=Admētus=, son of Pheres and Clymene, king of Pheræ in Thessaly, married Theone daughter of Thestor, and, after her death, Alceste daughter of Pelias. Apollo when banished from heaven, is said to have tended his flocks for nine years, and to have obtained from the Parcæ, that Admetus should never die, if another person laid down his life for him; a proof of unbounded affection, which his wife Alceste cheerfully exhibited by devoting herself voluntarily to death. Admetus was one of the Argonauts, and was at the hunt of the Calydonian boar. Pelias promised his daughter in marriage only to him who could bring him a chariot drawn by a lion and a wild boar; and Admetus effected this by the aid of Apollo, and obtained Alceste’s hand. Some say that Hercules brought him back Alceste from hell. _Seneca_, _Medeâ_.――_Hyginus_, fables 50, 51, & 243.――_Ovid_, _Amores_, bk. 3.――_Apollodorus_, bk. 1, chs. 8 & 9, &c.――_Tibullus_, bk. 2, poem 3.――_Pausanias_, bk. 5, ch. 17.――――A king of the Molossi, to whom Themistocles fled for protection. _Cornelius Nepos_, _Themistocles_, ch. 8.――――An officer of Alexander, killed at the siege of Tyre. _Diodorus_, bk. 17. =Adōnia=, festivals in honour of Adonis, first celebrated at Byblos in Phœnicia. They lasted two days, the first of which was spent in howlings and lamentations, the second in joyful clamours, as if Adonis was returned to life. In some towns of Greece and Egypt they lasted eight days; the one half of which was spent in lamentations, and the other in rejoicings. Only women were admitted, and such as did not appear were compelled to prostitute themselves for one day; and the money obtained by this shameful custom was devoted to the service of Adonis. The time of the celebration was supposed to be very unlucky. The fleet of Nicias sailed from Athens to Sicily on that day, whence many unfortunate omens were drawn. _Plutarch_, _Nicias_.――_Ammianus_, bk. 22, ch. 9.