Chapter Pharaoh's Daughter to Philinte of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Amphisbæna, one that walks both ways (Greek, amphis baino).

Chersyder, one that lives on land or in water (Greek. cherses hudor).

Dipsas, one that provokes thirst (Greek, dipsa).

Natrix, the swimmer (Latin, nato).

Prester, one that burns you (Greek, pretho).

Seps, one that provokes thirst (Greek, sepo).

Sibila, the hisser (Latin, sibilo).

(In this battle Pompey had 45,000 legionaries, 7000 horse, and a large number of auxiliaries. Cæsar had 22,000 legionaries, and 1000 horse. Pompey’s battle cry was, Herculês invictus! That of Cæsar was, Venus victrix! Cæsar won the battle.)

Translations of the Pharsalia—Gorge, in 1614, translated bk. i. into English verse.
Marlowe translated the Pharsalia into blank verse in 1600;
and this translation abounds in grand lines.
May, in 1627–1633, made a translation.
Rowe, in 1728, published an excellent translation.

Pheasant. So called from Phasis, a stream of the Black Sea.

There was formerly at the fort of Poti a preserve of pheasants, which birds derive their European name from the river Phasis (the present Rion).—Monteith.

Phebe, a shepherdess beloved by the shepherd Silvius. While Rosalind was in boy’s clothes, Phebe fell in love with the stranger, and made a proposal of marriage; but when Rosalind appeared in her true character, and gave her hand to Orlando, Phebe was content to accept her old love Silvius.—Shakespeare: As You Like It (1600).

Phedre (or Phædra), daughter of Minos king of Crete, and wife of Theseus. She conceived a criminal love for Hippolytos her step-son, and, being repulsed by him, accused him to her husband of attempting to dishonour her. Hippolytos was put to death, and Phædra, wrung with remorse, strangled herself.

(This has been made the subject of tragedy by Euripidês in Greek, Seneca in Latin, Racine in French (1677). “Phédre” was the great part of Mlle. Rachel; she first appeared in this character in 1838.)

N. B.—Pradon, under the patronage of the duchesse de Bouillon and the due de Nevers, produced, in 1677, his tragedy of Phére in opposition to that of Racine. The duke even tried to hiss down Racine’s play, but the public judgment was more powerful than the duke; and while it pronounced decidedly for Racine’s chef d’ æuvre, it had no tolerance for Pradon’s production.

Phelis “the Fair,” wife of sir Guy earl of Warwick. Also spelt Felice.

Phidias (The French), (1) Jean Goujon; also called “The Correggio of Sculptors.” He was slain in the St. Bartholomew Massacre (1510–1572). (2) J. B. Pigalle (1714–1785).

Phil (Little), the lad of John Davies the old fisherman.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Philaminte, wife of Chrysale the bourgeois, and mother of Armande, Henriette, Ariste, and Bélise.—Molière: Les Femmes Savantes (1672).

Philander, o f Holland, was a guest at the house of Argéo baron of Servia, and the baron’s wife Gabrina fell in love with him. (For the rest of the tale, see Gabrina, p. 399.)—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).