Zerli´na, a rustic beauty, about to be married to Massetto, when Don Giovanni allures her away under the promise of making her a fine lady.--Mozart, Don Giovanni (opera, 1787).
Zerlina, in Auber’s opera of Fra Diavolo (1830).
Zesbet, daughter of the sage Oucha, of Jerusalem. She had four husbands at the same time, viz., Abdal Motallab (the sage), Yaarab (the judge), Abou´teleb (a doctor of law), and Temimdari (a soldier). Zesbet was the mother of the Prophet Mahomet. Mahomet appeared to her before his birth, in the form of a venerable old man, and said to her:
“You have found favor before Allah. Look upon me; I am Mahomet, the great friend of God, he who is to enlighten the earth. Thy virtues, Zesbet, and thy beauty have made me prefer thee to all the daughters of Mecca. Thou shalt for the future be named Aminta [sic].” Then, turning to the husbands, he said, “You have seen me; she is yours, and you are hers. Labor then with a holy zeal to bring me into the world to enlighten it. All men who shall follow the law which I shall preach may have four wives; but Zesbet shall be the only woman who shall be lawfully the wife of four husbands at once. It is the least privilege I can grant the woman of whom I choose to be born.”--Comte Caylus, Oriental Tales (“History of the Birth of Mahomet,” 1743).
(The mother of Mahomet is generally called Amina, not Aminta.)
Zethus, son of Jupiter and Antiope.
Zeus (1 syl.), the Greek Jupĭter. The word was once applied to the blue firmament, the upper sky, the arch of light; but in Homeric mythology Zeus is king of gods and men; the conscious embodiment of the central authority and administrative intelligence which holds states together; the supreme ruler; the sovereign source of law and order; the fountain of justice, and final arbiter of disputes.
Zeuxis and Parrhas´ios. In a contest of skill Zeuxis painted some grapes so naturally that birds pecked at them. Confident of success, Zeuxis said to his rival, “Now let Parrhasios draw aside his curtain, and show us his production.” “You behold it already,” replied Parrhasios, “the curtain is the picture.” Whereupon, the prize was awarded to him, for Zeuxis had deceived the birds, but Parrhasios had deceived Zeuxis.
Myron’s statue of a cow was mistaken by a herd of bulls for a living animal; and Apellês’s painting of the horse Bucephalos deceived several mares, who ran about it neighing.
Quintin Matsys, of Antwerp, fell in love with Lisa, daughter of Johann Mandyn; but Mandyn vowed his daughter should marry only an artist. Matsys studied painting, and brought his first picture to show Lisa. Mandyn was not at home, but had left a picture of his favorite pupil, Frans Floris, representing the “fallen angels,” on the easel. Quintin painted a bee on an outstretched leg, and when Mandyn returned he tried to brush it off, whereupon the deception was discovered. The old man’s heart was moved, and he gave Quintin his daughter in marriage, saying, “You are a true artist, greater than Johann Mandyn.” The painting is in Antwerp Cathedral.