Pirith′ous. A son of Ixion and great friend of Theseus, King of Athens. The marriage of Pirithous and Hippodamia became famous for the quarrel between the drunken Centaurs and the Lapithæ, who, with the help of Theseus, Pirithous, and Hercules, attacked and overcame the Centaurs, many of whom were killed, and the rest took to flight.
Pi′tho, the goddess of Persuasion, daughter of Mercury and Venus. She is sometimes referred to under the name of Suada.
Plants, see Demogorgon.
Pleasure, see Rembha.
Plei′ades, The. Seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Their names were Electra, Alcyone, Celæno, Maia, Sterope, Taygete, and Merope. They were made a constellation, but as there are only six stars to be seen, the ancients believed that one of the sisters, Merope, married a mortal, and was ashamed to show herself amongst her sisters, who had all been married to gods.
“... The gray
Dawn and the Pleiades before him danced,
Shedding sweet influence.” Milton.
Plu′to. King of the infernal regions. He was a son of Saturn and Ops, and husband of Proserpine, daughter of Ceres. He is sometimes referred to under the name Dis, and he personifies hell. His principal attendant was the three-headed dog Cerberus, and about his throne were the Eumenides, the Harpies, and the Furies.
“With equal foot, rich friend, impartial fate