ZEND-AVESTA                                         2131                                          ZINC-ETCHING

zcmstvos are in force in 34 provinces (361 districts) of European Russia. The towns and cities have municipal organizations of their own, organized on nearly the same principles as the zemstvos by the law of June 16, 1870. Consult The Statesman's Y ear-Book: Russia. See Duma.

Zend=Aves'ta. See Literature, Persian.

Zen'ith. See Nadir.

Ze'no, founder of the Stoic philosophy, was born at Citium in Cyprus, the dates of his birth and death being both uncertain. He flourished in the early part of the 3d century B. C, and.was a contemporary of Epicurus. At 30 he was shipwrecked, and, having lost his property, adopted the doctrines of the Cynics, in which contempt for riches is conspicuously taught. Having made himself master of the various schools, he proceeded to open a school of his own, in which he might bring forth the results of his inquiries and develop his own peculiar system. He selected for his purpose the Painted Porch; and there until his death continued to teach those doctrines which, in spite of many objectionable features, inculcate the manly energy and simplicity, the patience and fortitude and the reverence for moral worth which made disciples of so many noble Roman characters. The Athenians honored Zeno's memory with a golden crown and a public burial, and his countrymen erected a monumental pillar in his honor. Scarcely any portion of his numerous writings has been preserved. He is supposed to have died about 264 B. C.

Zeno'bia, queen of Palymra, in 267 A. D., succeeded Odenathus, her husband, who had been acknowledged by Gallienus in the sovereignty of the Palmyrene empire; but when Aurelian became emperor he marched against her with a large army, and after defeating her in several battles besieged her in Palmyra. She attempted to escape by flight, but was captured and brought to Rome to adorn the triumph of her conqueror. After this she was presented by Aurelian with large possessions near Tivoli. There the remainder of her life was passed. She was a woman of great courage, high spirit and remarkable beauty. With purity of morals in private life she combined prudence, justice and liberality in her administration of public affairs. Consult Gibbon's Decline of the Roman Empire and Ware's Zenobia.

Zeus (zūs) was the greatest of the Hellenic deities. According to the most generally received mythology, he was the son of Cronos and Rhea and the brother of Poseidon and Hera, the latter being his wife. He expelled his father and the older dynasties of the Titans, assumed the sovereignty of the world, and successfully resisted the attacks of the giants and the conspiracies of the gods. After the dethronement of the Titans Zeus was allotted the empire of

heaven and air, Hades of the infernal regions and Poseidon of the sea, while the earth was left under the power of the three. Crete, Dodona and Arcadia were the places where the worship of Zeus was most observed; and in process of time all the local gods worshiped under the name of Zeus were merged in one Hellenic divinity, who was afterward identified with the Jupiter of the Romans and the Amnion of Libya. Zeus was xhe father of gods and men, protector of kings and supporter of law and order, the avenger of broken oaths and other offenses; he watched over the state and the family and over strangers and suppliants; his hand wielded the lightnings and guided the stars; he ordained the changes of the seasons, and regulated the whole course of nature. He dispensed both weal and woe to mortals; but the ancients disagreed as to his power over the fates themselves, as has always been the case when men have "reasoned high on fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute."

Zil'leh, a town in Asiatic Turkey, about 30 miles from Tokat. This was the scene of Julius Caesar's battle with Pharnaces, concerning which he wrote the famous report : Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered). Scarcely any remains of antiquity are to be found, a fortress of the middle ages having been constructed on the site of its beautiful temple. The town contains about 2,000 houses, the population being mostly Turkish.

Zinc or Spelter, as -t is often called in commerce, is a hard, bluish-white metal, lustrous on its surface. When broken, it exhibits a crystalline fracture. At ordinary temperatures it is somewhat brittle, but when heated above 2120 P. it becomes so ductile and malleable, that it may be drawn into wire or rolled into thin plates. Since the discovery of this quality the uses of this metal, which formerly was employed chiefly in connection with copper in the manufacture of brass, have greatly extended. It is used for roofing, spouting, baths, water-tanks and for covering ships' bottoms instead of copper. As a material for casting artistic works zinc has the desirable properties of a low melting-point and of taking a sharp impression from the mold, so that it requires little labor from the chaser. It also possesses considerable hardness. It has, therefore, become a favorite material for making casts of statues and different kinds of ornaments. Another important- use of metallic zinc is in the cells ot electric batteries, in many of which the dissolving of the zinc is the source of energy. Zinc-oxide, a white powder, is extensively used as a pigment Other compounds of zinc, as the chloride and the sulphate, are used in medicine.

Zinc-Etch'ing, a favorite process for reproducing pen-drawings or engravings