Pity is usually defined to be the uneasiness we feel at the unhappiness of others, prompting us to compas- sionate them, with a desire for their relief. God is said to pity them that fear him, as a father pitieth his chil- dren (Psa. ciii, 13). Pity is thus a Christian grace, to the practice of which we are exhorted by the apostle: "Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous" (1 Pet.iii,8).
The phrase rTMarTH C*T:. naskim rackamaniySlk, rendered "pitiful women" in our version (Lam. iv. 10), properly refers to the tenderness and affectionate love which is the distinguishing trait of the female charac- ter; and that such women should in the "siege and the straitness" be driven to and adopt the terrible expedient of feeding upon their own children, as in this passage they are stated to have done, is an awful instance of the literal fulfilment of the threatenings of the Lord in the event of the disobedience of the house of Israel (Deut. xxviii, 57). The same horrible expedient was resorted to also in the last siege of Jerusalem, as it had formerly been at the siege of Samaria, in the reign of Ahab (2 Kings vi, 28, 29).
Pitiful is a word whose derivations have by modern usage been almost limited to the sense of mean, con- temptible, or insignificant. In the Bible and Prayer- book the old and primary meaning of full of mercy,
PIUS
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PIUS
eompasskmate, <>r tender, is retained. The English Prayer-Wk gives us these i samples: ". . . though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yel lei the
of thy greal mercy Loose us. Prayer. Again :" Pitifully behold the Borrows of our
which petition in the Litany is thus altered
in the American Prayer-1 k, "With pity behold the
sorrow- of our hearts." [n these, the original and better sense ol the word is alone intended. En the Primer of king Edward VI there is this expression: "0 pitiful Physician, and Healer both of body and soul, Christ
Jesu!" And Latimer, in his Bern n the birth of
Christ, remark-: "Preachers exhort us to godliness, to
rorks, to be pitiful and Liberal unto the poor;" thai is i" be compassionate, tender-hearted, and sym- pathizing to them.
Pius I, pope and sainl of Rome, was a native of Aqnileia, an. I aucceeded Hyginus. Tin- I i> suppose]} t,, have commenced liis pontificate, or rather bishopric about 152 or L63, ami to have died in L57. The date of his reign, however, as given by other authorities, is from L27 to 11". He was succeeded by Anicetus, but if by Hyginus, as Borne think, then the latter date of reign is correct Several decretals have been attributed t<> Pius I by Gratian, bul they are generally considered apocryphal Hermes, the author of the Shepherd, is reputed to have been the brother of this pontiff, l'ius is commemorated in the Western Church July l L. See ?. vol. iii. July, p. 178; Pagi, Brev. Pontif.Rom. i. 27; Jaffe, Regesta Pontificum Romanorum, p. 3 and
920; Till, m Memoires pour servir a VHistoire ec-
. L732, foL), p. ISO and 263; Fontanini, Historiu Litteraria Aquilej. lib. ii, cap. iii. p. 7m. (J.H.W.)
Pius II, pope < f Rome (from I 158 to 1 in 1 1, whose
Original name was .Km/is Sylriiis I'ii-iuihmiiiii. was a great theologian, diplomatist, canonist, historian, and or- ator, an. 1 in la.! a pontiff universally accomplished. lie i- especially noted as the inspirer of a crusade againsl the Saracens. 11.- was born at Corsignano, in Siena. Oct Is. 1 1""'. Marly devoted to study, he soon became noted for his scholarship, ami found no difficulty in se- curing within tin- Church all the honors ami distinc- lions he might seek. In L431 he went as secretary of Cardinal Dominicus Capranica to the Council of Basle, thai ■ elebrated ecclesiastical assembly which attempted earnestly, though with little sue,,—, the reformation of the t hiireh. ami ..f w hi. h cardinal Piccolomini wrote a history: Commentarius </- Gestis Basil. Coneilii, in two books a very important work for the hi-tory of the Church of that period, which, because of its advocacy of Gallican principles, was pul in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum. At that tine' Piccolomini was a strong advocate for the supremacy of the council, and iis right to judge an. I depose even the pope, "'Ah..." he argued, "oughl to he considered a- the vicar of the Church rather than as the vi.ar of ( ,'hrist" These tenets, how- ever, wer lemned by pope Eugenius IV. though
they caused the council to assert ii- authority by mi>- pending the pope from his dignity. Then began a long Btruggle, which terminated in an open schism, tin un- ci! deposing Eugenius an. I electing Felix V. Picco- lomini was appointed secretary of the new pope or anti- pope, aiel was sent by him a- his ainba — ailor to the emperor Frederick HI, who was so pleased with the en- voy that I." prevailed u| him to give up his preca- rious situation and accept thi rial secre- tary. I rcderick afterwards senl him on several missions, ami Loaded him with favors. Piccolomini proved his gratitude to in- imperial master, for he wrote Beveral
work- in praise "I hi- patron ami in support ol hi- im- perial prerogative Dt Origin* et Auctorita Imperii '"/ Fridericum III fmperatorem, Liber Units: — Hisloria Rerum Friderici III : l>< Hinere, Nuptiis, et Coronation Friderici III Commentarioltu ; l>< his, gut Friderico III Imp* aniam, <t per to-