Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 8

ALEC'TRYON, a youth set by Mars to guard against surprises, but he fell asleep, and Apollo thus surprised Mars and Venus in each others'

embrace. Mars in anger changed the boy into a c.o.c.k.

And from out the neighboring farmyard Loud the c.o.c.k Alectryon crowed.

Longfellow, _Pegasus in Pound_.

ALEC YEATON, the Gloucester skipper in T. B. Aldrich's ballad, _Alec Yeaton's Son_.

The wind it wailed, the wind it moaned, And the white caps flecked the sea; "An' I would to G.o.d," the skipper groaned, "I had not my boy with me!"

Long did they marvel in the town At G.o.d His strange decree; That let the stalwart skipper drown, And the little child go free. (1890.)

ALE'RIA, one of the Amazons, and the best beloved of the ten wives of Guido the Savage.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

ALESSANDRO, husband of the Indian girl Ramona, in Helen Hunt Jackson's novel _Ramona_. The story of the young couple is a series of oppressions and deceits practised by U. S. officials (1884). ALESSIO, the young man with whom Lisa was living in concubinage, when Elvi'no promised to marry her. Elvino made the promise out of pique, because he thought Ami'na was not faithful to him, but when he discovered his error he returned to his first love, and left Lisa to marry Alessio, with whom she had been previously cohabiting.--Bellini's opera, _La Sonnamlula_ (1831).

ALE'THES (3 _syl_.), an amba.s.sador from Egypt to king Al'adine (3 _syl_.); subtle, false, deceitful, and full of wiles.--Ta.s.so, _Jerusalem Delivered_ (1575).

ALEXANDER PATOFF, brother of the young Russian who figures most prominently in F. Marion Crawford's novel _Paul Patoff_. Alexander's mysterious disappearance in a mosque leads to suspicions involving his brother, even the mother of the two brothers accusing Paul of fratricide (1887).

ALEX. WALTON, physician and suitor of Margaret Kent in _The Story of Margaret Kent_, by Henry Hayes (Ellen Olney Kirke) (1886).

ALEXANDER THE GREAT, a tragedy by Nathaniel Lee (1678). In French we have a novel called _Roman d'Alexandre_, by Lambert-li-cors (twelfth century), and a tragedy by Racine (1665).

_Alexander an Athlete_. Alexander, being asked if he would run a course at the Olympic games, replied, "Yes, if my compet.i.tors are all kings."

_The Albanian Alexander_, George Castriot _(Scanderbeg_ or _Iscander beg_, 1404-1467).

_The Persian Alexander_, Sandjar (1117-1158).

_Alexander of the North_, Charles XII. of Sweden (1682-1718).

_Alexander deformed_.

Ammon's great son one shoulder had too high.

Pope, _Prologue to the Satires_, 117.

_Alexander and Homer_. When Alexander invaded Asia Minor, he offered up sacrifice to Priam, and then went to visit the tomb of Achilles.

Here he exclaimed, "O most enviable of men, who had Homer to sing thy deeds!"

Which made the Eastern conqueror to cry,

"O fortunate young man! whose virtue found So brave a trump thy n.o.ble deeds to sound."

Spenser, _The Ruins of Time_ (1591).

_Alexander and Parme'nio._ When Darius, king of Persia, offered Alexander his daughter Stati'ra in marriage, with a dowry of 10,000 talents of gold, Parmenio said, "I would accept the offer, if I were Alexander." To this Alexander rejoined, "So would I, if I were Parmenio."

On another occasion the general thought the king somewhat too lavish in his gifts, whereupon Alexander made answer, "I consider not what Parmenio ought to receive, but what Alexander ought to give."

_Alexander and Perdiccas_. When Alexander started for Asia he divided his possessions among his friends. Perdiccas asked what he had left for himself. "Hope," said Alexander. "If hope is enough for Alexander," replied the friend, "it is enough for Perdiccas also;" and declined to accept anything.

_Alexander and Raphael_. Alexander encountered Raphael in a cave in the mountain of Kaf, and being asked what he was in search of, replied, "The water of immortality." Whereupon Raphael gave him a stone, and told him when he found another of the same weight he would gain his wish. "And how long," said Alexander, "have I to live?" The angel replied, "Till the heaven above thee and the earth beneath thee are of iron." Alexander now went forth and found a stone almost of the weight required, and in order to complete the balance, added a little earth; falling from his horse at Ghur he was laid in his armor on the ground, and his shield was set up over him to ward off the sun. Then understood he that he would gain immortality when, like the stone, he was buried in the earth, and that his hour was come, for the earth beneath him was iron, and his iron buckler was his vault of heaven above. So he died.

