Chapter Philosopher's Tree to Phoenix Period of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Philosopher's Tree to Phoenix Period

Philosopher's Tree (The), or Diana's tree. An amalgam of crystallised silver, obtained from mercury in a solution of silver; so called by the alchemists, with whom Diana stood for silver.

Philosophers
   The Seven Sages or Wise Men of Greece. Thales, Solon, Chilon, Pittacos, Bias, Cleobulos, Periander; to which add Sosiades, Anacharsis the Scythian, Myson the Spartan, Epimenides the Cretan; and Pherecydes of Syros.
   Philosophers of the Academic sect. Plato, Speusippos, Xenocrates, Polemon, Crates, Crantor, Arcesilaos, Careades, Clitomachos, Philo, and Antiochos.
   Philosophers of the Cynic sect. Antisthenes, Diogenes of Sinope, Monimos, Onesicritos, Crates, Metrocles, Hipparchia, Menippos, and Menedemos of Lampsacos.
   Philosophers of the Cyrenaic sect. Aristippos, Hegesias, Anniceris, Theodoros, and Bion.
   Philosophers of the Eleac or Eretriac sect. Phædo, Plisthenes, and Menedemos of Eretria.
   Philosophers of the Eleatic sect. Xenophanes, Parmenides, Melissos, Zeno of Tarsos, Leucippos, Democritos, Protagoras, and Anaxarchos.
   Philosophers of the Epicurean sect. Epicuros, and a host of disciples.
   Philosophers of the Heraclitan sect. Heraclitos; the names of his disciples are unknown.
   Philosophers of the Ionic sect. Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, and Archelaos.
   Philosophers of the Italic sect. Pythagoras, Empedocles, Epicharmos, Archytas, Alcmæon, Hippasos, Philolaos, and Eudoxos.
   Philosophers of the Megaric sect. Euclid, Eubulides, Alexions, Euphantos, Apollonios, Chronos, Diodoros, Ichthyas, Clinomachos, and Stilpo.
   Philosophers of the Peripatetic sect. Aristotle, Theophrastos, Straton, Lyco, Aristo, Critolaos, and Diodoros.
   Philosophers of the Sceptic sect. Pyrrho and Timon.
   Philosophers of the Socratic sect. Socrates, Xenophon, Æschines, Crito, Simon, Glauco, Simmias, and Cebes.
   Philosophers of the Stoic sect. Zeno, Cleanthes, Chrysippos, Zeno the Less, Diogenes of Babylon, Antipater, Panætios, and Posidonios.

Philosophy Father of Philosophy. Albrecht von Haller, of Berne. (1708-1777.)

Philotime The word means lover of honour. The presiding Queen of Hell, and daughter of Mammon. (Spenser: Faërie Queene, ii.)

“And fair Philotime, the rightly hight,
The fairest wight that wonneth under sky.”
Book ii. canto vii.

Philoxenos of Cythera A most distinguished dithyrambic poet. He was invited to the court of Dionysius of Syracuse, who placed some poems in his hand to correct. Philoxenos said the only thing to do was to run a line through them and put them in the fire. For this frankness he was cast into prison, but, being released, he retired to Ephesus. The case of Voltaire and Frederick II. the Great of Prussia is an exact parallel.

“Bolder than Philoxenus,
Down the veil of truth I tear.”
Amand Charlemagne: Les Grandes Verités.

Philoxenos of Leucadia A great epicure, who wished he had the neck of a crane, that he might enjoy the taste of his food the longer. (Aristotle: Ethics, iii. 10.)

Philter (A). A draught or charm to incite in another the passion of love. The Thessalian philters were the most renowned, but both the Greeks and Romans used these dangerous potions, which sometimes produced insanity. Lucretius is said to have been driven mad by a love-potion, and Caligula's death is attributed to some philters administered to him by his wife, Cæsonia. Brabantio says to Othello-

“Thou hast practised on her [Desdemona] with foul charms,
Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals
That weaken motion.”
   Shakespeare: Othello, i. 1.

    (“Philter,” Greek, philtron, philos, loving.)

Phineus (2 syl.). A blind king of Thrace, who had the gift of prophecy. Whenever he wanted to eat, the Harpies came and took away or defiled his food.

“Blind Thamyris, and blind Moeonides,
And Tiresias, and Phineus, prophets old.”
   Milton: Paradise Lost, iii. 34.

Phiz, the face, is a contraction of physiognomy.

Phiz Hablot K. Browne, who illustrated the Pickwick Papers, etc.