HYADES, nymphs, daughters of Atlas and Æthra (Ovid), of Erechtheus, king of Athens (Eurip.), of Hyas and Bœotia (Hygin.) Their number and names are uncertain, but generally they are either seven or six, and they are called, Cisseis, Nysa, Erato, Eriphia, Bromie, Polyhymno; or, if they are seven, Ambrosia, Eudora, Phæsole, Coronis, Polyxo, Phæo, Thyone. At their death they were changed into stars, and placed on the head of Taurus, one of the twelve signs of the zodiac. They were supposed to preside over rain (hence the name, from is, to rain), because the rising and setting of the Hyades was always attended with much rain. (Ovid. Fast. 5, 165; Cic. de Nat. Deor. 43.) The Latins called them sucula, swine, because they were so ignorant of the Greek language that they imagined the Greek word to be derived from is, a sow. (Gell. xiii. 9. Plin. ii. 39; xviii. 26.)