anciently called Eridanus, especially by the Greeks; a river famous for the fable of Phaeton, (Ovid). It rises in mount Vesuvius, in the Alpes Cottiae, from three springs, dividing the Cisalpine Gaul into the Transpadana and Cispadana, (Strabo); and, swelled by other rivers falling into it on each side from the Alps and Apennines, it discharges itself with a course from west to east, at seven mouths, into the Adriatic (Mela). The lake thro' which it discharges itself into the sea, is called by the natives the Seven Seas.

Now the Po.

in botany. See PRUNUS.

PÆAN, among the ancient pagans, was a song of rejoicing sung in honour of Apollo, chiefly used on occasions of victory and triumph. See APOLLO.

PÆAN, in the ancient poetry, a foot consisting of four syllables; of which there are four kinds, the pæan primus, secundus, &c.

The pæan primus consists of one long syllable and three short ones, or a trocheus and pyrrhichius, as temporibus; the pæan secundus consists of a short syllable, a long, and two short, or an iambus and a pyrrhichius, as potentia; the pæan tertius consists of two short syllables, a long and a short one, or a pyrrhichius and a trocheus, as animatus; the pæan quartus consists of three short syllables and a long one, or a pyrrhichius and iambus, as celebritas.

PÆDEROTIA, in botany: A genus of the monogyne order, belonging to the pentandria clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 36th order, Conforta. The berry is empty, brittle, and dispersuous; the style bifid.

PÆDO BAPTISM; infant-baptism, or that conferred on children; from παις infant, and βαπτισμος baptism. This has been the subject of great controversy in the church. See ANABAPTISTS, BAPTISTS, &c.

PÆONIA, Piony: A genus of the digynia order, belonging to the polyandria clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 26th order, Multiflora. The calyx is pentaphyllous; the petals five; there are no styles; the capsules are polyspermous. There are two species, both of them very hardy, and will flourish in any common soil. They are large herbaceous flowery perennials, with tuberous roots, sending up strong annual stalks from one to three feet in height; terminated by very large flowers of a beautiful red colour, and much larger than any rose. The common officinal, or male piony, also is remarkable for its capsules turning backward, opening and displaying their red inside, together with the numerous seeds, in a singularly agreeable order, appearing very ornamental after the flower is past. The plants may be propagated either by parting the roots or by seed. This plant was formerly celebrated in nervous distempers, but the present practice pays very little regard to it.

PÆSTUM, called Pafidonia by the Greeks, a town of Lucania, on the Sinus Pætus; an ancient colony prior to the first Punic war, according to Livy; but later, according to Velleius. Pafiana rose were in great esteem, and produced twice a-year (Virgil, Ovid).