became by her the father of Paphus.

PYGMIES, a fabulous people, their height 131/2 inches, mentioned by
Homer as dwelling on the shores of the ocean and attacked by cranes in
spring-time, the theme of numerous stories.

PYM, JOHN, Puritan statesman, born in Somersetshire, educated at
Oxford; bred to law, entered Parliament in 1621, opposed the arbitrary
measures of the king, took a prominent part in the impeachment of
Buckingham; at the opening of the Long Parliament procured the
impeachment of the Earl of Strafford, and conducted the proceedings
against him; he was one of the five members illegally arrested by Charles
I., and was brought back again in triumph to Westminster; was appointed
Lieutenant of the Ordnance, and a month after died (1584-1643).

PYRAMIDS, ancient structures of stone or sometimes brick, resting
generally on square bases and tapering upwards with triangular sides,
found in different parts of the world, but chiefly in Egypt, where they
exist to the number of 70 or 80, and of which the most celebrated are
those of Ghizeh, 10 m. W. of Cairo, three in number, viz., the Great
Pyramid of Cheop, 449 ft. high, and the sides at base 746 ft. long, that
named Chefren, nearly the same size, and that of Mykerinos, not half the
height of the other two, but excelling them in beauty of execution. The
original object of these structures has been matter of debate, but there
seems to be now no doubt that they are sepulchral monuments of kings of
Egypt from the first to the twelfth dynasty of them.

PYRAMUS AND THISBE, two lovers who lived in adjoining houses in
Babylon, and who used to converse with each other through a hole in the
wall, because their parents would not allow them open intimacy, but who
arranged to meet one evening at the tomb of Nisus. The maiden appearing
at the spot and being confronted by a lioness who had just killed an ox,
took to flight and left her garment behind her, which the lioness had
soiled with blood. Pyramus arriving after this saw only the bloody
garment on the spot and immediately killed himself, concluding she had
been murdered, while she on return finding him lying in his blood, threw
herself upon his dead body and was found a corpse at his side in the
morning.

PYRENE, a crystalline substance obtained from coal tar, fats, &c.

PYRENEES, a broad chain of lofty mountains running from the Bay of
Biscay, 276 m. eastwards, to the Mediterranean, form the boundary betw