NASTR′OND. The Scandinavian place of eternal punishment, corresponding
with Hades.
NA′TIO. A Roman goddess who took care of young infants.
NEMÆ′AN LION, see Hercules.
NEM′ESIS, the goddess of vengeance or justice, was one of the infernal
deities. Her mother was Nox. She was supposed to be constantly
travelling about the earth in search of wickedness, which she punished
with the greatest severity. She is referred to by some writers under
the name of Adrastæa. The Romans always sacrificed to this goddess
before they went to war, because they wished to signify that they never
took up arms but in the cause of justice.
“Forbear, said Nemesis, my loss to moan,
The fainting trembling hand was mine alone.”
Dr. J. WHARTON.
NEPHA′LIA. Grecian festivals in honour of Mnemosyne, the mother of the
Muses.
NEP′TUNE, god of the sea, was a son of Saturn and Cybele, and brother
of Jupiter and Pluto. He quarrelled with Jupiter because he did not
consider that the dominion of the sea was equal to Jupiter’s empire of
heaven and earth; and he was banished from the celestial regions, after
having conspired with Pluto to dethrone Jupiter. Neptune was married
to Amphitrite, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, by whom he had a son
named Triton. He was also father of Polyphemus (one of the Cyclopes),
Phoreus, and Proteus. Neptune is represented as being seated in a shell
chariot, drawn by dolphins or sea-horses, and surrounded by Tritons
and sea-nymphs. He holds in his hand a trident, with which he rules
the waves. Though a marine deity, he was reputed to have presided over
horse-training and horse-races; but he is principally known as the god
of the ocean; and the two functions of the god are portrayed in the
sea-horses with which his chariot is drawn, the fore-half of the animal
being a horse, and the hind-half a dolphin. Ships were also under his
protection, and whenever he appeared on the ocean there was a dead calm.
NERE′IDES, THE, were aquatic nymphs. They were daughters of Nereus and
Doris, and fifty in number. They are generally represented as beautiful
girls riding on dolphins, and carrying tridents in the right hand.
NERE′US. A sea deity, husband of Doris. He had the gift of prophecy,
and foretold fates; but he had also the power of assuming various
shapes, which enabled him to escape from the importunities of those who
were anxious to consult him.
NES′SUS. The name of the Centaur which was destroyed by Hercules for
insulting Dejanira.
NES′TOR. A grandson of Neptune, his father being Neleus, and his mother
Chloris. Homer makes him one of the greatest of the Greek heroes. He
was present at the famous battle between the Lapithæ and the Centaurs,
and took a leading part in the Trojan war.
“... Here’s Nestor
Instructed by the antiquary times,
He must, he is, he cannot but be wise.”