Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 10.djvu/574

LEFT ZECHABIAH 494 ZENOBIA probability will become extinct before vei-y many years. The true zebra is the E. zehra, from the mountainous regions of south Africa. It stands about AVz feet at the shoulder; ground tint whi;e, with black stripes, vertical on body and horizontal on legs; limbs slender, head light, ears long and open. The zebra lives in small herds in secluded spots: its sense of hearing, sight, and smell is CHAPMAN ZEBRA extremely acute, and on the least alarm the whole herd scampers off. When compelled to defend themselves zebras form a compact body with their heads in the center and their heels outward, and have been known to beat off the leopard vnth their kicks. The zebra has been domesticated, but its vicious tem- per renders it of little value as a beast of burden. Burchell's zebra {E. bur- chellii) differs little from the true zebra, except in the fact that the ground tint is yellow. ZECHABIAH, or ZACHARIAS, the name of many ancient Hebrews, includ- ing two prophets, various priests, and Levites (I Chron, ix: 21; xv: 24; xxvi: 14; Neh, xii: 35, 41). ZEDEKIAH, the son of Josiah, King of Judah, placed on the throne after Jehoiakin had been removed by Nebu- chadnezzar, on his second taking of Jeru- salem, 599 B. c. He reigned during 11 years, "and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God." He entered into an alliance with Pharaoh- Hophra, King of Egypt, and revolted against Nebuchadnezzar, who thereupon laid siege to Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah counselled Zedekiah to save his city and throne by submission to the Chaldeans; but the king, disregarding this advice, maintained his defense of the city. The Egyptians came to his re- lief; but, on Nebuchadnezzar offering them battle, they retreated to their own country, and Jerusalem, after undergo- ing a siege of 19 months (in the latter part of which a terrible famine raged), was taken, 586 B. C. The king endeav- ored to escape, but was captured, and condenmed to behold his sons slain be- fore him; after which his eyes were put out, and he was cai-ried, bound with fetters of brass, to Babylon. The city was almost entirely destroyed, and the people led into captivity. ZEITZ (tsits), a walled town of Prus- sian Saxony; in the government of Mer- seburg, 23 miles S. W. of Leipsic. It lies in a pleasant and fruitful district on the right bank of the White Elster. The town has a good library, containing over 12,000 volumes, and manufactures of woolens, cottons, calicoes, sugar, wax cloth, leather, pianofortes, cycles, ho- siery, gloves, etc. Pop. about 35,000. ZEND AVESTA (usually interpreted to mean "authorized text" and "com- mentary"), the religious book of the Parsees or representatives of the old creed of fireworshipers. The original is written in the primitive Zend lan- guage, with a translation into the com- paratively modern Pehlvi made by order of the Sassanian dynasty, A. D. 235-651. ZENO, Emperor of the East from 474 to A. D. 491. One of the chief events of his reign, which was full of vissitudes, was the permission given by him to The- odoric to dethrone Odoacer, which led to the establishment of the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy. ZENO OF CYPRUS, a Greek philos- opher, founder of the Stoic school ; born in Citium. a small town in Cyprus, prob- ably about 355 B. c. MOUNTAIN ZEBRA ZENOBIA, a Queen of Palmyra, who succeeded to the throne as regent for her sons on the murder of her husband Odenathus, a. d. 266. Not content, how- ever, with the independence granted by the indolent Emperor Gallienus and his successor, Claudius, she aimed at a do- minion which should include Egypt, Sy-