Chapter George Barnwell to Geryoneo of G by Brewer's Readers Handbook

“No,” says Scapin. “I forgot,” says Géronte, and he pays the money (act ii. sc. 11).—Molière: Les Fourberies de Scapin (1671).

(In the English version, called The Cheats of Scapin, by Otway, Géronte is called “Gripe,” Hyacinthe is called “Clara,” Léandre is Angelicized into “Leander,” and the sum of money borrowed is £200, instead of 500 écus.)

Géronte, the father of Lucinde. He wanted his daughter to marry Horace, but as she loved Léandre, in order to avoid a marriage she detested, she pretended to have lost the power of articulate speech, and only answered, “Han, hi, hon!” “Han, hi, hon, han!” Sganarelle, “le médecin malgré lui,” seeing that this jargon was put on, and ascertaining that Léandre was her lover, introduced him as an apothecary, and the young man soon effected a perfect cure with “pills matrimoniac.”—Molière: Le Médecin Malgré Lui (1666).

Gerrard, king of the beggars, disguised under the name of Clause. He is the father of Florez the rich merchant of Bruges.—Fletcher: The Beggars’ Bush (1622).

Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. On the death of her husband, who was king of Denmark, she married Claudius, the late king’s brother. Gertrude was accessory to the murder of her first husband, and Claudius was principal. Claudius prepared poisoned wine, which he intended for Hamlet; but the queen, not knowing it was poisoned, drank it and died. Hamlet, seeing his mother fall dead, rushed on the king and killed him.—Shakespeare: Hamlet (1596).

(In the Historie of Hamblett, Gertrude is called “Geruth.”)

Gertrude of Wyoming, daughter of the patriarch Albert. One day, an Indian brought to Albert a lad (nine years old) named Henry Waldegrave, and told the patriarch he had promised the boy’s mother, at her death, to place her son under his care. The lad remained at Wyoming for three years, and was then sent to his friends. When grown to manhood, Henry Waldegrave returned to Wyoming, and married Gertrude; but three months afterwards, Brandt, at the head of a mixed army of British and Indians, attacked the settlement, and both Albert and Gertrude were shot. Henry Waldegrave then joined the army of Washington, which was fighting for American independence.—Campbell: Gertrude of Wyoming (1809).

N.B.—Campbell accents Wyoming on the first syllable, but it is more usual to throw the accent on the second.

Gerundio (Fray), i.e. Friar Gerund, the hero and title of a Spanish romance, by the jesuit De l’Isla. It is a satire on the absurdities and bad taste of the popular preachers of the time. It is full of quips and cranks, tricks of acting, and startling sentimentality.—Joseph Isla: Life of Friar Gerund (1758).

Geryon’s Sons, the Spaniards; so called from Geryon, an ancient king of Spain, whose oxen were driven off by Herculês. This task was one of the hero’s “twelve labours.” Milton uses the expression in Paradise Lost, xi. 410 (1665).

Geryoneo, a human monster with three bodies. He was of the race of giants, bei ng the son of Geryon, the tyrant who gave all strangers “as food to his kine, the fairest and the fierc est kine alive.” Geryoneo promised to take the young widow Belgê under his protection; but it was like the wolf protecting the lamb, for “he gave her children to a dreadful monster to devour.” In her despair, she applied to king Arthur for help, and the British king, espousing her cause, soon sent Geryoneo “down to the house of dole.”—Spenser: Faërie Queene, v. 10, 11 (1596).

“Geryoneo” is the house of Austria, and Philip of Spain in particular. “King Arthur” is England, and the earl of Leicester in particular. The “Widow Belgê” is the Netherlands; and the monster that devoured her children the inquisition, introduced by the duke of Alva. “Geryoneo” had three bodies, for Philip ruled over three kingdoms—Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands. The earl of Leicester, sent in 1585 to the aid of the Netherlands, broke off the yoke of Philip.