PLE IADES, in Greek mythology, were, according to the most general account, the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleioue, the daughter of Oceanus. Their history is differ ently related by the Greek mythologists: according to some authorities they committed suicide from grief, either at the death of their sisters, the Hyades, or at the fate of their father, Atlas (q.v.); acCording, to others they were companions of Artemis (Diana), and being pursued by Orion (q.v.), were rescued from him by the gods by being translated to the sky; all authorities, however, agree that, after their death or translation, they were transformed into stars. Only six of these stars are visible to the naked eye, and the ancients believed that the seventh hid herself front shame that she alone of the Pleiades had married is mortal, while her six sisters were the spouses of different gods. Their names are Electra, Maia, Taygete, Alcyone, Wm.)°, Sterope (the invisible one), and Merope.
In astronomy a group or constellation of six stars placed on the shoulder of Taurus, the second sign of the Zodiac, and forming, with the pole-star and the twin Castor and Pollux, the three angular points of a figure which is nearly an equilateral triangle.
Many believe, from the uniform agreement that. the Pleiades were "seven" in number, that the constellation at an early period contained "seven"stars, but that one has since disappeared; not a very uncommon occurrence.
The name Portical Pleiades is frequently applied to reunions of poets in seplenary ,ups; and this use of the word dates from the time of 'the Ptolemies—the originator of the first being Ptolemy Philadelphus, who, from the number of the Greek poets that flocked to Alexandria, chose out seven, whom he treated with special distinction. and denominated his pleutd. His example was followed by CharlenThgue; and the same system was kept up bv the "Compaguie des Sept Mantenadors del gay Saber," or the " Compagnie des Sept Troubadours de Toulouse, 'down till the rth century. Such asso ciations were valuable as promoting an interchange of ideas and opinions by the most eminent in the same department of letters, and creating a kind of esprit daeorpa among them.