Chancery interested in the great suit of "Jarndyce _v_. Jarndyce."
Richard Carstone is a "handsome youth, about nineteen, of ingenuous
face, and with a most engaging laugh." He marries his cousin Ada, and
lives in hope that the suit will soon terminate and make him rich. In
the meantime he tries to make two ends meet, first by the profession
of medicine, then by that of law, then by the army; but the rolling
stone gathers no moss, and the poor fellow dies of the sickness of
hope deferred.--C. Dickens, _Bleak House_ (1853).
CARTAPH'ILUS, the Wandering Jew of _Jewish_ story. Tradition says he
was doorkeeper of the judgment-hall, in the service of Pontius Pilate,
and, as he led our Lord from the judgment-hall, struck Him, saying
"Get on! Faster, Jesus!" Whereupon the Man of Sorrows replied, "I am
going fast, Cartaphilus; but tarry thou till I come again." After
the crucifixion, Cartaphilus was baptized by the same Anani'as who
baptized Paul, and received the name of Joseph. At the close of every
century he falls into a trance, and wakes up after a time a young man
about thirty years of age.--_Book of the Chronicles of the Abbey of
St. Allans_.
(This "book" was copied and continued by Matthew Paris, and contains
the earliest account of the Wandering Jew, A.D. 1228. In 1242 Philip
Mouskes, afterwards bishop of Tournay, wrote the "rhymed chronicle.")
CARTER _(Mrs. Deborah_), housekeeper to Surplus the lawyer.--J. M.
Morton, _A Regular Fix_.
CAR'THAGE (2 _syl_.). When Dido came to Africa she bought of the
natives "as much land as could be encompassed with a bull's hide." The
agreement being made, Dido cut the hide into thongs, so as to enclose
a space sufficiently large for a citadel, which she called Bursa "the
hide." (Greek, _bursa_, "a bull's hide.")
The following is a similar story in Russian history:--The Yakutsks
granted to the Russian explorers as much land as they could encompass
with a cow's hide; but the Russians, cutting the hide into strips,
obtained land enough for the town and fort which they called Yakutsk.
CARTHAGE OF THE NORTH. Lübeck was so called when it was the head of
the Hanseatic League.
CAR'THON, son of Cless'ammor and Moina, was born while Clessammor was
in flight, and his mother died in childbirth. When he was three
years old, Comhal (Fingal's father) took and burnt Balclutha (a town
belonging to the Britons, on the Clyde), but Carthon was carried away
safely by his nurse. When grown to man's estate, Carthon resolved to
revenge this attack on Balclutha, and accordingly invaded Morven, the
kingdom of Fingal. After overthrowing two of Fingal's heroes, Carthon
was slain by his own father, who knew him not; but when Clessammor
learnt that it was his own son whom he had slain, he mourned for him
three days, and on the fourth he died.--Ossian, _Carthon_.
CAR'TON _(Sydney)_, a friend of Charles Darnay, whom he personally
resembled. Sydney Carton loved Lucie Manette, but knowing of her
attachment to Darnay, never attempted to win her. Her friendship,
however, called out his good qualities, and he nobly died instead of
his friend.--C. Dickens, _A Tale of Two Cities_ (1859).
CARTOUCHE, an eighteenth century highwayman. He is the French Dick
Turpin.
CA'RUS _(Slow)_, in Garth's _Dispensary_, is Dr. Tyson (1649-1708).
CARYATI'DES (5 _syl_.), or CARYA'TES (4 _syl_.), female figures in
Greek costume, used in architecture to support entablatures Ca'rya, in
Arcadia, sided with the Persians when they invaded Greece, so after
the battle of Thermop'ylae, the victorious Greeks destroyed the city,
slew the men, and made the women slaves, Praxit'elês, to perpetuate
the disgrace, employed figures of Caryan women with Persian men, for
architectural columns.
CAS'CA, a blunt-witted Roman, and one of the conspirators who
assassinated Julius Cæsar. He is called "Honest Casca," meaning
_plain-spoken._--Shakespeare, _Julius Cæsar_ (1607).
CASCH'CASCH, a hideous genius, "hunch-backed, lame, and blind of one
eye; with six horns on his head, and both his hands and feet hooked."
