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Peacock’s Feather Unluckyʹ (A)

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The peacock’s tail is emblem of an Evil Eye, or an ever-vigilant traitor. The tale is this: Argus was the chief Minister of Osīris, King of Egypt. When the king started on his Indian expedition, he left his queen, Isis, regent, and Argus was to be her chief adviser. Argus, with one hundred spies (called eyes), soon made himself so powerful and formidable that he shut up the queen-regent in a strong castle, and proclaimed himself king. Mercury marched against him, took him prisoner, and cut off his head; whereupon Juno metamorphosed Argus into a peacock, and set his eyes in its tale.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Paynising
Pea-jacket (A)
Peace
Peace-makers (The)
Peace of Antalcidas (The)
Peace of God
Peace with Honour
Peaceful (The)
Peach
Peacock
Peacock’s Feather Unlucky (A)
Peak (The)
Peal
Pearl (The)
Pearl
Pearl of the East
Peasant Bard
Peasant-boy Philosopher (The)
Peasants War (The)
Peascod
Pec