Euphrates
u-fra'tez, the historic river of Mesopotamia. It rises in the Armenian Mountains, receives the waters of Lake Van, makes a wide circuit to the westward, breaks through the mountain chain of Taurus, and meanders southward to a junction with the Tigris,--a twin river borne on the eastern side of the same mountains. The lower portion of the valley is naturally one of the most fertile sections in the world. During the winter months there is little water, but in the late spring and early summer an immense amount of water from the melting snows comes down, causing the river to overflow. As its snows lie on northern and western slopes they melt late in the season and the floods of the Euphrates are a month later than those of the Tigris. The geographical conditions are very similar to those of lower Egypt; in fact, Mesopotamia, or the country between the Tigris and Euphrates, has been called the Egypt of Asia; and Babylonia is said to be "the gift of the Euphrates and the Tigris." An immense amount of silt is brought down by the spring floods. The head of the gulf of Persia has been filled up to such an extent that an ancient seaport, formerly at the mouth of the river, is now 100 miles from the gulf. See Syria ; Babylonia; Bagdad ; Nineveh ; Mesopotamia
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
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 411. The common story that Alcibiades threw him into the sea out of revenge is not true.
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
Eurasia
a geographical word formed from Europe-Asia. It is a term used by geographers to denote the land mass of Europe and Asia between which there is no natural line of division. The want of a natural boundary is emphasized by the need of such expressions as Russia-in-Europe, Russia-in-Asia, Turkey-in-Europe, and Turkey-in-Asia. The combined area of Eurasia is 18,265,000 square miles. Population, 1,232,200,000.
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Eurasian
a half-caste of India, particularly one born of a European father and a Hindu mother. The name was applied originally to the descendants of Portuguese officers, but it has become general in its application to persons half European and half Asiatic. The Eurasians are most numerous in the capital cities, as Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. The problem of providing for an element that is neither native nor European may be inferred from the following passages quoted by the Century from the Travels of G. A. Mackey: The Eurasian girl is often pretty and graceful. . . . What if upon her lips there hung the accents of her tchi-tchi tongue? . . . The shovel-hats are surprised that the Eurasian does not become a missionary, or a schoolmaster, or a policeman, or something of the sort. The native papers say, "Deport him"; the white prints say, "Make him a soldier"; and the Eurasian himself says, "Make me a Commissioner, give me a pension."
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Eurus, Eurylochus & Euterpe
Eurus The southeast wind, sometimes the east wind. Eurylochus A companion of Ulysses , who was the only one that escaped from the house of Circe when his friends were metamorphosed into swine. Euterpe One of the Muses, daughter of Jupiter and Mnemosyne . She presided over music.
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
Euryale
a genus of plants of the water-lily order, growing in India and China, where the floury seeds of some species are used as food.
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
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, however, went over to Cyrus, and betrayed the whole matter to him. In consequence of this treachery his name passed into a proverb among the Greeks.
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
Eurydice
. See Orpheus
Only in Aiton's Encyclopedia
Eurydice
in Greek mythology, the wife of ORPHEUS (q. v.). Greek writer, the
Only in Collier's New Encyclopedia
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 conspired against Amyntas, but was prevented from killing him by Euryone.
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
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 was disconsolate at her loss, and descended to the infernal regions in search of her, and by the melody of his lyre he obtained from Pluto the restoration of Eurydice, provided he did not look behind him till he reached the earth; but his eagerness to see his wife caused him to violate the conditions, and he looked behind him, thus losing Eurydice forever. 2026 Editor's Note: Eurydice 's name means 'wide justice' in Ancient Greek. Her husband, Orpheus , was a Thracian bard and prophet credited with founding the Orphic mysteries and composing the Orphic Hymns. The legend is among the most frequently retold of all Greek myths, appearing in countless operas, films, and poems, such as the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown. (Ed: BR 2026-07-11)
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
Eurysthenes
A son of Aristodemus, who lived in perpetual dissension with his twin brother Procles while they both sat on the Spartan throne. The descendants of Eurysthenes were called Eurysthenidae, and those of Procles, Proclidae. 2026 Editor's Note: Eurysthenes was a mythological Spartan king and Heracleidae, twin brother of Procles. The later Spartan government denied him the title archēgetēs (founding magistrate), instead granting it to his son Agis I, founder of the Agiad dynasty. (Ed: BR 2026-07-12)
Only in 1000 Classical Characters
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 Hercules , the son of Alcmena , as the younger of the two was doomed by Jupiter to be subservient to the other. This natural right was cruelly exercised by Eurystheus, who was jealous of the fame of Hercules, and who, to destroy him, imposed upon him the most dangerous enterprises, known as the Twelve Labors of Hercules, all of which were successfully accomplished. 2026 Editor's Note: The twelve labours were not originally a fixed set in Greek tradition. The establishment of the twelve-labour cycle was attributed by the Greeks to an epic poem by Peisander (7th to 6th centuries BC), now lost. This means the canonical form familiar today was a later literary standardization rather than an ancient unchanging tradition. (Ed: BR 2026-07-13)
Only in 1000 Classical Characters