Chapter Eretrian Bull to Erra-Pater of E by Brewer's Readers Handbook

N.B.—Drayton says when the Wyre saw her goodly oak trees sold for firewood, she bethought her of Erisichthon’s end, who, “when nor sea, nor land, sufficient were,” ate his own flesh.—Polyolbion, vii.

So Erisicthon, once fired (as men say)
With hungry rage, fed never, ever feeding;
Ten thousand dishes served every day,
Yet in ten thousand thousand dishes needing.
In vain his daughter hundred shapes assumed;
A whole camp’s meat he in his gorge inhumed;
And all consumed, his hunger yet was unconsumed.
   —Phineas Fletcher: The Purple Island (1633).

Erland, father of Norna “of the Fitful Head.”—Sir W. Scott: The Pirate (time, William III.).

Erl-King, a spirit of mischief, which haunts the Black Forest of Thuringia.

Goethe has a ballad called the Erlkönig, and Herder has translated the Danish ballad of Sir Olaf and the Erlking’s Daughter.

Ermangarde of Baldringham (The Lady), aunt of the Lady Eveline Berenger “the betrothed.”—Sir W. Scott: The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).

Ermeline (Dame), the wife of Reynard, in the beast-epic called Reynard the Fox (1498).

Ermeticks Treasure (King), an incalculable mass of wealth, purely imaginative.—Reynard the Fox, chap. xi. (1498).

Erminia, the heroine of Jerusalem Delivered. She fell in love with Tancred, and when the Christian army besieged Jerusalem, arrayed herself in Clorinda’s armour to go to him. After certain adventures, she found him wounded, and nursed him tenderly; but the poet has not told us what was the ultimate lot of this fair Syrian.—Tasso: Jerusalem Delivered (1575).

Ernani, the robber-captain, duke of S egorbia and Cardona, lord of Aragon, and count of Ernani. He is in love with Elvira, the betrothed of don Ruy Gomez de Silva, an old Spanish grandee, whom she detests. Charles V. falls in love with her, and Ruy Gomez joins Ernani in a league against their common rival. During this league Ernani gives Ruy Gomez a horn, saying, “Sound but this horn, and at that moment Ernani will cease to live.” Just as he is about to espouse Elvira, the horn is sounded, and Ernani stabs himself.—Verdi: Ernani (an opera, 1841).

Ernest (Duke), son-in-law of kaiser Konrad II. He murders his feudal lord, and goes on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, to expiate his crime. The poem so called is a mixture of Homeric legends, Oriental myths, and pilgrims’ tales. We have pygmies and cyclopses, genii and enchanters, fairies and dwarfs, monks and devotees. After a world of hair-breadth escapes, the duke reaches the Holy Sepulchre, pays his vows, returns to Germany, and is pardoned.—Heinrich von Veldig (minnesinger): Duke Ernest (twelfth century).

Ernest de Fridberg, “the prisoner of State.” He was imprisoned in the dungeon of the Giant’s Mount fortress for fifteen years of a false charge of treason. Ulrica (his natural daughter by the countess Marie), dressed in the clothes of Herman, the deaf and dumb jailer-boy, gets access to the dungeon and contrives his escape; but he is retaken, and led back to the dungcon. Being subsequently set at liberty, he marries the countess Marie (the mother of Ulrica).—Stirling: The Prisoner of State (1847).

Eros, the manumitted slave of Antony the triumvir. Antony made Eros swear that he would kill him if commanded by him so to do. When in Egypt, Antony (after the battle of Actium), fearing lest he should fall into the hands of Octavius Cæsar, ordered Eros to keep his promise, Eros drew his sword, but thrust it into his own side, and fell dead at the feet of Antony. “O noble Eros,” cried Antony, “I thank thee for teaching me how to die!”—Plutarch.