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Theia

(Encyclopedia)Theia thēˈə [key]: see Hyperion and Titan. ...

Ragnarok

(Encyclopedia)Ragnarok rägˈnərŏkˌ [key], in Norse mythology, the doom of the gods. According to prophecy the end of the world would follow a severe ice age, in which human civilization would be destroyed. Then...

Ophion

(Encyclopedia)Ophion ōfīˈən [key], in Greek mythology, a huge serpent. An orphic god who ruled the world with his mother, Eurynome, before the reign of Kronos. When he became unruly, Eurynome banished him to th...

Chiron

(Encyclopedia)Chiron kīˈrŏn [key], in Greek mythology, centaur, son of Kronos. He was a renowned sage, physician, and prophet. Among his pupils were Hercules, Achilles, Jason, and Asclepius. When Hercules accide...

Procrustes

(Encyclopedia)Procrustes prōkrŭsˈtēz [key], in Greek mythology, cruel highwayman. He forced passersby to lie on a very long bed and then stretched them to fit it. Some said that he also had a very short bed; to...

Arachne

(Encyclopedia)Arachne ərăkˈnē [key], in Greek mythology, a Lydian woman who challenged Athena to a trial of skill in weaving. When Arachne won, the goddess forced Arachne to hang herself. Athena then turned Ara...

Acontius

(Encyclopedia)Acontius əkŏnˈshəs [key], in Greek mythology, young man who loved Cydippe. He met her at a festival of Artemis and threw before her an apple inscribed, “I swear by the temple of Artemis to marry...

Hecatoncheires

(Encyclopedia)Hecatoncheires: see Gaea; Titan. ...

Styx

(Encyclopedia)Styx stĭks [key], in Greek mythology, river of Hades that the souls of the dead had to cross on their journey from the realm of the living. It was a sacred river, and by its name even the gods took t...

Smith, Sir William

(Encyclopedia)Smith, Sir William, 1813–93, English editor and lexicographer. He was editor of the Quarterly Review from 1867 until his death and also edited reference works esteemed for their accuracy and compreh...