“Styx.” The chief river of the infernal world, according to Grecian mythology, around which it flows seven times. The name comes from the Greek word to hate. Milton calls it “Abhorred Styx, the flood of burning hate.”
“Hours.” The Hours were the goddesses who presided over the order of nature and over the seasons. They gave fertility to the earth, and furnished various kinds of weather. The course of the season is described as the dance of the Hours. In art they are represented as beautiful maidens, carrying fruits and flowers.
P. 194.—“Tethys,” tĕˈthys. The goddess of the sea. The wife of Oceanus, and mother of the river gods.
P. 105.—“Seven Stars.” By these seven stars are meant the sun, moon, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus.
“Serpent.” The constellation of Draco, which, stretching between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, nearly encircles the latter.
“Boötes,” bo-oˈtes. The constellation commonly known as Charles’ Wain, or the Wagoner. Boötes is said to have been the inventor of the plow, to which he yoked two oxen. At his death he was taken to heaven and set among the stars.
“Libya.” A name for the continent of Africa, applied here to the Sahara Desert.
“Dirce.” It is fabled that a king of Thebes drove away his wife into the mountains of Bœotia, where she died, leaving two sons. When the boys grew up they returned to Thebes and killed both their father and his wife, Dirce, who had been an assistant in his crime. Dirce was dragged to death by a bull, and her body thrown into a well, which was from that time called the “Well of Dirce.” The celebrated statue of the Farnese bull represents the death of Dirce.
“Pyrene,” pyrˈe-ne.
“Amymone,” amˈy-moˌne. The daughter of Danaus, who had fled with his family from Egypt to Argos. The country was suffering from drought, and he sent out Amymone to bring water. She was attacked by a Satyr but rescued by Neptune, who bade her draw his trident from a rock. Thereupon a threefold spring gushed forth, which was called the river and well of Amymone.