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Stymphalian birds

(Encyclopedia)Stymphalian birds stĭmfāˈlēən [key], in Greek mythology, dangerous man-eating birds that infested the woods around Lake Stymphalus in Arcadia. As his fifth labor, Hercules frightened the birds in...

ambrosia

(Encyclopedia)ambrosia ămbrōˈzhə [key], in Greek mythology, food and drink with which the Olympian gods preserved their immortality. Extraordinarily fragrant, ambrosia was probably conceived of as a purified an...

Hylas

(Encyclopedia)Hylas hīˈləs [key], in Greek mythology, beautiful youth. He was a favorite companion of Hercules. While on the expedition of the Argonauts, Hylas was dragged into a spring by water nymphs enchanted...

Geryon

(Encyclopedia)Geryon jĕrˈēən, jərĭˈən [key], in Greek mythology, three-bodied monster who, with his dog Orthrus, watched over a great herd of cattle. He and Orthrus were killed by Hercules when, as his 10th...

Morpheus

(Encyclopedia)Morpheus môrˈfēəs [key], in Greek and Roman mythology, god of dreams. The son of Hypnos (or Somnus), the god of sleep, he brought dreams of human forms. His brothers Phobetor and Phantasos induced...

Astyanax

(Encyclopedia)Astyanax əstīˈənăks [key], in Greek mythology, son of Hector and Andromache. When the Greeks captured Troy, they killed him out of fear that he would avenge his father and his city. He was also k...

Asteria

(Encyclopedia)Asteria ăstērˈēə [key], in Greek mythology, daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, mother of Hecate by Perses. To escape Zeus' amorous advances, she turned into a quail, jumped into the sea, an...

Cerberus

(Encyclopedia)Cerberus sûrˈbərəs [key], in Greek mythology, many-headed dog with a mane and a tail of snakes; offspring of Typhon and Echidna. He guarded the entrance of Hades. One of the 12 labors of Hercules ...

Cecrops

(Encyclopedia)Cecrops sēˈkrŏps [key], in Greek mythology, founder and first king of Athens. A primeval being, he was half man and half serpent. As a maker of laws, he abolished human sacrifice, established monog...

Antaeus

(Encyclopedia)Antaeus ăntēˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, giant; son of Poseidon and Gaea, the goddess of the earth. He became stronger whenever he touched the earth, his mother. He killed everyone with whom he ...