Chapter Vortigern to Vulture Hopkins of V by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Vortigern to Vulture Hopkins

Vortigern, consul of the Gewisseans, who crowned Constans king of Britain, although he was a monk; but treacherously contrived to get him assassinated, and then usurped the crown. He married Rowena daughter of Hengist, and was burnt to death in a tower set on fire during a siege by Ambrosius.—Geoffrey: British History, vi. 6; viii. 1 (1142).

Vortigern, a drama put forward by Henry W. Ireland (1796) as a newly discovered play by Shakespeare. It was brought out at Drury Lane Theatre by John Kemble. Dr. Parr thought it was genuine. (See Forgers, p. 384.)

Mrs. Siddons, writing to Mrs. Piozzi, says, “All sensible persons are convinced that Vortigern is a most audacious imposture. If not, I can only say that Shakespeare’s writings are more unequal than those of any other man” (April 2, 1796).—Fitzgerald: Lives of the Kembles, i. 338.

Vortigern and Hengist. The account of the massacre of the LongKnives, given by Geoffrey, in his British History, vi. 15, differs greatly from that of the Welsh Triads (see Stonehenge a Trophy, p. 1047). Geoffrey says that Hengist came over with a large army, at which king Vortigern was alarmed. To allay this suspicion, Hengist promised to send back all the men that the king did not require, and begged Vortigern to meet him in conference at Ambrius (Ambresbury), on May Day. Hengist, in the mean time, secretly armed a number of his soldiers with “long knives,” and told them to fall on the Britons during the conference, when he uttered the words, “Nemet oure Saxas.” This they did, and 460 “barons and consuls” fell. It does not appear from this narrative that the slaughter was due “to the treachery of Vortigern,” but was wholly the work of Hengist. Geoffrey calls the earl of Gloucester “Eldol,” and not “Eidiol.”

Vortigern’s Tower, like Penelopê’s web, is a work ever beginning and never ending. Vortigern was told by his magicians to build a strong tower for his own security; so he commanded his workmen to build one on mount Erir, but whatever they built one day was wholly swallowed up by the earth during the night.—Geoffrey: British History, vi. 17 (1142). (See Penelope’s Web, p. 822.)

Vos non Vobis. The tale is that Virgil wrote an epigram on Augustus Cæsar, which so much pleased the emperor that he desired to know who was the author. As Virgil did not claim the lines, one Bathyllus declared they were his. This displeased Virgil, and he wrote these four words, Sic vos non vobis… four times as the commencement of four lines, and Bathyllus was requested to finish them. This he could not do, but Virgil completed the lines thus—

Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves;
Sic vos non vobis villera fertis oves;
Sic vos non vobis mellificatis apes;
Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra boves.
Not for yourselves warm nests ye song-birds build;
Not for yourselves ye sheep your fleeces bear;
Not for yourselves store hives ye bees have filled;
Not for yourselves ye oxen draw the share.
   —E. C. B.

Vox Clamantis, the second part of Gower’s poem, written in Latin; it runs to seven books in alternate hexameter and pentameter verses. The subject is Wat Tyler’s Rebellion. The meaning of the title is, “The voice of the complainants.” Never published.

Vox et præterea Nihil. A Spartan, pulling a nightingale, and finding only a very small body, exclaimed, Fwna tu tiV esti kai ouden allo (“Voice art thou, and nothing more”).—Plutarch: Apophthegmata Laconica.

Vran (Bendigeid, i.e. “Blessed”), king of Britain and father of Caradcaw (Caractacus). He was called “Blessed” because he introduced Christianity into this island. Vran had shared the captivity of his son, and had learned the Christian faith during his seven years’ detention in Rome.

Vran or Bran the Blessed, son of Llyr, first brought the faith of Christ to the nation of the Cymry from Rome, where he was seven years a hostage for his son Caradawc, whom the Romans made prisoner through craft and the treachery of Aregwedd Fôeddawg [Cartismandua].—Welsh Triads, xxxv.