Chapter Cerastes to Chaonian Bird of C by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Cerastes to Chaonian Bird

Cerastes, the horned snake (Greek, Keras, “a horn”). Milton uses the word in Paradise Lost, x. 525 (1665).

Cerberus, a dog with three heads, which keeps guard in hell. Dantê places it in the third circle.

Cerberus, cruel monster, fierce and strange,
Through his wide threefold throat barks as a dog…
His eyes glare crimson, black its unctuous beard,
His belly large, and clawed the hands with which
He tears the spirits, flays them, and their limbs
Piecemeal disparts.
   —Dante: Hell, vi. (1300, Cary’s translation).

Cerdon, the boldest of the rabble leaders in th e encounter with Hudibras at the bear-baiting. The original of this character was Hewson, a one-eyed cobbler and preacher, who was also a colonel in the Rump army.—S. Butler: Hudibras, i. 2 (1663).

Ceres, the Fruits of Harvest personified. In classic mythology Cerês means “Mother Earth,” the protectress of agriculture and fruits.

Ceres, the planet, is so called because it was discovered from the observatory of Palermo, and Cerês is the tutelar goddess of Sicily.

Cerettick Shore (The), the Cardigan coast.

…the other floods from the Cerettick shore
To the Virginian sea [q.v.], contributing their store.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, vi. (1612).

Cerimon, a physician of Ephes us, who restored to animation Thaisa, the wife of Periclês prince of Tyre, supposed to be dead.—Shakespeare: Pericles Prince of Tyre (1608).

Certamen Catholicum cum Calvinistis, of Hamconius, is a poem in which every word begins with C.

N.B.—In the Materia more Magistralis every word begins with M; and in the Pugna Porcorum per P. Porcum poetam every word begins with P.

Chabto (Philippe de), admiral of France, governor of Bourgoyne and Normandy under Francois I. Montmorency and the cardinal de Lorraine, out of jealousy, accused him of malversation, his faithful servant Allegre was put to the rack to force evidence against the accused, and Chabot was sent to prison because he was unable to pay the fine levied upon him. His innocence, however, was established by the confession of his enemies, and he was released; but disgrace had made so deep an impression on his mind that he sickened and died. This is the subject of a tragedy entitled The Tragedy of Philip Chabot, etc., by Chapman and Shirley (1639).

Chadband (The Rev. Mr.), type of a canting hypocrite “in the ministry.” He calls himself “a vessel,” is much admired by his dupes, and pretends to despise the “carnal world,” but nevertheless loves dearly its “good things,” and is most self-indulgent.—C. Dickens: Bleak House (1853).

Chaffington (Mr. Percy), M.P., a stock-broker.—Morton: If I had a Thousand a Year.

Chalbrook, a giant, the root of the race of giants, including Polypheme, Goliath, the Titans, Fierabras, Gargantua, and closing with Pantagruel. He was born in the year known for its “week of three Thursdays.”—Rabelais: Pantagruel, ii. (1533).

Chalybes, a people on the south shore of the Black Sea, who occupied themselves in working iron.

On the left hand dwell
The iron-workers called the Chalybês,
Of whom beware.
   —Mrs. Browning: Prometheus Bound (1850).