Starchaterus, of Sweden, a giant in stature and strength, whose life was protracted to thrice the ordinary term. When he felt himself growing old, he hung a bag of gold round his neck, and told Olo he might take the bag of gold if he would cut off his head, and he did so. He hated luxury in every form, and said a man was a fool who went and dined out for the sake of better fare. One day, Helgo king of Norway asked him to be his champion in a contest which was to be decided by himself alone against nine adversaries. Star-chaterus selected for the site of combat the top of a mountain covered with snow, and, throwing off his clothes, waited for the nine adversaries. When asked if he would fight with them one by one or all together, he replied, “When dogs bark at me, I drive them off all at once.”— Joannes Magnus: Gothorum Suevorumque Historia (1554).

Stareleigh (Justice), a stout, pudgy little judge, very deaf, and very irascible, who, in the absence of the chief justice, sat in judgment on the trial of “Bardell v. Pickwick.”—Dickens: The Pickwick Papers (1836).

Starno, king of Lochlin. Having been conquered by Fingal and generously set at liberty, he promised Fingal his daughter Agandecca in marriage, but meant to deal treacherously by him and kill him. Fingal accepted the invitation of Starno, and spent three days in boar-hunts. He was then warned by Agandecca to beware of her father, who had set an ambuscade to waylay him. Fingal, being forewarned, fell on the ambush and slew every man. When Starno heard thereof, he slew his daughter, whereupon Fingal and his followers took to arms, and Starno either “fled or died.” Swaran succeeded his father Starno.—Ossian: Fingal, iii.; see also Cath-Loda.

Star-spangled Banner (The), a national song of the United States of America, by F. S. Key.

And the star-spangled banner, oh, long may it wave o’er
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Starvation Dundas, Henry Dundas the first lord Melville. So called because he introduced the word starvation into the language (1775).

Starveling (Robin), the tailor. He was cast for the part of “Thisbe’s mother,” in the drama played before duke Theseus on “his wedding day at night.” Starveling has nothing to say in the drama. — Shakespeare: Midsummer Night’s Dream (1592).

State, a royal chair with a canopy over it.

Our hostess keeps her state.
Shakespeare: Macbeth, act iii. sc. 4 (1606).

Statira, the heroine of La Calprenède’s romance of Cassandra. is the daughter of Darius, and is represented as the “most perfect of the works of creation.” Oroondatês is in love with her, and ultimately marries her.

Statira, daughter of Darius, and wife of Alexander. Young, beautiful, womanly, of strong affection, noble bearin g, mild yet haughty, yielding yet brave. Her love for Alexander was unbounded. When her royal husband took Roxana into favour, the proud spirit of the princess was indignant, but Alexander, by his love, won her back again. Statira was murdered by Roxana the Bactrian, called the “Rival Queen.”—Lee: Alexander the Great (1678).

Miss Boutwell was the original “Statira” of Lee’s Alexander, and once, when playing with Mrs. Barry [1678] she was in danger of receiving on the stage her death-blow. It happened thus: Before the curtain drew up, the two queens, “Statira” and “Roxana” had a real rivalship about a lace veil, allotted to Miss Boutwell by the manager. This so enraged Mrs. Barry that, in “stabbing ‘Statira,”’ she actually thrust her dagger through her rival’s stays, a quarter of an inch or more into the flesh.—Campbell: Life of Mrs. Siddons.

Dr. Doran tells us that—


  By PanEris using Melati.

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