NY′SÆ. The names of the nymphs by whom Bacchus was nursed. See
Dionysius.
NY′SÆUS. A name of Bacchus, because he was worshipped at Nysa.
NY′SUS. A king of Megara who was invisible by virtue of a particular
lock of hair. This lock his daughter Scylla cut off, and so betrayed
her father to his enemies. She was changed into a lark, and the king
into a hawk, and he still pursues his daughter, intending to punish her
for her treachery.
OAN′NES. An Eastern god, represented as a monster, half man, half fish.
He was said to have taught men the use of letters in the day-time, and
at night to have retired to the depth of the ocean.
OATH, see Lapis.
OBAM′BOU. A devil of African mythology.
OCEAN, see Neptune.
OCEAN′IDES. Sea-nymphs, daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. Their numbers
are variously estimated by different poets; some saying there were
as many as 3000, while others say they were as few as sixteen. The
principal of them are mentioned under their respective names, as
Amphitrite, Doris, Metis, etc.
OCE′ANUS, son of Cœlus and Terra, and husband of Tethys. Several
mythological rivers were called his sons, as Alpheus, Peneus, etc.,
and his daughters were called the Oceanides. Some of the ancients
worshipped him as the god of the seas, and invariably invoked his
aid when they were about to start on a voyage. He was also thought
to personify the immense stream which it was supposed surrounded the
earth, and into which the sun and moon and other heavenly bodies sank
every day.
OCRID′ION. A king of Rhodes, who was deified after his death.
OCY′PETE. One of the Harpies, who infected everything she touched. The
word means swift of flight.
OCY′ROE. A daughter of Chiron, who had the gift of prophecy. She was
metamorphosed into a mare.
O′DIN. In Scandinavian mythology the god of the universe, and reputed
father of all the Scandinavian kings. His wife’s name was Friga, and
his two sons were Thor and Balder.
Œ′AGRUS. Father of Orpheus.
Œ′DIPUS. A son of Laius, King of Thebes, best known as the solver of
the famous enigma propounded by the Sphinx.
ŒNO′NE. Wife of Paris, a nymph of Mount Ida, who had the gift of
prophecy.
OGYG′IA. An island, the abode of Calypso, in the Mediterranean Sea.
It was so beautiful in sylvan scenery that even Mercury (who dwelt on
Olympus) was charmed with the spot.
OINTMENT, see Phaon.
OLE′NUS. A daughter of Vulcan, wife of Lethæa, a woman who thought
herself more beautiful than the goddesses, and as a punishment she and
her husband were turned into stone statues.
OLIVES, see Aristæus.
OLYM′PIUS. A name of Jupiter, from Olympia, where the god had a
splendid temple, which was considered to be one of the seven wonders of
the world.
OLYM′PUS was the magnificent mountain on the coast of Thessaly, 6000
feet high, where the gods were supposed to reside. There were several
other smaller mountains of the same name.
“High heaven with trembling the dread signal took,
And all Olympus to the centre shook.”