Chapter Epimenides to Ereenia of E by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Epimenides to Ereenia

Epimenides of Cr ete, sometimes reckoned one of the “seven wise men of Greece” in the place of Periander. He slept for fifty-seven years in a cave, and, on waking, found everything so changed that he could recognize nothing. Epimenidês lived 289 years, and was adored by the Cretans as one of their “Curetês” or priests of Jove. He was contemporary with Solon.

(Goethe has a poem called Des Epimenides Erwachen. See Heinrich’s Epimenides.)

Epimenides’s Drug. A nymph who loved Epimenides gave him a draught in a bull’s horn, one single drop of which would not only cure any ailment, but would also serve for a hearty meal.

Le Nouveau Epimenède is a man who lives in a dream in a kind of “Castle of Spain,” where he deems himself a king, and does not wish to be disillusioned. The song is by Jacinthe Leclère, one of the members of the “Societé de Momus” of Paris.

Epinogris (Sir), son of the king of Northumberland. He loved an earl’s daughter, but slew the earl in a knightly combat. Next day, a knight challenged him to fight, and the lady was to be the prize of the victor. Sir Epinogris, being overthrown, lost the lady; but when sir Palomidês heard the tale, he promised to recover her. Accordingly, he challenged the victorious knight, who turned out to be his brother. The point of dispute was then amicably arranged by giving up the lady to sir Epinogris.—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, ii. 169 (1470).

Eppie, one of the servants of the Rev. Josiah Cargill. In the same novel is Eppie Anderson, one of the servants at the Mowbray Arms, Old St. Ronan’s, held by Meg Dods.—Sir W. Scott: St. Ronan’s Well (time, George III.).

Eppie, the adopted child of Silas Marner. She is the daughter of Godfrey Cass and Molly. Eppie ultimately marries Aaron.—George Eliot (Mrs. J. W. Cross): Silas Marner (1861).

Epps, cook of Saunders Fairford a lawyer.—Sir W. Scott: Redgauntlet (time, George III.).

Equity (Father of), Heneage Finch, earl of Nottingham (1621–1682). In Absalom and Achitophel (by Dryden and Tate) he is called “Amri.”

Sincere was Amri, and not only knew,
But Israel’s sanctions into practice drew;
Our laws, that did a boundless ocean seem,
Were coasted all, and fathomed all by him…
To him the double blessing doth belong,
With Moses’ inspiration, Aaron’s tongue.
   —Absalom and Achitophel, ii. 1017–1025 (1682).

Equivokes, from ambiguous words, puns, and stops.

1. From ambiguous words—

(1) Ahab, king of Israel, asked Micaiah if he went to battle with the king of Syria, whether he would become master of Ramoth-Gilead or not? The prophet made answer, “Go, for the Lord will deliver the city into the hands of the king;” but to which king he did not say; and the result was, Ahab was slain, and Ramoth- Gilead was delivered into the hands of the king of Syria.—1 Kings xxii. 15, 35.

(2) Crœsus: When Crœsus demanded what would be the issue of the battle against the Persians, headed by Cyrus, the answer was, he “should behold a mighty empire overthrown;” but whether that empire was his own or that of Cyrus, only the issue of the fight could determine.

(3) Maxentius and the Sibylline Books: When Maxentius was about to encounter Cons tantine, he consulted the guardians of the Sibylline Books respecting the fate of the battle, and they told him, “Illo die hostem Romanorum esse periturum” (“On that day the enemy of the Romans will perish”); but whether Maxentius or Constantine was “the enemy” was left undetermined.