ARGOLIS 244 ARGUS ABGOLIS (ar'go-lis), a peninsula oi Greece; lies between the bays of Nauplia and iEgina, and now forms, with Cor- inth, a nomarchy or department. Ar- golis was the eastern region of Pelopon- nesus. The Greeks inhabiting it were often called Argives, or Argians. Hills and mountains alternate with fruitful plains and valleys. Here reigned Pelops, an emigrant from Asia Minor, from whom the peninsula derives its name. It was afterward the seat of govern- ment of Atreus and Agamemnon, Adras- tus, Eurystheus, and Diomedes. Here, Hercules was born. In the morass of Argolis he slew the Lernaean hydra, and in the cave of Nemea subdued the fero- cious lion. In the earliest times it was divided into the small kingdoms of Argos, Mycenje, Tirinthus, Trcezene, Hermione, and Epidaurus, which after- ward formed free states. The chief city, Argos, has retained its name since 1800 B. C. Pop. about 9,000. Here, and in Del- phi, statues were erected to the brothers Biton and Cleobis, who fell victims to their filial piety. Near this city lies the canital of Argolis, Nauplia, or Napoli di 'Romania. On the site of the present village of Castri, on the ^gean Sea, for- merly lay the city Hermione, with a grove dedicated to the Graces: opposite is the island of Hydra. Near the city of Epidaurus, the watering place of ancient Greece, on the ^gean Sea, .(Esculapius had his temple. At Trce- zene, now the village of Damala, Theseus was born. Pop. of province of Argolis and Corinth about 160,000. ARGON, a constituent gaseous element discovered in our atmosphere by Lord Rayleigh and Prof. Ramsay, in 1894. Ar- gon has a characteristic spectrum. Its specific gravity (H=l) is between 19 and 21. It is about 2V^ times as soluble in water as nitrogen. Its critical tem- perature ( — 121°C.) and boiling point ( — 187°C.) are lower than those of oxygen. It seems to be incapable of com- bining with anything. It has been found in cleveite and in a meteorite. There is still much doubt concerning its true status. It is separated by acting on air with red-hot copper filings to separate the oxygen. The residual gas is dried and passed over white-hot mag- nesium filings. The magnesium combines with the nitrogen, producing a solid ni- tride and leaving argon as a gas. ARGONAUT (ar'go-nat), one of the heroes who accompanied Jason in the ship "Argo" when he sailed on his mythic voyage in quest of the golden fleece. (Generally used in the plural, Argonauts). The word is also applied to a genus of cephalopod mollusks, the typical one of the family argonautidse. The best known species is the argonaut, or paper sailor. ARGO-NAVIS, the southern con- stellation of the Ship, containing 9 clus- ters, 3 nebulfe, 13 double and 540 single stars, of which about 64 are visible. ARGONNE (ar-gon') a district of France, between the rivers Meuse, Marne, and Aisne, celebrated for the campaign of Dumouriez against the Prussians in 1792, and for the military movements and actions which took place therein previous to the battle of Sedan, in 1870. In the World War it was the scene of many struggles between the Germans and Allied forces. On Sept. 26, 1918, the First American Army began a great offensive movement west through the Argonne forest, advancing six miles on a 30-mile front, and capturing many towns and thousands of Germans. See Meuse-Argonne, Battles of. ARGOS, a town of Greece, in the N. E. of the Peloponnesus, between the gulfs of .^gina and Nauplia or Argos. This town and the surrounding territory of Argolis were famous from the legend- ary period of the Greek history on- ward, the territory containing, besides Argos, Mycense, where Agamemnon ruled, with a kind of sovereignty, over all the Peloponnesus. ARGOSY, a poetical name for a large merchant vessel : derived from Ragusa, a port which was formerly more cele- brated than now. ARGOT, the jargon, slang, or pecul- iar phraseology of a class or profession; originally the conventional slang of thieves and vagabonds, invented for the purpose of disguise and concealment. ARGUIM, or ARGUIN (ar-gwim' or ar-gwin'), a small island on the W. coast of Africa, not far from Cape Blanco^ formerly a center of trade the profession of which was violently disputed between the Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French, and is now claimed by France. ARGUS. (1) In classical mj^hology, a son of Arestor, said to have had 100 eyes, of which only two slept at one time, the several pairs doing so in succession. When killed by Mercury his eyes were put into the tail of a peacock, by direc- tion of Juno, to whom this bird was sa- cred. Argus was deemed a highly ap-
