Chapter Corah to Corinth of C by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Corah to Corinth

Corah in Dryden's satire of Absalom and Achitophel, is meant for Dr. Titus Oates (Numbers xvi.). North describes him as a short man, extremely ugly: if his mouth is taken for the centre, his chin, forehead, and cheek-bones would fall in the circumference.

“Sunk were his eyes, his voice was harsh and loud;
Sure signs he neither choleric was, nor proud;
His long chin proved his wit; his saint-like grace
A church vermilion, and a Moses' face.
His memory, miraculously great,
Could plots, exceeding man's belief, repeat
Dryden: Absalom and Achitophel, i. 646-51.

Coral Beads The Romans used to hang beads of red coral on the cradles and round the neck of infants, to “preserve and fasten their teeth,” and save them from “the falling sickness.” It was considered by soothsayers as a charm against lightning, whirlwind, shipwreck, and fire. Paracelsus says it should be worn round the neck of children as a preservative “against fits, sorcery, charms, and poison.” The coral bells are a Roman Catholic addition, the object being to frighten away evil spirits by their jingle.

“Coral is good to be hanged about the neck of children ... to preserve them from the falling sickness. It has also some special sympathy with nature, for the best coral ... will turn pale and wan if the party that wears it be sick, and it comes to its former colour again as they recover.”- Plat: Jewel-House of Art and Nature.

Coral Master A juggler. So called by the Spaniards. In ancient times the juggler, when he threw off his mantle, appeared in a tight scarlet or coral dress.

Coram Judice (Latin). Under consideration; still before the judge.

Coranach or CORONACH. Lamentation for the dead, as anciently practised in Ireland and Celtic Scotland. (Gaelic, comh rànaich, crying together.) Pennant says it was called by the Irish hululoo.

Corbant The rook, in the tale of Reynard the Fox. (Latin, corvus; French, corbeau.) Heinrich von Alkmar.

Corbeaux Bearers, i.e. persons who carry the dead to the grave; mutes, etc. So called from the corbillards, or coches d'eau, which went from Paris to Corbeil with the dead bodies of those who died in the 16th century of a fatal epidemic.

“Jai lu quelque part que ce coche [the Gorbillard] servit, sous Henri IV., a transporter des morts, victimes d'une epidémie de Paris à Corbeil. Le nom de Corbillard resta depuis aux voitures funebres.”- Alf. Bonnardot.

Corceca [Blind-heart ]. Superstition is so named in Spenser's Faërie Queene. Abessa tried to make her understand that danger was at hand, but, being blind, she was dull of comprehension. At length she was induced to shut her door, and when Una knocked would give no answer. Then the lion broke down the door, and both entered. The meaning is that England, the lion, broke down the door of Superstition at the Reformation. Corceca means Romanism in England. (Book i. 3.)

Corcyrean Sedition (The), B.C. 479. Corcyra was a colony of Corinth, but in the year of the famous Battle of Platæa revolted from the mother country and formed an alliance with the Athenians. The Corinthians made war on the colony and took 1,000 prisoners; of these 250 were men of position, who promised as the price of liberty to bring back the Corcyreans to the mother country. This was the cause of the sedition. The 250 returned captives represented the oligarchical party; their opponents represented the democratic element. The latter prevailed, but it would be difficult to parallel the treachery and brutality of the whole affair. (Thucydides, book iv. 46, 48.)

Cordelia The youngest of Lear's three daughters, and the only one that loved him. (Shakespeare: King Lear.)