Brewer's: Scanderbeg's Sword must have Scanderbeg's Arm

i.e. None but Ulysses can draw Ulysses' bow. Scanderbeg is a corruption of Iskander-beg (Alexander the Great), not the Macedonian, but George Castriota, Prince of Albania, so called by the Turks. Mahomet wanted to see his scimitar, but when presented no one could draw it; whereupon the Turkish emperor sent it back as an imposition; but Iskander-beg replied, he had only sent his majesty the sword without sending the arm that drew it. (See Robin Hood.)

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language