palfrey a riding horse, in contrast to a work horse.
palfrey a top-grade riding horse, as contrasted to a work horse.
Pallas Pallas Athene, the goddess of wisdom.
Pamphilles (Pamphilus) the hero in a Latin dialogue about love called Pamphilus de Amore.
Penmark Point Arveragus' home on the rocky sea coast.
Phebus (Phoebus) Phoebus Apollo, the Greek god of light or sun.
Philosopher's Stone an imaginary substance sought by alchemists, who believed it to be capable of transmuting base metals into precious ones.
Phoebus Phoebus Apollo, the Greek god of light, or the sun.
Physiologus a collection of nature lore, describing both the natural and supernatural.
Piedmont, Saluzzo, Apennines, Lombardy, Monte Viso scenes in and around north central Italy where Petrarch lived and wrote.
placebo anything easy to swallow, pleasing, and acceptable, as is Placebo's advice to the Knight.
plumb your wif have sexual intercourse.
Pluto and Proserpina the king and queen of Fairyland.
Ptolemy . . . almagest Ptolemy was a second century a.d. astronomer whose chief work was the Almagest. The Wife of Bath's quote shows that she is familiar with such a famous person.
Pygmalion, Zeuxis (Zanzis), Apelles Pygmalion created a statue so beautiful that he fell in love with it; Zeuxis was a fourth-century b.c. painter known for the beauty of his portraits; Apelles was a famous Jewish painter who decorated the tomb of Darius. Legendarily, these three argued over who had the best right to create Virginia's beauty.
Pyrrhus the Greek who slew Priam, the king of Troy.
Que la meaning "Who's there?"
Queen Semiramis (Semyrame) Assyrian queen, founder of Babylon, noted for her beauty and strength, and the epitome of licentiousness and decadent behavior. The Man of Law compares the Sultan's mother to her.
quoniam a vulgar designation for the female pudendum, or vulva.
Rebecca, Judith, Abigail, Esther biblical women noted for their good advice or actions.
relics objects esteemed and venerated because of association with a saint or martyr; here, the Pardoner's relics are false.
Rum-Ram-Ruf an alliterative phrase meant to make fun of the popular use of alliteration in contemporary compositions such as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight or Piers Plowman.
