Chapter Eloi to Emergency Man of E by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Eloi to Emergency Man

Eloi (St.). Patron saint of artists and smiths. He was a famous worker in gold and silver, and was made Bishop of Noyon in the reign of Dagobert. Probably the St. Eloi of Chaucer's Prioress was St. Louis (St. 'Loy)

"Ther was also a nonne, a prioresse,
That of hire smylyng was ful symple and coy!
Hire grettest ooth was but by Seynt Loy."
Chaucer: Canterbury Tales, Prol. 18-20.

    We find reference to "Seynt Loy" again in verse 7143.

Eloquent The old man eloquent. Isocrates, the Greek orator. When he heard that Grecian liberty was extinguished by the battle of Chærone'a, he died of grief.

"That dishonest victory
At Chæronea, fatal to liberty,
Killed with report that old man eloquent."
Milton: Sonnets (To Lady Margaret Ley).

   The eloquent doctor. Peter Aureolus, Archbishop of Aix, a schoolman.

Elshender or Cannie Elshie. The Black Dwarf, alias Sir Edward Mauley, alias the Recluse, alias the Wise Wight of Mucklestane Moor. (Sir Walter Scott: The Black Dwarf.)

Elsie The daughter of Gottlieb, a farm tenant of Prince Henry of Hoheneck. The prince was suffering severely from some malady, and was told that he would be cured if any maiden would give her life as a substitute. Elsie vowed to do so, and accompanied the prince from Germany to Salerno. Here Elsie surrendered herself to Lucifer, but was rescued by the prince, who married her. His health was perfectly re-established by the pilgrimage. (Longfellow: The Golden Legend.)

Elves (See under Elf .)

Elvidna The hall of the goddess Hel (q.v.).

Elvino A rich farmer, in love with Amina, the somnambulist. The fact of Amina being found in the bed of Count Rodolpho the day before the wedding, induces Elvino to reject her hand and promise marriage to Liza; but he is soon undeceived - Amina is found to be innocent, and Liza to have been the paramour of another; so Amina and Elvino are wedded under the happiest auspices. (Bellini's opera, La Sonnambula.) (See Liza.)

Elvira (Donna). A lady deceived by Don Giovanni, who deluded her into a liaison with his valet, Leporello. (Mozart's opera, Don Giovanni.)
   Elvira. A lady who loved Ernani, the robber-captain, and head of a league against Don Carlos, afterwards Charles V. of Spain. She was betrothed to Don Ruy Gomez de Silva, an old Spanish grandee, whom she detested, and Ernani resolved to rescue her; but it so happened that the king himself fell in love with her, and tried to win her. When Silva learned this, he joined the league; but the king, overhearing the plot in concealment, arrested the conspirators. Elvira interceded for them, and the king granted them a free pardon. When Ernani was on the point of wedding Elvira, Ernani, being summoned to death by Silva, stabbed himself. (Verdi's opera of Ernani.)

Elvish or Elfish. Irritable, peevish, spiteful; full of little mischievous ways, like the elves. Our superstitious forefathers thought such persons were actually "possessed" by elves; and elvish-marked is marked by elves or fairies.

"Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog."
Shakespeare: Richard III., i. 3.

Elysium Elysian Fields. The Paradise or Happy Land of the Greek poets. Elysian (the adjective) means happy, delightful.

"O'er which were shadowy cast Elysian gleams." Thomson: Castle of Indolence, i.44.

"Would take the prisoned soul,
And lap it in Elysium."
Milton: Comus, 261-2.

Elzevir An edition of a classic author, published and printed by the family of Elzevir, and said to be immaculate. Virgil, one of the master- pieces, is certainly incorrect in some places. (1592-1626.)