in fabulous history, the seven daughters of Atlas, King of Mauritania, and of Pleione, who were changed into the constellation which bears their name. They were Maia, Electra, Taygete, Sterope, Merope, Halyeone, and Celeno, who were also called Atlantides, from their father Atlas.

an assemblage of seven stars, in the neck of the constellation Taurus. These stars are so called from the Greek πλεῖσις, to sail, as being terrible to mariners, by reason of the rains and storms which frequently rise with them. The Latins called them vergiliae, from ver, spring; because of their rising about the time of the vernal equinox.