GREEK MYTHOLOGY.
[1.] “Vatˈi-can.” A magnificent assemblage of buildings in Rome, including the Pope’s palace—a library, museum, etc. It covers a space of 1,151 feet by 767 feet, has 200 staircases, and 4,422 rooms. The Belvedere, bĕlˈva-deer, signifying beautiful sight, is a small building on the top of the Vatican opening to the air on one side.
[2.] “Disˈcus.” A quoit, or circular and usually perforated plate of metal or stone, used for pitching at a mark. Pitching quoits was a favorite amusement among the ancients, and forms the subject for frequent artistic representations. The most famous is Myron’s statue called the “Discobolus,” now in the British Museum.
[3.] “Hyacinth.” In ancient times, it is said, there could be traced on the leaves of the hyacinth the Greek characters which express the word alas. Thus in his “Song of Silenus,” just published, Cole speaks of
“The flowers the name still bearing which Apollo’s favorite bore,
With the syllable of sorrow marked upon them evermore.”
The origin of the hyacinth is also thus related: When Ajax (see notes on “Preparatory Greek”) took his own life there sprung up from his blood a purple flower, bearing the Greek letters which were the initials of his name and expressive of a sigh.
[4.] “Clymˈe-ne;” [5.] “E-ridˈa-nus;” [6.] “He-liˈä-dēs;” [7.] “Amˌphi-triˈte.”
[8.] “Triˈdent.” From tris, three, and dens, a tooth or prong. A three-pronged fork—Neptune’s scepter.
[9.] “Lemˈnos.” A Turkish island in the Grecian Archipelago, sacred to Vulcan.
[10.] “Eu-rynˈo-me,” not Eurymone. A daughter of Oceanus.
[11.] “Necˈtar.” The beverage of the gods. Homer describes it as resembling red wine, and says its continued use would cause immortality.