A chil' les—also called Pelides, the hero of the "Iliad." He was the son of Peleus (king of Phthia in Thessaly) and the sea-nymph, Thetis.

Æ ge' an—a sea east of Greece.

Æ' o lus—the keeper of the winds, and king of Lipara, one of the Æolian isles north of Sicily.

Ag a mem' non—leader of all the Greek chiefs in the Trojan war.

A' jax, or Aias—king of Salamis and cousin of Achilles. He was the son of Telamon and was called Ajax the Greater.

Al ex [)a]n' dr[)o]s—Paris, son of Priam.

Al kin' [)o] Ös—king of Scheria, father of NausicaÄ. He gave aid to Odysseus when he was stranded on the island.

An tin' o Ös—the boldest of the suitors.

Aph ro d[=i]' te—Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. The island of Kythera (Cythera), south of Greece, was the seat of her worship.

A p[)o]l' lo—the Sun-god, brother of Artemis and son of Zeus and Leto. The island of Delos was his mythical birthplace and his principal oracle was at Delphi.

Ar ca' di a, or Arkadia—the central district of the Peloponnesus.

A re' tÈ (Ä r[=a]' t[=a])—wife of AlkinoÖs and queen of Scheria.

Ar e th[=u]' sa—a spring "where the swine of Eumaios ate 'abundance of acorns and drank the black water.'" (See Baedeker's Greece—Ithaca.) Arethusa was also the name of a water-nymph inhabiting the spring.

Ar' gus, or Argos—the most celebrated dog known to fame. He belonged to Odysseus.

Ar' te mis, or Diana—goddess of the moon and sister to Apollo. She was called the hunter-goddess and the protector of animals.

As' ph[=o] del—a flower sacred to Persephone. The souls of the departed were supposed to wander in meadows adorned with these beautiful flowers.

A th[=e]' n[=e], or Athena; Latin, Minerva—the patron deity of Athens. The city was named for her. Ruskin calls her the "Queen of the Air," and explains her real significance as being the inspiration of the soul, which corresponds to the physical vigor and life received by inhaling the pure air. She is always called the "Goddess of Wisdom."

A' treus (a' tr[=u]se)—son of Pelops and father of Agamemnon.

Au' lis—a bay and town on the coast of Greece, about thirty miles north of Athens. "The scanty ruins of Aulis lie on the rugged ridge of rock which stretches into the sea between the two bays. The little town never attained any importance, for its site was unfavorable for the development of a community; but the two sheltered bays were excellently adapted to be the rendezvous of a fleet." (See Baedeker's Greece—Aulis.)

Cad' mus, or Kadmos—the founder of Thebes in Boeotia. According to tradition, he came from Phoenicia and brought the alphabet to the Greeks and the knowledge of working in metals.

Cal' chas, or Kalchas—a soothsayer. He offended Agamemnon by declaring that the Greeks suffered from the wrath of the gods through his offences.

Ca lyp' so—the goddess of Silence, daughter of Oceanos and Tethys, and queen of Ogygia. She tried by every art to detain Odysseus on his way home from Troy.

Cas san' dra—a daughter of Priam, and a prophetess, taken captive in the Trojan war and awarded to Agamemnon.

Cha ryb' dis—a whirlpool off the coast of Sicily, a little to the north of Messina.

Cir' cÈ, or Kirk[=e]—the daughter of H[=e]lios, the Sun. She was an enchantress who lived on the island ÆÆa. She infused into the vine the intoxicating quality found in the juice of the grape. "The grave of Circe used to be pointed out on the island of St. George, close to Salamis." (See Baedeker's Greece—Salamis.)

Cy' clops, or Kyklops, also called Polyphemus—a monstrous one-eyed giant. He was the son of Poseidon. It was due to his prayer for revenge that Odysseus was kept so long wandering on the sea.

Cy the' ra, or Kythera—a rocky island lying south of Greece. It was the seat of the worship of Aphrodite.

D[=e]' los—an island about sixty miles southeast of Athens. It is the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.

D[=e] mod' o kos—a bard at the court of AlkinoÖs.

E' lis—a district and a city in the northwestern part of the Peloponnesus. Like Sparta, the city had no walls. It was protected by the sacred peace of Olympia.

