is sure"; Bias of Priene, his motto "Most
men are bad"; Cleobulus of Lindos, his motto "Avoid extremes"; Pittacus
of Mitylene, his motto "Seize Time by the forelock"; Periander of
Corinth, his motto "Nothing is impossible to industry."

SEVEN SLEEPERS, seven noble youths of Ephesus who, to escape the
persecution of Decius, fled into a cave, where they fell asleep and woke
up at the end of two centuries.

SEVEN WISE MASTERS, the title of a famous cycle of mediaeval tales
which centre round the story of a young prince who, after baffling all
efforts of former tutors, is at last, at the age of 20, instructed in all
knowledge by Sindibad, one of the king's wise men, but having cast his
horoscope Sindibad perceives the prince will die unless, after
presentation at the court, he keeps silence for seven days; one of the
king's wives, having in vain attempted to seduce the young man, in
baffled rage accuses him to the king with tempting her virtue, and
procures his death-sentence; the seven sages delay the execution by
beguiling the king with stories till the seven days are passed, when the
prince speaks and reveals the plot; an extraordinary number of variants
exist in Eastern and Western languages, the earliest written version
being an Arabian text of the 10th century: a great mass of literature has
grown round the subject, which is one of the most perplexing as well as
interesting problems of storiology.

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD, the pyramids of Egypt, the hanging
gardens of Babylon, the tomb of Mausolus, the temple of Diana at Ephesus,
the Colossus of Rhodes, the statue of Jupiter by Phidias at Olympia, and
the Pharos at Alexandria.

SEVEN YEARS' WAR, the name given to the third and most terrible
struggle between Frederick the Great of Prussia and Maria Theresa,
empress of Austria, for, the possession of Silesia, which embroiled
almost all Europe in war, and which had far-reaching effects on the
destinies of England and France as well as Prussia; began in 1756 by
Frederick's successful advance on Dresden, anticipating Maria Theresa's
intention of attempting the recovery of Silesia, lost to her in the
previous two wars. With Austria were allied France, Sweden, Poland, and
Russia, while Prussia was supported till 1761 by England. In 1762 Peter
III. of Russia changed sides, and Frederick, sometimes victorious, often
defeated, finally emerged successful in 1763, when the war was brought to
a close by the Peace o