Chapter Alyface to Ambi-dexter of A by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Alyface to Ambi-dexter

Alyface (Annot) servant of Dame Christian Custance, the gay widow, in Udall's comedy Ralph Roister Doister.

Alzirdo (in Orlando Furioso). King of Tremizen, in Africa. He was overthrown by Orlando on his way to join the allied army of Agramant.

A.M. or M.A. When the Latin form is intended the A comes first, as Artium Magister; but where the English form is meant the M precedes, as Master of Arts.

Amadis of Gaul The hero of a romance in prose of the same title, originally written in Portuguese in four books. These four were translated into Spanish by Montalvo, who added a fifth. Subsequent romancers added the exploits and adventures of other knights, so as to swell the romance to fourteen books. The French version is much larger still, one containing twenty-four books, and another running through seven volumes. The original author was Vasco de Lobeira, of Oporto, who died 1403.

The hero, called the "Lion-knight," from the device on his shield, and "Beltenebros" (darkly beautiful), from his personal appearance, was a love-child of Perion, King of Gaul, and Elizena, Princess of Brittany. He is represented as a poet and musician, a linguist and a gallant, a knight-errant and a king, the very model of chivalry.

Other names by which Amadis was called were the Lovely Obscure, the Knight of the Burning Sword, the Knight of the Dwarf, etc. Bernardo, in 1560, wrote "Amadigi di Gaula."

Amadis of Greece A supplemental part of the romance called Amadis of Gaul, added by Feliciano de Silva.

Amaimon (3 syl.) One of the chief devils whose dominion is on the north side of the infernal gulf. He might be bound or restrained from doing hurt from the third hour till noon, and from the ninth hour till evening.

"Amaimon sounds well; Lucifer well."
Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, ii. 2.

Amalfitan Code A compilation of maritime laws, compiled in the eleventh century at Amalfi, then an important trading town.

Amalivaca An American spirit, who had seven daughters. He broke their legs to prevent their running away, and left them to people the forests.

Amalthaea (See Sibylline Books.)

Amalthea's Horn The cornucopia or horn of plenty. The infant Zeus was fed with goats' milk by Amalthea, one of the daughters of Melisseus, King of Crete. Zeus, in gratitude, broke off one of the goat's horns, and gave it to Amalthea, promising that the possessor should always have in abundance everything desired. (See Aegis.)

Amanda the impersonation of love in Thomson's Spring, is Miss Young, afterwards married to Admiral Campbell.

Amarant A cruel giant slain by Guy of Warwick. - Guy and Amarant, Percy's Reliques.

Amaranth Clement of Alexandria says - Amarantus flos, symbolum est immortalitatis. The word is from the Greek amarantos (everlasting). So called because its flowers never fade like other flowers, but retain to the last much of their deep blood-red colour.

"Immortal amarant - a flower which once
In Paradise, fast by the tree of life,
Began to bloom; but soon, for man's offence,
To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows
And flowers aloft, shading the fount