Athe′na, a name obtained by Minerva as the tutelary goddess of Athens.
Atlas, was King of Mauritania, now Morocco, in Africa. He was also a great astronomer. He is depicted with the globe on his back, his name signifying great toil or labour. For his inhospitality to Perseus that king changed him into the mountain which bears his name of Atlas. A chain of mountains in Africa is called after him, and so is the Atlantic Ocean. He had seven daughters by his wife Pleione, they were called by one common name, Pleiades; and by his wife Æthra he had seven more, who were, in the same manner, called Hyades. Both the Pleiades and the Hyades are celestial constellations.
At′reus, the type of fraternal hatred. His dislike of his brother Thyestes went to the extent of killing and roasting his nephews, and inviting their father to a feast, which Thyestes thought was a sign of reconciliation, but he was the victim of his brother’s detestable cruelty.
“Medea must not draw her murdering knife,
Nor Atreus there his horrid feast prepare.”
Lord Roscommon.
At′ropos, one of the three sisters called The Fates, who held the shears ready to cut the thread of life.
A′tys, son of Crœsus, was born dumb, but when in a fight he saw a soldier about to kill the king, he gained speech, and cried out, “Save the king!” and the string that held his tongue was broken.
A′tys was a youth beloved by Aurora, and was slain by her father, but, according to Ovid, was afterwards turned into a pine-tree.
Aug′æas, a king of Elis, the owner of the stable which Hercules cleansed after three thousand oxen had been kept in it for thirty years. It was cleansed by turning the river Alpheus through it. Augæas promised to give Hercules a tenth part of his cattle for his trouble, but, for neglecting to keep his promise, Hercules shot him.