Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 3: A Revised American Edition of the Reader's HandbookBrewer, Ebenezer Cobham
General
Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama, Vol. 3: A Revised American Edition of the Reader's Handbook
Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham
Allusions; Fiction -- Dictionaries; Literature -- Dictionaries
⁂ “Sir Paridel” is meant for Charles Nevil, sixth and last of the
Nevils, earls of Westmoreland. He joined the Northumberland rebellion of
1569 for the restoration of Mary queen of Scots; and when the plot
failed, made his escape to the Continent, where he lived in poverty and
obscurity. The earl was quite a Lothario, whose delight was to win the
love of women, and then to abandon them.
=Paris=, a son of Priam and Hecŭba, noted for his beauty. He married
Œnōnê, daughter of Cebren, the river-god. Subsequently, during a visit
to Menelāus, king of Sparta, he eloped with Queen Helen, and this
brought about the Trojan war. Being wounded by an arrow from the bow of
Philoctētês, he sent for his wife, who hastened to him with remedies;
but it was too late--he died of his wound, and Œnonê hung
herself.--Homer, _Iliad_.
_Paris_ was appointed to decide which of the three goddesses (Juno,
Pallas or Minerva) was the fairest fair, and to which should be awarded
the golden apple thrown “to the most beautiful.” The three goddesses
tried by bribes to obtain the verdict: Juno promised him dominion if he
would decide in her favor; Minerva promised him wisdom; but Venus said
she would find him the most beautiful of women for wife if he allotted
to her the apple. Paris handed the apple to Venus.
Not Cytherea from a fairer swain
Received her apple on the Trojan plain.
Falconer, _The Shipwreck_, i. 3 (1756).
_Paris_, a young nobleman, kinsman of Prince Es´calus of Verona, and the
unsuccessful suitor of his cousin, Juliet.--Shakespeare, _Romeo and
Juliet_ (1598).
_Paris_ (_Notre Dame de_), by Victor Hugo (1831). (See ESMERALDA and
QUASIMODO.)
=Parisina=, wife of Azo, chief of Ferrara. She had been betrothed before
her marriage to Hugo, a natural son of Azo, and after Azo took her for
his bride, the attachment of Parisina and Hugo continued and had freer
scope for indulgence. One night Azo heard Parisina in sleep confess her
love for Hugo, whereupon he had his son beheaded, and, though he spared
the life of Parisina, no one ever knew what became of her.--Byron,
_Parisina_ (1816).
Such is Byron’s version; but history says Niccolo III. of Ferrara
(Byron’s “Azo”) had for his second wife Parisina Malatesta, who showed
great aversion to Ugo, a natural son of Niccolo, whom he greatly loved.
One day, with the hope of lessening this strong aversion, he sent Ugo to
escort her on a journey, and the two fell in love with each other. After
their return the affection of Parisina and Ugo continued unabated, and a
servant, named Zoe´se (3 _syl._), having told the marquis of their
criminal intimacy, he had the two guilty ones brought to open trial.
They were both condemned to death; Ugo was beheaded first, then
Parisina. Some time after, Niccolo married a third wife, and had several
children.--Frizzi, _History of Ferrara_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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