Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama Part 45

_Octavio_, the betrothed of Donna Clara.--Jephson, _Two Strings to your Bow_ (1792).

=Octer=, a sea-captain in the reign of King Alfred, who traversed the Norwegian mountains, and sailed to the Dwina in the north of Russia.

The Saxon swaying all, in Alfred's powerful reign, Our English Octer put a fleet to sea again.

Drayton, _Polyolbion_, xix. (1622).

=O'Cutter= (_Captain_), a ridiculous Irish captain, befriended by Lady Freelove and Lord Trinket. He speaks with a great brogue, and interlards his speech with sea terms.--George Colman, _The Jealous Wife_ (1761).

=Oc'ypus=, son of Podalirius and Astasia, noted for his strength, agility and beauty. Ocypus used to jeer at the gout, and the G.o.ddess of that disease caused him to suffer from it for ever.--Lucian.

=Odalisque=, in Turkey, one of the female slaves in the sultan's harem (_odalik_, Arabic, "a chamber companion," _oda_, "a chamber").

He went forth with the lovely odalisques.

Byron, _Don Juan_, vi. 29 (1824).

=Ode= (_Prince of the_), Pierre de Ronsard (1534-1585).

=Odoar=, the venerable abbot of St. Felix, who sheltered King Roderick after his dethronement.--Southey, _Roderick, Last of the Goths_, iv.

(1814).

? Southey sometimes makes the word Odoar' [_O'.dor_], and sometimes O'doar (3 _syl._), _e.g._:

Odoar', the venerable abbot sat (2 _syl._)....

Odoar' and Urban eyed him while he spake....

The Lady Adosinda O'doar cried (3 _syl._)....

Tell him in O'doar's name the hour has come!

=O'Doh'erty= (_Sir Morgan_), a pseudonym of W. Maginn, LL.D., in _Blackwood's Magazine_ (1819-1842).

=O'Donohue's White Horses.= The boatmen of Killarney, so call those waves which, on a windy day, come crested with foam. The spirit of O'Donohue is supposed to glide over the lake of Killarney every May-day on his favorite white horse, to the sound of unearthly music.

=Odori'co=, a Biscayan, to whom Zerbi'no commits Isabella. He proves a traitor, and tries to defile her, but is interrupted in his base endeavor. Almonio defies him to single combat, and he is delivered bound to Zerbino, who condemns him, in punishment, to attend on Gabrina for twelve months, as her squire. He accepts the charge, but hangs Gabrina on an elm, and is himself hung by Almonio to the same tree.--Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_ (1516).

=Odors for Food.= Plutarch, Pliny, and divers other ancients tell us of a nation in India that lived only upon pleasing odors. Democ'ritos lived for several days together on the mere effluvia of hot bread.--Dr. John Wilkins (1614-1672).

=O'Dowd= (_Cornelius_), the pseudonym of Charles James Lever, in _Blackwood's Magazine_ (1809-1872).

=Odyssey.= Homer's epic, recording the adventures of Odysseus (_Ulysses_) in his voyage home from Troy.

Book I. The poem opens in the island of Calypso, with a complaint against Neptune and Calypso for preventing the return of Odysseus (3 _syl._) to Ithaca.

II. Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, starts in search of his father, accompanied by Pallas, in the guise of Mentor.

III. Goes to Pylos, to consult old Nestor, and

IV. Is sent by him to Sparta; where he is told by Menelaus that Odysseus is detained in the island of Calypso.

V. In the mean time, Odysseus leaves the island, and, being shipwrecked, is cast on the sh.o.r.e of Phaeacia.

VI. Where Nausicaa, the king's daughter, finds him asleep, and

VII. Takes him to the court of her father, Alcinoos, who

VIII. Entertains him hospitably.

IX. At a banquet, Odysseus relates his adventures since he started from Troy. Tells about the Lotus-eaters and the Cyclops, with his adventures in the cave of Polyphemos. He tells how

X. The wind-G.o.d gave him the winds in a bag. In the island of Circe, he says, his crew were changed to swine, but Mercury gave him a herb called Moly, which disenchanted them.

XI. He tells the king how he descended into Hades;

XII. Gives an account of the syrens; of Scylla and Charybdis; and of his being cast on the island of Calypso.

XIII. Alcinoos gives Odysseus a ship which conveys him to Ithaca, where he a.s.sumes the disguise of a beggar,

XIV. And is lodged in the house of Eumos, a faithful old domestic.

XV. Telemachus, having returned to Ithaca, is lodged in the same house,

XVI. And becomes known to his father.

XVII. Odysseus goes to his palace, is recognized by his dog, Argos; but

XVIII. The beggar Iros insults him, and Odysseus breaks his jaw-bone.

XIX. While bathing, the returned monarch is recognized by a scar on his leg;

XX. And when he enters his palace, becomes an eye-witness to the disorders of the court, and to the way in which

XXI. Penelope is pestered by suitors. To excuse herself, Penelope tells her suitors he only shall be her husband who can bend Odysseus's bow.

None can do so but the stranger, who bends it with ease. Concealment is no longer possible or desirable;

XXII. He falls on the suitors hip and thigh;