Part 53

=Sibyls.= Plato speaks of only _one_ sibyl; Martian Capella says there were _two_ (the _Erythræan_ or _Cumæan_ sibyl, and the _Phrygian_); Pliny speaks of the _three_ sibyls; Jackson maintains, on the authority of Ælian, that there were _four_; Shakespeare speaks of the _nine_ sibyls of old Rome (1 _Henry VI._ act i. sc. 2); Varro says they were _ten_ (the sibyls of Libya, Samos, Cumæ (in Italy), Cumæ (in Asia Minor), Erythræ, Persia, Tiburtis, Delphi, Ancy´ra (in Phrygia), and Marpessa), in reference to which Rabelais says, “she may be the _eleventh_ sibyl” (_Pantagruel_, iii. 16); the mediæval monks made the number to be _twelve_, and gave to each a distinct prophecy respecting Christ. But whatever the number, there was but _one_ “sibyl of old Rome” (the Cumæan), who offered to Tarquin the nine Sibylline books.

=Sibyl’s Books= (_The_). We are told that the sibyl of Cumæ (in Æŏlis) offered Tarquin nine volumes of predictions for a certain sum of money, but the king, deeming the price exorbitant, refused to purchase them; whereupon she burnt three of the volumes, and next year offered Tarquin the remaining six at the same price. Again he refused, and the sibyl burnt three more. The following year she again returned, and asked the original price for the three which remained. At the advice of the augurs the king purchased the books, and they were preserved with great care under guardians specially appointed for the purpose.

=Sicilian Bull= (_The_), the brazen bull invented by Perillos for the tyrant Phalăris, as an engine of torture. Perillos himself was the first victim enclosed in the bull.

As the Sicilian bull that rightfully His cries echoed who had shaped the mould, Did so rebellow with the voice of him Tormented, that the brazen monster seemed Pierced through with pain.

Dantê, _Hell_, xxvii. (1300).

=Sicilian Vespers= (_The_), the massacre of the French in Sicily, which began at Palermo, March 30, 1282, at the hour of vespers, on Easter Monday. This wholesale slaughter was provoked by the brutal conduct of Charles d’Anjou (the governor) and his soldiers towards the islanders.

A similar massacre of the Danes was made in England, on St. Bryce’s Day (November 13), 1002.

Another similar slaughter took place at Bruges, March 24, 1302.

⁂ The Bartholomew Massacre (Aug. 24, 1572) was a religious not a political movement.

=Sicilien= (_Le_) or L’AMOUR PEINTRE, a comedy by Molière (1667). The Sicilian is Don Pèdre, who has a Greek slave named Is´idore. This slave is loved by Adraste (2 _syl._), a French gentleman, and the plot of the comedy, turns on the way that the Frenchman allures the Greek slave away from her master. Hearing that his friend Damon is going to make a portrait of Isidore, he gets him to write to Don Pèdre a letter of introduction, requesting that the bearer may be allowed to take the likeness. By this ruse, Adraste reveals his love to Isidore, and persuades her to elope. The next step is this: Zaïde (2 _syl._), a young slave, pretends to have been ill-treated by Adraste, and runs to Don Pèdre to crave protection. The don bids her go in, while he intercedes with Adraste on her behalf. The Frenchman seems to relent, and Pèdre calls for Zaïde to come forth, but Isidore comes instead, wearing Zaïde’s veil. Don Pèdre says to Adraste, “There, take her home, and use her well!” “I will,” says Adraste, and leads off the Greek slave.

=Siddartha=, born at Gaya, in India, and known in Indian history as Buddha (_i.e._ “The Wise”).

=Sidney=, the tutor and friend of Charles Egerton McSycophant. He loves Constantia, but conceals his passion for fear of paining Egerton, her accepted lover.--C. Macklin, _The Man of the World_ (1764).

_Sidney_ (_Sir Philip_). Sir Philip Sidney, though suffering extreme thirst from the agony of wounds, received in the battle of Zutphen, gave his own draught of water to a wounded private, lying at his side, saying, “Poor fellow, thy necessity is greater than mine.”

