Page images
PDF
EPUB

tells us, that the northern part of Thrace was possessed by a tribe of Scythians; and that many towns are said to have been inhabited by the race of Pigmies, whom the barbarians called Catizi, and believe to have been destroyed by the cranes. These ancient fables are absurd; but popular traditions generally contain important facts, though obscured by exaggeration or concealed under the veil of allegory. Buffon is, therefore, strongly disposed to believe, that this story alludes to some singularities in the history of the crane. It is well known that the apes, which rove at large in most parts of Africa and India, wage continual war with the birds; they seek to surprise them in the nest, and lay perpetual snares for them. The cranes, on their arrival, find these enemies assembled, perhaps in numbers, to attack, with more advantage, their new and rich prey. The cranes (confident in their own strength; enured to fight, by their disputes with each other; and naturally prone to combat, as their attitudes, their movements, and the order with which they marshal, sufficiently evince) make a vigorous defence. But the apes, obstinately bent on plundering the eggs and the young, return repeatedly in troops to renew the battle; and, as by their subtlety, their gait and posture, they imitate human actions, they appeared a band of little men to the rude spectators, who viewed them from a distance; or who, captivated by the marvellous, chose to embellish their relations. Such is the origin and history of these fables.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Or Phlegrecus campus, a place of Macedonia; the giants attacked the gods, and were defeated by Hercules. The combat was afterwards renewed in Italy, in a place of the same name near Cumæ.

578 That fought at Thebes.

578

A town at the south of Troas, built by Hercules; it fell into the hands of the Cicilians, who occupied it during the Trojan war, which was undertaken by the Greeks, to recover Helen, whom Paris, the son of Priam, king of Troy, had carried away from Manelaus. All Greece united to avenge the cause, and every prince furnished a number of ships and soldiers.

and Ilium.

A citadel of Troy, built by Ilus, one of the Trojan kings, from whom it received it name. It is generally taken for Troy itself.

580 In fable or romance of Uther's son.

A valiant knight of old Britain, called Utherpan-Dragon, because he wore a golden head painted upon the crest of his helmet, to render him terrible to his enemies.

581 Begirt with British and Armoric knights

Armoricæ, cities of Celtic Gaul, famous for the warlike, rebellious and inconstant disposition of the inhabitants called Armoricii.

583 Jousted.

An ancient diversion; when the combatants, armed, and with lances in their hands, run at one another full gallop. First introduced into Ger

[merged small][ocr errors]

many, by Henry the Fowler, a Saxon Prince, who was elected Emperor of Germany; and into England, by Henry the fourth, A. D. 1409, in Smithfield, before the English nobility.

in Aspramont.

A rough rocky mountain. A feigned name in old romances.

583 Montalban.

The white mountain, distant twelve miles from Rome; whereon the decisive combat was fought between the three Horatii, on the side of the Romans, and of the three Curatii, on that of the Albans.

584 Damasco.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors]

A rich and ancient city of Syria, where Demetrius Nicanor was defeated by Alexander Zebina.

or Morocco.

West of Canaan, a pleasant kingdom upon the Atlantic Ocean. Morocco is very large, and was the capital city of Barbary; but now Fez enjoys that honour. Here Juba acted the hero with Pompey.

or Trebisond.

Trebia is celebrated for the victory which Hannibal obtained there over the forces of L. Sempronius, the Roman Consul.

586 When Charlemain with all his peerage fell By Fontarabbia.

A valiant and pious prince, born, A. D. 742, King of France, and made Emperor of Germany, A. D. 800, and dignified with the title of Most Christian King. Fontarabbia is a strong fort

651

681

681

and city, on the frontier of Spain, in Biscay, on the river Ridossa, near St. Sebastian. The French have frequently besieged it without

success.

that he ere long

Intended to create.

I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers the moon and the stars that thou hast ordained.

What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him?

Thou makest him lower than the angels: to crown him with glory and worship.

Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands; and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. Psalms, viii. 3, 4, 5, 6.

Mammon led them on.

Let the Gentiles, that know not God, perplex their minds with unworthy suspicions, or bow them down to the ignoble servitude of Mammon, that base rival of our living Jehovah; but we, far from desiring to share our hearts and our services between two such contrary masters, will cheerfully devote them to him, whose right to them is so infinitely beyond all room for any contest. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. Matthew, vi. 6, 24.

[blocks in formation]

The riches of heav'n's pavement, trodden gold. The street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. Rev. xxi. 21.

Glorious things are indeed spoken of thee, O thou city of God. Psalms, lxxxvii. 3.

684 In vision beatific.

The making happy or blessed.

694 Of Babel.

694

Fearing another flood, men begun to build a tower so high, that the top might not be overflowed, as if they would defend themselves in their wicked ways against the anger of the Almighty: but he stopped their work, by confusing their language, that they could not understand one another; so they desisted, and the tower was afterwards called Babel, that is, confusion.

and the works of Memphian kings. Memphis, a celebrated town of Egypt, on the western banks of the Nile, above the Delta. It once contained many beautiful temples, particularly those of the god Apis, whose worship was observed with the greatest ceremonies. It was in the neighbourhood of Memphis that those famous Pyramids were built, whose grandeur and beauty still astonish the modern traveller. These noble monuments of Egyptian vanity, which pass for one of the wonders of the world, are about twenty in number, three of which, by their superior size, particularly claim attention. place where Memphis formerly stood is not now known; the ruins of its former grandeur were conveyed to Alexandria, to beautify its palaces, or to adorn the neighbouring cities.

and Doric pillars overlaid.

The

Doric order, one of the five orders which took

E

« ՆախորդըՇարունակել »