Astŭra, a small river and village of Latium, where Antony’s soldiers cut off Cicero’s head.
Astŭres, a people of Hispania Tarraconensis, who spent all their lives in digging for mines of ore. Lucan, bk. 4, li. 298.—Silius Italicus, bk. 1, li. 231.
Astyăge, a daughter of Hypseus, who married Periphas, by whom she had some children, among whom was Antion the father of Ixion.
Astyăges, a son of Cyaxares, was the last king of Media. He was father to Mandane, whom he gave in marriage to Cambyses, an ignoble person of Persia, because he was told by a dream that his daughter’s son would dispossess him of his crown. From such a marriage he hoped that none but mean and ignorant children could be raised; but he was disappointed, and though he had exposed his daughter’s son by the effects of a second dream, he was deprived of his crown by his grandson, after a reign of 35 years. Astyages was very cruel and oppressive; and Harpagus, one of his officers, whose son he had wantonly murdered, encouraged Mandane’s son, who was called Cyrus, to take up arms against his grandfather, and he conquered him and took him prisoner, 559 B.C. Xenophon, in his Cyropædia, relates a different story, and asserts that Cyrus and Astyages lived in the most undisturbed friendship together. Justin, bk. 1, ch. 4, &c.—Herodotus, bk. 1, chs. 74, 75, &c.——A grammarian who wrote a commentary on Callimachus.——A man changed into a stone by Medusa’s head. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 5, fable 6.
Astyălus, a Trojan killed by Neoptolemus. Homer, Iliad, bk. 6.
Astyănax, a son of Hector and Andromache. He was very young when the Greeks besieged Troy; and when the city was taken, his mother saved him in her arms from the flames. Ulysses, who was afraid lest the young prince should inherit the virtues of his father, and one day avenge the ruin of his country upon the Greeks, seized him, and threw him down from the walls of Troy. According to Euripides, he was killed by Menelaus; and Seneca says that Pyrrhus the son of Achilles put him to death. Hector had given him the name of Scamandrius; but the Trojans, who hoped he might prove as great as his father, called him Astyanax, or the bulwark of the city. Homer, Iliad, bk. 6, li. 400; bk. 22, li. 500.—Virgil, Æneid, bk. 2, li. 457; bk. 3, li. 489.—Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 13, li. 415.——An Arcadian, who had a statue in the temple of Jupiter, on mount Lyceus. Pausanias, bk. 8, ch. 38.——A son of Hercules. Apollodorus, bk. 2, ch. 7.——A writer in the age of Gallienus.
Astycratia, a daughter of Æolus. Homer, Iliad.——A daughter of Amphion and Niobe.
Astydămas, an Athenian, pupil to Isocrates. He wrote 240 tragedies, of which only 15 obtained the poetical prize.——A Milesian, three times victorious at Olympia. He was famous for his strength, as well as for his voracious appetite. He was once invited to a feast by king Ariobarzanes, and he ate what had been prepared for nine persons. Athenæus, bk. 10.——Two tragic writers bore the same name, one of whom was disciple to Socrates.——A comic poet of Athens.
Astydămīa, or Astyadamia, daughter of Amyntor king of Orchomenos in Bœotia, married Acastus son of Pelias, who was king of Iolchos. She became enamoured of Peleus son of Æacus, who had visited her husband’s court, and because he refused to gratify her passion, she accused him of attempting her virtue. Acastus readily believed his wife’s accusation; but as he would not violate the laws of hospitality by punishing his guest with instant death, he waited for a favourable opportunity, and dissembled his resentment. At last they went in a hunting party to mount Pelion, where Peleus was tied to a tree by order of Acastus, that he might be devoured by wild beasts. Jupiter was moved at the innocence of Peleus, and sent Vulcan to deliver him. When Peleus was set at liberty, he marched with an army against Acastus, whom he dethroned, and punished with death the cruel and false Astydamia. She is called by some Hippolyte, and by others Cretheis. Apollodorus, bk. 3, ch. 13.—Pindar, Nemean, bk. 4.——A daughter of Ormenus, carried away by Hercules, by whom she had Tlepolemus. Ovid, Heroides, poem 9, li. 50.
Asty̆lus, one of the centaurs who had the knowledge of futurity. He advised his brothers not to make war against the Lapithæ. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 12, li. 338.——A man of Crotona, who was victorious three successive times at the Olympic games. Pausanias.