Palæmon (pal-ē´mon).—A sea-god; originally called [Melicerta] (q.v.).
Palamedes (pal-a-mē´dēz).—Son of Mauplius, and one of the Greek heroes who sailed against Troy. Having exposed [Ulysses] (q.v.) when he feigned madness in order to avoid going to Troy, the latter, who was famous for his craft, revenged himself by contriving to get a letter, purporting to be written by Priam, king of Troy, concealed under Palamedes’ bed. Ulysses then accused Palamedes of treachery, the fatal letter apparently established the charge, and Palamedes was stoned to death by the Greeks. Palamedes is credited with having added four letters—θ, ξ, χ, φ—to the original Greek alphabet of Cadmus, and also with the invention of quoits, dice, lighthouses, measures, scales, etc.
Pales (pal´ēz).—The Roman protecting deity of flocks and shepherds.
Palici (pal-ī´sī).—Twin sons of Jupiter and the nymph Thalia. They were worshiped in Sicily, in the neighborhood of Mount Ætna.
Palinurus (pal-i-nū´rus).—The pilot of Æneas, who fell into the sea off the west coast of Lucania.
Palladium (pal-lad´i-um).—Properly any statue of Pallas—i. e. Minerva; but the Palladium was an ancient image of the goddess at Troy, on the preservation of which the safety of the city was supposed to depend. Ulysses and Diomedes succeeded in carrying it off and afterwards took it to Greece. See “[Troy].”
Pallas (pal´las).—The Greek name of [Minerva] (q.v.).
Pan.—The chief god of shepherds and flocks; son of Mercury, and the inventor of the syrinx or shepherd’s flute. He was also god of woods, in which he dwelt, and occasionally appeared suddenly before travelers, whose consequent fright was hence called “Panic fear.” Pan is usually represented as a being with horns, puck-nose and goat’s legs and feet.
Pandarus (pan´da-rus).—A celebrated archer in the Trojan army.
Pandora (pan-dō´ra)—lit. “giver of all” (Gr.).—A beautiful woman, made by Vulcan at Jupiter’s command, who received presents from the gods—hence her name. She was the first woman on earth, and was designed to work the ruin of man in revenge for Prometheus having stolen fire from heaven and thus benefited mankind against the will of Jupiter. Venus adorned her with beauty, Mercury endowed her with boldness and cunning, and the gods, each and all, provided her with a combination of destructive powers wherewith to work out the ruin of man. Thus provided, Mercury took her to Epimetheus (i. e. afterthought), who made her his wife, forgetting, till too late, that his brother Prometheus (i. e. forethought) had strictly enjoined him not to receive any gifts from the gods. Pandora brought with her from heaven a box containing every human ill, which, with feminine curiosity, she opened, and out of it they all flew, to afflict mankind, Hope alone remaining.