Paley, William (1743-1805) English theologian.
Palmyra An ancient city in the Middle East, north of Damascus.
pantomimic Mimicry; expressed by a silent show.
Paphos An ancient city in Cyprus, where Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensual love, was worshipped.
Paracelsus, Philippus (1493-1541) A German physician and alchemist, he introduced the concept of disease to medicine.
parallax The apparent change in the position of an object, resulting from a change in the position from which it is viewed.
Parry, Sir William Edward (1790-1855) A pioneer explorer of the Arctic Ocean.
pathos The quality of arousing feelings of pity, sympathy, tenderness, or sorrow.
patois Dialect.
Paul (c. first century) Termed the Apostle to the Gentiles, Paul was a Hebrew who had Roman citizenship; while on the road to Damascus, he saw a vision of Christ and was converted to Christianity. His writings in the New Testament articulate the foundations for most Christian beliefs.
pecuniary Of, or involving, money.
pensioner One who is dependent on another for economic well-being.
peppercorn Here, meaning petty.
Pericles (d. 429 B.C.) An Athenian statesman, he was responsible for reforms and for promoting democracy.
Pestalozzi, Johann Heinrich (1746-1827) Swiss educator.
Phidias (c. fifth century B.C.) A great Athenian sculptor, none of whose works survive.
Phocion (402-318 B.C.) Phocion was a pupil of Plato and later ruled Athens from 322 to 318 B.C., when he was deposed and executed by Athenians hoping to restore democracy.
Phosphorus In Greek mythology, the god representing the morning star, or morning light.
pickerel-weed North American aquatic plants with arrow-shaped leaves and spikes of violet-blue flowers.
Pindar (c. 518-438 B.C.) A Greek lyrical poet remembered for his heroic themes.
pinfold An enclosure for stray animals; to confine.
piquancy Appealingly provocative.
pith And marrow here, signifying the essential, or central, part.
plastic Able to be molded to any shape; creative.
Plato (c. 427-347 B.C.) A Greek philosopher, he formulated the philosophy of idealism, which holds that the concepts or ideas of things are more perfect — and, therefore, more real — than the material things themselves.
Plotinus (205-270) An Egyptian-born Roman philosopher, he gave a mystical and symbolic interpretation of the doctrines of Plato.
Plutarch (c. 46-120) Greek biographer; his Parallel Lives was a source for much of English literature, including several of Shakespeare's plays.
Plutarch (c. 46-120) Greek biographer; his Parallel Lives was a source for much of English literature, including several works by Shakespeare.
pontederia The Latin name for the pickerel-weed family.
Pope, Alexander (1688-1744) English poet and translator.
Porphyry (c. 232-304) Roman philosopher.
port Bearing; posture.
presentiment A feeling that something specific may happen in the future.
Proclus (d. 485) Greek philosopher.
promulgate To make known publicly.
Proteus In Greek mythology, he was a sea god and the keeper of Poseidon's seals; Proteus had the ability to assume various shapes.
Provencal Minstrelsy Provence, an ancient province in southeast France, was a center for troubadours.
Puritans A sixteenth-century group of Protestants in the Church of England, they thought the Church of England had not gone far enough in reforming the doctrines and the structure of the Church; they called for the eradication of all Roman Catholic elements from their services.
pusillanimity Cowardice.
Pylades In Greek mythology, Pylades was the son of Strophius, king of Phocis. He was raised with his cousin Orestes and became his faithful friend, assisting him in the murder of his mother and her lover.
Pythagoras (sixth century B.C.) Greek philosopher; considered to be the first true mathematician.
Quakerism Officially called the Society of Friends; a group of Christians originating in seventeenth-century England under George Fox. They hold that believers receive direct guidance from a divine inner light.
Quakers Officially called the Society of Friends; a group of Christians originating in seventeenth-century England under George Fox, they held that believers receive direct guidance from a divine inward light.
Quincy granite The granite mined from the quarries in Quincy, Massachusetts, near Boston.
radical Here, meaning root, or most elemental.
Raphael (1483-1520) Italian painter.
Reformation A sixteenth-century movement in Europe to reform excesses and deficiencies in the Church, the Reformation eventually resulted in the separation of the Protestant churches from what then came to be known as the Roman Catholic Church.
Reformers Leaders of the sixteenth-century Reformation who believed that the Christian church no longer conformed to the biblical model; the reformers included John Calvin, Martin Luther, and John Knox.
refractory Unruly.
Russell, Lord John (1792-1878) A British statesman, he served as prime minister (1846-52 and 1865-66) and worked for broader voting rights and religious toleration.