The plain or precinct of Olympia is situated in the district of Elis. Pyrgos is the nearest railroad station. "Olympia owed its high importance throughout the entire Grecian world to the famous Olympic games in honor of Zeus, which took place periodically for centuries. Excavations there have brought to light many magnificent pieces of sculpture, among them the Hermes of Praxiteles."

El p[=e]' nor—one of the comrades of Odysseus. He fell from the roof of CircÈ's palace and was killed.

E lys' ian—pertaining to Elysium, the abode of dead heroes and other happy spirits.

Eu mai' os, or EumÆus—the swineherd of Odysseus.

Eu r[=o]' tas—a river of southern Greece.

Eu ry' a los—a son of AlkinoÖs.

Eu ry clei' a ([=u] ry cl[=i]' Ä)—the nurse of Odysseus and Telemachos.

Eu ry' l[)o] chos, or Eurylochus—one of the companions of Odysseus.

Eu ry' ma chos, or Eurymachus—one of the suitors of Penelope.

Gor' gon—a monster of fearful aspect, a daughter of Phorkys and Ceto. Her hair was entwined with serpents, her hands were of brass, her body covered with scales, and anyone gazing upon her was turned into stone.

Hel' en, or Helen[=e]—a daughter of Tyndareus and Leda. She was the wife of Menelaos and was always called "the most beautiful woman in the world."

Hel' las—Greece, the land of the Hellenes.

H[=e]' li os—the god of the Sun.

He phais' tos, or HephÆstus—Vulcan. He was the blacksmith god, the god of fire, and a worker in metals.

H[=e]' ra, H[=e]r[=e]—Juno, the wife of Zeus. She was worshipped as the queen of heaven and was regarded as a model of womanly virtue. Argos was the chief centre of the worship of Hera.

H[=e]r' a kles, or Hercules—a celebrated hero whose deeds are connected with many localities. There is a cave near Nemea where he is said to have slain a lion, not far from Stymphalos, where he put the Harpies to flight, and Erymanthos, the scene of the killing of the Erymanthian boar. There are traditions of his heroism connected with Thessaly (Thebes) and Locris, also.

Her' bart—a German philosopher and pedagogian.

Her' m[=e]s, or Mercury—the messenger of the gods, also their herald.

Her mi' [)o] ne—the daughter of Menelaos and Helen.

Ho' mer—the greatest of the Greek poets and author of the "Iliad" and "Odyssey."

I' da—a mountain of Asia Minor, east of Troy.

Il' i ad—an epic poem, probably the greatest ever written, devoted to the deeds of Achilles, and taken by the best scholars of modern times as an interpretation of Greek life, Greek thought, and the Greek religion.

I' no, or Leucothea—a daughter of Cadmus, a sea-nymph who helped Odysseus by giving him an enchanted veil.

Iph i gen ei' a—the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. "Ulrichs has discovered the site of the famous Temple of Artemis or Diana, where Agamemnon was on the point of sacrificing his daughter Iphigeneia, before the departure of the Greek fleet for Troy." (See Baedeker's Greece—Aulis.) To appreciate the character of this famous woman one must read the "Iphigeneia in Aulis" of Euripides and the "Iphigeneia in Tauris" of Goethe.

Ith' a ca, or Ithaka, Greek IthÁk[=e]—rocky island with an area of 37½ square miles and 12,500 inhabitants. "The world-wide fame of this little island is of course due to the Homeric epic of the Odyssey, in which the misfortunes and wiles, the wanderings, and home-coming of Ulysses (Odysseus), King of Ithaca, have been handed down to posterity in undying verse. Even if the person of the hero be relegated to the realm of myths, it is indisputable that the descriptions of the poem rest upon a more or less exact local knowledge; and this is evident not only in the account of the situation and general character of the island but also in numerous small details.... The island became almost entirely depopulated in the middle ages, in consequence of the raids of pirates and the Turkish wars, and did not begin to recover until the Venetian epoch. But similar conditions of life make the modern islanders resemble the ancient. To this day the Ithacans are distinguished by their bold seamanship, their love of home, and their hospitality." (See Baedeker's Greece—Ithaca.)

Ja' son, or Iason—the hero who undertook the expedition in search of the Golden Fleece.

Ktes ip' pos, or Ctesippus—one of the suitors of Penelope.

