HYRCANUS 104 HYTHE HYRCANUS, JOHANNES, a high priest and prince of the Jews. He was son of Simon Maccabaeus, on whose as- sassination he succeeded him as supreme ruler, 135 B. c. Jerusalem was soon after besieged by Antiochus Sidetes, King of Syria, with whom Hyrcanus was compelled to make a burdensome peace. In 131 he accompanied Anti- ochus in his expedition against the Par- thians, and from a victory over the Hyrcanian tribe he acquired the surname Hyrcanus. He then threw off the yoke of Syria, conquered Idumea, besieged and destroyed Samaria, and made an iilliance with Rome. He died 106 B. C. HYRCANUS II., eldest son of Alex- ander Jannaeus; became sovereign pon- tiff 79 B. c, was dethroned by his brother Aristobulus, and restored by the Romans as a tributary prince in 63. He was beheaded by Herod, 29 B. c. HYRIA (hir're-a) , an Arcadian nymph, who so much bewailed the death of her father, who had thrown himself headlong from the top of a rock, that she dissolved away in tears, and was changed into a lake bearing her name. HYSSOP, a genus of plants of the natural order Labiatse, distinguished by four straight diverging stamens and a calyx with 15 ribs. The known species are few. The common hyssop {H. offi- cinalis) is a native of the S. of Europe and the East. It is found on the Alps of Austria. It is a half shrubby plant. The flowers generally of a very beautiful blue. It has an agreeable aromatic odor. It has long been in cul- tivation for the sake of its leaves and young shoots, sometimes used for culi- nary purposes as a seasoning, but more senerally in a dried state as a stomachic and carminative. A syrup made with them is a popular remedy for colds. HYSTERESIS (his-ter-e'sis) , an in- disposition to change from a condition previously induced, a phenomenon of magnetization Of iron. It may be at- tributed to a sort of internal or mole- cular friction, causing energy to be absorbed when iron is magnetized. HYSTERIA (his-ter'e-a), a nervous disorder of females, usually most fre- quent at the catamenial period and in the unmarried. Indolent and luxurious habits, over-spoiling, disappointed affec- tion, grief, etc., are among the chief causes. HYSTERO-EPIIiEPSY, a nervous di&- ease of women, occurring during the fer- tile period of life, first observed and described by Charcot. The disease is of a paroxysmal nature, and its symptoms may be divided into inter-paroxysmal and paroxysmal. The former consist of extreme sensitiveness over the region of one or both ovaries, and loss of tactile sensibility and complete insensibility to pain in one lateral half of the body, the side on which ovarian tenderness exists. Sight is sometimes implicated, mani- fested by a peculiar form of color blind- ness. All these impairments of sensa- tion may be shifted to the other side of the body on the application of magnets and plates of metals, the originally af- fected side regaining sensibility so long as the opposite one is insensible. The mental faculties are generally weakened and the disease is for the most part in- curable. HYTHE, one of the Cinque Ports of England. In 1295 the French made a descent on Hythe, but were decisively repulsed.
