Chapter Song of Degrees to Soul Cakes of S by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Song of Degrees to Soul Cakes

Song of Degrees The fifteen Psalms, cxx. to cxxxiv.; so called because they are prophetic of the return or “going up” from captivity. Some think there is a connection between these Psalms and the fifteen steps of the Temple porch. (Ezekiel xl. 22-26.) In the Revised Version called “Song of Ascents.”

Song of Roland, the renowned nephew of Charlemagne, slain in the pass of Roncesvalles. At the battle of Hastings, Taillefer advanced on horseback before the invading army, and gave the signal for onset by singing this famous song.

“Taillefer, who sung well and loud,
Came mounted on a charger proud;
Before the duke the minstrel sprang,
And the Song of Roland sang.”
Brut of Wace (translated).

Song of Songs The Canticles, or “Solomon's Song.”

Sonna or Sunna. The Mishna or oral law of the Mahometans. Reland (De Relig. Mahom., p. 54) says these traditions were orally delivered by Mahomet, and subsequently committed to writing. Albulpharagius asserts that Ali, the son-in-law and cousin of Mahomet, was set aside because he refused to regard the oral traditions of the prophet of the same authority as the Koran. (Hist. Dynast., 182.) (Arabic, sunna, tradition.) (See Sunnites .)

Sonnambula (La). (See Amina, Elvino .)

Sonnet Prince of the sonnet. Joachim du Bellay, a French sonneteer (1524-1560); but Petrarch better deserves the title. (1334-1374.)

Sop A sop in the pan. A bonnebouche, tit-bit, dainty morsel; a piece of bread soaked in the dripping of meat caught in a dripping-pan; also a bribe. (See below.)
   To give a sop to Cerberus. To give a bribe, to quiet a troublesome customer. Cerberus is Pluto's three-headed dog, stationed at the gates of the infernal regions. When persons died the Greeks and Romans used to put a cake in their hands as a sop to Cerberus, to allow them to pass without molestation.

Soph A student at Cambridge is a Freshman for the first term, a Junior Soph for the second year, and a Senior Soph for the third year. The word Soph is a contraction of “sophister,” which is the Greek and Latin sophistes (a sophist). At one time these students had to maintain a given question in the schools by opposing the orthodox view of it. These opponencies are now limited to Law and Divinity degrees.

Sophi or Safi [mystic], applied in Persia to ascetics generally, was given to Sheik Juneyd u Dien, grandfather of Shah Ismail, a Mahometan sectary or Shiite, who claimed descent, through Ali, from the twelve saints.

Sophis The twelfth dynasty of Persia, founded by Shah Ismail I., grandson of Sheik Juneyd (1509). (See above.)

Sophia (St.), at Constantinople, is not dedicated to a saint named Sophia, but to the “Logos,” or Second Person of the Trinity, called Hagia Sophia (Sacred Wisdom).

Sophist, Sophistry, Sophism, Sophisticator etc. These words have quite run from their legitimate meaning. Before the time of Pythagoras (B.C. 586-506) the sages of Greece were called sophists (wise men). Pythagoras out of modesty called himself a philosopher (a wisdom-lover). A century later Protagoras of Abdera resumed the title, and a set of quibblers appeared in Athens who professed to answer any question on any subject, and took up the title discarded by the Wise Samian. From this moment sophos and all its family of words were applied to “wisdom falsely so called,” and philo-sophos to the “modest search after truth.”

Sorbonica The public disputations sustained by candidates for membership of the Sorbonne. They began at 5 a.m. and lasted till 7 p.m.