Capp, Al orig. Alfred Gerald Caplin (b. Sept. 28, 1909, New Haven, Conn., U.S.—d. Nov. 5, 1979, New Haven, Conn.) U.S. cartoon¬ ist. He studied landscape architecture before turning to cartooning. His comic strip Li’l Abner first appeared in the New York Mirror in 1934 and was soon being syndicated throughout the country. Set in the backwoods
community of Dogpatch, U.S.A., it featured Li’l Abner, a shy, awkward woodsman; Daisy Mae, a persistent maiden who succeeded in catching Abner after a 17-year pursuit; and a host of colourful characters.
Cappadocia V.ka-pa-'do-shoV Ancient district, eastern Anatolia. It is a mountainous area located in present-day Turkey; its earliest records date from the 6th century bc, when it was a Persian satrapy. A period of semi¬ autonomy followed Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian empire (330 bc). Important as a Roman ally and client, it was annexed by the emperor Tiberius in ad 17 and made a Roman province. With its command over strategic passes in the Taurus Mountains, the area was a bulwark of the Byzantine Empire until the 11th century. Part of the district was desig¬ nated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985.
Capra, Frank (b. May 18, 1897, near Palermo, Sicily, Italy—d. Sept. 3, 1991, La Quinta, Calif., U.S.) U.S. film director. At age six he immi¬ grated with his family to the U.S. After holding various jobs in the film industry, he emerged as a major director with That Certain Thing (1928) and Platinum Blonde (1931). He won Academy Awards for It Happened One Night (1934) and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), stories that por¬ tray naive idealists who triumph over more worldly types. He chose the same theme for his next film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) but departed from his usual style in Lost Horizon (1937) and Meet John Doe (1941). Capra also won a third Academy Award for You Can’t Take It with You (1938). He made the documentary series Why We Fight during World War II and the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).
Capri Vka-pre, ko-'pre\ Island, southern Italy. Located at the southern entrance to the Bay of Naples, it has an area of 4 sq mi (10 sq km). Cliffs rise in the west to a height of 1,932 ft (589 m). It was a colony of ancient Greece; later it became a favourite resort of Roman emperors. In the Middle Ages it belonged to the abbey of Montecassino and to the repub¬ lic of Amalfi before passing to the kingdom of Naples. Its rocky shores abound with caves, notably the famous Blue Grotto. Capri is one of Ita¬ ly’s most popular resorts.
Capricorn or Capricornus (Latin: “Goat horn”) In astronomy, the constellation lying between Aquarius and Sagittarius; in astrology, the tenth sign of the zodiac, governing approximately the period December 22-January 19. It is represented as a goat with what appears to be a fish¬ tail. One explanation for this odd depiction is that it derives from the Greek myth of Pan. To avoid the monster Typhon, Pan jumped into the water just as he was changing into animal shape. The half of his body above water became a goat, while the submerged half took the shape of a fish. Another relates the form to the Mesopotamian deity Enki (see Ea).
Capricorn, Tropic of See Tropic of Capricorn
Caprivi \ka-'pre-ve\, (Georg) Leo, count von (b. Feb. 24, 1831, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Prussia—d. Feb. 6, 1899, near Crossen-an-der- Oder, Ger.) German soldier and politician. A distinguished soldier, he served as chief of the admiralty (1883-88). He succeeded Otto von Bis¬ marck as Germany’s imperial chancellor (1890-94) and Prussian minis¬ ter president (1890-92). His achievements included an Anglo-German agreement concerning spheres of influence in Africa, commercial treaties with Austria, Romania, and other states, and the reorganization of the German army.
capsicum See pepper
capstan Mechanical device used chiefly on board ships or in shipyards for moving heavy weights by means of ropes, cables, or chains. A cap¬ stan consists of a drum, driven either manually or by steam or electricity, that rotates about a vertical axis to wind in a line wrapped around it. The grip between the line and the drum depends on friction and on the num¬ ber of times the line is wrapped around the drum. A notched track (ratchet) on the base plate and pawls attached to the drum prevent backward rota¬ tion.
capsule In botany, a dry fruit that opens when ripe. It splits from top to bottom into separate segments known as valves, as in the iris, or forms pores at the top (e.g., poppy), or splits around the circumference, with the top falling off (e.g., pigweed and plantain). The spore-forming organ (see sporophyte) of liverworts and mosses is also called a capsule.
