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mantra

(Encyclopedia)mantra mănˈtrə, mŭn– [key], in Hinduism and Buddhism, mystic words used in ritual and meditation. A mantra is believed to be the sound form of reality, having the power to bring into being the r...

Jupiter, in Roman religion and mythology

(Encyclopedia)Jupiter, in Roman religion and mythology, the supreme god, also called Jove. Originally a sky deity associated with rain and agriculture, he developed into the great father god, prime protector of the...

Al Aswany, Alaa

(Encyclopedia)Al Aswany, Alaa, 1957–, Egyptian author, b. Cairo. The son of a novelist-lawyer, he was trained as a dentist at Cairo Univ. (grad. 1980) and the Univ. of Illinois at Chicago (M.S., 1987) and has com...

Jarha

(Encyclopedia)Jarha järˈhə [key], in the Bible, Egyptian slave to whom Sheshan gave his daughter. ...

Idfu

(Encyclopedia)Idfu ĕdˈ– [key], town (1986 pop. 45,737), S central Egypt, on the Nile River. It is an agricultural trade center and has paper mills and a sugar refinery. Idfu was the capital of a predynastic upp...

Wadi Halfa

(Encyclopedia)Wadi Halfa wäˈdē hălˈfə [key], town, N Sudan, on Lake Nubia (Lake Nasser). It is the terminus of a railroad from Khartoum and is the point at which cotton, wheat, livestock, and other goods are ...

Attis

(Encyclopedia)Attis āˈ– [key], in Phrygian religion, vegetation god. When Nana ate the fruit of the almond tree, which had been generated by the blood of either Agdistis or of Cybele, she conceived Attis. Later...

Faunus

(Encyclopedia)Faunus fônˈəs [key], in Roman religion, woodland deity, protector of herds and crops. He was identified with the Greek Pan. His festival was observed on Dec. 5 with dancing and merrymaking. Another...

Pollux, Julius

(Encyclopedia)Pollux, Julius pŏlˈəks [key], fl. 170, Egyptian Greek lexicographer, b. Naucratis. He compiled a Greek lexicon for Emperor Commodus. ...

Ismail Pasha

(Encyclopedia)Ismail Pasha ĭsˌmäēl päshäˈ [key], 1830–95, ruler of Egypt (1863–79), son of Ibrahim Pasha. He succeeded his uncle Said Pasha as ruler. Ismail used the Egyptian cotton crop, enormously enha...