Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 09.djvu/770

* HECLA. 710 HEDBEBG. about 20 miles from the coast. It has an irregu- lar cone built of lava, scoriae, and ashes, and bare ol vegetation, which rises to a height of 5100 feet above the sea. There are several subsidiary craters, besides the principal crater on the summit, and tlie cone is dissected by deep ra- vines, through which torrents rush down from the suow-fields above. The volcano has an ex- tremely wild and desolate appearance. Erup- tions take place at irregular intervals, Jhe total number on record since the discovery of Iceland being 28. T!ie most violent outbursts occurred in 1157, 1300, 1507, 1G30, and 1766. In the last- named year a large area was buried beneath the ejected lava and ashes. The volcano was again active from September, 1845, to April, 1846, and in March, 1878. See Iceland. HECTARE, or HEKTAEE, HECTOGRAM. HECTOLITER, HECTOMETER. See Metkic System. HECTIC FEVER (from Gk. ck-ik6^, hekti- kos, consumptive, from £j(f, hexis, condition, from ix^"', echein, to have). A type of fever, usually associated with tubercular disease, ab- scess, or septicaemia, distinguished by an afternoon or evening rise of temperature, during which the jjatient has bright eyes, flushed cheeks, and some nervous excitement, while afterwards the temperature falls and profuse perspiration oc- curs. Tile treatment must be directed toward the existing disease, of which it is generally a grave symptom. HECTOR (Lat., from Gk. "Efcrwp) . The lead- er and mightiest warrior in the Trojan armj-, son of Priam and Hecuba, husband of Andro- mache, and father of Astyanax or Scamandrius. In the Iliad he appears as brave in battle, but hasty, and often imprudent; he is also full of reverence for the gods, tender love for his family, and devoted patriotism. During the absence of Achilles from the fight he storms the Greek camp and penetrates even to the ships. Driven back by Patroclus, the friend nf Achilles, he at length slays him, by the help of Apollo. Roused by his thirst for vengeance, .chilles is reconciled with Agamemnon, and in divine armor routs the Trojans with fearful slaughter, and finally, after cliasing Hector three times round the walls of Troy, slays him by the help of Athena, and drags the body at his chariot-wheels to the Greek ships. Here the corpse is miraculously preserved by the gods, and finally ransomed by Priam. With the mourning and luirial of Hector the Iliad closes. In the post-Homeric literature little is added to the picture of Hector. At Ilitim he was worshiped as a hero, and similar offerings were made at Thebes, whither it was said an oracle had com- manded the removal of his bones. In art the combats of Hector with various Greek heroes, his death, the maltreatment of his body, and his ransom, are favorite subjects. HECTOR, Annie (French) (1825-1902). . British novelist, best known by her pseudon>Tn of 'Mrs. .lexander.' born in Dublin. Ireland. She began writing at an early age, but with so little success that on her marriage she laid aside her pen and resumed it only when the death of her husband obliged her to seek some means of maintenance. Among her novels, some of which met with considerable success, are: The Wooing O't (1873) : Rn- Drnrrst Foe (1876) ; Bn Worn- an's Wit (2 vols., 1886) ; Mona's Choice (1887) ; A Life Interest (3 vols., 1888); A Winning Hazard (1806) ; and Barbara: Lady's Maid and Fecicss (1897). HECTOR, or ECTOR, Sib. The name of two knights in Arlluiriau legend. HECUBA (Lat., from Gk. 'EKipri, H ekahe). The second wife of Priam, King of Troy, to whom she was said to have borne nineteen children, in- cluding Hector, Paris, Hclenus, Cassandra, Dei- phobus, Polydorus, and Troilus. lu the Iliad Hecuba appears as bringing offerings to Athena, trying to restrain Hector from the battle, and lamenting his death. The tragedians, and espe- cially Euripides, basing their work on the later epics, developed her story, and it served as a source for still later poets. Before the birth of Paris she dreamed that she bore a blazing torch which fired the whole city. From dread of the meaning of this omen, Paris was e.posed. An- other episode was her vengeance on Polymestor, King of Thrace, to whom Priam had sent his son Polydorus and much treasure for safe-keeping. Polj'mestor murdered his ward, and threw the body into the sea, which bore it to the shore of the Troad, where it was discovered by a servant of the now captive Hecuba. She then enticed* Poh^nestor to her tent, and with her attendants slew his sons before his e_yes and blinded him. The loss of Polydorus was only one of her suffer- ings after the capture of Troy, for she saw her husband and her sons slain, her grandson, As- tyanax, son of Hector, thrown from the walls of Troy, and her daughter Polyxena sacrificed at the tomb of Achilles, while the lot assigned her as slave to her most hated enemy, Odj-sseus. The legends of her end varied, as in one version she was transformed into a dog, which sprang into the sea and was drowned, while in another her lamentations and curses so angered the Greeks that they stoned her. Her name became prover- bial for a sorrowful fate. HECUBA, or HECABE. A tragedy by Eu- ripides, produced about B.C. 424. It deals with the revenge of the Trojan matron on Polvmestor, King of Thrace, who had murdered her youngest son. Polydorus, previously consigned by Priam to his guardianship. The tragic pathos of the play is also heightened by the introduction in the first part of the story of Polyxena, the daughter of Hecuba, who was sacrificed by the Greeks to (he shade of .chilles. The play is somewhat kicking in unity. HECYRA, iies'i-ra (Lat., from Gk. ■EKvpd, mother-in-law). A comedy by Terence, produced in B.C. 165. The play, which is based on an un- known Greek comedy, lacks plot, and was at first unsuccessful. HEDA, ha'da, Willem Claesz ( 1504-C.167S) . A Dutch painter, born probably at Haarlem. He was one of the most famous of the still-life painters, and also attempted historical subjects, but with little success. He was dean of the Haar- lem Guild in 1631 and in 1651. but aside from tliis nothing is knoWn of the events of his life. There is a "Dessert" by him in the Louvre, dated 1637. His other pictures are in the Ger- man galleries, notably some breakfast subjects in !M iich. Dresden, and Nuremberg. HEDBERG. hedlier-y'. Frans Teodor (1828 — 1. A Svyedish dramatist, horn at Stockholm. He had tried various professions, including that of actor and wig-maker, before he set seriously to