son of Cynaras king of Cyprus, the darling of the goddess Venus: being killed by a wild boar, in the Idalian woods, he was turned into a flower of a blood-colour, supposed to be the anemone. Venus was inconsolable; and no grief was ever more celebrated than this, most nations having perpetuated the memory of it by a train of anniversary ceremonies*. Among Shakespeare's poems, is a long one on the subject of Venus's affection for Adonis.

The text of the vulgate in Ezekiel viii. 14, says, that this prophet saw women sitting in the temple, and weeping for Adonis: but according to the reading of the Hebrew text, they are said to weep for Thammuz, or the hidden one. Among the Egyptians, Adonis was adored under the name of Osiris the husband of Isis. But he was sometimes called by the name of Ammuz, or Thammuz, the concealed, to denote probably his death or burial. The Hebrews, in derision, call him sometimes the dead, Psal. cvi. 28. and Lev. xix. 28. because they wept for him, and represented him as one dead in his coffin; and at other times, they call him the image of jealousy, Ezek. viii. 3. 5. because he was the object of the god Mars's jealousy. The Syrians, Phoenicians, and Cyprians, called him Adonis; and F. Calmet is of opinion, that the Ammonites and Moabites gave him the name of Baal-peor.

See BAAL-PEOR.

Adonius, in Ancient Geography, a river of Phoenicia, rising in Mount Lebanon, and falling into the sea, after a north-west course, at Byblus; famous in fable, as a beautiful shepherd youth (Virgil); son of Cynaras, king of the Cyprians, loved by Venus, slain by a boar, and turned into a river. Theocritus laments him dead in an idyllion, or rather ode, as did the women yearly, when, in flood time, the river rolled down a red earth, which tinged its waters, deemed to be his wound bleeding afresh. In the Phoenician language Adan signifies a willow, and Adon lord, with the same radical letters. Hence Ἀδανίς, Ἀδάνης, Salinuses, and Κυρίς or Κύρις Ἀδάνης for Κυρίος. Adonis horti, are gardens beautifully arranged, but more adapted for pleasure than profit.

Bird's eye, or Pheasant's eye, in Botany. See BOTANY Index.