Lak e dai' mon, or LacedÆmon—a district in southeastern Greece. Sparta was its capital.

La Ër' tes—the father of Odysseus.

La o' da mÀs—a son of AlkinoÖs.

La o' co Ön, or LaokoÖn—a young priest of Apollo. He warned the Trojans not to accept the wooden horse left by the Greeks and was destroyed by a serpent.

Lo' tus—the Egyptian water-lily, also a tree. The lotus-eaters ate of the fruit of the lotus-tree and forgot their homes and friends.

Me l[)a]n' thi os—a servant of Odysseus, a goatherd who sympathized with the suitors and served them.

Men e l[=a]' os, or Menelaus—a son of Atreus and brother of Agamemnon. Menelaos was the king of Sparta and husband of Helen.

Men' tor—the wise counsellor of Telemachos.

Mil t[=i]' Ä des—the hero of the battle of Marathon, fought 490 B.C. In this battle the Greeks, numbering 10,000 men, conquered ten times as many Persians.

Mi' nos—a son of Zeus and ruler over Crete.

Mo' ly—a fabulous plant having magic properties. It had a white blossom and a black root.

My c[=e]' nÆ, or Myk[=e]nai—an ancient city of Argolis, in the northeastern Peloponnesus. "Dr. Henry Schliemann, in 1876, made rich discoveries there, weapons, ornaments, vessels of gold, silver and clay," skeletons "surrounded by bands of gold, golden shovels engraved with battle-scenes," etc. (See Baedeker's Greece—MycenÆ and Athens.)

Myr' m[)i] d[)o]ns—a warlike people of Thrace, ruled by Achilles and taken by him to the Trojan war as followers.

Nau sic' a Ä—the daughter of AlkinoÖs.

N[=e] [)o]p t[)o]l' [)e] m[)o]s—the son of Achilles.

N[)e]s' tor—the leader of the warriors of Pylos, in southwestern Greece.

O ke' a nos, or Oceanus—the god of the river Oceanus, and son of Heaven and Earth.

Od ys' seus (s[=u]se), or Ulysses—the son of Laertes and Anticleia and the hero of Homer's Odyssey. Being summoned to the Trojan war, he feigned madness, and harnessed a mule and a cow to a plough and began ploughing the sea-shore. Palamedes, to test his madness, placed his infant son, Telemachos, in front of the plough, and Odysseus quickly turned it aside. He became famous for his bravery and craft in the war. He is looked upon by critics as the most perfect type of adult Greek ideals.

O lymp' os, or Olympus—a mountain in Thrace. The home of the gods.

O r[)e]s' t[=e]s—the son of Agamemnon.

Par' is, or Alexandros—a son of Priam. At his birth there was a prophecy that he would be the ruin of his country; hence he was cast out upon Mount Ida, where he was found and rescued by a shepherd. (See Introduction.)

Par nas' sos—a mountain near the north coast of the Corinthian Gulf. It is 8,070 feet high and commands a view of Mount Olympos to the north, Euboea on the east, the islands of the Archipelago, the Peloponnesus, and even Mount Korax.

Pat' r[)o] klos, or Patroclus—the intimate friend of Achilles. His death at the hands of the Trojans provoked Achilles to action.

Pei sis' tra tos—a son of Nestor.

P[=e]' leus—the father of Achilles.

Pel op on n[=e]s' us—the peninsula of lower Greece.

Pe nel' o pe—the wife of Odysseus. The greatest heroine of ancient romance.

P[)e]r s[)e]ph' [=o] ne, or Proserpine—daughter of Demeter (Ceres). "She was the goddess of Spring and was allowed to spend two-thirds of the year with her mother, while the remaining time she dwelt with her husband, Hades, in his underground abode." Eleusis, twelve miles west of Athens, was the centre of the worship of Demeter and Persephone. (See Baedeker's Greece—Eleusis.)

Phai a' ki ans, or PhÆacians—the people of the island of Scheria, over whom AlkinoÖs ruled.

Ph[=e]' mi os—a bard at the court of Odysseus.

Phor' kys—the harbor where the PhÆacians landed Odysseus on his return to Ithaca. "The Bay of Vathy," says Baedeker, "disputes with the Bay of DexiÁ the honor of being the Harbour of Phorkys."

Plu' to, or Hades—a son of Rhea and Kronos and brother of Zeus and Poseidon. Pluto was the ruler of the lower world.

