Page images
PDF
EPUB

aspects, technical term in astrology, the relations of planets by which they can send forth their influence. They are Conjunction, Sextile, Square, Trine, and Diametral or Opposition. (1) Also called Synod when two planets are in one line; (2) when two are distant by a sixth part of the Zodiac; (3) when two stars look at each other at an interval of three signs; (4) when their distance is a third of the circle; (5) when opposite, distant by half a diameter. (Quoted by Masson.) Asphaltic pool, the Dead Sea, i. 411. Aspramont, a town in the Netherlands. Astracan, a city on the Caspian.

Astræa, Virgo, one of the signs of the Zodiac. Astarte. See Ashtaroth. Atabalipa, Emperor of Peru, subdued by Pizarro. Atlantean: the Titan Atlas was fabled to bear heaven upon his shoulders. Atlantic sisters, the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas. Atlas Mountains, in N.-E. Africa.

attrite, rubbed, x. 1072. Auran, a district E. of Jordan.

Aurora, goddess of dawn. authentic, original, iv.

[blocks in formation]

five chief cities of the Philistines.

Baalim, pl. of Baal, 'lord,' a title of Canaanite gods. Babel, Babylon, i. 694. Bacchus, god of wine. Bactria, a part of Persia. Barca, a Greek colony in N. Africa.

Basan, a large and fertile district E. of Jordan, still full of ruined cities. base, a skirt forming part of a knight's costume, ix. 36. bearth, produce, ix. 624. Beelzebub, 'lord of flies,' a

name of the sun-god, by the Jews supposed to be chief of the evil spirits, Beersaba or Beersheba, southernmost place in Palestine, by the desert. Behemoth, a huge creature described in the Book of Job, probably rhinoceros or hippopotamus, vii. 471. Belial, not really a proper

name, but a word meaning wickedness.' He here appears as a personification of cowardice and vice.

Bellerophon, mounted upon Pegasus, slew Chimara the monster. He also did other feats, but at length being hated of the gods, wandered alone over the Aleian field. The tradition followed by M. relates that he tried to fly to heaven on Pegasus, but Zeus sent a gad-fly which stung Pegasus, and Bellerophon was thrown.

Bellona, Roman goddess of

war.

Belus, an Assyrian god. Bethel, a holy place N. of Jerusalem: here Jeroboam set up a golden calf, and another in Dan. bicker, skirmish, vi. 766. Biserta, in N. Africa. Bizance, Byzantium, Greek name for the city before it was called Constantinople.

boon, kindly, iv. 242. Boreas, the N. wind. Bosporus, the strait leading from Propontis into the Black Sea. Here were the moving rocks that crushed any vessel which tried to pass between them.

Briareos, a monster with fifty heads and one hundred hands, who rebelled against Zeus.

bull, an edict of the Pope, iii. 492. Busiris, a King of Egypt. buxom, soft, ii. 842.

Cadmus, founded Thebes in Greece; he and his wife Harmonia (not Hermione) were changed into snakes in Illyria. Cacias, the N.-E. wind. Calabria, in S. Italy. Cambalu, i.e. Cambáluc, another name of Pekin, built by Kublai Khan. Can, i.e. Khan, an Eastern title.

Capitoline Jove, Jove as worshipped on the Capitol at Rome; a legend had it that

Scipio Africanus was his

son.

Carmel, a mountain-promontory S. of the plain of Jezreel.

Casbeen, Kazvin, in N. Persia.

Casius, a mountain range on the borders of Egypt and Arabia Petræa.

near

Castalian Spring, Delphi, and another in Daphne, which see. Cathay, includes the E. part of Siberia. Allusion is made in x. 291 to the supposed N.-E. passage. causey, causeway, x. 415. Centaur, a sign of the

Zodiac (a monster, half man, half horse). cerestes, horned snake, x. 525. Ceres, goddess of agriculture, etc., mother of Proserpine. Cerberean: Cerberus was a three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades.

[blocks in formation]

Cleombrotus was SO delighted with Plato's description of the future life, that he cast himself into the sea the sooner to enjoy it. Cocytus, river of lamentation, one of the rivers of the infernal regions in Greek mythology. colure, one of the two great circles drawn on the celestial sphere; they were the Equinoctial and the Solstitial, ix. 66. complicated, intertwisted, x. 523. concoct, digest, v. 412. confine, border upon,

977.

ii.

conjured, in conspiracy, ii. 693.

cope, covering, i. 345. Crab, a sign of the Zodiac. crescent, the badge Turkey.

of

cresset, a kind of lamp, i. 728.

[ocr errors]

Crete, an island S. of the Archipelago. Cronian, Arctic, xii. cry, pack, ii. 654. Cyclades, a group of islands in the Ægean Sea, forming a circle around Delos. Cyrene, a Greek city in N. Africa.

Cytherea, Venus (Gr. Aphrodite): her son was Æneas.

