Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 61

Some consider it to be Gozo, near Malta. Ogygia (_not the island_) is Boeo'tia, in Greece.

CAMA'CHO, "richest of men," makes grand preparations for his wedding with Quite'ria, "fairest of women," but as the bridal party are on their way, Basil'ius cheats him of his bride, by pretending to kill himself. As it is supposed that Basilius is dying, Quiteria is married to him as a mere matter of form, to soothe his last moments; but when the service is over, up jumps Basilius, and shows that his "mortal wounds" are a mere pretense.--Cervantes, an episode in _Don Quixote_, II. ii. 4 (1615).

CAMAN'CHES (3 _syl._), or COMAN'CHES, an Indian tribe of Texas (United States).

It is a caravan, whitening the desert where dwell the Camanches.

Longfellow, _To the Driving Cloud_.

CAMARAL'ZAMAN, prince of "the Island of the Children of Khal'edan, situate in the open sea, some twenty days' sail from the coast of Persia." He was the only child of Schah'zaman and Fatima, king and queen of the island. He was very averse to marriage; but one night, by fairy influence, being shown Badou'ra, only child of the king of China, he fell in love with her and exchanged rings. Next day both inquired what had become of the other, and the question was deemed so ridiculous that each was thought to be mad. At length Marzavan (foster-brother of the princess) solved the mystery. He induced the prince Camaralzaman to go to China, where he was recognized by the princess and married her. (The name means "the moon of the period.")--_Arabian Nights_ ("Camaralzaman and Badoura").

CAM'BALLO, the second son of Cambuscan' king of Tartary, brother of Al'garsife (_3 syl._) and Can'ace (_3 syl._). He fought with two knights who asked the lady Canace to wife, the terms being that none should have her till he had succeeded in worsting Camballo in combat.

Chaucer does not give us the sequel of this tale, but Spenser says that three brothers, named Priamond, Diamond, and Triamond were suitors, and that Triamond won her. The mother of these three (all born at one birth) was Ag'ape, who dwelt in Faery-land (bk. iv. 2).

Spenser makes Cambi'na (daughter of Agape) the lady-love of Camballo.

Camballo is also called Camballus and Cambel.

_Camballo's Ring_, given him by his sister Canace, "had power to stanch all wounds that mortally did bleed."

Well mote ye wonder how that n.o.ble knight, After he had so often wounded been, Could stand on foot now to renew the fight ...

All was thro' virtue of the ring he wore; The which not only did not from him let One drop of blood to fall, but did restore His weakened powers, and his dulled spirits whet.

Spenser, _Faery Queen_, iv. 2 (1596).

CAMBEL, called by Chaucer Cam'ballo, brother of Can'ace (_3 syl._). He challenged Every suitor to his sister's hand, and overthrew them all except Tri'amond. The match between Cambel and Triamond was so evenly balanced, that both would have been killed had not Cambi'na interfered. (See next art.)--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, iv. 3 (1596).

CAMBI'NA, daughter of the fairy Ag'ape (_3 syl._). She had been trained in magic by her mother, and when Cam'ballo, son of Cambuscan', had slain two of her brothers and was engaged in deadly combat with the third (named Tri'amond), she appeared in the lists in her chariot drawn by two lions, and brought with her a cup of nepenthe, which had the power of converting hate to love, of producing oblivion of sorrow, and of inspiring the mind with celestial joy. Cambina touched the combatants with her wand and paralyzed them, then giving them the cup to drink, dissolved their animosity, a.s.suaged their pains, and filled them with gladness. The end was that Camballo made Cambina his wife, and Triamond married Can'ace.--Spenser, _Faery Queen_, iv. 3 (1596).

CAMBUSCAN', king of Sarra, in the land of Tartary; the model of all royal virtues.

At Sarra, in the lond of Tartarie, Ther dwelt a king that werreied Russie, Through which ther died many a doughty man: This n.o.ble king was cleped Cambuscan Which in his time was of so great renoun That ther n' as no wher in no regioun, So excellent a lord in alle thing:

This n.o.ble king, this Tartre Cambuscan Hadde two sones by Elfeta his wif, Of which the eldest sone highte Algarsif That other was ycleped Camballo.

A doughter had this worthy king also That youngest was and highte Canace.

Chaucer, _The Squire's Tale_.

Milton, in the Penseroso, alludes to the fact that the Squire's Tale was not finished:

Or call up him that left half told The story of Cambuscan bold.

CAMBY'SES (3 _syl._), a pompous, ranting character in Preston's tragedy of that name,

I must speak in pa.s.sion, and I will do it in king Cambyses' vein.--Shakespeare, 1 _Henry IV_.

act ii. sc. 4 (1597).

CAMBY'SES AND SMERDIS. Cambyses king of Persia killed his brother Smerdis from the wild suspicion of a madman, and it is only charity to think that he was really _non compos mentis_.

