OZOLÆ, or OZOLI, a people who inhabited the eastern parts of Aetolia which were called Ozolea. 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 (ξες) of their bodies and clothes, which were the raw hides of wild beasts. Some derive it from the stench of the stagnated 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 Ozolea, not from ξες, "to smell bad," but from ξες, "a branch or sprout." The name Ozolea, on account of its indelicate signification, was highly disagreeable to the inhabitants; they therefore exchanged it soon for that of Aetolians.

P.

P, the 15th letter and 11th consonant of the alphabet; the sound of which is formed by expelling 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 psalms, philosophy, ptolemaic, piston, &c. When placed before h, they both together have the sound f; as in philosophy, physic, &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, optimuit: 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, who say, ponum vinum, for bonum vinum. Plutarch observes, it was usual for those of Delphi to say βαλιν for κάλιν, βακχος, for πακχος; and among the Latins, as often as an s followed, the b was changed into a p, as seribu, seriph.

As an abbreviation, P stands for Publius, Pondo, &c. P.A. DIG. for Patricia Dignitas; P. C. for Patres Conscripti; 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 Praefes 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. P similem cum G numerum monstratur habere.

Though Baronius thinks it rather flood for seven.

When a dash was added a-top of P, it flood 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. apudno. 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 pupil, or the eighth part of an handful; P. AE. partes aquae, or equal parts of the ingredients; P. P. signifies pulvis patroni, or Jesuit's bark in powder; and ppt. preparatus or prepared.