Part 8 (1/2)

{127a} The famous tyrant of Agrigentum, renowned for his ingenious contrivance of roasting his enemies in a brazen bull, and not less memorable for some excellent epistles, which set a wit and scholar together by the ears concerning the genuineness of them. See the famous contest between Bentley and Boyle.

{127b} Who sacrificed to Jupiter all the strangers that came into his kingdom. ”Hospites violabat,” says Seneca, ”ut eorum sanguine pluviam eliceret, cujus penuria AEgyptus novem annis laboraverat.”

A most ingenious contrivance.

{128a} A king of Thrace who fed his horses with human flesh.

{128b} Scyron and Pityocamptes were two famous robbers, who used to seize on travellers and commit the most horrid cruelties upon them.

They were slain by Theseus. See Plutarch's ”Life of Theseus.”

{128c} Where he ran away, but, as we are told, in very good company.

See Diog. Laert. Strabo, etc.

{132} The Antipodes. We never heard whether Lucian performed this voyage. D'Ablancourt, however, his French translator, in his continuation of the ”True History,” has done it for him, not without some humour, though it is by no means equal to the original.

{135a} Voltaire has improved on this pa.s.sage, and given us a very humorous account of ”les Habitans de l'Enfer,” in his wicked ”Pucelle.”

{135b} Who, the reader will remember, had just before run off with Helen.

{136a} Greek, [Greek], sleep.

{136b} As herald of the morn.

{136c} A root which, infused, is supposed to promote sleep, consequently very proper for the Island of Dreams.

”Not poppy, nor mandragora, Nor all the drowsy syrups of the East, Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep Which thou ow'dst yesterday.”

See Shakespeare's ”Oth.e.l.lo.”

{136d} Night wanderer.

{137a} Gr. [Greek], inexperrectus, unwaked or wakeful.

{137b} Gr. [Greek], pernox, all night.

{137c} ”Two portals firm the various phantoms keep; Of ev'ry one; whence flit, to mock the brain, Of winged lies a light fantastic train; The gate opposed pellucid valves adorn, And columns fair, encased with polished horn; Where images of truth for pa.s.sage wait.”

See Pope's Homer's ”Odyssey,” bk. xix., 1.

637.

See also Virgil, who has pretty closely imitated his master.

{138a} Gr. [Greek], terriculum vanipori: fright, the son of vain hope, or disappointment.

{138b} Gr. [Greek], divitiglorium, the pride of riches--i.e., arising from riches; son of phantasy, or deceit.

{138c} Gr. [Greek], gravi-somnem, heavy sleep.

{141a} Nut sailors; or, sailors in a nut-sh.e.l.l.

{141b} Those who sailed in the gourds.