More than one of these 7 encyclopedias carries each of the following subjects — but every one of them treats it in a sentence or two and then moves on. They are gathered here so the different accounts can sit side by side.
Priam
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a King of Phrygia, and the last sovereign of Troy. Soon after his accession, the discovery of a gold mine in his kingdom enabled him to enlarge and beautify his capital, and raise a powerful army. By his first wife he had only one child; but by Hecuba, his second queen, he had a numerous family. The perfidy of his son Paris in eloping with Helen led to the long and fatal war, which, after enduring for 10 years, terminated in the entire overthrow of the state, death of most of his sons, and his own murder by Pyrrhus, about 1184 B. C.
Aiton's Encyclopedia: pri'am, in Greek legend, the king of Troy at the time of the Trojan War. He was the husband of Hecuba. Their many sons-fifty according to one account-were all slain during the Trojan War, with the exception of one who deserted his countrymen and joined the Greeks. Priam was slain at the fall of the city. See Troy ; Hecuba
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and Aiton's Encyclopedia
Prickly Pear
Collier's New Encyclopedia: Opuntia vulgaris, natural order Castaceæ, otherwise called Indian fig. The fruit is purplish in color, covered with fine prickles, and edible. It is a native of the tropical parts of America, whence it has been introduced into Europe, Mauritius, Arabia, Syria, and China.
Aiton's Encyclopedia: . See Cactus; Burbank ; Cochineal
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and Aiton's Encyclopedia
Primrose
Aiton's Encyclopedia: low herbs with showy, salver-form flowers clustered on scapes. Some thirty species, with a wide range of color, are cultivated as house plants. They are chiefly of alpine origin,-from mountain meadows. There is no relationship to the rose. The common primrose of England is a hedge and meadow plant with tufted leaves and pale yellow flowers. Lord Beaconsfield adopted the primrose as the flower of his party and the Tory ladies wore primroses in their hats. Beaumont and Fletcher call the primrose "Merry springtime's harbinger." Milton, in Lycidas, speaks of the "rathe (early) primrose that forsaken dies." "Soft silken primrose," says Shakespeare. "Sweet as the primrose," says Goldsmith. Wordsworth expresses the limit of indifference to things beautiful in his oft quoted lines: A primrose by the river's brim, A yellow primrose was to him, And it was nothing more. The bird's-eye primrose is a pretty plant with silvery leaves in small rosettes. The flower-stalks are three to twelve inches high and bear compact umbels of lilac-purple yellow-eyed flowers. See Cowslip
Collier's New Encyclopedia: the Primula vulgaris. Common in copses, pastures, hedgebanks, and woods or by the side of streams. Its root-stock is emetic. The peerless primrose is Narcissus biflorus.
Covered by Aiton's Encyclopedia and Collier's New Encyclopedia
Privy Council
Collier's New Encyclopedia: in English law, the principal council of the sovereign, consisting of members chosen at his or her pleasur pleasure. Its dissolution depends on the royal pleasure; by common law it was dissolved ipso facto by the demise of the sovereign, but to prevent the inconvenience of having no council in being at the accession of a new prince, the privy council is enabled by statute to continue for six months after the demise of the crown, unless sooner dissolved by the successor. It is presided over by the Lord President of the Council, who has precedence next after the Lord Chancellor. Members of the privy council are addressed as Right Honorable. The office of a privy councilor is now confined to advising the sovereign in the discharge of executive, legislative, and judicial duties.
Aiton's Encyclopedia: . See Order In Council
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and Aiton's Encyclopedia
Privy Seal
Collier's New Encyclopedia: the seal used in England to be appended to grants which are afterward to pass the great seal, and to documents of minor importance, which do not require to pass the great seal. In Scotland there is a privy seal used to authenticate royal grants of personal or assignable rights.
Aiton's Encyclopedia: . See Seal
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and Aiton's Encyclopedia
Proclus
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a Greek philosopher of the Neo-Platonic school; born in Byzantium in 412; was educated at Alexandria and Athens. As a teacher at Athens he was very successful. He not only endeavored to unite all philosophical schemes, but made it a maxim that a philosopher should embrace also all religions by becoming infused with their spirit. His works include a "Sketch of Astronomy," in which he gave a short view of the systems of Hipparchus, Aristarchus and Ptolemy; "The Theol Theology of Plato," "Principles of Theology,' a وو "Life of Homer," etc. He died in Athens in 485.
1000 Classical Characters: One of the most celebrated teachers of the Neo-Platonic school, was born at Byzantium A. D. 412, and died A. D. 485. He laid claim to the possession of miraculous power, and his philosophical system is characterized by vagueness and mysticism. Several of his works are still extant. 2026 Editor's Note: Though this text characterizes his system as vague, Proclus is recognized for developing one of the most elaborate and systematic frameworks of Neoplatonism. His influence extended to German idealism, where G. W. F. Hegel described his work as a pivotal transition from ancient philosophy to Christianity. (Ed: BR 2026-06-02)
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and 1000 Classical Characters
Proconsul
Aiton's Encyclopedia: in Roman law, a deputy consul appointed to the command of a province. He was usually a man who had served as a consul or praetor, but, when public service required, the position could be filled by those who had not held office previously. As communication was uncertain and the power of the proconsul practically absolute, he had a large degree of responsibility, with opportunity to distinguish himself by an upright administration, as well as opportunity to enrich himself by extorting money from his wealthy but defenseless subjects. Unfortunately the office was looked upon too often as a means of becoming wealthy. A saying is attributed to one of these officeholders, which, though it may not be true literally, illustrates the condition of public service: "I shall need three years," said he, "one in which to provide for my friends, one in which to provide for myself, and one in which to amass the means necessary to corrupt my superiors." Such men expected to retire from office, erect villas, and live in wealth. See Consul
Collier's New Encyclopedia: in Roman antiquity, an officer who, though not actually hold ing the office of consul, exercised in some particular locality all the powers of a consul.
Covered by Aiton's Encyclopedia and Collier's New Encyclopedia
Protagoras
1000 Classical Characters: A Greek philosopher of Abdera in Thrace. He wrote a book in which he denied the existence of a Supreme Being, which book was publicly burnt at Athens , and its author was banished from the city. 2026 Editor's Note: Protagoras (c. 490–420 BC) was a pre-Socratic philosopher credited with inventing the professional sophist role. His famous statement 'Man is the measure of all things' expressed that individual experience determines personal judgments about truth rather than objective reality. He argued that respecting others' differing opinions was necessary for communities to base decisions on open, democratic debate. (Ed: BR 2026-06-06)
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a Greek sophist; born in Abdera, 480 B. C. He was taught by Democritus, and became a teacher at Athens, and was banished on the charge of atheism. Plato has illustrated the doctrines and the fame of this sophist in the dialogue named after him. None of the wr writings of of Protagoras are extant. He died probably about 411. PROTEACEÆ, proteads; shrubs or small trees, with hard dry leaves. From the Cape of Good Hope and Australia. Known genera 44, species 650.
Covered by 1000 Classical Characters and Collier's New Encyclopedia