The fairy Maimou'nê (3 _syl_.) summoned him to decide which was the
more beautiful, "the prince Camaral'zaman or the princess Badou'ra,"
but he was unable to determine the knotty point.--_Arabian Nights_
("Camaralzaman and Badoura").
CASEL'LA, a musician and friend of the poet Dantê, introduced in his
_Purgatory_, ii. On arriving at purgatory, the poet sees a vessel
freighted with souls come to be purged of their sins and made fit for
paradise; among them he recognizes his friend Casella, whom he "woos
to sing;" whereupon Casella repeats with enchanting sweetness the
words of [Dantê's] second canzone.
Dantê shall give Fame leave to set thee higher
Than his Casella, whom he wooed to sing,
Met in the milder shades of purgatory.
Milton, _Sonnet_, xiii. (To H. Lawes).
CASEY, landlord of the tavern on "Red Hoss Mountain" in Eugene Field's
poem _Casey's Table d'Hôte_.
He drifted for a fortune to the undeveloped West,
And he come to Eed Hoss Mountain when the little camp was new,
When the money flowed like likker, an' the folks wuz brave an'
true,
And, havin' been a stewart on a Mississippi boat,
He opened up a caffy, 'nd he run a _tabble dote_.
(1889.)
CAS'PAR, master of the horse to the baron of Arnheim. Mentioned in
Donnerhugel's narrative.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time,
Edward IV.).
_Cas'par_, a man who sold himself to Za'miel the Black Huntsman. The
night before the expiration of his life-lease, he bargained for a
respite of three years, on condition of bringing Max into the power of
the fiend. On the day appointed for the prize-shooting, Max aimed at a
dove but killed Caspar, and Zamiel carried off his victim to "his own
place."--Weber's opera, _Der Freischüte_ (1822).
CASS (_Godfrey_), young farmer in _Silas Marner_, by George Eliot.
Father of the heroine.
CASSAN'DRA, daughter of Priam, gifted with the power of prophecy; but
Apollo, whom she had offended, cursed her with the ban "that no one
should ever believe her predictions."--Shakespeare, _Troilus and
Cressida_ (1602).
CASSEL (_Count_), an empty-headed, heart less, conceited puppy,
who pays court to Amelia Wildenhaim, but is too insufferable to be
endured. He tells her he "learnt delicacy in Italy, hauteur in Spain,
enterprise in France, prudence in Russia, sincerity in England, and
love in the wilds of America," for civilized nations have long since
substituted intrigue for love.--Inchbald, _Lovers' Vows_ (1800),
altered from Kotzebue.
CASSI, the inhabitants of Hertfordshire or Cassio.--Cæsar,
_Commentaries_.
CASSIB'ELLAUN or CASSIB'ELAN (probably "Caswallon"), brother and
successor of Lud. He was king of Britain when Julius Cæsar invaded
the island. Geoffrey of Monmouth says, in his _British History_, that
Cassibellaun routed Cæsar, and drove him back to Gaul (bk. iv. 3, 5).
In Cæsar's second invasion, the British again vanquished him (ch. 7),
and "sacrificed to their gods as a thank-offering 40,000 cows,
100,000 sheep, 30,000 wild beasts, and fowls without number" (ch. 8).
Androg'eus (4 _syl_.) "duke of Trinovantum," with 5000 men, having
joined the Roman forces, Cassibellaun was worsted, and agreed "to pay
3000 pounds of silver yearly in tribute to Rome." Seven years after
this Cassibellaun died and was buried at York.
In Shakespeare's _Cymbeline_ the name is called "Cassibelan."
[Illustration] Polyænus of Macedon tells us that Cæsar had a huge
elephant armed with scales of iron, with a tower on its back,
filled with archers and slingers. When this beast entered the sea,
Cassivelaunus and the Britons, who had never seen an elephant, were
terrified, and their horses fled in affright, so that the Romans were
able to land without molestation.--Drayton, _Polyolbion_, viii.
There the hive of Roman liars worship a gluttonous emperor-idiot.
Such is Rome ... hear it, spirit of Cassivelaun.
Tennyson, _Boadicea_.
CAS'SILANE (3 _syl_.), general of Candy and father of Annophel.--_Laws
of Candy_ (1647).
