HESIOD. Of Ascra in Boeotia, about 850 B.C. According to his own account he was originally a shepherd, who, tending his flocks on Helicon, received from the Muses a laurel-branch, and with it the gift of poetry. His chief poems are the _Works and Days_, a didactic agricultural poem, and the _Theogony_, a work on the genealogies of Gods and heroes. The passage on Virtue so often alluded to by Lucian runs as follows: 'Vice you may have in abundance with ease; smooth is the road to it, and very near it dwells. But this side of Virtue the immortal Gods have set much toil; long and steep is the track to it, and rough at its setting out: but when a man has reached the top, then is its hardness turned to ease.' HIMERAEUS. An Athenian orator, who opposed Macedonia after the death of Alexander, and fled to escape being surrendered to Antipater. Being caught by Archias, he was put to death. HIPPIAS. A sophist of Elis, able but vain, contemporary of Socrates; a character in two of Plato's dialogues. HIPPOCLIDES. An Athenian of the sixth century B.C.; lost his chance of marrying the daughter of Clisthenes tyrant of Sicyon by dancing on his head, and remarked that 'Hippoclides did not care.' HIPPOCRATES. A famous physician of Cos, 469-357 B.C. HIPPOCRENE and OLMEUM. Fountains on Mount Helicon sacred to the Muses. HIPPOLYTA. _See_ THESEUS. HIPPOLYTUS. Son of Theseus and Hippolyta. His step-mother Phaedra fell in love with him, and being rejected accused him to his father. Theseus believed and asked Posidon to destroy him; he was thrown from his chariot and dragged to death by his horses, frightened at a monster sent by Posidon. HIPPONAX. Greek iambic poet, 546-520 B.C. HOMER. His poems formed the basis of Greek education and religion; Lucian perpetually quotes him, and refers to the questions of his birthplace and blindness. Famous ancient Homeric critics were Zoïlus (called Homeromastix), Zenodotus, and Aristarchus. HYACINTH. _See_ APOLLO. HYDRA. _See_ HERACLES. HYLAS. Beautiful youth, beloved by Heracles, and carried off by the water-nymphs. HYMENAEUS. The God of marriage. HYMETTUS. Mountain of Attica, famous for marble and bees. HYPERBOLUS. A disreputable Athenian demagogue, murdered 411 B.C. HYPERBOREANS. A mythical people dwelling beyond the North wind in perpetual sunshine and happiness. Magical powers were attributed to them. HYPERIDES. Athenian orator, generally acting with Demosthenes, though he accused him on one occasion. His tongue was cut out and he was executed by Antipater. IAMBULUS. A Greek writer on India, sufficiently characterized in _The True History_(3). 'Oceanica' is not an actual title. IAPETUS. A Titan, brother of Cronus, and father of Prometheus.