], in Greek mythology, beautiful son of Hermes and Aphrodite. He scorned the nymph Salmacis, who prayed that they might never be separated. When Hermaphroditus ...

Polyxena

(Encyclopedia)Polyxena pōlĭkˈsĭnə [key], in Greek mythology, daughter of Priam and Hecuba. After the death of Achilles, she was claimed by his ghost and was sacrificed at his tomb. According to later legends A...

Endymion

(Encyclopedia)Endymion ĕndĭmˈēən [key], in Greek mythology, young shepherd, loved by Selene (the moon). In one version of his legend, he asked Zeus for immortality and perpetual youth. Zeus consented on the co...

Hesperides

(Encyclopedia)Hesperides hĕspĕrˈĭdēz [key], in Greek mythology, daughters of Atlas. They lived in a fabulous garden located at the western extremity of the world. There they guarded (with the aid of the dragon...

Trophonius

(Encyclopedia)Trophonius trəfōˈnēəs [key], in Greek mythology, famous architect. He and his brother Agamedes built the temple of Apollo at Delphi and the treasury of King Hyrieus. According to one legend, Trop...

Seferis, George

(Encyclopedia)Seferis, George sĕfĕrˈēs [key] (Giorgos Sefiriades), 1900–1971, Greek poet. Educated at the Univ. of Paris, he returned to Greece, where he had a distinguished career as a diplomat, including se...

Clytemnestra

(Encyclopedia)Clytemnestra klīˌtəmnĕsˈtrə [key], in Greek mythology, the daughter of Leda and Tyndareus. Homer described her as the noble-minded wife of Agamemnon, persuaded to infidelity by the tyrant Aegist...