OZOLÆ, or OZOLI, a people who inhabited the eastern parts of Aetolia which were called Oxolea. This tract of territory lay at the north of the bay of Corinth, and extended about 12 miles. They received their name from the bad stench (εξη) of their bodies and clothes, which were the raw hides of wild beasts. Some derive it from the stench of the flagellated water in the neighbouring lakes and marshes. According to a fabulous tradition, they received their name from a very different circumstance: During the reign of a son of Deucalion, a bitch brought into the world a stick instead of whelps. The stick was planted into the ground by the king, and it grew up to a large vine, and produced grapes, from which the inhabitants of the country were called Ozolæ, not from εξη, "to smell bad," but from εξης, "a branch or sprout." The name Oxolea, on account of its indelicate signification, was highly disagreeable to the inhabitants; they therefore exchanged it soon for that of Aetolians.

P, the 15th letter and 11th consonant of the alphabet; the sound of which is formed by expressing the breath somewhat more suddenly than in forming the sound of b; in other respects these two sounds are pretty much alike, and are often confounded one with another. When p stands before t or s, its sound is lost; as in the words palms, psychology, pontifical, pitfall, &c. When placed before h, they both together have the sound f; as in philosophy, physics, &c.

P and B are so like each other, that Quintilian declares, that in the word obtinuit, his reason required him to put a b, but that his ears could hear nothing but a p, optimus: hence in ancient inscriptions, and old glossaries, it appears that these two letters have often been confounded. Several nations still pronounce one for the other, the Welch and Germans particularly.

As an abbreviation, P stands for Publius, Pondo, &c. PA. D.I.G., for Patria Dignitas; P. C. for Patres Conscripsit; P. F. for Publii Filius; P. P. for Propositum, or Propositum publice; P. R. for Populus Romanus; P. R. S. for Praetoris Sententia, P. R. S. P. for Praefectus provinciae.

P. M. among Astronomers, is frequently used for post meridiem, or "afternoon;" and sometimes for post mane, "after the morning, i.e. after midnight." P was also used among the ancients as a numeral letter, signifying the same with the G, viz. a hundred; according to the verse of Ugutio,

41 PAC

P. similem cum G numerum monstratur habere.

Though Baronius thinks it rather stood for seven.

When a dash was added atop of P, it stood for four hundred thousand.

St Jerome observes on Daniel, that the Hebrews had no P; but that the ph served them instead thereof; adding that there is but one word in the whole Bible read with a P, viz. apadno. The Greek π signified 80. On the French coins, P denotes those that were struck at Dijon.

In the Italian music, P stands for piano, or "softly:" and P. P. P. for pianissimo, or "very softly."

Among physicians, P stands for pulg, or the eighth part of an handful; P. A. partes aequales, or equal parts of the ingredients; P. P. signifies pulvis patrum, or Jesuit's bark in powder; and ppu. preparatus or prepared.