The Facts on File Dictionary of Allusions - Green Valley High School

were tried out to see how pop u lar they were
before going on to the bigger venues in the big
cities. Peoria has since become a testing ground in
other fi elds, notably business and politics, giving
rise to the meta phorical question will it play in
Peoria? (meaning “how will this go down with
the average person?”)—also remembered as a
catchphrase of the Nixon administration (1969–
74). It sounds like a good move, but will it play in
Peoria?
plead the Fifth See take the fi fth.
plebeian (plebeebn) Of or relating to the common
people, the masses. <strong>The</strong> term was fi rst
adopted in ancient Rome to describe ordinary
citizens, as opposed to slaves and citizens who
made up the aristocracy (see patrician). “I believe
you know how very much I dislike what are called
family affairs, which are only fi t for plebeian
Christmas days, and have no manner of business
with people of our condition” (Charles Dickens,
Barnaby Rudge, 1841).
pleiad (pleebd) A group of seven distinguished
persons. <strong>The</strong> word comes from Greek mythology,
specifi cally from the seven daughters of atlas,
who were known as the Pleiades. <strong>The</strong> sisters were
transformed into stars to protect them from pursuit
by Orion or (according to another version)
after they killed themselves in grief over the
demise of their half sisters, the Hyades. <strong>The</strong> cluster
of stars in the constellation of Taurus known as
the Pleiades may, however, have gotten its name
from the Greek plein, meaning “to sail,” as sea conditions
were generally calmer when this constellation
was visible. This pleiad of scientists has become
the dominant infl uence in the fi eld and threatens to
revolutionize both theory and practice.
plowshares See beat swords into plowshares.
Pluto See hades.
Plutus (plootbs) Personifi cation of wealth. In
Greek mythology Plutus was the son of Demeter
and was usually depicted as blind, dispensing
wealth indiscriminately. He was also described as
being lame, to represent the fact that rewards are
slow to come, and with wings, because his gifts
rapidly vanished. She had become accustomed to spending
much of her time in the realms of Plutus, eating at
the Savoy and being driven everywhere in a chauffeured
Rolls- Royce.
Pluvius policy (plooveebs) An insurance policy
that offers coverage against a holiday being spoiled
by wet weather. Pluvius was a surname sometimes
given to jupiter, the ruler of the gods in Roman
mythology. Jupiter was routinely worshiped as the
giver of rain, upon which life depended. <strong>The</strong>
weather was so bad they promised that before they went
away again they would check to see whether they could
take out a Pluvius policy to compensate them if it happened
again.
Pocahontas (pokbhontbs) A Native American
girl or woman. Pocahontas (c. 1595–1617) was a
real historical character, the daughter of a Native
American chief of Virginia called Powhatan. Legend
has it that she saved the life of the En glish
Captain John Smith (1580–1631) and subsequently
became the wife of the En glish tobaccogrower
John Rolfe. She sailed to En gland in 1616
and was presented at the court of James I, but died
off Gravesend the following year soon after setting
sail back to Virginia. “Is that why you’re creeping
about looking like Pocahontas?” (Emma Richmond,
A Stranger’s Trust, 1991).
Pocahontas
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