CASSIM, brother of Ali Baba, a Persian. He married an heiress and soon
became one of the richest merchants of the place. When he discovered
that his brother had made himself rich by hoards from the robbers'
cave, Cassim took ten mules charged with panniers to carry away part
of the same booty. "Open Sesamê!" he cried, and the door opened. He
filled his sacks, but forgot the magic word. "Open Barley!" he cried,
but the door remained closed. Presently the robber band returned, and
cut him down with their sabres. They then hacked the carcass into four
parts, placed them near the door, and left the cave. Ali Baba carried
off the body and had it decently interred.--_Arabian Nights_ ("Ali
Baba, or the Forty Thieves").
CAS'SIO (_Michael_), a Florentine, lieutenant in the Venetian army
under the command of Othello. Simple minded but not strong-minded, and
therefore easily led by others who possessed greater power of will.
Being overcome with wine, he engaged in a street-brawl, for which he
was suspended by Othello, but Desdemona pleaded for his restoration.
Iago made capital of this intercession to rouse the jealousy of the
Moor. Cassio's "almost" wife was Bianca, his mistress.--Shakespeare,
_Othello_ (1611).
"Cassio" is brave, benevolent, and honest, ruined only by his want of
stubbornness to resist an insidious invitation.--Dr. Johnson.
CASSIODO'RUS (_Marcus Aurelius_), a great statesman and learned writer
of the sixth century, who died at the age of one hundred, in A.D. 562.
He filled many high offices under Theod'oric, but ended his days in a
convent.
Listen awhile to a learned prelection
On Marcus Aurelius Cassiodorus.
Longfellow, _The Golden Legend_.
CASSIOPEIA, wife of Ce'pheus (2 _syl_.) king of Ethiopia, and mother
of Androm'eda. She boasted herself to be fairer than the sea-nymphs,
and Neptune, to punish her, sent a huge sea-serpent to ravage her
husband's kingdom. At death she was made a constellation, consisting
of thirteen stars, the largest of which form a "chair" or imperfect W.
... had you been
Sphered up with Cassiopeia.
Tennyson, _The Princess_, iv.
CASSIUS, instigator of the conspiracy against Julius Cæsar, and friend
of Brutus.--Shakespeare, _Julius Ccesar_ (1607).
_Brutus_. The last of all the Romans, fare thee
well!
It is impossible that ever Rome
Should breed thy fellow. Friends, I owe more
tears
To this dead man than you shall see me pay.
I shall find time, Cassius, I shall find time.
Act. v. sc. 3.
Charles Mayne Young trod the boards with freedom. His countenance was
equally well adapted for the expression of pathos or of pride; thus in
such parts as "Hamlet," "Beverley," "The Stranger," "Pierre," "Zanga,"
and "Cassius," he looked the men he represented.--Rev. J. Young, _Life
of G. M. Young_.
[Illustration] "Hamlet" (Shakespeare); "Beverley" (_The Gamester_,
Moore); "The Stranger" (B. Thompson); "Pierre" (_Venice Preserved_,
Otway); "Zanga" (_Revenge_, Young).
CASSY, a colored woman, mistress of Legree, in Harriet Beecher Stowe's
_Uncle Tom's Cabin_. Disgusted with her master and with her life,
she befriends another woman, even more helpless than herself, and by
stratagem and force of will contrives her escape (1852).
CASTAGNETTE _(Captain)_, a hero whose stomach was replaced by a
leather one made by Desgenettes [_Da'.ge.net_'], but his career was
soon ended by a bomb-shell, which blew him into atoms,--Manuel, _A
French Extravaganza_.
CASTA'LIO, son of lord Acasto, and Polydore's twin-brother. Both the
brothers loved their father's ward, Monim'ia "the orphan." The love
of Polydore was dishonorable love, but Castalio loved her truly and
married her in private. On the bridal night Polydore by treachery took
his brother's place, and next day, when Monimia discovered the deceit
which had been practised on her, and Polydore heard that Monimia
was really married to his brother, the bride poisoned herself, the
adulterer ran upon his brother's sword, and the husband stabbed
himself.--Otway, _The Orphan_ (1680).
CASTA'RA, the lady addressed by Wm. Habington in his poems. She was
Lucy Herbert (daughter of Wm. Herbert, first lord Powis), and became
his wife. (Latin, _casta_, "chaste.")
