Volume Iii Part 95 (2/2)
=Pross= (_Miss_), a red-haired, ungainly creature, who lived with Lucie Manette, and dearly loved her. Miss Pross, although eccentric, was most faithful and unselfish.
Her character (dissociated from stature) was shortness.... It was characteristic of this lady that whenever her original proposition was questioned, she exaggerated it.--C. d.i.c.kens, _A Tale of Two Cities_, ii. 6 (1859).
=Proterius= of Cappadocia, father of Cyra. (See SINNER SAVED.)
=Protesila'os=, husband of Laodamia. Being slain at the siege of Troy, the dead body was sent home to his wife, who prayed that she might talk with him again, if only for three hours. Her prayer was granted, but when Protesilaos returned to death, Laodamia died also.--_Greek Mythology._
In Fenelon's _Telemaque_ ”Protesilaos” is meant for Louvois, the French minister of state.
=Protestant Duke= (_The_), James, duke of Monmouth, a love-child of Charles II. So called because he renounced the Roman faith, in which he had been brought up, and became a Protestant (1619-1685).
=Protestant Pope= (_The_), Gian Vincenzo Ganganelli, Pope Clement XIV. So called from his enlightened policy, and for his bull suppressing the Jesuits (1705, 1769-1774).
=Proteus= [_Pro-tuce_], a sea-G.o.d who resided in the Carpathian Sea. He had the power of changing his form at will. Being a prophet also, Milton calls him ”the Carpathian wizard.”--_Greek Mythology._
By h.o.a.ry Nereus' wrinkled look, And the Carpathian wizard's hook [_or trident_].
Milton, _Comus_ (1634).
Periklym'enos, son of Neleus (2 _syl._), had the power of changing his form into a bird, beast, reptile, or insect. As a bee he perched on the chariot of Herakles (_Hercules_), and was killed.
Aristogiton, from being dipped in the Achelous (4 _syl._), received the power of changing his form at will.--Fenelon, _Telemaque_, xx. (1700).
The genii, both good and bad, of Eastern mythology, had the power of changing their form instantaneously. This is powerfully ill.u.s.trated by the combat between the queen of Beauty and the son of Eblis. The genius first appeared as an enormous lion, but the queen of Beauty plucked out a hair which became a scythe, with which she cut the lion in pieces. The head of the lion now became a scorpion, and the princess changed herself into a serpent; but the scorpion instantly made itself an eagle, and went in pursuit of the serpent. The serpent, however, being vigilant, a.s.sumed the form of a white cat; the eagle in an instant changed to a wolf, and the cat, being hard pressed, changed into a worm; the wolf changed to a c.o.c.k, and ran to pick up the worm, which, however, became a fish before the c.o.c.k could pick it up. Not to be outwitted, the c.o.c.k transformed itself into a pike to devour the fish, but the fish changed into a fire, and the son of Eblis was burnt to ashes before he could make another change.--_Arabian Nights_ (”The Second Calender”).
_Proteus_ or _Protheus_, one of the two gentlemen of Verona. He is in love with Julia. His servant is Launce, and his father Anthonio or Antonio. The other gentleman is called Valentine, and his lady love is Silvia.--Shakespeare, _The Two Gentlemen of Verona_ (1594).
Shakespeare calls the word _Pro-te-us_. Malone, Dr. Johnson, etc., retain the _h_ in both names, but the Globe edition omits them.
=Protevangelon= (”_first evangelist_”), a gospel falsely attributed to St.
James the Less, first bishop of Jerusalem, noted for its minute details of the Virgin and Jesus Christ. Said to be the production of L. Carinus, of the second century.
First of all we shall rehea.r.s.e ...
The nativity of our Lord, As written in the old record Of the _Protevangelon_.
Longfellow, _The Golden Legend_ (1851).
=Protocol= (_Mr. Peter_), the attorney in Edinburgh, employed by Mrs.
Margaret Bertram, of Singleside.--Sir W. Scott, _Guy Mannering_ (time, George II.).
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