Chapter Heavies to Hegemony of H by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Heavies to Hegemony

Heavies (The), means the heavy cavalry, which consists of men of greater build and height than Lancers and Hussars. (See Light Troops.)

Heavy Man (The), in theatrical parlance, means an actor who plays foil to the hero, such as the king in Hamlet, the mere foil to the prince; Iago is another "heavy man's" part as foil to Othello; the "tiger" in the Ticket of Leave Man is another part for the "heavy man." Such parts preserve a degree of importance, but never rise into passion.

Heavy-armed Artillery (The). The garrison artillery. The "light-armed artillery" are Royal Horse Artillery.

Hebe (2 syl.). Goddess of youth, and cup-bearer to the celestial gods. She had the power of restoring the aged to youth and beauty. (Greek mythology.)

"Wreathëd smiles
Such as hang on Hebe's cheek,
And love to live in dimple sleek."
Milton: L'Allegro.

   Hebe vases. Small vases like a cotyliscos. So termed because Hebe is represented as bearing one containing nectar for the gods.

Hebertists (3 syl.). The partisans of the vile demagogue, Jacques Réné Hébert, chief of the Cordeliers, a revolutionary club which boasted of such names as Anacharsis Clootz, Ronsin, Vincent, and Momoro, in the great French Revolution.

Hebron, in the satire of Absalom and Achitophel, in the first part stands for Holland, but in the second part for Scotland. Hebronite (3 syl.), a native of Holland or Scotland.

Hecate (3 syl. in Greek, 2 in Eng.). A triple deity, called Phoebe or the Moon in heaven, Diana on the earth, and Hecate or Proserpine in hell. She is described as having three heads - one of a horse, one of a dog, and one of a lion. Her offerings consisted of dogs, honey, and black lambs. She was sometimes called "Trivia," because offerings were presented to her at cross-roads. Shakespeare refers to the triple character of this goddess:

"And we fairies that do run
By the triple Hecate's team."
Midsummer Night's Dream, v. 2.

   Hecate, daughter of Perses the Titan, is a very different person to the "Triple Hecate," who, according to Hesiod, was daughter of Zeus and a benevolent goddess. Hecate, daughter of Perses, was a magician, poisoned her father, raised a temple to Diana in which she immolated strangers, and was mother of Medea and Circe. She presided over magic and enchantments, taught sorcery and witchcraft. She is represented with a lighted torch and a sword, and is attended by two black dogs.
    Shakespeare, in his Macbeth, alludes to both these Hecates. Thus in act ii. 1 he speaks of "pale Hecate," i.e. the mother of Medea and Circê, goddess of magicians, whom they invoked, and to whom they made offerings.

"Now ... [at night] witchcraft celebrates
Pale Hecate's offerings."

   But in act iii. 2 he speaks of "black Hecate," meaning night, and says before the night is over and day dawns, there

"Shall be done
A deed of dreadful note;" i.e. the murder of Duncan.

   N.B. Without doubt, sometimes these two Hecates are confounded.

Hecatomb It is said that Pythagoras offered up 100 oxen to the gods when he discovered that the square of the hypothenuse of a right-angled-triangle equals both the squares of the other two sides. This is the 47th of book i. of "Euclid," called the dulcarnein (q.v.). But Pythagoras never sacrificed animals, and would not suffer his disciples to do so.

"He sacrificed to the gods millet and honeycomb, but not animals. [Again] He forbade his disciples to sacrifice oxen." - Iamblichus: Life of Pythagoras, xviii. pp. 108 - 9

Hector Eldest son of Priam, the noblest and most magnanimous of all the chieftains in Homer's Iliad (a Greek epic). After holding out for ten years, he was slain by Achilles, who lashed him to his chariot, and dragged the dead body in triumph thrice round the walls of Troy. The Iliad concludes with the funeral obsequies of Hector and Patroclos.
   The