Philomela (Daughter of Pandion king)
A daughter of Pandion, king of Athens . Her sister Procne had married Tereus, king of Thrace, and being separated from Philomela spent her time in great melancholy. She persuaded her husband to go to Athens and bring her sister to Thrace. Tereus, on the journey, treated Philomela with great cruelty, and cut off her tongue, confining her in a lonely castle, and reporting to Procne that she was dead. Philomela, however, found means to inform Procne that she was living. In revenge for the cruelty of Tereus, Procne murdered his son and served him up as food at a banquet. On hearing this Tereus drew his sword to slay the sisters, when he was changed into a hoopoe, Philomela into a nightingale, and Procne into a swallow. In poetry we frequently find the nightingale alluded to as Philomela, as in this quatrain, which occurs in a contribution to the Etonian: "Hark! upon the passing gale Philomela's plaintive wail! Feelings how serene and tender Does the lovely music render." 2026 Editor's Note: Philomela is a minor figure in Greek mythology who is frequently invoked as a direct and figurative symbol in literary and artistic works in the Western canon. Her story has been retold and adapted by authors from Ovid to T.S. Eliot, often exploring themes of silenced women and transformation. (Ed: BR 2026-07-03)
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Philomela (During his reign there)
During his reign there was such an abundance of corn, wine, and oil in his realm that it was supposed that Bacchus and Minerva had personally visited the country.
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Philopemen
called the last of mander the Greeks., really their last great com- B. C., became He was born in Arcadia, 253 in 210, generalissimo of the Achaian tans. The League greatest, and conquered of the Sparthis his victories in long struggle was the battle of the Middle Academy, b. c Mantinea. He was put to death by 278 .; the New DY poison when a prisoner of the Messenians, 183 b. c.
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Philopoemen
A celebrated general of the Achaeans, born at Megalopolis. At an early age he distinguished himself in the field of battle, at the same time appearing fond of agriculture and a country life. He adopted Epaminondas as his model, and was not unsuccessful in imitating the prudence and other good qualities of the famous Theban. When Megalopolis was attacked by the Spartans, Philopoemen, then in his thirtieth year, gave the most decisive proofs of his valor. Raised to the rank of commander, he showed his ability to discharge that important trust by killing with his own hand Mechanidas, the tyrant of Sparta , and defeating his army. Sparta having become, after its conquest, tributary to the Achaeans, **Philopoemen enjoyed the triumph of having subdued one of the most powerful states of Greece. He was at length made prisoner by the Messenians, and was treated by their general, Dinocrates, with great severity. He was poisoned in his seventieth year, about 183 years before the Christian era.
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Philosophical Society
AMER- ICAN, a learned society, the oldest now existing in America, being founded as early as the year 1727. At that time it was merely a club in Philadelphia where learned men repaired for conversation, and among them Benjamin Franklin. In 1743 Franklin wrote "A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge Among the British Plantations in America," in which he advocated the formation of a society with members from all the colonies. The society was formed the next year under the title of American Philosophical Society Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge. Franklin was the first president and he was succeeded by David Rittenhouse and then by Thomas Jefferson. The present society is the result of a merger of two learned societies both situated in Philadelphia. In 1785 a London gentleman, de Magellan, presented 200 guineas to the society the interest on which was to be used to provide a gold medal to be awarded for the best discovery or improvement in navigation, natural history, or astronomy. The medal is considered a great honor among scientists. Membership in the society is limited to fifteen new members each year from the United States and three from foreign countries. The hall of the Society is located at 104 S. Fifth St., Philadelphia, where there are interesting scientific collections, and many objects of great historical interest. term said by
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Philosophy
FATHER OF. See THALES.
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Philostratus
A famous Sophist born at Lemnos, or, according to some, at Athens . He came to Rome, where he was patronized by Julia, the wife of the Emperor Severus. She intrusted him with some papers referring to Apollonius, whose life he wrote. This biography is written with elegance, but contains many exaggerated descriptions and improbable stories. 2026 Editor's Note: Philostratus of Lemnos (the Elder) is now distinguished from his uncle Philostratus of Athens, who actually composed the Life of Apollonius at the request of Julia Domna. The two books once credited to the Lemnian were likely written by his uncle, and the biography's exaggerated stories reflect the genre of imperial-era sophistry rather than a single author's style. (Ed: BR 2026-07-04)
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Philoxenus
Of Cythera, one of the most distinguished dithyrambic poets of Greece, was born B. C. 435 and died 380. He spent part of his life at Syracuse, where he was cast into prison by Dionysius, because he had told the tyrant, when asked to revise one of his poems, that the best way of correcting it would be to draw a black line through the whole paper. Only a few fragments of his poems have come down to us.
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Philter
a potion supposed to have the power of exciting love. At times, poisonous drugs drugs were employed, the death of Lucretius and the madness of Caligula being alike ascribed to philters administered by their wives.
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Phineus
A son of Agenor, king of Phoenicia, or, according to some, a son of Neptune, who became king of Thrace. He married Cleopatra (called by some Cleobula), the daughter of Boreas , their children being Plexippus and Pandion. After the death of Cleopatra he married Idaea, the daughter of Dardanus , who, jealous of Cleopatra's children, accused them of an attempt on their father's life, and they were condemned by Phineus to have their eyes put out. This cruelty was punished by the gods, Phineus being made blind, and the Harpies were sent by Jupiter to keep him in continual alarm. He recovered his sight by means of the Argonauts, whom he received with great hospitality. 2026 Editor's Note: While this account focuses on the Thracian king, Greek mythology also identifies a different Phineus as an Arcadian prince who was killed by Zeus for serving him a meal containing human remains. Another figure of the same name, the son of Belus, was famously turned to stone by Perseus during a conflict over the hand of Andromeda. The Thracian king's role as a seer is central to the accounts of the Argonauts ' voyage, where he provided guidance in exchange for protection from the Harpies. (Ed: BR 2026-07-05)
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