A similar instance is recorded of Alexander “the Great,” in the desert of Gedrosia.

David, fighting against the Philistines, became so parched with thirst, that he cried out, “Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and brought him water; nevertheless, he would not drink it, but poured it out unto the Lord.--2 _Sam._ xxiii. 15-17.

=Sidney’s Sister, Pembroke’s Mother.= Mary Herbert (born Sidney), countess of Pembroke, who died 1621.

Underneath this sable hearse Lies the subject of all verse-- Sidney’s sister, Pembroke’s mother. Death, ere thou hast slain another Fair, and good, and learned as she, Time shall throw his dart at thee.

Ben Jonson (1574-1637).

=Sid´rophel=, William Lily, the astrologer.

Quoth Ralph, “Not far from hence doth dwell A cunning man, hight Sidrophel, That deals in destiny’s dark counsels, And sage opinions of the moon sells; To whom all people, far and near, On deep importances repair.”

S. Butler, _Hudibras_, ii. 3 (1664).

=Siebel=, Margheri´ta’s rejected lover, in the opera of _Faust e Margherita_, by Gounod (1859).

=Siége.= _Mon siége est fait_, my opinion is fixed, and I cannot change it. This proverb rose thus: The abbé de Vertot wrote the history of a certain siege, and applied to a friend for some geographical

## particulars. These particulars did not arrive till the matter had passed

the press; so the abbé remarked with a shrug, “Bah! mon siége est fait.”

=Siege Perilous= (_The_). The Round Table contained sieges for 150 knights, but three of them were “reserved.” Of these, two were posts of honor, but the third was reserved for him who was destined to achieve the quest of the Holy Graal. This seat was called “perilous,” because if any one sat therein, except he for whom it was reserved, it would be his death. Every seat of the table bore the name of its rightful occupant, in letters of gold, and the name on the “Siege Perilous” was Sir Galahad (son of Sir Launcelot and Elaine).

Said Merlin, “There shall no man sit in the two void places but they that shall be of most worship. But in the _Siege Perilous_ there shall no man sit but one, and if any other be so hardy as to do it, he shall be destroyed.”--Pt. i. 48.

Then the old man made Sir Galahad unarm; and he put on him a coat of red sandel, with a mantel upon his shoulder furred with fine ermines ... and he brought him unto the Siege Perilous, when he sat beside Sir Launcelot. And the good old man lifted up the cloth, and found there these words written: THE SIEGE OF SIR GALAHAD.--Sir T. Malory, _History of Prince Arthur_, iii. 32 (1470).

=Siege of Calais=, a novel by Mde. de Tencin (1681-1749). George Colman has a drama with the same title.

=Siege of Damascus.= Damascus was besieged by the Arabs while Eu´menês was governor. The general of the Syrians was Pho´cyas, and of the Arabs, Caled. Phocyas asked Eumenês’s permission to marry his daughter, Eudo´cia, but was sternly refused. After gaining several victories he fell into the hands of the Arabs, and then joined them in their siege in order to revenge himself on Eumenês. Eudocia fell into his power, but she refused to marry a traitor. Caled requested Phocyas to point out to him the governor’s tent; on being refused, they fought, and Caled fell. Abudah, being now in chief command, made an honorable peace with the Syrians, Phocyas died, and Eudocia retired to a convent.--J. Hughes, _Siege of Damascus_ (1720).

=Siege of Rhodes=, by Sir W. Davenant (1656).

=Sieg´fried= [_Seeg.freed_], hero of pt. i. of the _Nibelungen Lied_, the old German epic. Siegfried was a young warrior of peerless strength and beauty, invulnerable except in one spot between his shoulders. He vanquished the Nibelungs, and carried away their immense hoards of gold and precious stones. He wooed and won Kriemhild, the sister of Günther, king of Burgundy, but was treacherously killed by Hagan while stooping for a draught of water after a hunting expedition.

Siegfried had a cape, or cloak, which rendered him invisible, the gift of the dwarf, Alberich; and his sword, called Balmung, was forged by Wieland, blacksmith of the Teutonic gods.

