nisus

Even before them the nisus towards it, which has been noticed in the chapter before the last, is observable enough.

But mythology comes in and attributes them all to a nisus for self-preservation.

The same thing happened to Nisus, king of Megara, which town was besieged by Minos.

Nisus gets away first, and shoots out far in front of the throng, fleeter than the winds or the winged thunderbolt.

Nisus betrayed to Minos by his daughter Scylla; changed to a falcon, and Scylla to a lark.