[130] 104. =Bucephalus=; the horse of Alexander the Great. Alexander, when a boy, was the first to tame this horse, thereby, in fulfilment of the oracle, proving his right to the throne. [131] 105. =Scythia= was a country, north and northeast of the Black Sea, which was inhabited by nomadic people. It was noted for its horses. [132] 116. =Borysthenes=; another name for the Dnieper River. [133] 151. A =Mime= was a sort of farce, travestying real persons or events. [134] 154. =Thyrsis= was one of the names commonly used for shepherds in the Greek and Latin pastoral poets, as Theocritus, Bion, Virgil. The names were conventionally used by modern imitators of these poets. [135] 155. =Palatine= (from _palatium_, meaning palace) was a name given to a count, or ruler of a district, who had almost regal power. [136] 237. =O'erwrought=; the past participle of _overwork_. Cf. _wheelwright_, _wainwright_, etc. [137] 329. =Cap-à-pie=; from head to foot. [138] 349. ='Scutcheon=, or escutcheon, is the shield-shaped surface upon which the armorial bearings are charged. [139] 437. =Spahi's=; the name of a Turkish corps of irregular cavalry. [140] 575. =Uncouth=; literally, unknown. [141] 618. =Ignis-fatuus=; will-o-the-wisp, Jack-o'-lantern. [142] 664. =Werst=; a Russian measure equal to about two-thirds of a mile. THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB (Page 86) Read _2 Chronicles_, chapter 32, and _Isaiah_, chapters 36 and 37. JOHN KEATS John Keats was born October, 1795, and died on the 23d of February, 1821. He was the son of a livery-stable keeper, who had married his former proprietor's daughter. The parents had wished to educate Keats and his two brothers, but before Keats was fifteen, both his father and mother had died. He was then apprenticed to a surgeon at Edmonton, under whom he remained four years, and then went up to London to complete his training for a medical degree. This he received in due time and began to practise, but he found literature so much more attractive that, in about a year, he gave up his attempt to practise medicine. At about this time he became acquainted with Leigh Hunt, who had a good deal of influence upon Keats's literary beginnings. His first volume of poetry, which appeared in 1817, shows this influence strongly. A year later his _Endymion_ was published and was so severely criticised by _Blackwood's_ and especially by the _Quarterly_ that Keats took it much to heart; some have supposed that this attack very much hastened his death. His brother George had moved to America in 1818, and his brother Tom was now dying with consumption. Keats nursed him faithfully until his death. Immediately after this sorrow, he fell deeply in love, but his health was so greatly impaired that he found it necessary, in 1820, to take a trip to Italy. He did not grow stronger, however, but died at Rome on the 23d of February, 1821.