Dagon, the Philistine fishgod; see I Sam. v. 4. Damascus, capital of Syria. damasked, as it were inlaid,

iv. 334

Damiata, a city in Egypt, Damietta (Tamiathis), at the mouth of the Nile. Dan, a holy place in the extreme N. of Palestine: here Jeroboam set up a golden calf and another in Bethel.

Danaw, the Danube. Daphne, a grove sacred to Apollo.

Darien, isthmus between N. and S. America. Deccan, S. of India. Delia, Artemis (Diana), the goddess of the wild woodland, huntress; born in Delos, hence the name. Delos, a small island in the centre of the Cyclades. It was called out of the deep by Neptune's trident. At first it floated, but was after fixt to the bottom with chains of adamant, to form a safe place for Leto to be delivered of Apollo. Delphi, a famous sanctuary and oracle of Apollo, on Mt. Parnassis. Demogorgon, 'master of the fates' (Greene), a powerful and malignant being: not actually named before the fourth century A.D. The word is probably a corruption of δημιουργός, confused with Gorgon. derive, turn aside, x. 77, pass on, x. 965. descant, properly a

part

song; used by M. of an elaborate melody of many notes, iv. 603.

Deucalion, and his wife

[blocks in formation]

dipsas, a snake whose bite caused torments of thirst, x. 526.

Dis, a Latin name of Pluto, king of the underworld. discontinuous: a wound was defined as a 'solution of continuity,' vi. 329. discover, reveal, xi. 267. dispense, or dispensation, a licence granted by the Pope to break certain laws, iii. 492. divine, prophetic: ix. 845. Dodona, a famous and ancient oracle of Zeus, in Epirus.

Dominic founded the order of the Black Friars. Dorian mood, or mode, a severe and warlike style of Greek music. Doric: the Dorians were a Greek tribe. Dothan, near Samaria ; thither the Syrian King set an army to apprehend Elisha.

Dryad, tree nymph.

Earth-born, an epithet of the giants in Greek mythology: who were sprung from the earth,

[blocks in formation]

abortive,

un

Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas: see I Sam. ii. 12 ff. elixir, properly the philosopher's stone, also used of the water of life, iii. 607. ellops, a sca-snake (the word means dumb), x. 525. Elysium, the abode of the happy in Hades. embattled, in battle array, i. 129. embryon, developed. emmet, ant, vii. 485. Empedocles, a Greek philosopher (fl. 444 B.C.), who leapt into the crater of Etna, hoping that it would be thought he had been caught up among the gods. But one of his sandals was thrown up, and revealed the truth. empiric, one whose knowledge is based not on principles but on experience, v. 440. empyrean, heaven, the fiery region of æther, ii. 771. empyreal, fiery, i. 117.

Grey

Enna, a town in Sicily.
enow, enough, ii. 504.
Epidaurus, a health-resort
in S. Greece, with temple
of Asklepios (Escula-frore, frozen, ii. 595.
pius), god of healing;
sacred snakes were kept
in his shrine.
Ercoco, on the Red Sea
(Arkeeko).

| found, melt, i. 703.
Franciscans, the
Friars, founded by St.
Francis of Assisi.

Erebus, darkness personi-
fied, used of the lower
regions.

eremite, hermit, iii. 474. error, wandering, iv. 239. Estotiland, part of N. America.

Essential, essence, ii. 97. ethereal, much the same as empyreal, of æther or fine fiery essence, i. 45. Euboic Sea, the sea by Eubœa.

suphrasy, 'eye-bright,' xi.

414.

Eurus, the E. wind.
Eurynome, wife of Ophion,
who with her ruled over
the Titans before Kronos
and Rhea. The word
means wide-ruling.
expatiate, walk about, i. 774.
explode, hiss off, xi. 669.

fatal, fated, v. 861.
Faunus, a Roman deity of
the woodlands.
feature, shape, x. 279.
Fesole, Fiesole, a small town
on a hill near Florence.
Fez, in Morocco.
flaw, a gust, x. 698.
florid, flowery, vii. 90.
Fontarabbia, where the army
of Charlemagne was de-
stroyed.

Furies, avenging spirits that haunted the blood-guilty. fusil, able to be cast, xi. 573.

Gabriel, 'man of God,' an
Archangel.

Galileo, the Italian astro-
nomer, who demonstrated
that the earth circles about
the sun.

Gath, one of the five chief cities of the Philistines. Gaza, one of the five chief cities of the Philistines. Gehenna, Greek form of Hinnom.

genial, procreative, vii. 282. Geryon, a fabulous king of

Spain, whose oxen were carried off by Hercules. Hence 'Geryon's sons' means the Spanish. Gibeah, see Judges xix. 12 f. gloze, flatter, deceive, ix. 549. gonfalon, standard, v. 589. Gordian, intricate.

There

was an oracle that he who
could untie a knot, which
fastened yoke to pole in
the wagon of Gordius,
King of Phrygia, should
Alex-
be lord of Asia.
ander the Great cut it with
his sword.

Gorgonian: the sight of the
Gorgon Medusa petrified
living things.
Gorgons, three monstrous
sisters, the most terrible
of them Medusa (q.v.).

« PreviousContinue »