If then, Castara, I in heaven nor move,
Nor earth, nor hell, where am I but in love?
W. Habington, _To Castara_ (died 1654).
The poetry of Habington shows that he possessed ... a real passion
for a lady of birth and virtue, the "Castara" whom he afterwards
married.--Hallam.
CAS'TLEWOOD (_Beatrix_), the heroine of _Esmond_, a novel by
Thackeray, the "finest picture of splendid lustrous physical beauty
ever given to the world."
CAS'TOR (_Steph'anos_), the wrestler.--Sir W. Scott, _Count Robert of
Paris_ (time, Rufus).
_Castor_, of classic fable, is the son of Jupiter and Leda, and
twin-brother of Pollux. The brothers were so attached to each
other that Jupiter set them among the stars, where they form the
constellation _Gemini_ ("the twins"). Castor and Pollux are called the
_Dios'curi_ or "sons of Dios," _i.e._ Jove.
CAS'TRIOT (_George_), called by the Turks "Scanderbeg" (1404-1467).
George Castriot was son of an Albanian prince, delivered as a hostage
to Amurath II. He won such favor from the sultan that he was put in
command of 5000 men, but abandoned the Turks in the battle of Mora'va
(1443).
This is the first dark blot
On thy name, George Castriot.
Longfellow, _The Wayside Inn_ (an interlude).
CASTRUC'CIO CASTRACA'NI'S SWORD.
When Victor Emmanuel II went to Tuscany, the path from Lucca to
Pistoia was strewed with roses. At Pistoia the orphan heirs of
Pucci'ni met him, bearing a sword, and said, "This is the sword of
Castruccio Castracani, the great Italian soldier, and head of the
Ghibelines in the fourteenth century. It was committed to our ward and
keeping till some patriot should arise to deliver Italy and make it
free." Victor Emmanuel, seizing the hilt, exclaimed, "_Questa è per
me_!" ("This is for me.")--E. B. Browning, _The Sword of Castruccio
Castracani._
CAS'YAPA. The father of the immortals, who dwells in the mountain
called Hemacû'ta or Himakoot, under the Tree of Life, is called
"Casyapa." Southey, _Curse of Kehama_. Canto vi. (1809).
CATEUCLA'NI, called _Catieuchla'ni_ by Ptolemy, and _Cassii_ by
Richard of Cirencester. They occupied Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire,
and Hertfordshire. Drayton refers to them in his _Polyolbion_, xvi.
CATGUT (_Dr._), a caricature of Dr. Arne in _The Commissary_, by Sam.
Foote (1765).
CATH'ARINE, queen-consort of Charles II; introduced by sir W. Scott in
_Peveril of the Peak_. (See CATHERINE, and also under the letter K.)
_Cath'arine (St.)_ of Alexandria (fourth century), patron saint of
girls and virgins generally. Her real name was Dorothea; but St.
Jerome says she was called Catharine from the Syriac word _Kethar_ or
_Kathar_, "a crown," because she won the triple crown of martyrdom,
virginity, and wisdom. She was put to death on a wheel, November 25,
which is her _fête_ day.
_To braid St. Catharine's hair_ means "to live a virgin."
Thou art too fair to be left to braid St. Catharine's
tresses.
Longfellow, _Evangeline_ (1848).
CATH'BA, son of Torman, beloved by Morna, daughter of Cormac king of
Ireland. He was killed out of jealousy by Duchô'mar, and when Duchômar
told Morna and asked her to marry him she replied, "Thou art dark to
me, Duchômar; cruel is thine arm to Morna. Give me that sword, my
foe;" and when he gave it, she "pierced his manly breast," and he
died.
Cathba, young son of Torman, thou art of the love of Morna. Thou art a
sunbeam in the day of the gloomy storm.--Ossian, _Fingal_, i.
CATH'ERINE, wife of Mathis, in _The Polish Jew_, by J. R. Ware.
_Catherine_, the somewhat uninteresting heroine of _Washington
Square_, by Henry James, a commonplace creature made more commonplace
by the dull routine of wealthy respectability (1880).
