Dusii, some deities among the Gauls. Augustine, The City of God, bk. 15, ch. 23.
Duumvĭri, two noble patricians at Rome, first appointed by Tarquin to keep the Sibylline books, which were supposed to contain the fate of the Roman empire. These sacred books were placed in the Capitol, and secured in a chest under the ground. They were consulted but seldom, and only by an order of the senate, when the armies had been defeated in war, or when Rome seemed to be threatened by an invasion, or by secret seditions. These priests continued in their original institution, till the year A.U.C. 388, when a law was proposed by the tribunes to increase the number to 10, to be chosen promiscuously from patrician and plebeian families. They were from their number called Decemviri, and some time after Sylla increased them to 15, known by the name of Quindecemviri.——There were also certain magistrates at Rome, called Duumviri perduelliones sive capitales. They were first created by Tullus Hostilius, for trying such as were accused of treason. This office was abolished as unnecessary, but Cicero complains of their revival by Labienus the tribune. For Rabirius on a Charge of Treason.——Some of the commanders of the Roman vessels were also called Duumviri, especially when there were two together. They were first created A.U.C. 542.——There were also in the municipal towns in the provinces two magistrates called Duumviri municipales. They were chosen from the centurions, and their office was much the same as that of the two consuls at Rome. They were sometimes preceded by two lictors with the fasces. Their magistracy continued for five years, on which account they have been called Quinquennales magistratus.
Dyagondas, a Theban legislator, who abolished all nocturnal sacrifices. Cicero, de Legibus, bk. 2, ch. 15.
Dyardenses, a river in the extremities of India. Curtius, bk. 8, ch. 9.
Dy̆mæ, a town of Achaia. Livy, bk. 27, ch. 31; bk. 32, ch. 22.—Pausanias, bk. 7, ch. 17.
Dy̆mæi, a people of Ætolia. Diodorus, bk. 19.
Dy̆mas, a Trojan, who joined himself to Æneas when Troy was taken, and was at last killed by his countrymen, who took him to be an enemy because he had dressed himself in the armour of one of the Greeks whom he had slain. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 2, lis. 340 & 428.——The father of Hecuba. Ovid, Metamorphoses, bk. 11, li. 761.
Dymnus, one of Alexander’s officers. He conspired with many of his fellow-soldiers against his master’s life. The conspiracy was discovered, and Dymnus stabbed himself before he was brought before the king. Curtius, bk. 6, ch. 7.
Dȳnămĕne, one of the Nereides. Homer, Iliad, bk. 18, li. 43.
Dynaste, a daughter of Thespius. Apollodorus.