JIIPATI PALM, Rapltia teeth:gem, a palm which grows on rich alluvial, tide-flooded lands near the mouth of the Amazon. The stem is seldom more than 6 or 8 ft. high; but the leaves are often 50 or 60 ft. long, rise vertically from the summit of the stem, and bend out on every side in graceful curves, forming a magnificent plume. The leaves are perhaps the largest in the vegetable kingdom; they are pinnate, the leaflets about 4 ft. long. The leaf-stalks, which are often 12 or 15 ft. long below the first leaf lets, and 4 or 5 in. in diameter, perfectly straight and cylindrical, are almost like birds' quills in strength and lightness; when dried, of a soft substance, with a thin, hard, glossy outer covering. They are used for various purposes, as for laths, window-blinds, etc. The interior part is soft enough to be used instead of a cork.
OrPITER, or JUPP[TEn, in Roman mythology was the greatest of the gods. The naii,e is a modification of Diovis pater. or Diespiter (Diovis or Dies = divim. heaven), i.e., the Father of Heaven, or the Heavenly Father. As such. Jupiter had all power over the phenomena of the skies; hence his numerous epithets, such as pluvius (the rain giver), towns (the thunderer), fulminator (the lightening-hurler), se•enator (the weather clearer. But he possessed still higher and diviner attributes. The future was spread out clearly before his all-seeing eye; the destinies of men were in his hands, and events were but the expression of his omnipotent will. But lie was not careless of man kind. He revealed himself in a variety of ways to them, and taught men to interpret these mystic and symbolic revelations. Wonderful appearances in the sky 9r unwonted circumstances happening on the earth were the media of his communica tions; hence his surname Prodigialis (the sender of prodigies). As the national god of
the Roman people, he went with them into battle (like the Jehovah of the Hebrews), fought for them, procured them victory, and, generally speaking, was their protector at home and abroad. This conception of Jupiter is shown in such names as imperator (the ruler), victor (the conqueror), stator (the stayer or stander-by). Time strong sense of morality which marked the old Romans also found its expression in their view of the character of the best and greatest (optimus maximus) of their gods. Jupiter was the guardian of law, justice. and virtue; oaths and all solemn engagements were made as to him (" in the sight of God," as we say). He had temples erected to him at Rome under all his different names; but the principal one was that on the capitol, whence he had the title of Capitolinus, and where, with beautiful significance, the statues of Fides (Faithfulness) and Victoria (Victory) were placed beside his own. When consuls or other magistrates entered on the duties of their office, or when the army was about to open a campaign, or a general returned victorious from war. sacrifices were solemnly offered to Jupiter, and his favor invoked. When the Romans began to know the religion and literature of Greece, they foolishly sought to identify their own noble, majestic, and gravely upright Jupiter with the slippery, lustful, and immoral Zeus of the Greeks. Hence have originated much confusion and misconception. See ZEUS.