Chapter Revolutionary Songs to Rhiannon's Birds of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Rhene (I syl), the Rhine, the Latin Rhenus.—Milton: Paradise Lost, i. 353 (1665),

Rhesus was on his march to aid the Trojans in their siege, and had nearly reached Troy, when he was attacked in the night by Ulysses and Diomed. In this surprise Rhesus and all his army were cut to pieces.—Homer: Iliad, x.

A very parallel case is that of Sweno the Dane, who was marching to join Godfrey and the crusaders, when he was attacked in the night by Solyman, and both Sweno and his army perished.—Tasso: Jerusalem Delivered (1575).

Rhetoric of a Silver Fee (The).

He will reverse the watchman s harsh decree,
Moved by the rhetoric of a silver fee.
   —Gay: Trivia iii. 317 (1712).

Rhiannon’s Birds. The notes of these birds were so sweet that warriors remained spell-bound for eighty years together, listening to them. These birds are often alluded to by the Welsh bards. (Rhiannon was the wife of prince Pwyll.)—The Mabinogion, 363 (twelfth century).

The snow-white bird which the monk Felix listened to sang so enchantingly that he was spell-bound for a hundred years, listening to it.—Longfellow: Golden Legend.