Chapter Agamarshana to Agist of A by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Agamarshana to Agist

Agamarshana A passage of the Veda, the repetition of which will purify the soul like absolution after confession.

Agamemnon King of Argos, in Greece, and commander-in-chief of the allied Greeks who went to the siege of Troy. The fleet being delayed by adverse winds at Aulis, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to Diana, and the winds became at once favourable. - Homer's Iliad.

"Till Agamemnon's daughter's blood.
Appeased the gods that them withstood."
Earl of Surrey.

His brother was Menelaos.
His Daughters were Iphigenia, Electra, Iphianassa, and Chrysothemis (Sophocles).
He was Grandson of Pelops.
He was killed in a bath by his wife Clytemnestra, after his return from Troy.
His son was Orestes, who slew his mother for murdering his father, and was called Agamemnònides.
His wife was Clytemnestra, who lived in adultery with Egistheus. At Troy he fell in love with Cassandra, a daughter of King Priam.

Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona ("there are hills beyond Pentland, and fields beyond Forth"), i.e. , we are not to suppose that our own age or locality monopolises all that is good. - Hor. Od. iv. 9, 25. We might add, et post Agamemnona vivent.

"Great men there lived ere Agamemnon came,
And after him will others rise to fame."
E.C.B.

Aganice (4 syl.) or Aglaonice, the Thessalian, being able to calculate eclipses, she pretended to have the moon under her command, and to be able when she chose to draw it from heaven. Her secret being found out, her vaunting became a laughing-stock, and gave birth to the Greek proverb cast at braggarts, "Yes, as the Moon obeys Aganice."

Aganippe (4 syl.) A fountain of Boeotia at the foot of Mount Helicon, dedicated to the Muses, because it had the virtue of imparting poetic inspiration. From this fountain the Muses are called Aganippedes (5 syl.) or Aganippides (5 syl.).

Agape (3 syl.) A love-feast. The early Christians held a love-feast before or after communion, when contributions were made for the poor. These feasts became a scandal, and were condemned at the Council of Carthage, 397. (Greek, agape, love.)

Agapemone (5 syl.). A somewhat disreputable association of men and women living promiscuously on a common fund, which existed for a time at Charlynch, near Bridgewater, in Somersetshire. (Greek, agape, love.)

Agape tæ Women under vows of virginity, who undertook to attend the monks. (The word is Greek, and means beloved.)

Agate (2 syl.) So called, says Pliny (xxxvii. 10), from Achates or Gagates, a river in Sicily, near which it is found in abundance.

"These, these are they, if we consider well,
That saphirs and the diamonds doe excell,
The pearle, the emerauld, and the turkesse bleu,
The sanguine corrall, amber's golden hiew,
The christall, jacinth, achate, ruby red."
Taylor: The Waterspout (1630).

Agate is supposed to render a person invisible, and to turn the sword of foes against themselves.

Agate A very diminutive person. Shakespeare speaks of Queen Mab as no bigger than an agate-stone on the forefinger of an alderman.

"I was never manned with an agate till now." Shakespeare: 2 Hen. IV.i.2.

Agatha Daughter of Cuno, the ranger, in love with Max, to whom she is to be married, provided he carries off the prize in the annual trial-shot. She is in danger of being shot by Max unwittingly, but is rescued by a hermit, and becomes the bride of the young huntsman. - Weber's Opera of Der Freischütz.