Chapter Amyclæan Brothers to Ancient Mariner of A by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Amyclæan Brothers to Ancient Mariner

Amyclæan Brothers (The) Castor and Pollux, who were born at Amyclæ.

Amyclaean Silence More silent than Amyclæ. The inhabitants of Amyclæ were so often alarmed by false rumours of the approach of the Spartans, that they made a decree no one should ever again mention the subject. When the Spartans actually came against the town, no one durst mention it, and the town was taken.

Amyris plays the fool i.e. a person assumes a false character with an ulterior object, like Junius Brutus. Amyris was a Sybarite (3 syl.) sent to Delphi to consult the Oracle, who informed him of the approaching destruction of his nation. Amyris fled to Peloponnesus and his countrymen called him a fool; but, like the madness of David, his "folly" was true wisdom, for thereby he saved his life.

Amys and Amylion The Pylades and Orestes of mediæval story. - Ellis's Specimens.

Anabaptists A nickname of the Baptist Dissenters; so called because, in the first instances, they had been baptised in infancy, and were again baptised on a confession of faith in adult age. The word means the twice-baptised.

Anabaptists A sect which arose in Germany in 1521.

Anacharsis Anarcharsis among the Scythians. A wise man amongst fools; "Good out of Nazareth"; "A Sir Sidney Smith on Salisbury Plain." The opposite proverb is "Saul amongst the Prophets," i.e. a fool amongst wise men. Anacharsis was a Scythian by birth, and the Scythians were proverbial for their uncultivated state and great ignorance.

Anacharsis Clootz. Baron Jean Baptiste Clootz, a Prussian by birth, but brought up in Paris, where he adopted the revolutionary principles, and called himself The Orator of the Human Race. (1755--1794.)

Anaclethra The stone on which Ceres rested after searching in vain for her daughter. It was kept as a sacred deposit in the Prytaneum of Athens.

Anacreon A Greek poet, who wrote chiefly in praise of love and wine, (B.C. 563--478.)

Anacreon of the Twelfth Century. Walter Mapes, also called "The Jovial Toper." (1150--1196). His best- known piece is the famous drinking-song, "Meum est propositum in taberna mori," translated by Leigh Hunt.

Anacreon Moore. Thomas Moore, who not only translated Anacreon into English, but also wrote original poems in the same style. (1779--1852.)

Anacreon of the Guillotine. Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac, president of the National Convention; so called from the flowery language and convivial jests used by him towards his miserable victims. (1755--1841.)

Anacreon of the Temple. Guillaume Amfrye, abbé de Chalieu; the "Tom Moore" of France. (1639--1720.)

The French Anacreon. Pontus de Tyard, one of the Pleiad poets (1521--1605). P. Laujon. (1727--1811.)

The Persian Anacreon. Mohammed Hafiz. (Fourteenth century.)

The Scotch Anacreon. Alexander Scot, who flourished about 1550.

The Sicilian Anacreon. Giovanni Meli. (1740--1815.)

Anacreon of Painters. Francesco Albano, a famous painter of lovely females. (1578--1660.)

Anacreontic In imitation of Anacreon (q.v.).