_Catherine (The countess_), usually called "The Countess," falls in
love with Huon, a serf, her secretary and tutor. Her pride revolts at
the match, but her love is masterful. When the duke her father is told
of it, he insists on Huon's marrying Catherine, a freed serf, on pain
of death. Huon refuses to do so till the countess herself entreats him
to comply. He then rushes to the wars, where he greatly distinguishes
himself, is created prince, and learns that his bride is not Catherine
the quondam serf, but Catherine the duke's daughter.--S. Knowles,
_Love_ (1840).
CATH'ERINE OF NEWPORT, the wife of Julian Avenel (2 _syl.)._--Sir W.
Scott, _The_ _Monastery_ (time, Elizabeth). (See CATHARINE, and under
K.)
CATH'LEEN, one of the attendants on Flora M'Ivor.--Sir W. Scott,
_Waverley_ (time, Greorge II.).
CATH'LIN OF CLU'THA, daughter of Cathmol. Duth-Carmor of Cluba had
slain Cathmol in battle, and carried off Cathlin by force, but she
contrived to make her escape and craved aid of Fingal. Ossian and
Oscar were selected to espouse her cause, and when they reached
Rathcol (where Duth-Carmor lived), Ossian resigned the command of the
battle to his son Oscar. Oscar and Duth-Carmor met in combat, and the
latter fell. The victor carried the mail and helmet of Duth-Carmor to
Cathlin, and Cathlin said, "Take the mail and place it high in Selma's
hall, that you may remember the helpless in a distant land."--Ossian,
_Cathlin of Clutha_.
CATH'MOR, younger brother of Cair'bar ("lord of Atha"), but totally
unlike him. Cairbar was treacherous and malignant; Cathmor high-minded
and hospitable. Cairbar murdered Cormac king of Ireland, and having
inveigled Oscar (son of Ossian) to a feast, vamped up a quarrel, in
which both fell. Cathmor scorned such treachery. Cathmore is the
second hero of the poem called _Tem'ora_, and falls by the hand of
Fingal (bk. viii.).
Cathmor, the friend of strangers, the brother of red-haired Cairbar.
Their souls were not the same. The light of heaven was in the bosom of
Cathmor. His towers rose on the banks of Atha; seven paths led to his
halls; seven chiefs stood on the paths and called strangers to
the feast. But Cathmor dwelt in the wood, to shun the voice of
praise.--Ossian, _Temora_, i.
CATH'OLIC _(The)._ Alfonso I. of Asturias, called by Gregory III. _His
Catholic Majesty_ (693, 739-757).
Ferdinand II. of Ar'agon, husband of Isabella. Also called _Rusé_,
"the wily" (1452, 1474-1516).
Isabella wife of Ferdinand II. of Aragon, so called for her zeal in
establishing the Inquisition (1450, 1474-1504).
CATHOLIC MAJESTY _(Catholica Majestad_), the special title of the
kings of Spain. It was first given to king Recared (590) in the third
Council of Toledo, for his zeal in rooting out the "Arian heresy."
Cui a Deo æternum meritum nisi vero Catholico Recaredo regi? Cui a Deo
æterna corona nisi vero orthodoxo Recaredo regi?--_Gregor._ _Mag._,
127 and 128.
But it was not then settled as a fixed title to the kings of Spain. In
1500 Alexander VI. gave the title to Ferdinand V. king of Aragon and
Castile, and from that time it became annexed to the Spanish crown.
Ab Alexandro pontifice Ferdinandus "Catholici" cognomentum accepit in
posteros cum regno transfusum stabili possessione. Honorum titulos
principibus dividere pontincibus Romanis datur.--Mariana, _De Rebus
Hesp_., xxvi. 12; see also vii. 4.
CA'THOS, cousin of Madelon, brought up by her uncle Gor'gibus, a plain
citizen in the middle rank of life. These two silly girls have had
their heads turned by novels, and thinking their names commonplace,
Cathos calls herself Aminta, and her cousin adopts the name of
Polix'ena. Two gentlemen wish to marry them, but the girls consider
their manners too unaffected and easy to be "good style," so the
gentlemen send their valets to represent the "marquis of Mascarille"
and the "viscount of Jodelet." The girls are delighted with these
"distinguished noblemen;" but when the game has gone far enough, the
masters enter, and lay bare the trick. The girls are taught
a useful lesson, without being involved in any fatal ill
consequences.--Molière, _Les Précieuses Ridicules_ (1659).