This epic consists of a number of different lays by the old minnesingers, pieced together into a connected story as early as 1210. It is of Scandinavian origin, and is in the _Younger Edda_, amongst the “Völsunga Sagas” (compiled by Snorro, in the thirteenth century).

_Siegfried’s Birthplace._ He was born in Phinecastle, then called Xanton.

_Siegfried’s Father and Mother._ Siegfried was the youngest son of Siegmund and Sieglind, king and queen of the Netherlands.

_Siegfried called Horny._ He was called horny because, when he slew the dragon, he bathed in its blood, and became covered with a horny hide which was invulnerable. A linden leaf happened to fall on his back between his shoulder-blades, and, as the blood did not touch this spot, it remained vulnerable.--The minnesingers, _The Nibelungen Lied_ (1210).

=Sieg´fried von Lindenberg=, the hero of a comic German romance by Müller (1779). Still popular and very amusing.

=Sieglind= [_Seeg.lind_], the mother of Siegfried, and wife of Siegmund, king of the Netherlands.--The minnesingers, _The Nibelungen Lied_ (1210).

=Siegmund= [_Seeg.mund_], king of the Netherlands. His wife was Sieglind, and his son, Siegfried [_Seeg.freed_].--The minnesingers, _The Nibelungen Lied_ (1210).

=Sige´ro=, “the Good,” slain by Argantês. Argantês hurled his spear at Godfrey, but it struck Sigēro, who “rejoiced to suffer in his sovereign’s place.”--Tasso, _Jerusalem Delivered_, xi. (1575).

=Sightly= (_Captain_), a dashing young officer, who runs away with Priscilla Tomboy, but subsequently obtains her guardian’s consent to marry her.--_The Romp_ (altered from Bickerstaff’s _Love in the City_).

=Sigismonda=, daughter of Tancred, king of Salerno. She fell in love with Guiscardo, her father’s squire, revealed to him her love, and married him in a cavern attached to the palace. Tancred discovered them in each other’s embrace, and gave secret orders to waylay the bridegroom and strangle him. He then went to Sigismonda, and reproved her for her degrading choice, which she boldly justified. Next day, she received a human heart in a gold casket, knew instinctively that it was Guiscardo’s, and poisoned herself. Her father being sent for, she survived just long enough to request that she might be buried in the same grave as her young husband, and Tancred:

Too late repenting of his cruel deed, One common sepulchre for both decreed; Intombed the wretched pair in royal state, And on their monument inscribed their fate.

Dryden, _Sigismonda and Guiscardo_ (from Boccaccio).

=Sigismund=, emperor of Austria.--Sir W. Scott, _Anne of Geierstein_ (time, Edward IV.).

=Sigismunda=, daughter of Siffrēdi, lord high chancellor of Sicily, and betrothed to Count Tancred. When King Roger died, he left the crown of Sicily to Tancred, on condition that he married Constantia, by which means the rival lines would be united, and the country saved from civil war. Tancred gave a tacit consent, intending to obtain a dispensation; but Sigismunda, in a moment of wounded pride, consented to marry Earl Osmond. When King Tancred obtained an interview with Sigismunda, to explain his conduct, Osmond challenged him, and they fought. Osmond fell, and when his wife ran to him, he thrust his sword into her and killed her.--J. Thomson, _Tancred and Sigismunda_ (1745).

⁂ This tragedy is based on “The Baneful Marriage,” an episode in _Gil Blas_, founded on fact.

_Sigismunda_, the heroine of Cervantes’s last work of fiction. This tale is a tissue of episodes, full of most incredible adventures, astounding prodigies, impossible characters, and extravagant sentiments. It is said that Cervantes himself preferred it to his _Don Quixote_, just as Corneille preferred _Nicomede_ to his _Cid_, and Milton _Paradise Regained_ to his _Paradise Lost_.--_Encyc. Brit._, Art. “Romance.”

=Sigurd=, the hero of an old Scandinavian legend. Sigurd discovered Brynhild, encased in a complete armor, lying in a death-like sleep, to which she had been condemned by Odin. Sigurd woke her by opening her corselet, fell in love with her, promised to marry her, but deserted her for Gudrun. This ill-starred union was the cause of an _Iliad_ of woes.

