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Things Not Generally Known: Neptune

Amphitrite. A daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, who angered Neptune. She is sometimes called Salatia. She was mother of Triton, a sea deity. Andromeda. A daughter of Cepheus, king of Æthiopia and Cassiope. She was promised in marriage to Phineus, when Neptune drowned the kingdom and sent a sea-monster to ravage the country, because Cassiope had boasted that she was fairer than Juno and the Nereides. The oracle of Jupiter Ammon was consulted but nothing could stop the resentment of Neptune except the exposure of Andromeda to the sea monster. She was accordingly tied to a rock, but at the moment the monster was about to devour her, Perseus, returning from the conquest of the Gorgons, saw her, and was captivated with her beauty. He changed the monster into a rock by showing Medusa's head, released Andromeda and married her. Antiope, daughter of Nyceteus, king of Thebes, and Polyxo, was beloved by Jupiter. Amphion and Tethus were her offspring.

Aphrodite. The Grecian name for Venus, because Venus is said to have been born from the froth of the ocean.

Apis. A god of the Egyptians, worshipped under the form of an ox. Some say that Isis and Osiris are the deities worshipped under this name, because they taught the Egyptians agriculture.

Apollo, son of Jupiter and Latona; called also Phœbus. He was the god of the fine arts, and the reputed originator of music, poetry, and eloquence. He had received from Jupiter the power of knowing futurity, and his oracles were in repute everywhere. Arethusa, a nymph of Elis, daughter of Oceanus, and one of Diana's attendants.

As she returned one day from hunting she bathed in the Alpheus stream. The god of the river was enamored of her, and pursued her over the mountains, till

Arethusa, ready to sink from fatigue, implored Diana to change her into a fountain, which the goddess did. Argus. A son of Arestor, whence he is sometimes called Arestorides. He had a hundred eyes, of which only two were asleep at one time. Juno set him to watch Io, whom Jupiter had changed into a heifer, but Mercury, by order of

Jupiter, slew him, by lulling all his eyes to sleep with the notes of the lyre. Juno put the eyes of Argus in the tail of the peacock, a bird sacred to her. Ariadne, daughter of Minos, second king of Crete, and Pasiphæ, fell in love with

Theseus, who was shut up in the labyrinth to be devoured by the Minotaur. She gave Theseus a clue of thread, by which he extricated himself from the windings of the labyrinth. After he had conquered the Minotaur, he married her, but after a time forsook her. On this, according to some authorities, she hanged herself. Astræa, daughter of Jupiter and Themis. She was the goddess of justice, and is always represented holding a pair of scales in one hand and a sword in the other.

Ate, daughter of Jupiter and the goddess of all evil. She raised such discord among the gods that Jupiter banished her from heaven, and sent her to dwell on earth, where she incited mankind to evil thoughts and actions. Bacchus was the son of Jupiter and Semele, the daughter of Cadmus. He was the god of wine, and is generally represented crowned with vine leaves. Boreas. The name of the north wind blowing from the Hyperborean mountains. According to the poets, he was son of Astræus and Aurora. He was passionately fond of Hyacinthus. Briareus. A famous giant, son of Cœlus and Terra. He had a hundred hands and fifty heads and was called by men by the name of Ægeon. Cacus, a famous robber, son of Vulcan and Medusa, represented as a three-headed monster vomiting flames. He resided in Italy, and the avenues of his cave were covered with human bones.