159

from them whatever seemed calculated to improve the knowledge of the class of readers for whom his little book is intended. In these publications there exists a considerable difference in the manner of spelling modern proper names, and in several instances they are divided in opinion respecting the site of the ancient cities, &c. To enter into the discussion of disputed points in an edition of this kind were highly improper, and, therefore, he has adopted the idea in his judgment most consistent with the ancient historians.

Modern names are, in general, printed in Italicks; but when the modern is the same with the ancient name, it is sometimes printed in Roman and sometimes in Italick letter.

To supersede the necessity of pointing out the inflexion of many of the Proper Names which Ovid has declined in the Greek manner, the table on next page has been added.

Grammar School, Glasgow,

15th May, 1816.

INDEX,

&c.

ABA

ACH

ABĂRIS, is, acc. in, a man born near Caucasus, who was killed
by Perseus (2 syl.).

Abas, antis, a king of Argos. He was the father of Protus
and Acrisius. Abantĭădes, æ, Acrisius, a son of Abas (IV.
606); also used for Perseus (2 syl.) his great-grandson (IV.
672, et, 766; et, V. 138). Adj. Abāntēus, a, um.

Åbas, antis, a man who, at the nuptial feast of Perseus (2 syl.),
mortally wounded Pèlătes in the side, whilst he was hanging
by the door-post to which Corythus had fixed his right hand
with a spear.

Ăchãĩa, æ, ƒ. a district of Pělõpōnnēsus, the Morea, bounded
on the N. by Sinus Corinthiăcus, the Gulf of Lepanto; on
the W. by that part of the Mediterranean Sea which was an-
ciently called Măre Iŏnium; on the S. by Elis and Arcădia;
and on the E. by Sicyōnia. From its ancient inhabitants, Iŏ-
nii, ōrum, it was called Iōnĭa, and on their being dispossess-
ed by the Achæi, or, Achivi, it received this appellation
from the conquerors. It was also known by the name of
Hellas, a term, like Achaia, frequently employed to denote
Greece in general. Achaias, āidos, et, Achais, idos, f. Gre-
cian, of Greece, with relation to a female or to a noun fe-
minine. Adj. Achæus, Achātus, et, Achāĭcus, a, um, of A-
chala, of Greece, Grecian.

Ac-

Achěloĭădes, et, Acheloides, dum, f. a patronymic of the Sirens,
the daughters of Achělōus and Štěrŏpē. See Siren.
Acheron, ontis, acc. ta, m. a river in the Infernal Regions.
cording to some of the poets, Acheron was the son of Ceres
without a father. For fear of the Titans, he concealed him-
'self in these regions, and was changed into the bitter stream
which bears his name. Others say that Acheron was the son
of Titan and Terra, whom Jupiter changed into a river in the
Jupiter

Infernal Regions, because he had given water to his enemies, the Titans, when thirsty. There was a river of this name in Epirus, a maritime district on the west of Greece; another in Elis, in Pělõpōnnēsus, the Morea; another in the territory of the Bruttii, near the south west extremity of Itălĭa, Italy; another in the Riphean mountains, &c. Adj. Achĕrōntæus, Achěrōnticus, Achĕrūntius, Achĕrūnticus, et, Achĕrūsius, a,

um.

Achilles, is, et, Achilleus (3 syl.), eos, the son of Peleus (2 syl.), king of Thessǎlia, Thessaly, and of Thetis the goddess of the sea. Endowed with the gift of prophecy, Thětis knew that her son would lose his life at Trōja, Troy, and therefore to prevent his going to the war, sent him privately to her brother, Lycomedes, king of Scyros, with whom he continued disguised in a female dress, until he was discovered by Ulysses. As Troy could not be taken without him, and as he was naturally fond of arms, and ambitious of military glory, he immediately joined his countrymen, and sailed for the Trojan coast. He was the bravest and most beautiful of all the Greeks who fought in that tedious, bloody, and destructive contest. After giving many proofs of astonishing bravery and military prowess, he quarrelled with Agamemnon, Commander-in-chief of the Grecian army, and, in disgust, withdrew his men from the war to his ships. In this sullen retirement, he remained a considerable time, obstinately rejecting the earnest solicitations of his countrymen to support the cause of Greece. During the absence of Achilles, the Trojans were victorious. But his friend Patroclus, clad in his armour, having rashly encountered Hector, fell by the hand of that hero. Achilles, to revenge his death, resolved instantly to take the field. For this purpose, Vūlcānus, at the request of Thetis, made her son a complete suit of armour, of which Homer (Iliad. Lib. XVIII. 469-512.) has given a minute and masterly description. With these celestial arms, many of the Trojans were put to death. At last, he engaged in single combat with Hector, whom he killed, and having first, in barbarous triumph, dragged the lifeless body at his chariot-wheels from the city towards the Grecian ships, and thrice round the tomb of Patroclus, he then sold it to the venerable Priămus for a large ransom. Achilles, falling afterwards in love with Polyxĕns, a daughter of the Trojan King, whilst soliciting her hand in the temple of Minerva, was wounded by her brother Păris in the heel, which caused his death. The achievements of this

hero, Virgil exhibits to Eneas in a painting at Carthage (En. 1, 468, seqq.). Achillides, æ, Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles. Adj. Achilleus, a, um.

Achīvi, ōrum, the inhabitants of Achaia, but frequently employed to denote the Greeks in general. See Achaia. Acœtes, æ, a native of Mæonia, a province of Asia Minor, Natolia, and a chief man among the crew of Tuscan pirates, who, without his consent, carried away Bacchus, whom they had found asleep on the coast of Dia, promising to land him on the same island. But love of plunder made them steer in a different direction, for which act of perfidy they were all, except Acœtes, changed into dolphins. When Bacchus allowed himself to be seized by the servants of Pentheus (2 syl.) and carried before that prince, he assumed the appearance and name of Acœtes (III. 582-691).

Aconitum, i, n. wolfsbane, or, monkshood. Ovid derives the name from its growing on hard rocks (nova). According to Pliny, this was the most active of all poisons, and first dropped from the foaming mouth of Cerberus, when Hercules dragged him from the Infernal Regions by Acherusia in Hēraclea Pontica, the Crimea, one of the imaginary entrances to the subterraneous abodes of departed spirits.

Monkshood, or, wolfsbane, is a plant of which there are ten species. Except one, they are all natives of Alpes, the Alps, and rise to the height of from three to six feet.

Aconteus (3 syl.), ĕos, et, Acõntĕus, ĕi, a soldier of Pērseus (2 syl.), who, from accidentally looking at the head of the Gorgon, Mědūsa, was changed into stone.

Acrisius, i, a son of Abas, king of Argos, and Ocălea. He was the twin brother of Protus, with whom, on his reaching manhood, he disputed the right of succession in many a violent struggle. At last, after coming to a pitched battle, which terminated in equal success, they entered into a treaty which secured to Acrisĭus the crown of Argos, and to Prœtus the sovereignty of Tirynthus. According to Ovid, Prœtus expelled Acrisius, and was in possession of the citadel of Argos (Acristōnēas arces V. 239), at the time Perseus (2 syl.) with Andromeda, his wife, entered his native city. Being informed by an oracle that he would be put to death by his daughter's son, he confined Dănăē in a tower (to which Horace alludes, Od. 3, 16, 5.) to prevent her having children; but without effect. See Dănăē, and Pērseus (2 syl.). The fame of his grandson, after his remarkable adventures, having reached the ears