Chapter Giant of Literature to Gibraltar of the New World of G by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Giant of Literature to Gibraltar of the New World

Giant of Literature, Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709–1783).

Giants Causeway, a basaltic mole in Ireland, said to be the commencement of a causeway from Ireland to Scotland.

Giant’s Dance (The), Stonehenge, (See Geoffrey’s British History, viii. 10–12.)

Giant’s Grave (The), a height on the Adriatic shore of the Bosphorus, much frequented by holiday parties.

‘Tis a grand sight from off “The Giant’s Grave”
To watch the progress of those rolling seas
Between the Bosphorus, as they lash and lave
Europe and Asia.
   —Byron: Don Juan, v. 5 (1820).

Giant’s Leap (Lam Goëmagot) or “Goëmagot’s Leap.” Now called Haw, near Plymouth. The legend is that Corineus wrestled with Goëmagot king of the Albion giants, raised the monster on his shoulder, and, carrying him to the top of a high rock, heaved him into the sea.

At the beginning of the encounter, Corineus and the giant standing front to front held each other strongly in their arms, and panted aloud for breath; but Goëmagot presently grasping Corineus with all his might, broke three of his ribs, two on his right side and one on his left. At which Corineus, highly enraged, roused up his whole strength, and snatching up the giant, ran with him on his shoulders to the neighbouring cliff, and heaved him into the sea. … The place where he fell is called Lam Goëmagot or Goëmagot’s Leap to this day.—Geoffrey: British History, i. 16 (1142).

Giants’ War (The). There are two wars with the celestials in Greek mythology, viz. that waged by the Tita ns, and that waged by the giants. The former lasted ten years, and was a war between Kronos (a Titan) and Zeus for “universal empire.” In this war Zeus was victorious, and he hurled the followers of Kronos into Tartaros.

The latter war was from a revolt of the twenty-four giants against Zeus. The revolters were overcome by the aid of the other gods and assistance of Hercules.

Giaour [djow-er]. Byron’s tale called The Giaour is supp osed to be told by a Turkish fisherman who had been employed all the day in the gulf of Ægina, and landed his boat at nightfall on the Piræus, now called the harbour of Port Leonêe. He was eye-witness of all the incidents, and in one of them a principal agent (see line 352, “I hear the sound of coming feet …”).

The tale is this: Leilah, the beautiful concubine of the caliph Hassan, falls in love with a giaour, flees from the seraglio, is overtaken, put to death, and cast into the sea. The Giaour cleaves Hassan’s skull, flees for his life, and becomes a monk. Six years afterwards He tells his history to his father confessor on his death-bed, and prays him to “lay his body with the humblest dead, and not even to inscribe his name on his tomb.” Accordingly, he is called “the Giaour,” and is known by no other name (1813).

“He who hath bent him o’er the dead,” etc., is in this poem.

A giaour is an unbeliever, one who disbelieves the Mohammedan faith.

Giauhare , daug hter of the king of Samandal, the mightiest of the under-sea empires. When her father was made captive by king Saleh, she emerged for safety to a desert island, where she met Beder the young king of Persia, who proposed to make her his wife; but Giauharêe “spat on him,” and changed him “into a white bird with red beak and red legs.” The bird was sold to a certain king, and, being disenchanted, resumed the human form. After several marvellous adventures, Beder again met the under-sea princess, proposed to her again, and she became his wife and queen of Persia.—Arabian Nights (“Beder and Giauharêe”). (See Beder, p. 101.)