Chapter Etzel to Euphues of E by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Etzel to Euphues

Etzel or Ezzel [i.e. Attila], king of the Huns, in the songs of the German minnesingers. A ruler over three kingdoms and thirty principalities. His second wife was Kriemhild, the widow of Siegfried. In pt, ii. of the Nibelungen Lied he sees his sons and liegemen struck down without making the least effort to save them; and is as unlike the Attila of history as a “hector” is to the noble Trojan “the protector of mankind.”

Eubonia, Isle of Man.

He reigned over Britain and its three islands.—Nennius: History of the Britons.

(The three islands are Isle of Wight, Eubonia, and Orkney.)

Eucharis, one of t he nymphs of Calypso, with whom Telemachos was deeply smitten. Mentor, knowing his love was sensual love, hurried him away from the island. He afterwards fell in love with Antiopê, and Mentor approved his choice.—Fénelon: Télémaque, vii. (1700).

He [Paul] fancied he had found in Virginia the wisdom of Antiopê, with the misfortunes and the tenderness of Eucharis.—Bernardin de St. Pierre: Paul and Virginia (1788).

(Eucharis is meant for Mdile. de Fontange, maid of honour to Mde. de Montespan. For a few months she was a favourite with Louis XIV., but losing her good looks she was discarded, and died at the age of 20. She used to dress her hair with streaming ribbons, and hence this style of head-gear was called à la Fontange.)

Euclio, a penurious old hunks.—Plautus: Aulularia.

Now you must explain all this to me, unless you would have me use you as ill as Euclio does Staphyla.—Sir W. Scott.

Eucrates, the miller, and one of the archons of Athens. A shuffling fellow, always evading his duty and breaking his promise; hence the Latin proverb—

Vias novit, quibus effugiat Eucrates (“He has more shifts than Eucrates”).

Eudocia , da ughter of Eumenês governor of Damascus. Phocyas, general of the Syrian forces, being in love with her, asks the consent of Eumenês, and is refused. In revenge, he goes over to the Arabs, who are besieging Damascus. Eudocia is taken captive, but refuses to wed a traitor. At the end, Phocyas dies, and Eudocia retires into a nunnery.—Hughes: The Siege of Damascus (1720).

Eudon (Count) of Cantabria. A baron favourable to the Moor, “too weak-minded to be independent.” When the Spaniards rose up against the Moors, the first order of the Moorish chief was this: “Strike off count Eudon’s head; the fear which brought him to our camp will bring him else in arms against us now” (ch. xxv.).—Southey: Roderick, etc., xiii. (1814).

Eudoxia, wife of the emperor Valentinian. Petronius Maximus “poisoned” the emperor, and the empress killed Maximus.—Beaumont and Fletcher: Valentinian (1617).

Eugene Aram. (See Aram, p. 54.)

Eugenia, called “Silence” and the “Unknown.” She was wife of count de Valmont, and mother of Florian, “the founding of the forest.” In order to come into the property, baron Longueville used every endeavour to kill Eugenia and Florian, but all his attempts were abortive, and his villainy at length was brought to light.—Dimond: The Foundling of the Forest.

Eugenio, a young gentleman who turned goat-herd, because Leandra jilted him and eloped with a heartless adventurer, named Vincent de la Rosa.—Cervantes: Don Quixote, I. iv. 20 (“The Goat-herd’s Story,” 1605).