DICTIONARY. 
305 
maiis, father of the beautiful Hippodamia, 
chose for his attendant the young Myrtillus, 
son of Mercury. Proud of his skill, he in¬ 
sisted that all the suitors who aspired to the 
hand of his daughter should compete for the 
prize in a chariot-race with him. Pelops, 
who wished to obtain Hippodamia, promised 
Myrtillus a large reward, if he would take 
out the linch-pin of his master’s chariot. 
Myrtillus was not proof against the offer: in 
consequence, the chariot was overturned and 
OEnomatis killed: but, as he expired, he im¬ 
plored Pelops to avenge him, which he did, 
by throwing the treacherous attendant into 
the sea. The waters having borne back his 
body to the shore, Mercury changed it into 
the shrub, called, by a corruption from his 
name, Whortleberry, or Bilberry. It grows 
on the sea-shore in cool and shady places. 
Its pretty bell-flowers are succeeded by ber¬ 
ries of a dark blue, of a tart and agreeable 
flavour. 
Truth , Bitter-sweet Nightshade. The ancients 
thought that Truth was the mother of Virtue, 
the daughter of Time, and queen of the world. 
