Chapter Put to Python of P by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Pyrrhic Dance, the most famous war-dance of antiquity, received its name from Pyrrichos, a Dorian. It was danced to the flute, and its time was very quick. Julius Caesar introduced it into Rome. The Romaika, still danced in Greece, is a relic of the ancient Pyrrhic dance.

“Ye have the Pyrrhic dance as often,
Where is the Pyrrhic phalanx gone?”
Byron.

Pyrrhic Victory (A). A ruinous victory. Pyrrhus, after his victory over the Romans, near the river Siris, said
to those sent to congratulate him, “One more such victory and Pyrrhus is undone.”

“The railway companies see that in fighting their customers they gain but a very Pyrrhic sort of victory.”- Newspaper article, Feb. 13th, 1893.

Pyrrho A sceptic. Pyrrho was the founder of the sceptical school of philosophy. He was a native of Elis, in Peloponnesos.

“Blessed be the day I 'scaped the wrangling crew
From Pyrrho's maze and Epicurus' sty.”
Beattie: Minstrel.

Pyrrhonian School (The). The sceptical platform founded by Pyrrho. (See above.)

Pyrrhonism Infidelity. (See above.)

Pythagoras son of Mnesarchos, was called son of Apollo or Pythios, from the first two syllables of his name; but he was called Pythagoras because the Pythian oracle predicted his birth.
   Pythagoras, generally called The Long-haired Samian. A native of Samos, noted for his manly beauty and long hair. The Greeks applied the phrase to any venerable man or philosopher.
   Pythagoras maintained that he distinctly recollected having occupied other human forms before his birth at Samos: (1) He was AEthalides, son of Mercury; (2) Euphorbos the Phrygian, son of Panthoos, in which form he ran Patroclos through with a lance, leaving Hector to dispatch the hateful friend of Achilles; (3) Hermotimos, the prophet of Clazomenae; and (4) a fisherman. To prove his Phrygian existence he was taken to the temple of Hera, in Argos, and asked to point out the shield of the son of Panthoos, which he did without hesitation. (See Rat.)
   The golden thigh of Pythagoras. This thigh he showed to Abaris, the Hyperborean priest, and exhibited it in the Olympic games.
   Abaris, priest of the Hyperboreans, gave him a dart, by which he was carried through the air, over inaccessible rivers, lakes and mountains; expelled pestilence; lulled storms; and performed other wonderful exploits.
   Pythagoras maintained that the soul has three vehicles: (1) the ethereal, which is luminous and celestial, in which the soul resides in a state of bliss in the stars; (2) the luminous, which suffers the punishment of sin after death; and (3) the terrestrial, which is the vehicle it occupies on this earth.
   Pythagoras asserted he could write on the moon. His plan of operation was to write on a looking- glass in blood, and place it opposite the moon, when the inscription would appear photographed or reflected on the moon's disc.
   Pythagoras. Mesmerism was practised by Pythagoras, if we may credit Iamblichus, who tells us that he tamed a savage Daunian bear by “stroking it gently with his hand;” subdued an eagle by the same means; and held absolute dominion over beasts and birds by “the power of his voice,” or “influence of his touch.”

Pythagorean System Pythagoras taught that the sun is a movable sphere in the centre of the universe, and that all the planets revolve round it. This is substantially the same as the Copernican and Newtonian systems.

Pythian Games The games held by the Greeks at Pytho, in Phocis, subsequently called Delphi. They took place every fourth year, the second of each Olympiad.

Pythias (See Damon .)

Python The monster serpent hatched from the mud of Deucalion's deluge, and slain near Delphi by Apollo.