Po sei' don, or Neptune—brother of Zeus and Hades. Poseidon was the ruler of the seas and was the first to train and employ horses.

Pol y phe' mus, or Polyphemos or Cyclops—the son of Poseidon. He was one of the Cyclops or Kyklops who were said to live in the heart of burning mountains, particularly in Mount Ætna.

Pri' am, or Priamos—king of Troy and father of Paris.

Pro' teus—an ocean deity who lived at the bottom of the sea. He took care of Poseidon's sea-calves and was famous for his evasiveness.

Py' los—a town (and bay) in the southwestern part of lower Greece. It was the centre of Nestor's kingdom.

Sa' mos—"at present a little village on the island of Cephalonia, the starting-point of the boats to Ithaca. In Homer, the island of Cephalonia, or its east part, is called Sam[=e]; and in the latter part of the Odyssey, Samos appears as belonging to the kingdom of Ithaca." (Baedeker.) Samos, a large island near Asia Minor, is not related to the Samos of the Odyssey.

Ska man' dros, or Scamander—a river of the Troad or plains of Troy.

Scher' i a—an island northwest of Greece. "The ancients identified CorfÙ with the PhÆacian island of Scheria, mentioned in the 'Odyssey,' as ruled over by AlkinoÖs." (Baedeker.)

Skyl' la—a rock in southwestern Italy. It was supposed to be the abode of a monster with many heads and hands.

Sky' ros—a large island east of Greece.

Sim' o is—a river in the Troad, and a branch of the Scamander.

Si' rens—daughters of AchelÖos and a Muse, or, according to another account, daughters of Phorkys. They failed to care for Persephone when Pluto seized her to carry her off, and Demeter took revenge by transforming them into monsters half woman and half bird.

Sis' y phos—a hero who secured a fountain to the citadel of Corinth by betraying Zeus. Sisyphos was punished by being obliged to roll stones up-hill in Hades.

Spar' ta—a town in the southern part of the Peloponnesus, on the Eurotas. It was the chief city of LacedÆmon and the home of Menelaos and Helen. It had no walls, but its acropolis was covered with temples. Ancient Sparta was noted for the bravery of its people. At present Sparta has about 3,600 inhabitants. There are few relics of its ancient greatness.

Styx—a stream of water in central lower Greece. "The thread of water descends from a huge cliff against a background of dark moss, which has earned for the brook the name of 'Black Water.' At the bottom of the cliff the water loses itself in a chaos of rocks. The ancients saw in the icy coldness of the water and in the barren tract around an image of the underworld." (See Baedeker's Greece.) To swear by the Styx was to take "the great oath of the gods."

Tan' ta los—a king of Phrygia punished by the gods for treachery and for cruelty to his son. He was doomed to suffer from hunger and thirst while standing close to food and water which he could not reach.

T[=e] l[)e]' ma chos—the son of Odysseus and Penelope.

Ten' e dos—an island in the neighborhood of Troy or Ilium.

Them is' to kles—a great statesman of Athens, and a leader of the Greeks in the Persian war when the Greeks won the battle of Salamis.

The' seus (Th[=e]' s[=u]se)—a son of Ægeus and Æthra. Like his counterpart Herakles, Theseus performed wonderful deeds, and finally became ruler of Athens.

Thes' sa ly—a large province of northern Greece.

Th[)e]' tis—a sea-nymph, the mother of Achilles.

Ti res' ias, or Teiresias—a Theban seer. He retained his consciousness after death, and Odysseus descended into Hades to consult with him before he could reach Ithaca.

Troy, Ilios, or Ilium—a city of Asia Minor and the scene of the Trojan war. Dr. Schliemann has identified the city with Hissarlik, and in his excavations there found many evidences of the war, such as spears, helmets, etc.

Zeus, or Jupiter—a son of Kronos and Rhea. His abode was supposed to be on Mount Olympos, in Thessaly. He was considered the highest of the gods, ruler of the heavens and the earth.

Za' kyn thos, or Zante—an island near CorfÙ.

[Transcriber's note: The publishers of this book used an unusual convention in which only a single pair of quotation marks surround a quote, even when the quote extends over multiple paragraphs or multiple chapters. This transcription has conventional usage of quotation marks.]