retired into privacy, and led an austere religious life until her death in 1536, three years after Henry's marriage with Anne Boleyn.
Cath'erine II, Empress of Russia, was born at Stettin in 1729. The daughter of a Prussian prince she was chosen by the Empress Elizabeth as the bride of her nephew and heir Peter. She had many quarrels with her husband, and each led a life of open vice. In 1761 Peter III ascended the Russian throne. An attempt of the new and unpopular tsar to divorce Catherine brought about a conspiracy, which dethroned and murdered him. It is pretty certain that Catherine had a share in the murder. Catherine's reign was energetic, and remarkable for the rapid increase of the dominion and power of Russia. Her two wars with Turkey, the three partitions of Poland and the acquisition of Courland (a southern Baltic province) each brought great additions of territory and prestige. She made some attempts at making the country more free, but Russia was not yet ripe, and they did not outlive her. She died at St. Petersburg in 1796.
Catherine Howard. See Howard, Catherine.
Catherine Parr. See Parr, Catherine.
Cathode Rays (kǎth'-ōd), a phenomenon accompanying electric discharge in a vacuum tube in which the pressure is something less than one one-thousandth of a millimeter of mercury. The wire by which the electric current enters the tube is called the anode: the wire by which the current leaves is called the cathode. When the region between the anode and cathode is a perfect vacuum, the walls of the vacuum tube exhibit a brilliant phosphorescence, as if they were bombarded by particles which are projected from the cathode. These particles appear to travel in straight lines from the cathode to the walls of the glass tube; for if a screen be placed in the region between the cathode and the wall, a shadow geometrically similar to the screen is cast on the wall. Another remarkable property of the cathode rays is that they are deflected from their rectilinear paths by a magnet. In this respect they behave as if they were flexible electric conductors. It was this fact that led Crookes to suppose them negatively electrified particles shot from the cathode. Most interesting of all, perhaps, is the fact, discovered by Roentgen in 1895, that whenever cathode rays strike the walls of the vacuum tubes they give rise to X-rays. See Roentgen Rays.
Catholic University of America, a Roman Catholic institution of higher learning at Washington, D.C., which dates from 1887 and has a number of colleges in various sections of the country affiliated with it. It has received several goodly money gifts towards its endowment and maintenance, and is under a chancellor, rector and governing body. Under its various faculties in theology, philosophy, law and technology the university has a teaching staff of 30 professors and instructors with about 160 students; it also has a good, well-equipped library, and maintains a quarterly bulletin giving information on the subjects treated in the curriculum of studies. It has a number of endowed chairs and also several endowed scholarships. Its present rector or president is the Rt. Rev. Dennis J. O'Connell, and its chancellor is Cardinal Gibbons.
Catiline (kăt'ǐ-līn), Lucius Sergius, a Roman conspirator, was born about 108 B.C., of a noble family. He was able to bear great fatigue; he was masterful and resolute in mind; his face looked reckless and haggard; and he seemed in later life to be in a constant fever of disappointed ambition. After an ill-spent youth and the bloody successes of Sulla's party, in which he had taken an eager part, he was made governor of Africa in 69. The next year, ruled out as a candidate for consul because of charges of misrule in his province, he formed a conspiracy against Rome. The first project was to kill Cicero, the famous orator, whose murder was to be the signal for revolution. This was told Cicero at once by a Roman lady, Fulvia, whose lover was one of the conspirators. Cicero frustrated their design easily. The next step was a secret meeting, on the night of Nov. 6, 63 B.C., at which Catiline explained a new project for murdering Cicero, for bringing up to the city an army which he had won over and for setting the city on fire. Yet in a few hours Cicero knew every word spoken, and when, two days later, Catiline recklessly took his seat in the senate, the orator arose and, pointing his finger at the traitor, made his famous speech, in which he told the senate even the smallest details of the conspiracy. Catiline tried to reply; but, drowned by cries and hisses, he rushed out of the senate and escaped from Rome by night. An army was sent against him, and after a battle, in which he fought with the greatest bravery and desperation, Catiline was defeated and slain in 62 B.C.
Cat'kin, the characteristic flower-cluster of the birches, alders, willows, etc. See Inflorescence.
Ca'to (ka'to), Marcus Porcius (surnamed The Censor), was born at Tusculum in 234 B.C. Marcus Porcius was his proper name. Cato, meaning wise, was a title given him later in life when he held office as censor. He spent his boyhood on his father's farm, and there learned simple manners and ways of living. When 17, he served with great bravery in the army against Hannibal. At the same time he was becoming known as an orator and statesman. Because of his ability and uprightness, he was made consul in 195 B.C., though his family was
