IV. Satan shows Jesus Rome, with all its greatness, and says, “I can easily dethrone Tiberius, and seat Thee on the imperial throne.” He then shows Him Athens, and says, “I will make Thee master of their wisdom and high state of civilization, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” “Get thee behind Me, Satan!” was the indignant answer; and Satan, finding all his endeavors useless, tells Jesus of the sufferings prepared for Him, takes Him back to the wilderness, and leaves Him there; but angels come and minister unto Him.—Milton (1671).
Paraguay (A Tale of), by Southey, in four cantos (1814). The small-pox, having broken out amongst the Guarānis, carried off the whole tribe except Quiāra and his wife, Monnĕma, who then migrated from the fatal spot to the Mondai woods. Here a son (Yerūti) and afterwards a daughter (Mooma) were born; but before the birth of the latter, the father was eaten by a jagŭar. When the children were of a youthful age, a Jesuit priest induced the three to come and live at St. Joăchin (3 syl.); so they left the wild woods for a city life. Here, in a few months, the mother flagged and died. The daughter next drooped, and soon followed her mother to the grave. The son, now the only remaining one of the entire race, begged to be baptized, received the rite, cried, “Ye are come for me! I am ready;” and died also.
Par´cinus, a young prince, in love with his cousin, Irolit´a, but beloved by Az´ira. The fairy Danamo was Azira’s mother, and resolved to make Irolita marry the fairy Brutus; but Parcinus, aided by the fairy Favorable, surmounted all obstacles, married Irolita, and made Brutus marry Azira.
Parcinus had a noble air, a delicate shape, a fine head of hair admirably white.... He did everything well, danced and sang to perfection, and gained all the prizes at tournaments, whenever he contended for them.—Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“Perfect Love,” 1682).
Par´dalo, the demon-steed given to Iniguez Guerra, by his gobelin mother, that he might ride to Tolēdo and liberate his father, Don Diego Lopez, lord of Biscay, who had fallen into the hands of the Moors.—Spanish Story.
Par´diggle (Mrs.) a formidable lady, who conveyed to one the idea “of wanting a great deal more room.” Like Mrs. Jellyby, she devoted herself to the concerns of Africa, and made her family of small boys contribute all their pocket money to the cause of the Borrioboola Gha mission.—C. Dickens, Bleak House (1853).
Pardoner’s Tale (The), in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, is “Death and the Rioters.” Three rioters agree to hunt down Death, and kill him. An old man directs them to a tree in a lane, where, as he said, he had just left him. On reaching the spot, they find a rich treasure, and cast lots to decide who is to go and buy food. The lot falls on the youngest; and the other two, during his absence, agree to kill him on his return. The rascal sent to buy food poisons the wine, in order to secure to himself the whole treasure. Now comes the catastrophe: The two set on the third and slay him, but die soon after of the poisoned wine; so the three rioters find death under the tree, as the old man said, paltering in a double sense (1388).
Parian Verse, ill-natured satire; so called from Archil´ochus, a native of Paros.
Pari-Ba´nou, a fairy who gave Prince Ahmed a tent, which would fold into so small a compass that a lady might carry it about as a toy, but, when spread, it would cover a whole army.—Arabian Nights (“Prince Ahmed and Pari-Banu”).
Paridel is a name employed in the Dunciad for an idle libertine—rich, young, and at leisure. The model is Sir Paridel, in the Faëry Queen.