=Atrīdæ=, a patronymic given by Homer to Agamemnon and Menelaus, as being the sons of Atreus. This is false, upon the authority of Hesiod, Lactantius [Placidus], Dictys of Crete, &c., who maintain that these princes were not the sons of Atreus, but of Plisthenes, and that they were brought up in the house and under the eye of their grandfather. _See:_ Plisthenes. =Atronius=, a friend of Turnus, killed by the Trojans. _Virgil_, _Æneid_, bk. 10. =Atropatia=, a part of Media. _Strabo._ =Atrŏpos=, one of the Parcæ, daughters of Nox and Erebus. According to the derivation of her name (_a non_, τρεπω _muto_), she is inexorable and inflexible, and her duty among the three sisters is to cut the thread of life, without any regard to sex, age, or quality. She was represented by the ancients in a black veil, with a pair of scissors in her hand. _See:_ Parcæ. =T. Q. Atta=, a writer of merit in the Augustan age, who seems to have received this name from some deformity in his legs or feet. His compositions, dramatical as well as satirical, were held in universal admiration, though Horace thinks of them with indifference. _Horace_, bk. 2, ltr. 1, li. 79. =Attălia=, a city of Pamphylia, built by king Attalus. _Strabo._ =Attalĭcus.= _See:_ Attalus III. =Attălus I.=, king of Pergamus, succeeded Eumenes I. He defeated the Gauls who had invaded his dominions, extended his conquests to mount Taurus, and obtained the assistance of the Romans against Antiochus. The Athenians rewarded his merit with great honours. He died at Pergamus after a reign of 44 years, B.C. 197. _Livy_, bks. 26, 27, 28, &c.――_Polybius_, bk. 5.――_Strabo_, bk. 13.――――The second of that name was sent on an embassy to Rome by his brother Eumenes II., and at his return was appointed guardian to his nephew Attalus III., who was then an infant. Prusias made successful war against him, and seized his capital; but the conquest was stopped by the interference of the Romans, who restored Attalus to his throne. Attalus, who has received the name of _Philadelphus_, from his fraternal love, was a munificent patron of learning, and the founder of several cities. He was poisoned by his nephew in the 82nd year of his age, B.C. 138. He had governed the nation with great prudence and moderation for 20 years. _Strabo_, bk. 13.――_Polybius_, bk. 5.――――The third succeeded to the kingdom of Pergamus, by the murder of Attalus II., and made himself odious by his cruelty to his relations and his wanton exercise of power. He was son to Eumenes II., and surnamed _Philopater_. He left the cares of government to cultivate his garden, and to make experiments on the melting of metals. He lived in great amity with the Romans; and as he died without issue by his wife Berenice, he left in his will the words _Populus Romanus meorum hæres esto_, which the Romans interpreted as themselves, and therefore took possession of his kingdom, B.C.