Search

Search results

Displaying 481 - 490

Brewer's: Empyrean

According to Ptolemy, there are five heavens, the last of which is pure elemental fire and the seat of deity; this fifth heaven is called the empyrean (from the Greek en-pur, in fire). (…

Brewer's: Epic

Father of epic poetry. Homer (about 950 B.C.), author of the Iliad and Odyssey. Celebrated epics are the Iliad, Odyssey, Æneid, Paradise Lost. The great Puritan epic. Milton's Paradise…

Brewer's: Fairy of the Mine

A malevolent being supposed to live in mines, busying itself with cutting ore, turning the windlass, etc., and yet effecting nothing. (See Gnome.) No goblin, or swart fairy of the mine,…

Brewer's: Hebe

(2 syl.). Goddess of youth, and cup-bearer to the celestial gods. She had the power of restoring the aged to youth and beauty. (Greek mythology.) Wreathëd smiles Such as hang on Hebe's…

Brewer's: Hermes

(2 syl.). The Greek Mercury; either the god or the metal. So when we see the liquid metal fall Which chemists by the name of Hermes call. Hoole: Ariosto, book viii. Milton (Paradise Lost,…

Brewer's: Hesychasts

(pron. He'-se-kasts). The “Quietists” of the East in the fourteenth century. The placed perfection in contemplation. (Greek, hesuchia, quiet.) (See Gibbon, Roman Empire, lxiii.) Milton…

Brewer's: Hippogriff

The winged horse, whose father was a griffin and mother a filly (Greek, hippos, a horse, and gryphos, a griffin). A symbol of love. (Ariosto: Orlando Furioso, iv. 18, 19.) So saying, he…

Brewer's: Thammuz

The Syrian and Phoenician name of Adonis. His death happened on the banks of the river Adonis, and in summer-time the waters always become reddened with the hunter's blood. (See Ezekiel…

Brewer's: Thamyris

A Thracian bard mentioned by Homer (Iliad, ii. 595). He challenged the Muses to a trial of skill, and, being overcome in the contest, was deprived by them of his sight and power of song.…

Brewer's: Thone

(1 syl.) or Thonis. Governor of a province of Egypt. His wife was Polydamnia. It is said by post-Homeric poets that Paris took Helen to this province, and that Polydamnia gave her a drug…