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Echidna
A monster, half woman and half serpent, who became by Typhon the mother of the Chimaera, of the many-headed dog Orthus, of the…
Echo
A daughter of the Air and Tellus, who was one of Juno's attendants. She was deprived of speech by Juno, but was allowed to reply to…
Egeria
A nymph of Aricia in Italy, where Diana was particularly worshipped. Egeria was courted by Numa, and, according to Ovid, became his wife…
Electra
A daughter of Agamemnon, king of Argos. She incited her brother Orestes to revenge his father's death by assassinating his mother…
Eleusinia
A great festival observed by the Lacedaemonians, Cretans, and others every fourth year, and by the people of Athens every fifth year, at…
Empedocles
A philosopher, poet, and historian of Agrigentum in Sicily, who lived 444 B. C. He was a Pythagorean, and warmly espoused the belief in the…
Enceladus
Son of Tartarus and Ge (Earth), and one of the hundred-armed giants who made war upon the gods. He was killed by Zeus (Jupiter), who buried…
Endymion
A shepherd, son of Athlius and Calyce. He is said to have required of Jupiter that he might be always young. Diana saw him as he slept on…
Ennius
An ancient poet, born in Calabria. He obtained the privileges of a Roman citizen on account of his learning and genius. Only fragments of…
Epaminondas
A famous Theban descended from the ancient kings of Boeotia. At the head of the Theban armies he defeated the Spartans at the celebrated…
Epaphus
Son of Zeus (Jupiter) and Io, born on the river Nile, after the long wanderings of his mother. He became king of Egypt, and built Memphis.
Epicharmus
The chief comic poet among the Dorians, born in the island of Cos, about B. C. 540. Epicharmus gave to comedy a new form, and introduced a…
Epicurus
A celebrated philosopher, born in Attica of obscure parents. He distinguished himself at school by the brilliancy of his genius. He taught…
Epimenides
A celebrated poet and prophet of Crete, whose history is largely mythical. He is said to have fallen asleep one day, when wearied from a…
Erato
One of the Muses. She presided over lyric poetry, and is represented as crowned with roses and myrtle, and holding a lyre in her hand.
Eridanus
A river god, on the banks of whose river amber was found. In later times the Eridanus was supposed to be the same as the Padus (Po)…
Erinna
A Lesbian poetess, a contemporary and friend of Sappho (about B. C. 612), who died at the age of nineteen, but left behind her poems which…
Erymanthus
A lofty mountain in Arcadia on the frontiers of Achaia and Elis, celebrated in mythology as the haunt of the savage Erymanthian boar…
Erythraeum Mare
The name originally of the whole expanse of sea between Arabia and Africa on the west, and India on the east, including its two great gulfs…
Eteocles
A king of Thebes, son of Oedipus and Jocasta. After his father's death it was agreed between him and his brother Polynices that they should…
Etesiae
The Etesian Winds, derived from the Greek word meaning "year," signified any periodical winds, but more particularly the northerly winds…
Euclides
A famous mathematician of Alexandria, who lived B. c. 300. He wrote fifteen II2 books on the elements of mathematies. Euclid was so much…
Eumenes
A Greek officer in the army of Alexander. He was the most worthy of all Alexander's generals to succeed him after his death. He conquered…
Eumenides
A name given to the Furies. They sprang from the drops of blood which flowed from a wound which Coelus received from Saturn. According to…
Eetion – Euphrates
King of the Placian Thebe, in Cilicia, and father of Andromache, the wife of Hector. The Elysian Fields, a place in the infernal regions…
Eupolis
One of the most celebrated Athenian poets of the old comedy, and a contemporary of Aristophanes, was born about B. c. 446, and died about…
Euripides
A celebrated tragic poet born at Salamis. He studied eloquence under Prodicus, ethics under Socrates, and philosophy under Anaxagoras. He…
Europa
A daughter of Agenor, king of Phoenicia, and Telaphassa. Her beauty attracted Jupiter, and to become possessed of her he assumed the shape…
Eurybatus
An Ephesian, whom Croesus sent with a large sum of money to the Peloponnesus to hire mercenaries for him in his war with Cyrus. He…
Eurydice (Wife of the poet Orpheus)
The wife of the poet Orpheus. As she fled from Aristaeus, who was enamored of her, she was bit by a serpent, and died of the wound. Orpheus…
Eurydice (Wife of Amyntas king)
Wife of Amyntas, king of Macedonia. Alexander, Perdiccas, and Philip were their sons, and they had a daughter named Euryone. Eurydice…
Eurysthenes
A son of Aristodemus, who lived in perpetual dissension with his twin brother Procles while they both sat on the Spartan throne. The…
Eurystheus
A king of Argos and Mycenae, son of Sthenelus and Nicippe. Juno hastened his birth by two months that he might come into the world before…
Eusebius
A bishop of Caesarea, in favor with the Emperor Constantine. He was mixed up in the theological disputes of Arius and Atha- IOOO CLASSICAL…
Eutropius
A Latin historian in the age of Julian. He wrote an epitome of the history of Rome from the age of Romulus to the reign of the emperor…
Evander
Son of Hermes, is said to have led a colony, about sixty years before the Trojan war, from Creadia into Italy, and there to have built a…
Eurus, Eurylochus & Euterpe
The southeast wind, sometimes the east wind. A companion of Ulysses, who was the only one that escaped from the house of Circe when his…