=Panthéa=: beautiful wife of Abradatas, king of Susa. Cyrus, who had captured her, showed her such respect that Abradatas came over to his side. =Parménȋdes=: philosopher and legislator of Elea, _fl._ _c._ 476 B.C. His writings were in the hexameter verse then usual as the vehicle of literary philosophy. =Parménio=: general under Philip and Alexander, and right-hand lieutenant of the latter. Accused of taking part in a conspiracy against his chief, he was assassinated at the age of seventy in 330 B.C. =Parrhásius=: painter of Ephesus, domiciled at Athens, _c._ 400 B.C.; famed for his accurate drawing and proportion. As a man he was arrogant and luxurious. =Pāsíphaë=: (legendary): wife of Minos of Crete; enamoured of a bull and mother of the Minotaur. =Patróclus=: the ‘squire’ and beloved friend of Achilles. Killed by Hector in battle, and avenged by Achilles. =Peísistrătus=: a younger relative of Solon; intrigued himself into the position of despot of Athens 560 B.C. He was twice expelled, but re-established himself. A highly capable ruler, beautifier of Athens, and a lover of literature. =Pēleides= (-=ī=-): (i.e. ‘son of Peleus’) = Achilles. =Péleus=: aged father of Achilles; superannuated king in Thessaly. =Periander=: despot of Corinth, _c._ 625-585 B.C. An able and powerful ruler, patron of literature and art, generally (but not invariably) included among the Seven Sages. His early mildness is commonly reported to have passed into tyranny (see Thrasybulus). His wife was Melissa. Pericles: the highest name among what may be called ‘Prime Ministers’ of Athens. His career may be dated 470-429 B.C., but his leadership became most pronounced about 444 B.C. A man of large conceptions, brilliant oratorical powers, and philosophic tastes, but of an aristocratic and exclusive temperament. =Perséphŏnë=: daughter of Demeter, wife of Pluto, and therefore, in one of her aspects, Queen of the Dead. =Perseus=: king of Macedonia, on whom the Romans made war in 171 B.C. At first victorious or equal, he was defeated at Pydna by L. Aemilius Paulus 168 B.C. He was carried to Rome and lived for some years at Alba. A weak, vacillating and parsimonious monarch. =Petrónius=: Titus (or Gaius) Petronius, the famous ‘arbiter of taste’ under Nero and director of his pleasures. Whether he was the author of the famous _Satyricon_ is doubtful. =Phaeácians=: seafaring inhabitants of the rich and fertile island of Phaeacia, traditionally identified with Corfu, but possibly Crete. When Odysseus arrived at the island on his raft he was hospitably entertained by King Alcinous and sent home to Ithaca by him on a ship. =Phaedra=: wife of Theseus and step-mother of Hippolytus, of whom she became enamoured. The allusion in Plutarch refers to the fondness of Hippolytus for hunting.