_Alexander and the Robber_. When Dion'ides, a pirate, was brought before Alexander, he exclaimed, "Vile brigand! How dare you infest the seas with your misdeeds?" "And you," replied the pirate, "by what right do you ravage the world? Because I have only one ship, I am called a brigand, but you who have a whole fleet are termed a conqueror." Alexander admired the man's boldness, and commanded him to be set at liberty.

_Alexander's Beard_, a smooth chin, or a very small beard. It is said that Alexander the Great had scarcely any beard at all.

Disgraced yet with Alexander's bearde.

G. Gascoigne, _The Steele Glas_ (died 1577).

_Alexander's Runner_, Ladas.

ALEXAN'DRA, daughter of Oronthea, queen of the Am'azons, and one of the ten wives of Elba'nio. It is from this person that the land of the Amazons was called Alexandra.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

ALEX'IS, the wanton shepherd in _The Faithful Shepherdess_, a pastoral drama by John Fletcher (1610).

ALFA'DER, the father of all the Asen _(deities)_ of Scandinavia, creator and governor of the universe, patron of arts and magic, etc.

ALFONSO, father of Leono'ra d'Este, and duke of Ferrara, Ta.s.so the poet fell in love with Leonora. The duke confined him as a lunatic for seven years in the asylum of Santa Anna, but at the expiration of that period he was released through the intercession of Vincenzo Gonzago, duke of Mantua. Byron refers to this in his _Childe Harold_, iv. 36.

_Alfonso XI_ of Castile, whose "favorite" was Leonora de Guzman.--Donizetti, _La Favorita_ (an opera, 1842).

_Alfon'so (Don)_, of Seville, a man of fifty and husband of donna Julia (twenty-seven years his junior), of whom he was jealous without cause.--Byron, _Don Juan_, i.

_Alfon'so_, in Walpole's tale called _The Castle of Otranto_, appears as an apparition in the moonlight, dilated to a gigantic form (1769).

ALFRED AS A GLEEMAN. Alfred, wishing to know the strength of the Danish camp, a.s.sumed the disguise of a minstrel, and stayed in the Danish camp for several days, amusing the soldiers with his harping and singing. After he had made himself master of all he required, he returned back to his own place.--William of Malmesbury (twelfth century).

William of Malmesbury tells a similar story of Anlaf, a Danish king, who, he says, just before the battle of Brunanburh, in Northumberland, entered the camp of king Athelstan as a gleeman, harp in hand; and so pleased was the English king that he gave him gold. Anlaf would not keep the gold, but buried it in the earth.

ALGARSIFE (3 _syl_.), and Cam'ballo, sons of Cambuscan' king of Tartary, and Elfeta his wife. Algarsife married Theodora.

I speak of Algarsife, How that he won Theodora to his wife.

Chaucer, _The Squire's Tale_ AL'GEBAR' ("_the giant_"). So the Arabians call the constellation Orion.

Begirt with many a blazing star, Stood the great giant Algebar-- Orion, hunter of the beast.

Longfellow, _The Occultation of Orion_.

AL'I, cousin and son-in-law of Mahomet. The beauty of his eyes is proverbial in Persia. _Ayn Hali_ ("eyes of Ali") is the highest compliment a Persian can pay to beauty.--Chardin.

ALI BABA, a poor Persian wood-carrier, who accidentally learns the magic words, "Open Sesame!" "Shut Sesame!" by which he gains entrance into a vast cavern, the repository of stolen wealth and the lair of forty thieves. He makes himself rich by plundering from these stores; and by the shrewd cunning of Morgiana, his female slave, the captain and his whole band of thieves are extirpated. In reward of these services, Ali Baba gives Morgiana her freedom, and marries her to his own son.--_Arabian Nights_ ("Ali Baba or the Forty Thieves").

AL'ICE (2 _syl_.), sister of Valentine, in _Mons. Thomas_, a comedy by Beaumont and Fletcher (1619).