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Helenus

(Encyclopedia)Helenus hĕlˈənəs [key], in Greek mythology, Trojan who was gifted with prophetic powers; son of Priam and Hecuba. When Helen was given to Deiphobus after the death of Paris, Helenus in anger betra...

Six Dynasties

(Encyclopedia)Six Dynasties, period of Chinese history between the fall of the Han dynasty (a.d. 220) and the unification of China under the Sui dynasty (a.d. 589). It is named for the six successive dynasties that...

Soufrière, volcano, St. Vincent

(Encyclopedia)Soufrière, volcano, 4,048 ft (1,234 m) high, on St. Vincent island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. On May 7, 1902, the day before the great eruption of Pelée on Martinique island, Soufrière erupte...

Peter II, czar of Russia

(Encyclopedia)Peter II, 1715–30, czar of Russia (1727–30). A grandson of Peter I and the son of the czarevich Alexis, he succeeded on the death of Catherine I. He was too young to rule, but he willingly lent hi...

Pluto, in Greek religion and mythology

(Encyclopedia)Pluto, in Greek religion and mythology, god of the underworld, son of Kronos and Rhea; also called Hades. After the fall of the Titans, Pluto and his brothers Zeus and Poseidon divided the universe, a...

Wilmington, Spencer Compton, earl of

(Encyclopedia)Wilmington, Spencer Compton, earl of, 1673?–1743, British politician. He was a member of Parliament (1695–1710, 1713–30) and served as speaker of the House of Commons (1715–27). He was paymast...

Means, Philip Ainsworth

(Encyclopedia)Means, Philip Ainsworth, 1892–1944, American historian and archaeologist, b. Boston. An assistant on a Yale expedition to Peru (1914–15), he was later (1920–21) director of the National Museum o...

Rutledge, Edward

(Encyclopedia)Rutledge, Edward, 1749–1800, political leader in the American Revolution, signer of the Declaration of Independence, b. Charleston, S.C.; brother of John Rutledge. He studied law at the Middle Templ...

Adam and Eve, Life of

(Encyclopedia)Adam and Eve, Life of, early Jewish work included in the collection known as the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. It was probably written in Hebrew between 100 b.c. and a.d. 100. Based on the Old Testame...

Alamán, Lucas

(Encyclopedia)Alamán, Lucas lo͞oˈkäs älämänˈ [key], 1792–1853, Mexican historian and statesman. As deputy to the Spanish Cortes, he failed to win a hearing for the insurgents in Mexico. Returning to Mexic...