Parnassus

1. Mount. a mountain in central Greece, in NW Boeotia: in ancient times sacred to Dionysus, Apollo, and the Muses, with the Castalian Spring and Delphi on its slopes. Height: 2457 m (8061 ft.)

a. the world of poetry

b. a centre of poetic or other creative activity

3. a collection of verse or belles-lettres

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Parnassus

mountains sacred to Muses; hence, abode of poetry. [Gk. Myth.: Hall, 234]

See: Poetry

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Parnassus

(also Parnasos, Parnassos), a mountain in Greece, north of the Gulf of Corinth; maximum elevation, 2,457 m. It is composed chiefly of limestones and has a rocky summit. Below 1,000 m it is covered with Mediterranean shrub vegetation, and at higher elevations with conifer forests.

In ancient Greek mythology, Parnassus was the home of Apollo and the Muses. The city of Delphi, with its famous Temple of Apollo, was at the foot of the mountain. In Russian, “Parnassus” is figuratively applied to the brotherhood of poets, verses are the “flowers of Parnassus,” and the Muses are the “sisters of Parnassus.”

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References in periodicals archive

We can infer several things from the echoes of Harvey that the Parnassus plays give to these various characters.

Underemployed Elizabethans: Gabriel Harvey and Thomas Nashe in the Parnassus Plays

Poetry Parnassus will be a feast of readings, workshops, discussions, seminars and performances that will showcase what poetry means to the peoples of the world.

Poetry at Southbank Centre

Plummer is Dr Parnassus, a travelling showman who promises punters a ride within their own imaginations.

IT'S A MAD WORLD; DVDS

Unless Parnassus and Tony, the mysterious amnesiac whom he befriends (portrayed by Heath Ledger, plus Johnny Depp and Jude Law) can coax a few more souls to lose themselves in the Imaginarium, Valentina will become the prize in a deal that Parnassus has made with the Devil himself, Mr Nick (Tom Waits).

WIN SONY BLU RAY PLAYER AND THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR PARNASSUS

Many centuries ago, immortal soothsayer Doctor Parnassus (Plummer) bargained with the devil (Waits) and now Old Nick has come to collect.

DISASTERPIECE; DVDs

However, the first time we see Ledger playing Tony in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, he is hanging from a bridge, and the eeriness of the scene seems more than normal.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

This time, it's Terry Gilliam's "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," the fantasy pic featuring Heath Ledger's final screen performance, also starring Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell.

'Imaginarium' conjures real tix o'seas

WARWICK ARTS CENTRE University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Rd, Coventry, 024 7652 4524, www.warwickartscentre.co.uk The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus (12A): Heath Ledger's final movie.

Specialist

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS (12A, 123 MINS) 6/10 THE end credits from this Terry Gilliam fantasy sombrely proclaims, 'A Film From Heath Ledger & Friends.' There is no escaping the uncomfortable truth that audiences will flock to The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus to witness the final performance of Oscar-nominated actor Ledger before his accidental drug overdose.

Shadow is cast

DRAMA The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2hrs 3mins)) Certificate: 12A Starring: Lily Cole, Christopher Plummer, Andrew Garfield Director: Terry Gilliam Star rating: "A FILM From Heath Ledger & Friends," sombrely proclaims the credits of Terry Gilliam's fantasy.

Doctor in the house