Chapter Montezuma's Realm to Monumental Effigies of M by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Montezuma's Realm to Monumental Effigies

Montezuma's Realm Mexico. Montezuma, the last emperor, was seized by Cortes, and compelled to acknowledge himself a vassal of Spain (1519).

Montezuma's Watch A curious stone, weighing twenty-four tons, of basaltic porphyry, in Mexico. This immense stone is cut into figures denoting the Mexican division of time, and may be termed their calendar.

Montfaucon Watch (A). “Le guet de Montfaucon.” A man hanged. Montfaucon is an eminence near Paris, once used as the Tyburn or place of execution. At one time it was crowded with gibbets, but at the Revolution they were destroyed, and it became the dustbin of the city, “Une voirie pour les immondices de Paris et l'éscarrissage des chevaux.” In 1841 this sink of corruption and infection was moved to “La plaine des Vertus,” surely a strange satire on the word.

Montgomery in North Wales; so called from Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, who won the castle of Baldwyn, lieutenant of the marches to William the Conqueror. Before this time it was called “Tre Faldwyn.”
   Montgomery's division, all on one side. This is a French proverb, and refers to the Free Companies of the sixteenth century, of which Montgomery was a noted chief. The booty he took was all given to his banditti, and nothing was left to the victims. (See Lion's Share.)

Month of Sundays (A). An indefinite long time; never. (See Never .)

“Such another chance might never turn up in a month of Sundays.”- Boldrewood: Robbery Under Arms, chap. xl.

Month's Mind (A). An irresistible longing (for something); a great desire.

“I see you have a month's mind for them.”- Shakespeare: Two Gentlemen of Verona, i. 2.

Months
   January. So called from “Janus,” the Roman deity that kept the gates of heaven. The image of Janus is represented with two faces looking opposite ways. One face is old, and is emblematical of time past; the other is young, as the emblem of time future. The Dutch used to call this month Lauw-maand (frosty-month); the Saxons, Wulf-monath, because wolves were very troublesome then from the great scarcity of food. After the introduction of Christianity, the name was changed to Se æftera geóla (the after-yule); it was also called Forma-monath (first month). In the French Republican calendar it was called Nivôse (snow-month, December 20th to 20th January).
   February. So called from “Februa,” a name of Juno, from the Sabine word februo (to purify). Juno was so called because she presided over the purification of women, which took place in this month. The Dutch used to term the month Spokkel-maand (vegetation-month); the ancient Saxons, Sprote-cál (from the sprouting of pot-wort or kele); they changed it subsequently to Sol- monath (from the returning sun). In the French Republican calendar it was called Pluviôse (rain-month, 20th January to 20th February).
   March. So called from “Mars,” the Roman war-god and patron deity. The old Dutch name for it was Lent-maand (lengthening-month), because the days sensibly lengthen; the old Saxon name was Hrèth-monath (rough month, from its boisterous winds); the name was subsequently changed to Length-monath (lengthening month); it was also called Hlyd-monath (boisterous-month). In the French Republican calendar it was called Ventôse (windy-month, February 20th to March 20th).
   April. So called from the Latin aperio (to open), in allusion to the unfolding of the leaves. The old Dutch name was Gras-maand (grass-month); the old Saxon, Easter-monath (orient or paschal-month). In the French Republican calendar it was called Germinal (the time of budding, March 21st to the 19th of April).
   May is the old Latin magius, softened into maius, similar to the Sanskrit mah (to grow), that is, the growing- month. The old Dutch name was Blou-maand (blossoming month); the Old Saxon, Tri-milchi (three milch), because cows were milked thrice a day in this month. In the French Republican calendar the month was called Floréal (the time of flowers, April 20th to May 20th).
   June. So called from the “juniores” or soldiers of the state, not from Juno, the queen-goddess. The old Dutch name was Zomer-maand (summer-month); the old Saxon, Sere-monath (dry-month), and Lida-aerra (joy-time). In the French Republican calendar the month was called Prairial (meadow-month, May 20th to June 18th).
   July. Mark Antony gave this month the name of Julius, from Julius Caesar, who was born in it. It had been previously called Quintilis (fifth-month). The old Dutch name for it was Hooy-maand (hay-month); the old Saxon, Mæd-monath (because the cattle were turned into the meadows to feed), and Lida æftevr (the second mild or genial month). In the French Republican calendar it was called Messidor (harvest-month, June 19th