Chapter Arideus to Armande of A by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Arideus to Armande

Arideus [A-ree’-de-us), a herald in the Christian army.—Tasso: Jerusalem Delivered (1575).

Ariel, in The Tempest, an airy spirit, able to assume any shape, or even to become invisible. He was enslaved to the witch Syeorax, mother of Caliban, who overtasked the little thing, and in punishment for not doing what was beyond his strength, imprisoned him for twelve years in the rift of a pine tree, where Caliban delighted to torture him with impish cruelty. Prospero, duke of Milan and father of Miranda, liberated Ariel from the pine-rift, and the grateful spirit served the duke for sixteen years, when he was set free.

And like Ariel in the cloven pine tree, For its freedom groans and sighs.
   —Longfellow: The Golden Milestone.

Ariel, the sylph in Pope’s Rape of the Lock. The impersonation of “fine life” in the abstract, the nice adjuster of hearts and necklaces. When disobedient he is punished by being kept hovering over the fumes of chocolate, or is transfixed with pins, clogged with pomatums, or wedged in the eyes of bodkins.

Ariel, one of the rebel angels. The word means “the Lion of God.” Abdiel encountered him, and overthrew him.—Milton: Paradise Lost, vi. 371 (1665).

Arimanes , the prince of the powers of evil, introduced by Byron in his drama called Manfred. The Persians recognized a power of good and a power of evil: the former Y ezad, and the latter Ahriman (in Greek, Oromazes and Arimannes). These two spirits are ever at war with each other. Oromazes created twenty-four good spirits, and enclosed them in an egg to be out of the power of Arimanês; but Arimanês pierced the shell, and thus mixed evil with every good. However, a time will come when Arimanês shall be subdued, and the earth become a perfect paradise.

Arimaspians, a one-eyed people of Scythia, who adorned their hair with gold. As gold-mines were guarded by Gryphons, there were perpetual contentions between the Arimaspians and the Gryphons. (See Gryphon.)

Arimaspi, quos diximus uno oculo in fronte media insignes: quibus assidue bellum esse circa metalla cum gryphis, ferarum volucri genere, quale vulgo traditur, eruente ex cuniculis aurum, mire cupiditate et feris custodientibus, et Arimaspis rapientibus, multi, sed maxime illustres Herodotus et Aristeas Proconnesius scribunt.—Pliny, Nat. Hist., vii. 2.

Arioch [“a fierce lion”], one of the fallen angels overthrown by Abdiel.—Milton: Paradise Lost, vi. 371 (1665).

Ariodantes (5 syl,), the beloved of Geneu’ra, a Scotch princess. Geneura being accused of incontinence, Ariodantês stood forth her champion, vindicated her innocence, and married her.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso (1516).

(Ariodantes was made duke of Albania.)

Arion. William Falconer, author of The Shipwreck, speaks of himself under this pseudonym (canto iii.). He was sent to sea when a lad, and says he was eager to investigate the “antiquities of foreign states.” He was junior officer in the Britannia, which was wrecked against the projecting verge of cape Colonna, the most southern point of Attica, and was the only officer who survived.

Thy woes, Arion, and thy simple tale O’er all the hearts shall triumph and prevail.
   —Campbell: Pleasures of Hope, ii. (1799).

Arion, a Greek musician, who, to avoid being murdered for his wealth, threw himself into the sea, and was carried to Tænaros on the back of a dolphin.

Arion, the wonderful horse which Herculês gave to Adrastos. It had the gift of human speech, and the feet on the right side were the feet of a man.