Chapter Zemia to Zobeide of Z by Brewer's Readers Handbook

bands at the same time, viz. Abdal Motallab (the sage), Yaarab (the judge), Abouteleb (a doctor of law), and Temimdari (a soldier). Zesbet was the mother of the prophet Mahomet. Mahomet appeared to her before his birth in the form of a venerable old man, and said to her—

“You have found favour before Allah. Look upon me; I am Mahomet, the great friend of God, he who is to enlighten the earth. Thy virtues, Zesbet, and thy beauty have made me prefer thee to all the daughters of Mecca. Thou shalt for the future be named Aminta [sic].” Then, turning to the husbands, he said, “You have seen me; she is yours, and you are hers. Labour, then, with a holy zeal to bring me into the world to enlighten it. All men who shall follow the law which I shall preach, may have four wives: but Zesbet shall be the only woman who shall be lawfully the wife of four husbands at once. It is the least privilege I can grant the woman of whom I choose to be born.”—Comte de Caylus: Oriental Tales (“History of the Birth of Mahomet,” 1743).

(The mother of Mahomet is generally called Amina, not Aminta.)

Zeus , the Grecian Jupiter. The word was once applied to the blue firmament, the upper sky, the arch of light; but in Homeric mythology, Zeus is king of gods and men; the conscious embodiment of the central authority and administrative intelligence which holds states together; the supreme ruler; the sovereign source of law and order; the fountain of justice, and final arbiter of disputes.

Zeuxis and Parrhasios. In a contest of skill, Zeuxis painted some grapes so naturally that birds pecked at them. Confident of success, Zeuxis said to his rival, “Now let Parrhasios draw aside his curtain, and show us his production.” “You behold it already,” replied Parrhasios, “and have mistaken it for real drapery.” Whereupon the prize was awarded to him, for Zeuxis had deceived the birds, but Parrhasios had deceived Zeuxis.

Myro’s painting of a cow was mistaken by a herd of bulls for a living animal; and Apellês’s painting of the horse Bucephalos deceived several mares, who ran about it neighing.

Quintin Matsys, of Antwerp, fell in love with Lisa, daughter of Johann Mandyn; but Mandyn vowed his daughter should marry only an artist. Matsys studied painting, and brought his first picture to show Lisa. Mandyn was not at home, but had left a picture of his favourite pupil Frans Floris, representing the “fallen angels,” on an easel. Quintin painted a bee on the outstretched limb; and when Mandyn returned he tried to brush it off, whereupon the deception was discovered. The old man’s heart was moved, and he gave Quintin his daughter in marriage, saying, “You are a true artist, greater than Johann Mandyn.”

Velasquez painted a Spanish admiral so true to life that king Felipe IV., entering the studio, thought the painting was the admiral, and spoke to it as such, reproving the supposed officer for being in the studio wasting his time, when he ought to have been with the fleet.

Zillah, beloved by Hamuel a brutish sot. Zillah rejected his suit, and Hamuel vowed vengeance. Accordingly, he gave out that Zillah had intercourse with the devil, and she was condemned to be burnt alive. God averted the flames, which consumed Hamuel, but Zillah stood unharmed; and the stake to which she was bound threw forth white roses, “the first ever seen on earth since paradise was lost.”—Southey. (See Rose, p. 933, col. 2, last art.)

Zimmerman (Adam), the old burgher of Soleure; one of the Swiss deputies to Charles “the Bold” of Burgundy.—Sir W. Scott: Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

Zimri, one of the six Wise Men of the East led by the guiding star to Jesus.

Zimri taught the people, but they treated him with contempt; yet, when dying, he prevailed on one of them, and then expired.—Klopstock; The Messiah, v. (1771).