Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Darda

(Encyclopedia)Darda därˈdə [key], in the Bible, wise man. Apparently the same man as Dara. ...

Magi

(Encyclopedia)Magi māˈjī [key], priestly caste of ancient Persia. Probably Median in origin, they were, according to Herodotus, a tribe rather than a priestly family. Zoroaster is thought to have been a Magus. S...

Heman

(Encyclopedia)Heman hēˈmən, hĕmˈ– [key]in the Bible. 1 Wise man; title of Psalm 88. 2 Chief singer. ...

Epiphany

(Encyclopedia)Epiphany ĭpĭfˈənē [key] [Gr.,=showing], a prime Christian feast, celebrated Jan. 6, called also Twelfth Day or Little Christmas. Its eve is Twelfth Night. It commemorates three events—the bapti...

Antenor, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Antenor, in Greek mythology, wise elder of Troy who urged that Helen be returned to Menelaus. The Greeks spared him and his family when they sacked Troy. A later myth portrays Antenor as a traitorous ...

Melchior

(Encyclopedia)Melchior mĕlˈkēôr [key]: see Wise Men of the East. ...

Balthazar

(Encyclopedia)Balthazar bălthāˈzər [key]: see Wise Men of the East. ...

Carroll, Paul Vincent

(Encyclopedia)Carroll, Paul Vincent, 1900–1968, Irish playwright. His plays, vigorous commentaries on the conflicts of village life in Ireland, include Shadow and Substance (1937), The White Steed (1939), The Wis...

Mentor, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Mentor mĕnˈtər, –tôrˌ [key], in Greek mythology, friend of Odysseus and tutor of Telemachus. On several occasions in the Odyssey, Athena assumes Mentor's form to give advice to Telemachus or Od...

Bias, Greek sage

(Encyclopedia)Bias bīˈəs [key], fl. 6th cent. b.c., Greek sage, b. Priene. He is at best semilegendary but was called one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece. Many epigrams were attributed to him by ancient writers....

Browse by Subject