=Ne´mo=, the name by which Captain Hawdon was known at Krook’s. He had once won the love of the future Lady Dedlock, by whom he had a child called Esther Summerson; but he was compelled to copy law-writings for daily bread, and died a miserable death from an overdose of opium.--C. Dickens, _Bleak House_ (1852). =Nepen´the= (3 _syl._) or NEPENTHES, a care-dispelling drug, which Polydamna, wife of Tho´nis, king of Egypt, gave to Helen (daughter of Jove and Leda). A drink containing this drug “changed grief to mirth, melancholy to joyfulness, and hatred to love.” The water of Ardenne had the opposite effects. Homer mentions the drug nepenthê in his _Odyssey_, iv. 228. That nepenthês which the wife of Thone, In Egypt gave to Jove-born Helena. Milton, _Comus_, (1634). Nepenthê is a drink of sovereign grace. Devisèd by the gods for to assuage Heart’s grief, and bitter gall away to chase Which stirs up anger and contentious rage; Instead thereof sweet peace and quietage It doth establish in the troubled mind ... And such as drink, eternal happiness do find. Spencer, _Faëry Queen_, iv. 2 (1596). =Nep´omuk= or =Nep´omuck= (_St. John_), canon of Prague. He was thrown from a bridge in 1381, and drowned by order of King Wenceslaus, because he refused to betray the secrets confided to him by the queen in the holy rite of confession. The spot whence he was cast into the Moldau is still marked by a cross with five stars on the parapet, indicative of the miraculous flames seen flickering over the dead body for three days. Nepomuk was canonized in 1729, and became the patron saint of bridges. His statue in stone usually occupies such a position on bridges as it does in Prague. Like St. John Nep´omuck in stone, Looking down into the stream. Longfellow, _The Golden Legend_ (1851). ⁂ The word is often accented on the second syllable. =Neptune= (_Old Father_), the ocean or sea-god. =Nerestan=, son of Gui Lusignan D’Outremer, king of Jerusalem, and brother of Zara. Nerestan was sent on his parole to France, to obtain ransom for certain Christians, who had fallen into the hands of the Saracens. When Osman, the sultan, was informed of his relationship to Zara, he ordered all Christian captives to be at once liberated “without money and without price.”--A. Hill, _Zara_ (adapted from Voltaire’s tragedy). =Nereus= (2 _syl._), father of the water-nymphs. A very old prophetic god of great kindliness. The scalp, chin and breast of Nereus were covered with seaweed instead of hair. By hoary Nêreus’ wrinkled look. Milton, _Comus_, (1634). =Neri´nê=, =Doto=, and =Nysê=, the three nereids who guarded the fleet of Vasco da Gama. When the treacherous pilot had run Vasco’s ship upon a sunken rock, these three sea-nymphs lifted up the prow and turned it round. The lovely Nysê and Nerinê spring With all the vehemence and speed of wing. Camoens, _Lusiad_, ii. (1569).