Polotsk

3778

Polyclitus

pears that its decomposition product is not
radioactive. Polonium gives off a particles,
which are readily absorbed by certain metals.
The a rays from polonium have greater value
than the a rays of radium, being very pene-
trating. See RADIUM ; RADIOACTIVITY.

Polotsk, manufacturing town, Russia, on a
branch of the Dwina. Features of interest
are the old palace buildings in the Kremlin,
the Cathedral of St. Nicholas, and the Spas-
kii convent (famous for conflicts of July-
October, 1812); p. about 32,000.

Poltava, a former government of Ukraine,
bounded on the w. by Kiev and on the e,
by Kharkov, with an area of 19,265 sq. miles,
The general aspect is that of a wide plain,

erty of a people. Food is so scarce that none
but effective males can be reared, and woman
is a luxury. In Polyandry kinship is reckoned
on the female side alone.

Polybius (c. 20.1-122 n.c.), Greek historian,
was a native of Megalopolis in Arcadia, and
became one of the chief statesmen of the
Achaean League. Tie was in 167 B.C. one of a
thousand Achrran hostages who were taken
to Italy. This brought him into the society of
the younger Scipio Africanus and Liclius. In
150 Polybius returned to the Peloponnesus,
and did his best to prevent his countrymen
from embarking in the war against Rome,
which caused Greece to lose its independence
in 146. He spent the rest of his life in literary

Copyright Underwood & Underwood.

Polo Match.

sloping gradually from northeast to south-
west, with the Dnieper flowing along the en-
tire southwestern border. The climate is tem-
perate, and most of the soil belongs to the
fertile black earth zone. The chief occupa-
tions are agriculture and stock-raising; p. 3,-
750,000.

Poltava, city, Ukraine, Soviet Russia. A
monument known as the Swedish tomb com-
memorates the victory of Russia over Swed-
en, July 9, 1709. Important fairs are held
yearly in July. There is an extensive trade in
cattle, grain, and meat. The town was oc-
cupied by German forces in March, 1918, fol-
lowing the treaty of Brest-Litovsk. It was
the scene of fighting between the White Rus-
sians and the Bolsheviki; p, 92,000.

Polyandry* a social arrangement whereby
one woman is married to several husbands.
It is a more primitive institution than poly-
gamy, where one man is married to several
wives. Polyandry is an indication of the pov-

pursuits and in travel. His universal history
covers the period from 220 to 146 D.C. Only
the first five books exist entire, though there
are many fragments, some considerable, of
the rest. Polybius's great merit as a historian
is his thoroughness and his impartiality.

Polycarp, one of the; apostolic fathers,
bishop of Smyrna, was born c. 70 A.D. He
labored in Asia Minor, received a visit and
an epistle from Ignatius, made a journey to
Rome, and shortly after his return to Smyr-
na was martyred. Polycarp is said (by his
pupil Irenajus) to have known and spoktkn
with John and the other disciples; and this
fact, as well as his gift of preaching and his
devout character, gave him a position of
great authority among the Asian churches,
The Epistle to the Philip plans, his only ex-
tant work, contains numerous references to
the New Testament.

Polyclitu*, Greek sculptor, was born prob-
ably about 480 B.C., and lived until about