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

Aristomenes , a young Messenian of the royal line, the “Cid” of ancient Messenia. On one occasion he entered Sparta by night to suspend a shield in the temple of Pallas. On the shield were inscribed these words: “Aristomenês from the Spartan spoils dedicates this to the goddess.”

A similar tale is told of Fernando Perez del Pulgar, when serving under Ferdinand of Castil e at the siege of Granada. With fifteen companions he entered Granada, then in the power of the Moors, and nailed to the door of the principal mosque with his dagger a tablet inscribed, “Ave, Maria!” then galloped back before the guards recovered from their amazement.—Washington Irving: Conquest of Granada, 91.

Aristophanes , a Greek who wrote fifty-four comedies, eleven of which have survived to the present day (B.C. 444–380). He is called “The Prince of Ancient Comedy,” and Menander “The Prince of New Comedy” (B.C. 342–291).

The English or Modern Aristophanês, Samuel Foote (1722–1777).

The French Aristophanês, J. Baptiste Poquelin de Molière (1622–1673).

Aristotle. The mistress of this philosopher was Hepyllis; of Plato, Archionassa; and of Epicurus, Leontium.

Aristotle of China, Tehuhe, who died A.D. 1200, called “The Prince of Science.”

Aristotle of Christianity, Thos, Aquinas, who tried to reduce the doctrines of faith to syllogistic formulæ (1224–1274).

Aristotle of the Nineteenth Century, George Cuvier, the naturalist (1769–1832).

Aristotle in Love. Godfrey Gobilyve told Sir Graunde Amoure that Aristotle the philosopher was once in love, and the lady promised to listen to his prayer if he would grant her request. The terms being readily accepted, she commanded him to go on all-fours; and then, putting a bridle into his mouth, mounted on his back, and drove him about the room till he was so angry, weary, and disgusted, that he was quite cured of his foolish attachment.—Hawes: The Pastime of Plesure, xxix. (1555).

Armado (Don Adriano de), a pompous military bully and braggart, in Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. This man was chosen by Ferdinand, the king of Navarre, when he resolved to spend three years in study with three companions, to relate in the interim of his studies “in high-born words the worth of many a knight from tawny Spain lost in the world’s debate.”

His humour is lofty, his discourse peremptory, his tongue filed, his eye ambitious, his gait majestical, and his general behaviour vain, ridiculous, and thrasonical. … He draweth out the thread of his verbosity finer than the staple of his argument.—Shakespeare: Love’s Labour’s Lost, act v. sc. 1 (1594).

Armande, daughter of Chrysale and sister of Henriette.

Armande is a femme savante, and Henriette a “thorough woman.” Both love Clitandre; but Armande loves him platonicly, while Henriette loves him with womanly affection. Clitandre prefers the younger sister, and, after surmounting the usual obstacles, marries her.—Molière: Les Femmes Savantes (1672).