Capuchin Vka-pyo-shonX Member of the Order of Friars Minor Capu¬ chin, an autonomous branch of the Franciscans. It began in 1525 as a reform movement led by Matteo da Bascio (c. 1495-1552), who wanted the Franciscans to return to strict observance of the Rule of St. Francis.
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332 I capuchin ► carbohydrate
He and his followers wore robes with pointed hoods (Italian, cappuccino ), went barefoot, and lived in extreme poverty. Other Franciscans harassed them, and the pope forbade them to extend their membership outside Italy. The new order was nearly ruined by the defection of their vicar-general, Bernardino Ochino, to Protestantism in 1542, but it later grew quickly, reaching a membership of 17,000 by 1571. It was active in the Counter- Reformation in keeping the common people loyal to Catholicism. An inde¬ pendent order since 1619, they are known for their missionary and social work.
capuchin (monkey) Vka-pyo-shon, ko-'pyii-shonX Any of four species of tropical monkeys (genus Cebus ) found from Nicaragua to Paraguay. Considered among the most intelligent New World monkeys, capuchins are named for their cap of crown hair, which resembles the cowl of Capu¬ chin monks. These stocky, round-headed monkeys are 12-22 in. (30-55 cm) long, with a hairy, prehensile tail of about the same length, and are brown or black, sometimes with white markings. Capuchins live in troops, often in the treetops. They eat fruit and small animals and sometimes raid plantations for oranges and other food. Easily trained, they are valued as gentle pets.
capybara \ka-pi-'bar-o\ Semiaquatic rodent ( Hydrochoerus hyrdrocha- eris) of Central and South America. Classified as the only species in its family, it is related to the cavy and the guinea pig. Capybaras are the largest living rodents, growing as large as 50 in. (1.25 m) long and weighing 110 lbs (50 kg) or more. They are sparsely haired and brownish, with a blunt snout, short legs, small ears, and almost no tail. Capybaras are shy and associate in groups along the banks of lakes and rivers. Herbivorous, they can become pests when they eat cultivated melons, grain, and squash. They swim and dive readily and commonly enter water to elude predators.
caracal Vkar-3-,kal\ Short-tailed cat ( Caracal caracal) found in hills, deserts, and plains of Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South Asia. It is sleek and short-haired, with a reddish brown coat and long tufts of black hairs on its pointed ears. Long-legged and short-tailed, it stands 16-18 in. (40^15 cm) tall and is 26-30 in. (66-76 cm) long, excluding its tail. Generally solitary and nocturnal, it preys on birds and mammals, including peafowl, gazelles, and hares. In Asia, where it has become rare, it has been trained as a hunting animal.
Caracalla X.kar-o-'ka-taV officially Marcus Aurelius Severus Antoninus Augustus orig. Septimius Bassianus (b. April 4, ad 188, Lugdunum [Lyon], Gaul—d. April 8, 217, near Carrhae, Meso¬ potamia) Roman emperor (198-217). He was nicknamed Caracalla for a Gallic cloak he allegedly designed. Until 211 he ruled with his father, Sep¬ timius Severus, a North African who became emperor in 193. To assure his undisputed rule, Caracalla killed his brother Geta and many of his friends. He built colossal baths in Rome, which still stand. He gave Roman citi¬ zenship to all free inhabitants of the empire (212) but showed extreme cruelty toward all who opposed him, and he massacred Germans, Parthians, and Alexandrians. He was murdered by the praetorian prefect. He is regarded as one of Rome’s most bloodthirsty tyrants, and his reign contributed to the empire’s decay.