Chapter Pelides to Penelope's Web of P by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Pelides to Penelope's Web

Pelides, Achillês, son of Peleus, chief of the Greek warriors at the siege of Troy.—Homer: Iliad.

When, like Pelidês, bold beyond control,
Homer raised high to heaven the loud impetuous song.
   —Beattie: The Minstrel (1773-4).

Pelion [“mud-sprung”], one of the frog chieftains.

A spear at Pelion, Troglodytês cast
The missive spear within the bosom past
Death’s sable shades the fainting frog surround,
And life’s red tide runs ebbing from the wound.

Parnell: Battle of the Frogs and Mice, iii. (about 1712).

Pell (Solomon), an attorney in the Insolvent Debtors’ Court. He has the very highest opinions of his own merits, and by his aid Tony Weller contrives to get his son Sam sent to the Fleet for debt, that he may be near Mr. Pickwick to protect and wait upon him.—Dickens: The Pickwick Papers (1836).

Pelleas (Sir), lord of many isles, and noted for his great muscular strength. He fell in love with lady Ettard, but the lady did not return his love. Sir Gaw’ain promised to advocate his cause with the lady, but played him false. Sir Pelleas caught them in unseemly dalliance with each other, but forbore to kill them. By the power of enchantment, the lady was made to dote on sir Pelleas; but the knight would have nothing to say to her, so she pined and died. After the lady Ettard played him false, the Damsel of the Lake “rejoiced him, and they loved together during their whole lives.”—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, i. 79-82 (1470).

N.B.—Sir Pelleas must not be confounded with sir Pelles (q.v.).

(One of the Idylls of lord Tennyson is called “Pelleas and Etarre.”)

Pellegrin, the pseudonym of De la Motte Fouqué (1777–1843).

Pelles (Sir), of Corbin Castle, “king of the foragn land and nigh cousin of Joseph of Arimathy.” He was father of sir Eliazar, and of the lady Elaine who fell in love with sir Launcelot, by whom she became the mother of sir Galahad “who achieved the quest of the holy graal.” This Elaine was not the “lily maid of Astolat.”

While sir Launcelot was visiting king Pelles, a glimpse of the holy graal was vouchsafed them—

For when they went into the castle to take their repast… there came a dove to the window, and in her bill was a little censer of gold, and there withall was such a savour as though all the spicery of the world had been there… and a damsel, passing fair, bare a vessel of gold between her hands, and thereto the king kneeled devoutly and said his prayers.… “Oh mercy!” said sir Launcelot, “what may this mean?”… “This,” said the king, “is the holy Sancgreall which ye have seen.”—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur, iii. 2 (1470).

Pellinore (Sir), one of the knights of the Round Table, and called the “Knight of the Stranger Beast.” Sir Pellinore slew king Lot of Orkeney, but was himself slain ten years afterwards b y sir Gawaine one of Lot’s sons (pt. i. 35). Sir Pellinore had, by the wife of Aries the cowherd, a son named sir Tor, who was the first knight of the Round Table created by king Arthur (pt. i. 47, 48); one daughter, Elein, by the Lady of Rule (pt. iii. 10); and three sons in lawful wedlock: viz. sir Aglouale (sometimes called Aglavale, probably a clerical error), sir Lamorake Dornar (also called sir Lamorake de Galis), and sir Percivale de Galis (pt. ii. 108). The widow succeeded to the throne (pt. iii. 10).—Sir T. Malory: History of Prince Arthur (1470).