DELIAN GOD- this is a reference to Apollo. He was born on the island of Delos

DAEDALUS- an architect who built the labyrinth on Crete. The labyrinth held the minotaur (half man with a bull’s head) where the king MINOS used to send prisoners to be sacrificed. Daedalus helped Theseus and Ariadne (daughter of Minos) to escape from it. Daedalus then designed wings to flee the island with his son ICARUS. However despite his warnings, Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted on his wings. He dropped to his death.

ANDROGEOS-son of Minos (see above) killed by the Greeks in the Trojan war.

CNOSSOS- chief city of Crete (see Daedalus)

PASIPHAE- wife of Minos and mother of the Minotaur.

DEIPHOBE-prophetess of Apollo and Diana.

PHOEBUS- another name for Apollo.

TRIVIA-goddess of the three ways- associated with HECATE, goddess of the underworld. Diana has three forms; in the sky Phoebe (the moon), on earth Diana (huntress) and as Hecate in the underworld concerned with magic rites.

SIMOIS- a river in Troy

XANTHUS-a river in Troy

ACHERON- a river in Hades (the underworld)

AVERNUS- a lake near Naples; entrance to the underworld.

ORPHEUS-mythical poet who married EURYDICE. While she was being pursued by ARISTAEUS, Eurydice was bitten by a snake and died. Orpheus went into the underworld to retrieve her and by his music induced the goddess PERSEPHONE to let her go. Persephone said that she could go back only on condition the Orpheus did not look back at Eurydice. When they approached the world of the living Orpheus forgot and looked back at his wife. Eurydice immediately vanished.

POLLUX (Greek name POLYDEUCES)- twin brother of CASTOR, and brothers of HELEN (of Troy). When Castor was fatally wounded, Pollux chose to share his immortality with his brother, so that they could spend half their time in the underworld and the other half with the gods on Mount Olympus.

THESEUS- friend of Hercules. He helped Pirithous to invade the underworld to carry off Persephone. He was rescued by Hercules.

HERCULES- the last of his twelve labours was to visit the underworld and to capture CERBERUS, the three headed dog guarding the underworld. He drugged the dog and took it to the upperworld and then returned it to Hades. While in the underworld he rescued Theseus but could not rescue Pirithous (see above).

JOVE- another name for Jupiter.

COCYTUS-the ‘river of wailing’ in Hades.

STYX- river in the underworld- means ‘death’.

MISENUS- companion of Hector, murdered by TRITON (a sea-god) after challenging him to a music duel.

EUMENIDES- another name for the FURIES who avenged bloodshed.

CENTAURS- half man and half horse.

SCYLLAS- two people often confused by Roman poets.

1: a sea monster with 6 heads, 12 feet and 3 rows of teeth in each head. Her diet was fish but if any sailors were available then she ate them instead.

2: daughter of Nisus of Megara who was beseiged by Minos of Crete. As long as he had a red or purple lock among his white hair, then he was safe. Scylla cut it and he died. Minos was horrified at the deed and drowned her.

BRIAREUS-a giant with 100 hands.

LERNA- is a marsh where the HYDRA (a poisonous water snake) lived.

CHIMAERA- monster, mixture of lion, goat, and snake.

GORGONS- female monsters with serpents in their hair and glaring eyes. Medusa best known example.

HARPIES- monster of a bird with a human head.

GERYON- mythical giant with 3 bodies, killed by Hercules.

CHARON- ferryman who transported the deceased across the river Styx.

PHAEDRA- second wife of Theseus, who fell in love with her stepson Hippolytus, and caused his death.

PROCRIS-wife of Cephalus who doubted his fidelity and was accidentally killed by him in a hunting accident.

ERIPHYLE- mythical heroine who betrayed her husband and was killed by her own son Alcmaeon.

EVADNE- a mythical heroine who killed herself in sorrow for the death of her husband Capaneus.

PASIPHAE- wife of Minos.

LAOMEDON- wife of the first Greek, Protesilaus, to land at Troy. She killed herself upon hearing about his death.

CAENEUS- nymph changed into a man by Poseidon.

RHADAMANTHUS- mythical king of Cnossos who after his death was appointed to be judge of the dead.

MUSAEUS- an ancient mythical poet.