CATHUL'LA, king of Inistore (_the Orkneys_) and brother of Coma'la
(_q.v._). Fingal, on coming in sight of the palace, observed a
beacon-flame on its top as signal of distress, for Frothal king of
Sora had besieged it. Fingal attacked Frothal, engaged him in single
combat, defeated him, and made him prisoner.--Ossian, _Carrick-Thura._
CAT'ILINE (3 _syl_.), a Roman patrician, who headed a conspiracy to
overthrow the Government, and obtain for himself and his followers all
places of power and trust. The conspiracy was discovered by Cicero.
Catiline escaped and put himself at the head of his army, but fell in
the battle after fighting with desperate daring (B.C. 62). Ben Jonson
wrote a tragedy called _Catiline_ (1611), and Voltaire, in his _Rome
Sauvée_, has introduced the conspiracy and death of Catiline (1752).
CA'TO, the hero and title of a tragedy by J. Addison (1713). Disgusted
with Cæsar, Cato retired to U'tica (in Africa), where he had a small
republic and mimic senate; but Cæsar resolved to reduce Utica as he
had done the rest of Africa, and Cato, finding resistance hopeless,
fell on his own sword.
Tho' stern and awful to the foes of Rome,
He is all goodness, Lucia, always mild,
Compassionate, and gentle to his friends;
Filled with domestic tenderness.
Act v. 1.
When Barton Booth [1713] first appeared as "Cato," Bolingbroke called
him into his box and gave him fifty guineas for defending the cause of
liberty so well against a perpetual dictator.--_Life of Addison_.
_He is a Cato_, a man of simple habits, severe morals, strict justice,
and blunt speech, but of undoubted integrity and patriotism, like the
Roman censor of that name, the grandfather of the Cato of Utica, who
resembled him in character and manners.
CATO AND HORTENS'IUS. Cato of Utica's second wife was Martia daughter
of Philip. He allowed her to live with his friend Hortensius, and
after the death of Hortensius took her back again.
_[Sultans]_ don't agree at all with the wise Roman,
Heroic, stoic Cato, the sententious,
Who lent his lady to his friend Hortensius.
Byron, _Don Juan_, vi. 7 (1821).
CATUL'LUS. Lord Byron calls Thomas Moore the "British Catullus,"
referring to a volume of amatory poems published in 1808, under the
pseudonym of "Thomas Little."
'Tis Little! young Catullus of his day,
As sweet but as immoral as his lay.
Byron, _English Bards and Scotch Reviewers_ (1809).
_The Oriental Catullus_, Saadi or Sadi, a Persian poet. He married a
rich merchant's daughter, but the marriage was an unhappy one. His
chief works are _The Gulistan_ (or "garden of roses") and _The Bostan_
(or "garden of fruits") (1176-1291).
CAU'DLE _(Mrs. Margaret_), a curtain lecturer, who between eleven
o'clock at night and seven the next morning delivered for thirty years
a curtain lecture to her husband Job Caudle, generally a most gentle
listener; if he replied she pronounced him insufferably rude, and if
he did not he was insufferably sulky.--Douglas Jerrold, _Punch_ ("The
Caudle Papers").
CAU'LINE _(Sir)_, a knight who served the wine to the king of Ireland.
He fell in love with Christabelle (3 _syl_.), the king's-daughter, and
she became his troth-plight wife, without her father's knowledge. When
the king knew of it, he banished sir Cauline (2 _syl_.). After a time
the Soldain asked the lady in marriage, but sir Cauline challenged his
rival and slew him. He himself, however, died of the wounds he had
received, and the lady Christabelle, out of grief, "burst her gentle
hearte in twayne."--Percy's _Reliques_, I. i. 4.
CAU'RUS, the stormy west-north-west wind; called in Greek _Argestês_.
The ground by piercing Caurus seared.
Thomson, _Castle of Indolence_, ii. (1748).
CAUSTIC, of the _Despatch_ newspaper, was the signature of Mr. Serle.
_Christopher Caustic_, the pseudonym of Thomas Green Fessenden, author
of _Terrible Tractoration_, a Hudibrastic poem (1771-1837).
_Caustic_ (_Colonel_), a fine gentleman of the last century, very
severe on the degeneracy of the present race.--Henry Mackenzie, in
_The Lounger_.