An analysis of this romance was published by Weber in his _Illustrations of Northern Antiquities_ (1810).

=Sijil= (_Al_), the recording angel.

On that day we will roll up the heavens as the angel Al Sijil rolleth up the scroll wherein every man’s actions are recorded.--_Al Korân_, xxi.

=Sikes= (_Bill_), a burglar, and one of Fagin’s associates. Bill Sikes was a hardened, irreclaimable villian,[TN-179] but had a conscience which almost drove him mad after the murder of Nancy, who really loved him (ch. xlviii.) Bill Sikes (1 _syl._) had an ill-conditioned savage dog, the beast-image of his master, which he kicked and loved, ill-treated and fondled.--C. Dickens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

The French “Bill Sikes” is “Jean Hiroux,” a creation of Henry Monnier.

=Sikundra= (_The_), a mausoleum about six miles from Agra, raised by Akhbah “the Great.”

=Silence=, a country justice of asinine dullness when sober, but when in his cups of most uproarious mirth. He was in the commission of the peace with his cousin Robert Shallow.

_Falstaff._ I did not think Master Silence had been a man of this mettle.

_Silence._ Who, I? I have been merry twice and once, ere now.--Shakespeare, 2 _Henry IV._, act vi. sc. 3 (1598).

=Sile´no=, husband of Mysis; a kind-hearted man, who takes pity on Apollo when cast to earth by Jupiter, and gives him a home.--Kane O’Hara, _Midas_ (1764).

=Silent= (_The_), William I., prince of Orange (1533-1584). It was the principle of Napoleon III., emperor of the French, to “hear, see, and say nothing.”

=Silent Man= (_The_), the barber of Bagdad, the greatest chatterbox that ever lived. Being sent for to shave the head and beard of a young man who was to visit the cadi’s daughter at noon, he kept him from daybreak to midday, prating, to the unspeakable annoyance of the customer. Being subsequently taken before the caliph, he ran on telling story after story about his six brothers. He was called the “Silent Man,” because on one occasion, being accidentally taken up with ten robbers, he never said he was not one of the gang. His six brothers were Bacbouc, the hunchback, Bakbarah, the toothless, Bakac, the one-eyed, Alcouz, the blind, Alnaschar, the earless, and Schacabac, the hare-lipped.--_Arabian Nights_ (“The Barber,” and “The Barber’s Six Brothers”).

=Silent Woman= (_The_), a comedy by Ben Jonson (1609). Morose, a miserly old fellow, who hates to hear any voice but his own, has a young nephew, Sir Dauphine, who wants to wring from him a third of his property; and the way he gains his point is this: He induces a lad to pretend to be a “silent woman.” Morose is so delighted with the phenomenon that he consents to marry the prodigy; but the moment the ceremony is over, the boy-wife assumes the character of a virago, whose tongue is a ceaseless clack. Morose is in despair, and signs away a third of his property to his nephew, on condition of being rid of this intolerable pest. The trick is now revealed, Morose retires into private life, and Sir Dauphine remains master of the situation.

=Sile´nus=, son of Pan, chief of the sile´ni or older satyrs. Silēnus was the foster-father of Bacchus, the wine-god, and is described as a jovial old toper, with bald head, pug nose, and pimply face.

Old Silenus, bloated, drunken, Led by his inebriate satyrs.

Longfellow, _Drinking Song._

=Silky=, a Jew money-lender, swindler, and miser. (See SULKY.)

Yon cheat all day, tremble at night, and act the hypocrite the first thing in the morning.--T. Holcroft, _The Road to Ruin_, ii. 3 (1792).

=Silly Billy=, William IV. (1765, 1830-1837).

