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Ptolemaïs, ancient cities, Asia and Africa

(Encyclopedia)Ptolemaïs tŏləmāˈīs [key], ancient name given to several cities to honor members of the dynasty of the Ptolemies. One of these later became known as Akko, in modern Israel. Another was one of th...

Delavigne, Casimir

(Encyclopedia)Delavigne, Casimir käzēmērˈ dəlävēˈnyə [key], 1793–1843, French dramatist, poet, and satirist. His first publication, a verse diatribe against the Restoration, Les Messéniennes (1818), bro...

Agatharchus

(Encyclopedia)Agatharchus ăgˌəthärˈkəs [key], fl. 5th cent. b.c., Greek painter of the Athenian school, b. Samos. He is credited by Vitruvius with important discoveries in application of shading and perspecti...

Gorboduc

(Encyclopedia)Gorboduc gôrˈbədək [key], legendary early British king mentioned by Geoffrey of Monmouth. In his lifetime he divided his kingdom between his sons Ferrex and Porrex, thereby creating great civil st...

Cruz, Ramón de la

(Encyclopedia)Cruz, Ramón de la rämōnˈ dā lä kro͞oth [key], 1731–94, Spanish dramatist. He wrote tragedies and adapted French and Italian plays, but he owes his fame to his sainetes, some 450 masterly one-...

Mallet, David

(Encyclopedia)Mallet or Malloch, David mălˈĭt, –əkh [key], c.1705–1765, English poet and dramatist, b. Scotland. His best-known work is the ballad William and Margaret (1720). Although he wrote several trag...

Quinault, Philippe

(Encyclopedia)Quinault, Philippe fēlēpˈ kēnōˈ [key], 1635–88, French dramatist. His tragedies and comedies are affected and undistinguished, but he found an outlet for his talent in the 14 opera librettos w...

Cenci, Beatrice

(Encyclopedia)Cenci, Beatrice bāˌätrēˈchā chānˈchē [key], 1577–99, Italian noblewoman, tragic figure of the late Renaissance. Her father, Francesco Cenci (1549–98), was a Roman noble noted for his vici...

Dennis, John

(Encyclopedia)Dennis, John, 1657–1734, English critic and playwright. Best known for his critical works, which include Grounds of Criticism in Poetry (1704) and An Essay on the Genius and Writings of Shakespeare ...

Giraldi, Giovanni Battista

(Encyclopedia)Giraldi, Giovanni Battista jōvänˈnē bät-tēsˈtä jērälˈdē [key], 1504–73, Italian author, known also as Cinthio, Cintio, Cinzio, or Cyntius. He wrote tragedies, lyric verse, and tales. Som...