Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Narcissus, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Narcissus närsĭsˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, beautiful youth who refused all offers of love, including that of Echo. As punishment for his indifference he was made to fall in love with his own i...

Autolycus, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Autolycus, in Greek mythology, the son of Hermes, from whom he received special powers in thieving and trickery. According to one legend Autolycus stole from Sisyphus, who revenged himself by seducing...

Nestor, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Nestor nĕsˈtər [key], in Greek mythology, wise king of Pylos; son of Neleus and father of Antilochus. In the Iliad, Nestor went with the Greeks to the Trojan War, and although he had lived three ge...

Achelous, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Achelous ăkˌəlōˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, river god; son of Oceanus and Tethys. He possessed the power to appear as a bull, a serpent, or a bullheaded man. Hercules defeated him and broke of...

Paris, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Paris or Alexander, in Greek mythology, son of Priam and Hecuba and brother of Hector. Because it was prophesied that he would cause the destruction of Troy, Paris was abandoned on Mt. Ida, but there ...

Palladium, in Greek religion

(Encyclopedia)Palladium pəlāˈdēəm [key], in Greek religion, sacred image kept in the temple of Athena at Troy. It was either an image of Athena or an image made by Athena of her unfortunate playmate Pallas (se...

Pandora, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Pandora păndôrˈə [key], in Greek mythology, first woman on earth. Zeus ordered Hephaestus to create her as vengeance upon man and his benefactor, Prometheus. The gods endowed her with every charm,...

nymph, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)nymph nĭmf [key], in Greek mythology, female divinity associated with various natural objects. It is uncertain whether they were immortal or merely long-lived. There was an infinite variety of nymphs...

Pegasus, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Pegasus, in Greek mythology, winged horse that carries the thunderbolt of Zeus. He sprang full-grown from the neck of the dying Gorgon Medusa. With a slash of his hoof, he created the Hippocrene, a sa...

Browse by Subject