=Silva= (_Don Ruy Gomez de_), an old Spanish grandee, to whom Elvīra was betrothed; but she detested him, and loved Ernani, a bandit-captain. Charles V. tried to seduce her, and Silva, in his wrath, joined Ernani to depose the king. The plot being discovered, the conspirators were arrested, but, at the intercession of Elvira, were pardoned. The marriage of Ernani and Elvira was just about to be consummated, when a horn sounded. Ernani had bound himself, when Silva joined the bandit, to put an end to his life whenever summoned so to do by Silva; and the summons was to be given by the blast of a horn. Silva being relentless, Ernani kept his vow, and stabbed himself.--Verdi, _Ernani_ (1841).

=Silver-Fork School= (_The_), a name given to a class of English novelists who gave undue importance to etiquette and the externals of social intercourse. The most distinguished are: Lady Blessington (1789-1849), Theodore Hook (1716-1796), Lord Lytton (1804-1873), and Mrs. Trollope (1790-1863).

=Silver Pen.= Eliza Meteyard was so called by Douglas Jerold, and she adopted the pseudonym (1816-1879).

=Silver Star of Love= (_The_), the star which appeared to Vasco da Gama, when his ships were tempest-tossed, through the malice of Bacchus. Immediately the star appeared, the tempest ceased, and there was a great calm.

The sky and ocean blending, each on fire, Seemed as all Nature struggled to expire; When now the Silver Star of Love appeared, Bright in the east her radiant front she reared.

Camoens, _Lusiad_, vi. (1572).

=Silver Tongued= (_The_), Joshua Sylvester, translator of Du Bartas’s _Divine Weeks and Works_ (1563-1618).

William Bates, a puritan divine (1625-1699).

Henry Smith, preacher (1550-1600).

Anthony Hammond, the poet, called “Silver Tongue” (1668-1738).

Spranger Barry, the “Irish Roscius” (1719-1777).

=Silverquill= (_Sam_), one of the prisoners at Portanferry.--Sir W. Scott, _Guy Mannering_ (time, George II.).

=Silves de la Selva= (_The Exploits and Adventures of_), part of the series called _Le Roman des Romans_, pertaining to “Am´adis of Gaul.” This part was added by Feliciano de Silva.

=Silvester= (_Anne_), woman betrayed under promise of marriage, by _Geoffrey Delamayne_, a famous athlete. By a series of _contretemps_, Anne is made out to be the wife (according to Scotch law) of her dearest friend’s betrothed, who visits her as Delamayne’s emissary. She is released from the embarrassing position, by the exhibition of a letter from Delamayne, promising to marry her, written before _Arnold’s_ visit. Infuriated by the _exposé_, Delamayne tries to murder his wife, and is prevented by a crazy woman. Her sudden attack brings on apoplexy. Anne, as his widow, marries her old friend and defender, Sir Patrick Lundie.--Wilkie Collins, _Man and Wife_ (1874).

=Silvestre= (2 _syl._), valet of Octave (son of Argante, and brother of Zerbinette).--Molière, _Les Fourberies de Scapin_ (1671).

=Sil´via=, daughter of the duke of Milan, and the lady-love of Valentine, one of the heroes of the play.--Shakespeare, _The Two Gentlemen of Verona_ (1594).

=Simmons= (_Widow_), the seamstress; a neighbor of the Ramsays.--Sir W. Scott, _Fortunes of Nigel_ (time, James I.).

=Simon= (_Martin_), proprietor of the village Bout du Monde, and miller of Grenoble. He is called “The king of Pelvoux,” and in reality is the Baron de Peyras, who has given up all his estates to his nephew, the young chevalier, Marcellin de Peyras, and retired to Grenoble, where he lived as a villager. Martin Simon is in secret possession of a gold-mine, left him by his father, with the stipulation that he should place it beyond the reach of any private man, on the day it becomes a “source of woe and crime.” Rabisson, a travelling tinker, the only person who knows about it, being murdered, Simon is suspected; but Eusebe Noel confesses the crime. Simon then makes the mine over to the king of France, as it had proved the source both “of woe and crime.”--E. Stirling, _The Gold Mine_, or _Miller of Grenoble_ (1854).

=Simonides=, benevolent Jew, father of Esther, and friend of Ben Hur.--Lew Wallace, _Ben Hur: a Tale of the Christ_ (1880).

