ASPA'TIA, a maiden the very ideal of ill-fortune and wretchedness. She is the troth-plight wife of Amintor, but Amintor, at the king's request, marries Evad'ne (3 _syl_.). "Women point with scorn at the forsaken Aspatia, but she bears it all with patience. The pathos of her speeches is most touching, and her death forms the tragical event which gives name to the drama."--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Maid's Tragedy_ (1610). AS'PRAMONTE (3 _syl_.), in Sir W. Scott's _Count Robert of Paris_ (time, Rufus). _The old knight_, father of _Brenhilda_. _The lady of Aspramonte_, the knight's wife. _Brenhilda of Aspramonte_, their daughter, wife of count Robert. AS'RAEL or AZ'RAEL, an angel of death. He is immeasurable in height, insomuch that the space between his eyes equals a 70,000 days' journey.--_Mohammedan Mythology_. AS'SAD, son of Camaral'zaman and Haiatal'nefous (5 _syl_.), and half-brother of Amgiad (son of Camaralzaman and Badoura). Each of the two mothers conceived a base passion for the other's son, and when the young men repulsed their advances, accused them to their father of gross designs upon their honor. Camaralzaman commanded his vizier to put them both to death; but instead of doing so, he conducted them out of the city, and told them not to return to their father's kingdom (the island of Ebony). They wandered on for ten days, when Assad went to a city in sight to obtain provisions. Here he was entrapped by an old fire-worshipper, who offered him hospitality, but cast him into a dungeon, intending to offer him up a human victim on the "mountain of fire." The ship in which he was sent being driven on the coast of queen Margiana, Assad was sold to her as a slave, but being recaptured was carried back to his old dungeon. Here Bosta'na, one of the old man's daughters, took pity on him, and released him, and ere long Assad married queen Margiana, while Amgiad, out of gratitude, married Bostana.--_Arabian Nights_ ("Amgiad and Assad"). ASTAG'ORAS, a female fiend, who has the power of raising storms.--Tasso, _Jerusalem Delivered_ (1575). ASTAR'TE (3 _syl_.), the Phoenician moon-goddess, the Astoreth of the Syrians. With these Came Astoreth, whom the Phoenicians called Astarte, queen of heaven, with crescent horns. Milton, _Paradise Lost_, i. 438 (1665). _As'tarte_ (2 _syl_.), an attendant on the princess Anna Comne'na.--Sir W. Scott, _Count Robert of Paris_ (time, Eufus). _Astarte_ a woman, beloved by Manfred.--Byron, _Manfred_. We think of Astarte as young, beautiful, innocent,--guilty, lost, murdered, judged, pardoned; but still, in her permitted visit to earth, speaking in a voice of sorrow, and with a countenance yet pale with mortal trouble. We had but a glimpse of her in her beauty and innocence, but at last she rises before us in all the moral silence of a ghost, with fixed, glazed, and passionless eyes, revealing death, judgment, and eternity.--Professor Wilson.