Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Helenus hĕlˈənəs [key], in Greek mythology, Trojan who was gifted with prophetic powers; son of Priam and Hecuba. When Helen was given to Deiphobus after the death of Paris, Helenus in anger betra...

(Encyclopedia) Corona Borealis bôrēălˈəs [key] [Lat.,=the northern crown], northern constellation lying between Hercules and Boötes. Its name derives from the crown Bacchus gave Ariadne when she was deserted b...

(Encyclopedia) Diomedes dīˌōmēˈdēz [key], in Greek legend. 1 Son of Tydeus, he was one of the principal Greek warriors in the Trojan War. Previously he had avenged his father's death in the expedition of the E...

(Encyclopedia) Vries, Adriaen de äˈdrēän də vrēs [key], c.1560–c.1626, Dutch sculptor. Having studied in Florence under Giovanni Bologna, he carried into Bohemia and Germany the influence of the Italian Rena...

(Encyclopedia) zakat zə-kätˈ [key] [Arab.,=purification], Islamic religious tax, one of the five basic requirements (arkan or “pillars”) of Islam. All adult Muslims of sound mind and body with a set level of ...

(Encyclopedia) Atlas ătˈləs [key], in Greek mythology, a Titan; son of Iapetus and Clymene and the brother of Prometheus. When the Titans were defeated, Atlas was condemned to hold the sky on his shoulders for al...

(Encyclopedia) Graham, Philip Leslie, 1915–63, American publisher, b. S.Dak. After editing the Harvard Law Review, he served as a law clerk to his mentor, Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter. In 1940 he marrie...

(Encyclopedia) Göbekli Tepe, Neolithic site in SE Turkey, c. 9 mi (15 km) NE of Şanlıurfa, that dates to c.11,000 b.c. or earlier. Although previously known, it was first recognized as a Neolithic site in 1994 by...

(Encyclopedia) Madurai mədo͝orīˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 1,085,914), Tamil Nadu state, S India, on the Vaigai River. It is known as the “city of festivals and temples” and is the second largest city in Tamil ...

(Encyclopedia) Bosio, François Joseph, Baron fräNswäˈ zhôzĕfˈ bärôNˈ bôsyōˈ [key], 1769–1845, French sculptor. He was employed by Napoleon I to make the bas-reliefs for the column of the Place Vendôm...