=Simon Pure=, a young quaker from Pennsylvania, on a visit to Obadiah Prim (a Bristol Quaker, and one of the guardians of Anne Lovely, the heiress). Colonel Feignwell personated Simon Pure, and obtained Obadiah’s consent to marry his ward. When the real Simon Pure presented himself, the colonel denounced him as an impostor; but after he had obtained the guardian’s signature, he confessed the trick, and showed how he had obtained the consent of the other three guardians.--Mrs. Centlivre, _A Bold Stroke for a Wife_ (1717).

⁂ This name has become a household word for “the real man,” the _ipsissimus ego_.

=Si´monie= or SI´MONY, the friar, in the beast-epic of _Reynard the Fox_ (1498). So called from Simon Magus (_Acts._ viii. 9-24.)

=Simony= (_Dr._), in Foote’s farce, called _The Cozeners_, was meant for Dr. Dodd.

=Sim´org=, a bird “which hath seen the world thrice destroyed.” It is found in Kâf, but as Hafiz says, “searching for the simorg is like searching for the philosopher’s stone.” This does not agree with Beckford’s account. (See SIMURGH.)

In Kâf the simorg hath its dwelling-place, The all-knowing bird of ages, who hath seen The world with all its children thrice destroyed.

Southey, _Thalaba, the Destroyer_, viii. 19 (1797).

=Simpcox= (_Saunder_), a lame man, who asserted he was born blind, and to whom St. Alban said, “Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee.” Being brought before Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, the lord protector, he was asked how he became lame; and Simpcox replied he fell from a tree which he had climbed to gather plums for his wife. The duke then asked if his sight had been restored? “Yes,” said the man; and, being shown divers colors, could readily distinguish between red, blue, brown, and so on. The duke told the rascal that a _blind_ man does not climb trees to gather their fruits; and one born blind might, if his sight were restored, know that one color differed from another, but could not possibly know which was which. He then placed a stool before him and ordered the constables to whip him till he jumped over it; whereupon the lame man jumped over it, and ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. Sir Thomas More tells this story, and Shakespeare introduces it in 2 _Henry VI_. act ii. sc. 1 (1591).

=Simple=, the servant of Slender (cousin of Justice Shallow).--Shakespeare, _The Merry Wives of Windsor_ (1596).

_Simple_ (_The_), Charles III. of France (879, 893-929).

_Simple_ (_Peter_), the hero and title of a novel by Captain Marryat (1833).

=Simple Simon=, a man more sinned against than sinning, whose misfortunes arose from his wife Margery’s cruelty, which began the very morning of their marriage.

We do not know whether it is necessary to seek for a Teutonic or Northern original for this once popular book.--_Quarterly Review._

=Simpson= (_Tam_), the drunken barber.--Sir W. Scott, _St. Ronan’s Well_ (time, George III.).

=Simson= (_Jean_), an old woman at Middlemas village.--Sir W. Scott, _The Surgeon’s Daughter_ (time, George II.).

=Simurgh=, a fabulous Eastern bird, endowed with reason and knowing all languages. It had seen the great cycle of 7000 years twelve times, and, during that period, it declared it had seen the earth wholly without inhabitant seven times.--W. Beckford, _Vathek_ (notes, 1784). This does not agree with Southey’s account. (See SIMORG.)

=Sin=, twin-keeper, with Death, of Hellgate. She sprang, full-grown, from the head of Satan.

Woman to the waist, and fair, But ending foul in many a scaly fold Voluminous and vast, a serpent armed With mortal sting.

Milton, _Paradise Lost_, ii. (1665).

=Sin´adone= (_The lady of_), metamorphosed by enchantment into a serpent. Sir Lybius (one of Arthur’s knights) slew the enchantress, and the serpent, coiling about his neck, kissed him; whereupon the spell was broken, the serpent became a lovely princess, and Sir Lybius made her his wife.--_Libeaux_ (a romance).

=Sindbad=, a merchant of Bagdad, who acquired great wealth by merchandise. He went seven voyages, which he related to a poor, discontented porter named Hindbad, to show him that wealth must be obtained by enterprise and personal exertion.