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Traherne, Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Traherne, Thomas trəhûrnˈ [key], 1636?–1674, English poet and prose writer, one of the metaphysical poets. He was schooled at Brasenose College, Oxford, and was chaplain to the Lord Keeper from 1...

Scriabin, Aleksandr Nikolayevich

(Encyclopedia)Scriabin, Aleksandr Nikolayevich əlyĭksänˈdər nyēkəlīˈəvĭch skrēäbēnˈ, skrēäˈbĭn [key], 1872–1915, Russian composer and pianist. The name is sometimes spelled Skriabin or Skryabin...

despotism

(Encyclopedia)despotism, government by an absolute ruler unchecked by effective constitutional limits to his power. In Greek usage, a despot was ruler of a household and master of its slaves. The title was applied ...

trickster

(Encyclopedia)trickster, a mythic figure common among Native North Americans, South Americans, and Africans. Usually male but occasionally female or disguised in female form, he is notorious for exaggerated biologi...

hero, in Greek religion

(Encyclopedia)hero, in Greek religion, famous person, who after his death, was worshiped as quasi-divine. The heroes might be actual great men and women, real or imaginary ancestors, or “faded” gods and goddess...

anthropomorphism

(Encyclopedia)anthropomorphism ănˌthrəpōmôrˈfĭzəm [key] [Gr.,=having human form], in religion, conception of divinity as being in human form or having human characteristics. Anthropomorphism also applies to...

incarnation

(Encyclopedia)incarnation, the assumption of human form by a god, an idea common in religion. In early times the idea was expressed in the belief that certain living men, often kings or priests, were divine incarna...

Durandus, Gulielmus

(Encyclopedia)Durandus, Gulielmus gulēĕlˈməs dyo͝orănˈdəs [key], 1237?–1296, French canon jurist and theologian. Educated at the Univ. of Bologna, he served several 13th-century popes in various capacitie...

Judah ha-Levi

(Encyclopedia)Judah ha-Levi or Judah Halevy häˌlēˈvī [key], c.1075–1141, Jewish rabbi, poet, and philosopher, b. Tudela, Spain. His poems—secular, religious, and nationalist—are filled with a serene and ...

Kali

(Encyclopedia)Kali käˈlē [key] [Hindi,=the Black One], important goddess in popular Hinduism and Tantra. Known also as Durga [the Inaccessible] and as Chandi [the Fierce], Kali is associated with disease, death,...