Behold Cambises and his fatal daye ...

While he his brother Mergus cast to slaye, A dreadful thing, his wittes were him bereft.

T. Sackville, _A Mirrour for Magistraytes_ ("The Complaynt," 1587).

CAMDEO, the G.o.d of love in Hindu mythology.

CAMIL'LA, the virgin queen of the Volscians, famous for her fleetness of foot. She aided Turnus against aeneas.

Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o'er th' unbending corn, or skims along the main.

Pope.

_Camilla_, wife of Anselmo of Florence. Anselmo, in order to rejoice in her incorruptible fidelity, induced his friend Lothario to try to corrupt her. This he did, and Camilla was not trial-proof, but fell.

Anselmo for a time was kept in the dark, but at the end Camilla eloped with Lothario. Anselmo died of grief, Lothario was slain in battle, and Camilla died in a convent.--Cervantes, _Don Quixote_, I. iv. 5, 6 ("Fatal Curiosity," 1605).

_Camilla_, English girl, heroine of Miss Burney's novel of same name.

_Camilla_, the heroine of _Signor Monaldini's Niece_, by Mary Agnes Tincker, a story of modern Rome (1879).

CAMILLE' (_2 syl._), in Corneille's tragedy of _Les Horaces_ (1639).

When her brother meets her and bids her congratulate him for his victory over the three Curiatii, she gives utterance to her grief for the death of her lover. Horace says, "What! can you prefer a man to the interests of Rome?" Whereupon Camille denounces Rome, and concludes with these words: "Oh, that it were my lot!" When Mdlle.

Rachel first appeared in the character of "Camille," she took Paris by storm (1838).

Voir le dernier Romain a son dernier soupir, Moi seule en etre cause, et mourir de plaisir.

Whitehead has dramatized the subject and called it _The Roman Father_ (1741).

_Camille_, one of the Parisian _demi-monde_. She meets and loves Armand Duval. Camille is besought by Duval _pere_ to leave her lover, whose prospects are ruined by the _liaison_. She quits him, returns to her former life, and dies of consumption in the arms of her lover, who has just found her after a long search.--A. Dumas, _La Dame aux Camelias_.

CAMILLO, a lord in the Sicilian court, and a very good man. Being commanded by king Leontes to poison Polixenes, instead of doing so he gave him warning, and fled with him to Bohemia. When Polixenes ordered his son Florizel to abandon Perdita, Camillo persuaded the young lovers to seek refuge in Sicily, and induced Leontes, the king thereof, to protect them. As soon as Polixenes discovered that Perdita was Leontes' daughter, he readily consented to the union which before he had forbidden.--Shakespeare, _The Winter's Tale_ (1604).

CAMI'OLA, "the maid of honor," a lady of great wealth, n.o.ble spirit, and great beauty. She loved Bertoldo (brother of Roberto king of the two Sicilies), and when Bertoldo was taken prisoner at Sienna, paid his ransom. Bertoldo before his release was taken before Aurelia the d.u.c.h.ess of Sienna. Aurelia fell in love with him, and proposed marriage, an offer which Bertoldo accepted. The betrothed then went to Palermo to be introduced to the king, when Camiola exposed the conduct of the base young prince. Roberto was disgusted at his brother, Aurelia rejected him with scorn, and Camiola retired to a nunnery.--Ma.s.singer, _The Maid of Honor_ (1637).

CAMPAS'PE (3 _syl._), mistress of Alexander. He gave her up to Apelles, who had fallen in love with her while painting her likeness.--Pliny, _Hist_. x.x.xv. 10.

John Lyly produced, in 1583, a drama ent.i.tled _Cupid and Campaspe_, in which is the well-known lyric:

Cupid and my Campaspe played At cards for kisses: Cupid paid.

CAMPBELL (_Captain_), called "Green Colin Campbell," or Bar'caldine (3 _syl._).--Sir W. Scott, _The Highland Widow_ (time, George II.).

_Campbell (General)_, called "Black Colin Campbell," in the king's service. He suffers the papist conspirators to depart unpunished.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).

_Campbell (Sir Duncan)_, knight of Ardenvohr, in the marquis of Argyll's army. He was sent as amba.s.sador to the earl of Montrose.

_Lady Mary Campbell_, sir Duncan's wife.

_Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchenbreck_, an officer in the army of the marquis of Argyll.

_Murdoch Campbell_, a name a.s.sumed by the marquis of Argyll. Disguised as a servant, he visited Dalgetty and M'Eagh in the dungeon, but the prisoners overmastered him, bound him fast, locked him in the dungeon, and escaped.--Sir W. Scott, _Legend of Montrose_ (time, Charles I.).

_Campbell (The lady Mary)_, daughter of the duke of Argyll.