had rested his hands on its head and had con- fessed the sins of the whole people, was <;iven in charge of trusty men, who led it outside of the city limits, and then one of them released it in the wilderness (Lev. xvi. 10-21). While the biblical ritual for the day contains some evidently ancient features, and while the sanc- tity of the tenth day of the 'sacred' seventh month probably reverts to an early epoch, the institution of the distinctively Jewish Day of Atonement is an outcome of religious conditions as they existed during the Babylonian exile. The earliest trace of the biblical ceremonial is to be found in Ezek. xlv., though his prescrip- tions for the day are much simpler than those found in Leviticus. 'ith the destruction of the Temple and the abolition of sacrifice, the Day of Atonement was changed in one im- portant particular — from being a purely na- tional fast, it has now also an individual side. At present the day is kept by fasting from sunset of the ninth to sunset of the tenth day of Tishri, and by .services in the evening and all day. An important part of the service is the recital of the service of the Temple, as handed down by tradition.
Just as the popular sense of guilt experienced during the Babylonian exile furnished the con- ditions favorable for the institution of a great atonement day, so the second destruction of Jerusalem directly contributed not only toward enhancing the importance of the day, but toward giving to it a sombre character relieved only by the consolatory hope of securing, by a strict obedience to elaborate ceremonial regulations, forgiveness of individual sin and the assuage- ment of divine anger manifested by the loss of national independence. An entire treatise of the Talmud, known as Yoma (i.e. The Day par excellence), is devoted to setting forth the cere- monies and ritual for the fast, and to this day, despite general laxity prevailing in wide circles, Jews of the most advanced views still observe the day as the most sacred of the year.
Bibliography. On the biblical observances and questions connected with its origin consult: W. Nowack, Hebräische Archäologie, Vol. II. (Freiburg, 1894); I. Benzinger, Hebräische Archäologie (ib. 1894); J. J. Wellhausen, Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels (Berlin, 1899); for the later observances: J. Lightfoot, The Temple Service, Vol. II. of his Collected Works (London, 1864); A. Edersheim, The Temple, its Ministry and Services (ib. 1894); L. Dembitz, Jewish Services in Synagogue and Home (Philadelphia, 1898).
ATOS'SA (Gk. 'AroiTo-a). The daughter of
Cyrus, and the wife successively of Cambyses,
Smerdis, and Darius Hystaspis. She is men-
tioned by Herodotus, and according to one ac-
count was killed by Xerxes. The name corre-
sponds merely in form to that of Vishtaspa's
wife, Hutaosa, in the Avesta (q.v.). See
Zoroaster.
ATRATO, ft-tra't6. A river of Colombia,
South America, rising at an altitude of over
10,000 feet, in latitude 5° 20' north (Map:
Colombia, B 2). It flows in a northern direc-
tion, and enters the Gulf of Darien by 16
arms, only a few of which are navigable. The
river is about 400 miles long, and navigable
for more than 200 miles. The Atrato was con-
sidered in connection with the canal between the
Atlantic and the Pacific, and expeditions were
sent out by the United States Government to
explore its course in 1857 and 1870; but the re-
ports in both cases were unfavorable, and the
project was abandoned.
ATREBATES, a-treb'a-tez or at're-bil'tez, or
Atrebath, at're-ba'shi-i (Lat.). A people of
Belgic Gaul, whose name survives in the name of
the old Province of Artois. In a confederation
against Julius Cæsar they furnished 15,000
troops. There was once a colony of them in
Britain, in Berkshire and Wiltshire.
ATREK, a-tr?k'. A river of Persia (Map: Persia, F 2). It rises in the northeastern part of the country, near Kuh Rizeh mountain (9700 feet), and, flowing in a western direction, forms the boundary line between the Russian Trans-Caspian territory and Persia. It falls into the Caspian Sea, at Hassan Kuli Bay, after a course of over 300 miles.
ATREUS, a'troos (Gk. 'Arpei^s). In Greek
legend, son of Pelops and Hippodamia, grand-
son of Tantalus, and brother of Thyestes. In
the Iliad there is no trace of the terrible feud
between the brothers. This legend develops
later, perhaps under the influence of Dorian
hostility to the Acluean rulers of the Pelopon-
nesus, and is told in many forms. The main
features are as follows: Atreus married Cleola,
by whom he was the father of Pleisthenes; his.
next wife was Aërope, by whom he had Aga-
memnon and Menelaus; his last wife was Pelo-
pia, daughter of his brother Thyestes. The
main story of Atreus begins in blood, he and
Thyestes being induced by their mother to kill
their stepbrother Chrysippus, the son of Pelops
and the nymph Axioche. After the murder, the
perpetrators fled to Mycenæ, where the king,
Eurystheus, was their nephew. He lost his life
in war with the Heraclidæ, and Atreus suc-
ceeded him as King of Mycenæ. Thyestes se-
duced Atreus's wife Aërope, and stole the golden
lamb which was the gift of Hennes. Atreus
expelled Thyestes, who sent Atreus's own son
Pleisthenes to kill him: but the father slew the
son without recognizing him. Then Atreus pre-
pared a great revenge. Professing to be recon-
ciled to Thyestes, he invited him to Mycenæ,
killed the sons of Thyestes, and served them
as a banquet for their father. In the midst of
the meal, Atreus showed the heads and hands to
Thyestes, who, struck with horror, cursed the
house of Atreus and fled, while the sun turned
its face from the scene. Thyestes, once more
driven out by Atreus, came to Sicyon, where he
found his daughter Pelopia, whom he violated
without recognizing her. She was then married
to Atreus, who was also ignorant of her parent-
age. Her child by Thyestes was exposed, but
rescued and brought up by Atreus, who named
him Ægisthus. Later Atreus sent Agamemnon
and Menelaus in search of Thyestes, whom they
brought back to Mycenæ; whereupon Atreus im-
prisoned him and sent Ægisthus to kill him.
Ægisthus having been recognized by his real
father. Pelopia recognized the dreadful truth
and killed herself, while Ægisthus slew Atreus,
who was offering sacrifice on the seashore. In
later times the great domed tombs at Mycenæ
were pointed out as the treasuries of Atreus and
