Chapter Episode to Ermine Street of E by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Episode to Ermine Street

Episode (3 syl.) is the Greek epieis-odos (coming in besides - i.e. adventitious), meaning an adventitious tale introduced into the main story.
   In music, an intermediate passage in a fugue, whereby the subject is for a time suspended.

"In ordinary fugues ... it is usual to allow a certain number of bars to intervene from time to time, after which the subject is resumed. The intervening bars ... are called Episodes." - Ouseley: Counterpoint, xxii. 169.

Epistle is something sent to another. A letter sent by messenger or post. (Greek, epi-stello.)

Epi-zootic is epi-zoon (upon the herds and flocks). Zoology is used to signify a treatise on animals, but we generally except man; so epi-zootic is used, demos (man) not being included.

Epoch means that which bounds in or holds in hand. The starting-point of a sequence of events harnessed together like a team of horses; also the whole period of time from one epoch to another. Our present epoch is the Birth of Christ; previous to this epoch it was the Creation of the World. In this latter sense the word is synonymous with era. (Greek, epi-echo.)

"The incarnation of Christ is the greatest moral epoch in the universe of God." - Stevens: Parables Unfolded ("The Lost Sheep," p. 104).

Epode (2 syl.). In the Greek epode the chorus returned to their places and remained stationary. It followed the strophe (2 syl.).
   Father of choral epode. Stesichoros of Sicily (B.C. 632-552).

Epsom Races Horse races held in May, and lasting four days. They are held on Epsom Downs, and were instituted by Charles I. The second day (Wednesday) is the great Derby day, so called from Lord Derby, who instituted the stakes in 1780. The fourth day (Friday) is called the Oaks, so called from "Lambert's Oaks." The "Oaks Estate" passed into the Derby family, and the twelfth Earl of Derby established the stakes.
    The Derby, the Oaks, and the St. Leger (held at Doncaster) are called the Three Classic Races. N.B. - There are other races held at Epsom besides the great four-day races mentioned above - for instance, the City Suburban and the Great Metropolitan (both handicap races).

Epsom Salts A salt formerly obtained by boiling down the mineral water in the vicinity of Epsom, but now chemically prepared. It is the sulphate of magnesia.

Equal-to in mathematics. The symbol (=), two little parallel lines, was invented by Robert Recorde, who died 1558.

"As he said, nothing is more equal than parallel lines."

Equation of Time The difference between mean and apparent time - i.e. the difference between the time as shown by a good clock and that indicated by a sundial. The greatest difference is in November, at the beginning of which month the sun is somewhat more than sixteen minutes too slow. There are days in December, April, June, and September when the sun and the clocks agree.

Eques Auratus A knight bachelor, called auratus because he was allowed to gild his armour - a privilege confined to knights.

Equipage (3 syl.). Tea equipage. A complete tea-service. To equip means to arm or furnish, and equipage is the furniture of a military man or body of troops. Hence camp equipage (all things necessary for an encampment); field equipage (all things necessary for the field of battle); a prince's equipage, and so on.

Equity (See Astræa .)

Era A series of years beginning from some epoch or starting-point, as:

		B.C.
The Era of the Greek Olympiads		776
"	the Foundation of Rome	753
"	Nabonassar	747
"	Alexander the Great	324
"	the Seleucidæ	312
"	Julian Era	45

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