Chapter Galatea to Gamelyn of G by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Galatea to Gamelyn

Galatea, a sea-nymph, beloved by Polypheme . She herself had a heartache for Acis. The jealous giant crushed his rival under a huge rock, and Galatea, inconsolable at the loss of her lover, was changed into a fountain. The word Galatea is used poetically for any rustic maiden.

(Handel has an opera called Acis and Galatea, 1710.)

Galatea. A statue made by Pygmalion, which became animated, caused much mischief by her want of worldly knowledge, and returned to her original state. (See Frankenstein, p. 392.)—Gilbert: Pygmalion and Galatea (1871).

Galatea, a wise and modest lady attending on the princess in the drama of Philaster, or Love Lies a- bleeding, by Beaumont and Fletcher (1608).

Galathea and Phillida, two girls who meet in fancy costume, and fall in love with each other.—Lily: Galathea (1592).

Galatine , the sword of sir Gawain, king Arthur’s nephew.—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, i. 93 (1470).

Galbraith (Major Duncan), of Garschattachin, a militia officer.—Sir W. Scott: Rob Roy (time, George I.).

Galen, an apothecary, a medical man (in disparagement). Galen was the most celebrated physician of ancient Greece, and had a greater influence on medical science than any other man before or since (A.D. 130–200).

Unawed, young Galen bears the hostile brunt,
Pills in his rear, and Cullen in his front.
   —W. Falconer: The Midshipman.

(Dr. William Cullen, of Hamilton, Lanarkshire, author of Nosology, 1712–1790.)

Galenical Medicines, herbs and drugs in general, in contradistinction to minerals recommended by Paracelsus.

Galenist, a herb doctor.

The Galenist and Paracelsian.
   —S. Butler: Hudibras, iii. 3 (1678).

Galeopsis, from two Greek words, galê opsis, “a cat’s face;” so called because the flowers resemble the picture of a cat’s face.

Galeotti Martivalle (Martius), astrologer of Louis XI. Being asked by the superstitious king if he knew the day of his own death, the crafty astrologer replied that he could not name the exact day, but he had learnt thus much by his art—that it would occur just twenty-four hours before the decease of his majesty (ch. xxix.).—Sir W. Scott: Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Thrasullus the soothsayer made precisely the same answer to Tiberius emperor of Rome.

Galerana is called by Ariosto the wife of Charlemagne; but the nine wives of that emperor are usually given as Hamiltrude , Desiderata, Hildegarde , Fastrade , Luitgarde, Maltegarde, Gersuinde, Regina, and Adalinda.—Ariosto: Orlando Furioso, xxi. (1516).

Galère . Que diable allait-il faire dans cette galêre? Scapin wants to get from Géronte (a miserly old hunks) £30, to help Leandre, the old man’s son, out of a money difficulty. So Scapin vamps up a cock-and-bull story about Leandre being invited by a Turk on board his galley, where he was treated to a most sumptuous repast; but when the young man was about to quit the galley, the Turk told him he was a prisoner, and demanded £30 for his ransom within two hours’ time. When Géronte hears this, he exclaims, “Que diable