The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, March 1884, No. 6Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
History
The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, March 1884, No. 6
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
P. 80.—“Numantine.” This war was waged by the Numantians, a little people
of Spain, not numbering more than 8,000 fighting men, against Rome. Their
city, Numantia, was taken B. C. 133, after a long siege.
P. 82.—“Cato.” (B. C. 95-46.) Great-grandson of Cato the Censor. His
character was stern and stoical, and in his public and military life
he was famous for his rigid justice and sternness against abuses. Cato
opposed Cæsar throughout his life. When Cæsar entered Africa he tried to
persuade Utica to stand a siege, but failing, committed suicide.
P. 103.—“Clymene,” clymˈe-nē. The mother of Phæton.
“Styx.” The chief river of the infernal world, according to Grecian
mythology, around which it flows seven times. The name comes from the
Greek word _to hate_. Milton calls it “Abhorred Styx, the flood of
burning hate.”
“Hours.” The Hours were the goddesses who presided over the order of
nature and over the seasons. They gave fertility to the earth, and
furnished various kinds of weather. The course of the season is described
as the dance of the Hours. In art they are represented as beautiful
maidens, carrying fruits and flowers.
P. 194.—“Tethys,” tĕˈthys. The goddess of the sea. The wife of Oceanus,
and mother of the river gods.
P. 105.—“Seven Stars.” By these seven stars are meant the sun, moon,
Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter and Venus.
“Serpent.” The constellation of _Draco_, which, stretching between _Ursa
Major_ and _Ursa Minor_, nearly encircles the latter.
“Boötes,” bo-oˈtes. The constellation commonly known as Charles’ Wain,
or the Wagoner. Boötes is said to have been the inventor of the plow,
to which he yoked two oxen. At his death he was taken to heaven and set
among the stars.
“Libya.” A name for the continent of Africa, applied here to the Sahara
Desert.
“Dirce.” It is fabled that a king of Thebes drove away his wife into the
mountains of Bœotia, where she died, leaving two sons. When the boys grew
up they returned to Thebes and killed both their father and his wife,
Dirce, who had been an assistant in his crime. Dirce was dragged to death
by a bull, and her body thrown into a well, which was from that time
called the “Well of Dirce.” The celebrated statue of the Farnese bull
represents the death of Dirce.
“Pyrene,” pyrˈe-ne.
“Amymone,” amˈy-moˌne. The daughter of Danaus, who had fled with his
family from Egypt to Argos. The country was suffering from drought, and
he sent out Amymone to bring water. She was attacked by a Satyr but
rescued by Neptune, who bade her draw his trident from a rock. Thereupon
a threefold spring gushed forth, which was called the river and well of
Amymone.
“Tanais,” tanˈa-is. The river Don.
“Caicus,” ca-īˈcus. A river of Asia Minor.
“Lycormas,” ly-corˈmas.
“Xanthus,” zanˈthus. The chief river of Lycia, in Asia Minor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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