MAHABHARATA

a sacred book of the Hindus, and one of the two great epics of ancient India, the other being Ramayana. It is probably the longest epic in the world, being about eight times as long as the Iliad and Ody ey together. The authorship has been ascribed to Vyasa, but that is probably a generic name; it bears all the marks of being a compilation, for its contents are heterogeneous in the extreme. The leading story relates the contests between the Kurus, representing the spirit of evil, and the Pandus, representing the spirit of good. The temporary triumph of evil is shown by the adversities of the Pandus, while their ultimate renunciation of an earthly for a heavenly kingdom signifies the final victory of good. ‘The text was first printed in 1834-39 in Calcutta. \ 1839-19192), an Irish cla ical scholar, b. in Switzerland. He was educated in France and Germany, and afterwards at Trinity Oollege, Dublin, where he became profe or of ancient history. He has had many honors conferred upon him by various universities and learned societies. His chief publications are a translation of Kuno Fischer’s Commentary on Kant, 1866; Greek Social Life, 1874; Greek Antiquities, 1876, now a standard schoolbook; History of Cla ical Greek Literature, 1880; The Greek World Under Roman Sway, 1890; The Silver Age of the Greek World, 1906. He also deciphered and edited the ‘Petrie Papyri’ in the