Chapter Hercules of Music to Hero of H by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Hercules of Music to Hero

Hercules of Music (The). Christopher Glück (1714-1787).

Herculean Knot A snaky complication on the rod or caduceus of Mercury, adopted by the Grecian brides as the fastening of their woollen girdles, which only the bridegroom was allowed to untie when the bride retired for the night. As he did so he invoked Juno to render his marriage as fecund as that of Hercules, whose numerous wives all had families, amongst them being the fifty daughters of Thestius, each of whom conceived in one night. (See Knot.)

Hereford (3 syl.). (Anglo-Saxon, herë-ford, army ford.)

Herefordshire Kindness A good turn rendered for a good turn received. Latin proverbs, "Fricantem refrica; " "Manus manum lavat." Fuller says the people of Herefordshire "drink back to him who drinks to them."

Heretic means "one who chooses," and heresy means simply "a choice." A heretic is one who chooses his own creed, and does not adopt the creed authorised by the national church. (Greek, hairesis, choice.)
HERETICS OF THE FIRST CENTURY were the Simonians (so called from Simon Magus), Cerinthians (Cerinthus), Ebionites (Ebion), and Nicolaitans (Nicholas, deacon of Antioch).
SECOND CENTURY: The Basilidians (Basilides), Carpocratians (Carpocrates), Valentinians (Valentinus), Gnostics (Knowing Ones), Nazarenes, Millenarians, Cainites (Cain), Sethians (Seth), Quartodecimans (who kept Easter on the fourteenth day of the first month), Cerdonians (Cerdon), Marcionites (Marcion), Montanists (Montanus), Tatianists (Tatian), Alogians (who denied the "Word"), Artotyrites (q.v.), and Angelics (who worshipped angels).
    Tatianists belong to the third or fourth century. The Tatian of the second century was a Platonic philosopher who wrote Discourses in good Greek; Tatian the heretic lived in the third or fourth century, and wrote very bad Greek. The two men were widely different in every respect, and the authority of the heretic for `four gospels" is of no worth.
THIRD CENTURY: The Patri-passians, Arabaci, Aquarians, Novatians, Origenists (followers of Origen), Melchisedechians (who believed Melchisedec was the Messiah), Sabellians (from Sabellius), and Manicheans (followers of Mani).
FOURTH CENTURY: The A'rians (from Arius), Colluthians (Colluthus), Macedonians, Agne'tæ, Apollinarians (Apollinaris), Timotheans (Timothy, the apostle), Collyridians (who offered cakes to the Virgin Mary), Seleucians (Seleucius), Priscillians (Priscillian), Anthropomorphites (who ascribed to God a human form), Jovinianists (Jovinian), Messalians, and Bonosians (Bonosus).
FIFTH CENTURY: The Pelagians (Pelagius), Nestorians (Nestorius), Eutychians (Eutychus), Theo-paschites (who said all the three persons of the Trinity suffered on the cross).
SIXTH CENTURY: The Predestinarians, Incorruptibilists (who maintained that the body of Christ was incorruptible), the new Agnoe'tæ (who maintained that Christ did not know when the day of judgment would take place), and the Monothelites (who maintained that Christ had but one will).

Heriot A right of the lord of a manor to the best jewel, beast, or chattel of a deceased copyhold tenant. The word is compounded of the Saxon here (army), geatu (grant), because originally it was military furniture, such as armour, arms, and horses paid to the lord of the fee. (Canute, c. 69.)

Hermæ Busts of the god Hermes affixed to a quadrangular stone pillar, diminishing towards the base, and between five and six feet in height. They were set up to mark the boundaries of lands, at the junction of roads, at the corners of streets, and so on. The Romans used them also for garden decorations. In later times the block was more or less chiselled into legs and arms.

Hermaphrodite (4 syl.). A human body having both sexes: a vehicle combining the structure of a wagon and cart; a flower containing both the male and female organs of reproduction. The word is derived from the fable of Hermaphroditus, son of Hermes and Aphrodite. The nymph Salmacis became enamoured of him, and prayed that she might be so closely united that, "the twain might become one flesh." Her prayer being heard, the nymph and boy became one body. (Ovid: Metamorphoses, iv. 347.)
    The Romans believed that there were human beings combining in one body both sexes. The Jewish Talmud contains several references to them. An old French law allowed them great latitude. The English law recognises them. The ancient Athenians commanded that they should be put to death. The Hindûs and Chinese