Anaconda

( Zool. ) A Cingalese serpent, of enormous magnitude and strength, belonging to the Boa family. Anaco'sa, in Louisiana, a post-office of Sabine co. Anacos'tia, in the United States, a post-office of Washington co, District of Columbia. A nacre on, one of the most famous lyric poets of Greece, was born at Teos, in Ionia, and flourished about 500 в. с. Poly crates, king of Samos, invited him to his court, and bestowed on him his friendship. Here A. composed his songs, inspired by wine and love. After the death of his protector, he went to Athens, where he met with the most distinguished reception from Hipparch us. The fall of the latter drove him from Athens, and probably he returned to Teos. But when Ionia revolted from Darius, he fled to Abdera, where he pa ed a gay and happy old age, and died in his 85th year. According to tradition, he was choked by a grape-stone. The city of Teos put his likene upon its coins; his statue was placed on the Acropolis in Athens, and he was held in honor throughout Greece. Only a small part of his works has come down to us. Of 5 books, there are 68 poems remaining, under the name of A. Among these, criticism acknowledges but few as genuine. Those generally believed to be A.'s are models of delicate grace, simplicity, and ease. The difficulty of attaining these excellences is proved by numberle unsucce ful imitations, unworthy of the name of Anacreontics. The measure in which A. composed his poems, and which is called after him, is commonly divided into 3 iambuses, with a cæsura.