=Theringe= (_Mde. de_), the mother of Louise de Lascours, and grandmother of Diana de Lascours and Martha, _alias_ Orgari´ta, “the orphan of the Frozen Sea.”--E. Stirling, _The Orphan of the Frozen Sea_ (1856). =Thermopylæ.= When Xerxes invaded Greece, Leonĭdas was sent with 300 Spartans, as a forlorn hope, to defend the pass leading from Thessaly into Locris, by which it was thought the Persian host would penetrate into Southern Greece. The Persians, however, having discovered a path over the mountains, fell on Leonidas in the rear, and the “brave defenders of the hot-gates” were cut to pieces. =Theron=, the favorite dog of Roderick, the last Gothic king of Spain. When the discrowned king, dressed as a monk, assumed the name of “Father Maccabee,” although his tutor, mother, and even Florinda failed to recognize him, Theron knew him at once, fawned on him with fondest love, and would never again leave him till the faithful creature died. When Roderick saw his favorite, He threw his arms around the dog, and cried, While tears streamed down, “Thou, Theron, thou hast known Thy poor lost master; Theron, none but thou!” Southey, _Roderick, etc._, xv. (1814). =Thersi´tes= (3 _syl._), a scurrilous Grecian chief, “loquacious, loud, and coarse.” His chief delight was to inveigh against the kings of Greece. He squinted, halted, was gibbous behind and pinched before, and on his tapering head grew a few white patches of starveling down (_Iliad_, ii.). His brag, as Thersītês, with elbows abroad. T. Tusser, _Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry_, liv. (1557). =The´seus= (2 _syl._), the Attic hero. He induced the several towns of Attica to give up their separate governments and submit to a common jurisdiction, whereby the several petty chiefdoms were consolidated into one state, of which Athens was the capital. ⁂ Similarly, the several kingdoms of the Saxon heptarchy were consolidated into one kingdom by Egbert; but in this latter case, the might of arms, and not the power of conviction, was the instrument employed. _Theseus_ (_Duke_) of Athens. On his return home, after marrying Hypolĭta, a crowd of female suppliants complained to him of Creon, king of Thebes. The duke therefore set out for Thebes, slew Creon, and took the city by assault. Among the captives taken in this siege were two knights, named Palămon and Arcite, who saw the duke’s sister from their dungeon window, and fell in love with her. When set at liberty, they told their loves to the duke, and Theseus (2 _syl._) promised to give the lady to the best man in a single combat. Arcite overthrew Palamon, but as he was about to claim the lady his horse threw him, and he died; so Palamon lost the contest, but won the bride.--Chaucer, _Canterbury Tales_ (“The Knight’s Tale,” 1388).