Chapter Iachimo to Iliad of I by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Idwal, king of North Wales, and son of Roderick the Great. (See Ludwal.)

Idya, the pastoral name of Britannia, “the most beauteous of all the darlings of Oceanus.”—W. Browne: Britannia’s Pastorals (1613).

Idylls of the King, a series of poems by Tennyson (between 1859 and 1872), in twelve books, with a dedication to the memory of the prince consort, and an epilogue to the queen. The titles are-

The Coming of Arthur; Gareth and Lynette; The Marriage of Geraint; Geraint and Enid; Balin and Balan; Merlin and Vivien; Lancelot and Elaine; The Holy Grail; Pelleas and Ettarre; The Last Tournament; Guinevere; The Passing of Arthur.

Ierne , Ireland. Pytheas (contemporary with Aristotle) was the first to call the island by this name.

The green Ierne’s shore. Campbell: Pleasures of Hope, ii. (1799).

Igerna, Igerne , or Igrayne , wife of Gorloïs duke of Tintag’el, in Cornwall. Igerna married Uther the pendragon of the Britons, and thus became the mother of prince Arthur. The second marriage took place a few hours after the duke’s death, but was not made public till thirteen days afterwards.—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur (1470).

Tennyson spells the name Ygerne, and makes Uther conquer and slay Gorloïs, and then forcibly marry the widow.

Ignaro, foster-father of Orgoglio. The old dotard walked one way and looked another. To every question put to him, his invariable answer was, “I cannot tell.”—Spenser: Faërie Queene, i. (1590).

Lord Flint, chief minister of state to one of the sultans of India, used to reply to every disagreeable question, “My people know, no doubt; but I cannot recollect.”—Mrs. Inchbald: Such Things Are (1786).

The Italian witnesses summoned on the trial of queen Charlotte, answered to almost every question, “Non mi ricordo.”

The “Know-Nothings” of the United States reply to every question, about their secret society, “I know nothing about it.”

Ignatius (Father), Joseph Leycester Lyne, born 1837, monk of the order of St. Benedict (1862). He established a community at Llanthony Abbey, where he lives.

Ignatius (Father), the Hon. and Rev. George Spencer, superior of the order of Passionists (1799–1864).

Ignoge, daughter of Pandrasus of Greece, given as wife to Brute mythical king of Britain. Spenser calls her “Inogene” , and Drayton “Innogen.”—Geoffrey: British History, i. II (1142).

I.H.S. In German, I[esus], H[eiland], S[eligmacher], i.e. Jesus, Saviour, Sanctifier. In Greek, I[hsonV], ’H[meteooV], S[wthr], i.e. Jesus, Our Saviour. In Latin, I[esus], H[ominum] S[alvator], i.e. Jesus, Men’s Saviour. Those who would like an English equivalent may adopt J[esus], H[eavenly] S[aviour].

The Latin equivalent is attributed to St. Bernardine of Sienna (1347).

Ilderton (Miss Lucy and Miss Nancy), cousins to Miss Vere.—Sir W. Scott: The Black Dwarf (time, Anne).

Iliad , the tale o f the siege of Troy, an epic poem in twenty-four books, by Homer. Menelaos, king of Sparta, received as a guest Paris, a son of Priam king of Troy. Paris eloped with Helen, his host’s wife, and Menelaos induced the Greeks to lay siege to Troy, to avenge the perfidy. The siege lasted ten years, when Troy was taken and burnt to the ground. Homer’s poem is confined to the last year of the siege.