Chapter Cyclops to Cypriote of C by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Cyclops to Cypriote

Cyclops One of a group of giants with only one eye, and that in the centre of their forehead, whose business it was to forge iron for Vulcan. They were probably Pelasgians, who worked in quarries, and attached a lantern to their forehead to give them light underground. The lantern was their one eye as big as the full moon. (Greek, "circular-eye.") (See Arimaspians)

"Roused with the sound, the mighty family
Of one-eyed brothers hasten to the shore,
And gather round the bellowing Polypheme."
Addison: Milton Imitated.

Cyllaros according to Virgil, was the celebrated horse of Pollux (Geor., iii. 90), but, according to Ovid, it was Castor's steed (Met., xii. 408).

"He, O Castor, was a courser worthy thee ...
Coal-black his colour, but like jet it shone:
His legs and flowing tail were white alone."
Dryden: Ovid's Metamorphose, xii.

Cymbeline (See Imogen, Zineura .)
Cymochles A man of prodigious might, brother of Pyrochles, son of Malice (Acrates) and Despite, and husband of Acrasia, the enchantress. He sets out to encounter Sir Guyen, but is ferried over the idle lake by Wantonness (Phæ'dria), and forgets himself; he is slain by King Arthur (canto viii.). The word means, "one who seeks glory in troubles." (Spenser: Faërie Queene, ii. 5.)

Cymodoce (4 syl.). A sea nymph and companion of Venus. (Virgil: Georgic, iv. 338; and again, Æneid, v. 826.) The word means "wave-receiving."
   The Garden of Cymodoce. Sark, one of the Channel islands. It is the title of a poem by Swinburne, 1880.

Cynægiros It is said that when the Persians were pushing off from shore after the battle of Marathon, Cynægiros, the brother of Æschylos, the poet, seized one of their ships with his right hand, which was instantly lopped off; he then grasped it with his left, which was cut off also; lastly, he seized hold of it with his teeth and lost his head. (See Benbow)

Cynic A snarling, churlish person, like a cynic. The cynics were so called because Antisthenes held his school in the gymnasium called Cynosarges, set apart for those who were not of pure Athenian blood. Cynosarges means white dog, and was so called because a white dog once carried away part of a victim which Diomeos was offering to Hercules. The sect was often called the Dog-sect; and the effigy over Diogenes' pillar was a dog, with this inscription:

"Say, dog, I pray, what guard you in that tomb?"

"A dog." - "His name?" - "Diogenes." - "From
far?"

"Sinope" - "What! who made a tub his home?"

"The same; now dead, amongst the stars a star."
E.C.B.

Cynic Tub (The). The tub from which Diogenes lectured. Similarly we speak of the "Porch," that is, the Porch Poecile, meaning Stoic philosophy; the "Garden," meaning Epicurean philosophy; the "Academy," meaning Platonic philosophy; the "Colonnade," meaning Aristotelian philosophy.

"[They] fetch their doctrines from the Cynic tub."
Milton: Comus, line 708.

Cynics The chief were Antisthenes of Athens (the founder), Diogenes, Onesicritos, Monimos, Crates and his wife Hipparchia, Metrocles, Menippos, and Menedemos the madman.

Cynosure (3 syl.). The polar star; the observed of all observers. Greek for dog's tail, and applied to the constellation called Ursa Minor. As seamen guide their ships by the north star, and observe it well, the word "cynosure" is used for whatever attracts attention, as "The cynosure of neighbouring eyes" (Milton), especially for guidance in some doubtful matter, as -

"Richmond was the cynosure on which all Northern eyes were fixed [in the American war]." - The Times.

Cynthia The moon; a surname of Artemis or Diana. The Roman Diana, who represented the moon, was