Part 97 (1/2)

=Psyche= [_Si'.ke_], a most beautiful maiden, with whom Cupid fell in love. The G.o.d told her she was never to seek to know who he was; but Psyche could not resist the curiosity of looking at him as he lay sleep.

A drop of the hot oil from Psyche's lamp falling on the love-G.o.d, woke him, and he instantly took to flight. Psyche now wandered from place to place, persecuted by Venus; but after enduring ineffable troubles, Cupid came at last to her rescue, married her, and bestowed on her immortality.

This exquisite allegory is from the _Golden a.s.s_ of Apuleios. Lafontaine has turned it into French verse. M. Laprade (born 1812) has rendered it into French most exquisitely. The English version, by Mrs. Tighe, in six cantos, is simply unreadable.

=Pternog'lyphus= (”_bacon-scooper_”), one of the mouse chieftains.--Parnell, _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_, iii. (about 1712).

=Pternoph'agus= (”_bacon-eater_”), one of the mouse chieftains.

But dire Pternophagus divides his way Thro' breaking ranks, and leads the dreadful day.

No nibbling prince excelled in fierceness more,-- His parents fed him on the savage boar.

Parnell, _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_, iii. (about 1712).

=Pternotractas= (”_bacon-gnawer_”), father of ”the meal-licker,” Lycomile (wife of Troxartas, ”the bread-eater”). Psycarpas, the king of the mice, was son of Lycomile, and grandson of Pternotractas.--Parnell, _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_, i. (about 1712).

=Public Good= (_The League of the_), a league between the dukes of Burgundy, Brittany, and other French princes against Louis XI.

=Public'ola=, of the _Despatch Newspaper_, was the _nom de plume_ of Mr.

Williams, a vigorous political writer.

=Publius=, the surviving son of Horatius after the combat between the three Horatian brothers against the three Curiatii of Alba. He entertained the Roman notion that ”a patriot's soul can feel no ties but duty, and know no voice of kindred” if it conflicts with his country's weal. His sister was engaged to Caius Curiatius, one of the three Alban champions; and when she reproved him for ”murdering” her betrothed, he slew her, for he loved Rome more than he loved friend, sister, brother, or the sacred name of father.--Whitehead, _The Roman Father_ (1714).

=Pucel.= _La bel Pucel_ lived in the tower of ”Musyke.” Graunde Amoure, sent thither by Fame to be instructed by the seven ladies of science, fell in love with her, and ultimately married her. After his death, Remembrance wrote his ”epitaphy on his graue.”--S. Hawes, _The Pa.s.se-tyme of Pleasure_ (1506, printed 1515).

=Pucelle= (_La_), a surname given to Joan of Arc, the ”Maid of Orleans”

(1410-1431).

=Puck=, generally called Hobgoblin. Same as Robin Goodfellow. Shakespeare, in _Midsummer Night's Dream_, represents him as ”a very Shetlander among the gossamer-winged, dainty-limbed fairies, strong enough to knock all their heads together, a rough, knurly-limbed, fawn-faced, shock-pated, mischievous little urchin.”

He [_Oberon_] meeteth Puck, which most men call Hobgoblin, and on him doth fall, With words from phrenzy spoken.

”Hoh! hoh!” quoth Hob; ”G.o.d save your grace....”

Drayton, _Nymphidia_ (1593).

=Pudding= (_Jack_), a gormandizing clown. In French he is called _Jean Potage_; in Dutch, _Pickle-Herringe_; in Italian, _Macaroni_; in German, _John Sausage_ (Hanswurst).

=Puff=, servant of Captain Loveit, and husband of Tag, of whom he stands in awe.--D. Garrick, _Miss in Her Teens_ (1753).

_Puff_ (_Mr._), a man who had tried his hand on everything to get a living, and at last resorts to criticism. He says of himself, ”I am a pract.i.tioner in panegyric, or to speak more plainly, a professor of the art of puffing.”