With the same stratagem, Sacripant had his steed stolen from under him, by that notorious thief Brunello, at the siege of Albracca.—Cervantes,Don Quixote, I. iii. 9 (1605).
With the same stratagem, Sacripant had his steed stolen from under him, by that notorious thief Brunello, at the siege of Albracca.—Cervantes,Don Quixote, I. iii. 9 (1605).
***The allusion is to Sancho Panza’s ass, which was stolen from under him by the galley-slave, Gines de Passamonte.
Sacripant, a false, noisy, hectoring braggart; a kind of Pistol or Bobadil.—Tasso,Secchia Rapita(i.e.“Rape of the Bucket”).
Sa´dak and Kalasra´de(4syl.), Sadak, general of the forces of Am´urath, sultan of Turkey, lived with Kalasradê in retirement, and their home life was so happy that it aroused the jealousy of the sultan, who employed emissaries to set fire to their house, carry off Kalasradê to the seraglio, and seize the children. Sadak, not knowing who were the agents of these evils, laid his complaint before Amurath, and then learnt that Kalasradê was in the seraglio. The sultan swore not to force his love upon her till she had drowned the recollections of her past life by a draught of the waters of oblivion. Sadak was sent on this expedition. On his return, Amurath seized the goblet, and, quaffing its contents, found “that the waters of oblivion were the waters of death.” He died, and Sadak was made sultan in his stead.—J. Ridley,Tales of the Genii(“Sadak and Kalasradê,” ix. 1751).
Sadaroubay.So Eve is called in Indian mythology.
Saddletree(Mr. Bartoline), the learned saddler.
Mrs. Saddletree, the wife of Bartoline.—Sir W. Scott,Heart of Midlothian(time, George II.).
Sadha-Sing, the mourner of the desert.—Sir W. Scott,The Surgeon’s Daughter(time, George II.).
Sæmund Sigfusson, surnamed “the Wise,” an Icelandic priest and scald. He compiled theElderorRythmical Edda, often calledSæmund’s Edda. This compilation contains not only mythological tales and moral sentences, but numerous sagas in verse or heroic lays, as those of Völung and Helgê, of Sigurd and Brynhilda, of Folsungs and Niflungs (pt. ii.). Probably his compilation contained all the mythological, heroic, and legendary lays extant at the period in which he lived (1054-1133).
Saga, the goddess of history.—Scandinavian Mythology.
Saga and Edda.TheEddais the Bible of the ancient Scandinavians. A saga is a book of instruction, generally, but not always, in the form of a tale, like a Welsh “mabinogi.” In theEddathere are numerous sagas. As our Bible contains the history of the Jews, religious songs, moral proverbs, and religious stories, so theEddacontained the history of Norway, religious songs, a book of proverbs, and numerous stories. The originalEddawas compiled and edited by Sæmund Sigfusson, an Icelandic priest and scald, in the eleventh century. It contains twenty-eight parts or books, all of which are in verse.
Two hundred years later, Snorro Sturleson, of Iceland, abridged, re-arranged, and reduced to prose theEdda, giving the various parts a kind of dramatic form,like the dialogues of Plato. It then became needful to distinguish these two works; so the old poetical compilation is theElderorRythmical Edda, and sometimes theSæmund Edda, while the more modern work is called theYoungerorProse Edda, and sometimes theSnorro Edda. TheYounger Eddais, however, partly original. Pt. i. is the oldEddareduced to prose, but pt. ii. is Sturleson’s own collection. This part contains “The Discourse of Bragi” (the scald of the gods) on the origin of poetry; and here, too, we find the famous story called by the Germans theNibelungen Lied.
Sagas.Besides the sagas contained in theEddas, there are numerous others. Indeed, the whole saga literature extends over 200 volumes.
I.The Edda Sagas.TheEddais divided into two parts and twenty-eight lays or poetical sagas. The first part relates to the gods and heroes of Scandinavia, creation, and the early history of Norway. The Scandinavian “Books of Genesis” are the “Voluspa Saga,” or “prophecy of Vola” (about 230 verses), “Vafthrudner’s Saga,” and “Grimner’s Saga.” These three resemble the Sibylline books of ancient Rome, and give a description of chaos, the formation of the world, the creation of all animals (including dwarfs, giants and fairies), the general conflagration, and the renewal of the world, when, like the new Jerusalem, it will appear all glorious, and there shall in no wise enter therein “anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.”
The “Book of Proverbs” in theEddais called the “Hâvamâl Saga,” and sometimes “The High Song of Odin.”
The “Völsunga Saga” is a collection of lays about the early Teutonic heroes.
The “Saga of St. Olaf” is the history of this Norwegian king. He was a savage tyrant, hated by his subjects, but because he aided the priests in forcing Christianity on his subjects, he was canonized.
The other sagas in theEddaare “The Song of Lodbrok” or “Lodbrog,” “Hervara Saga,” the “Vilkina Saga,” the “Blomsturvalla Saga,” the “Ynglinga Saga” (all relating to Norway), the “Jomsvikingia Saga,” and the “Knytlinga Saga” (which pertain to Denmark), the “Sturlunga Saga,” and the “Eryrbiggia Saga” (which pertain to Iceland). All the above were compiled and edited by Sæmund Sigfusson, and are in verse; but Snorro Sturleson reduced them to prose in his prose version of the oldEdda.
II.Sagas not in the Edda.Snorro Sturleson, at the close of the twelfth century, made the second great collection of chronicles in verse, called theHeimskringla Saga, or the book of the kings of Norway, from the remotest period to the year 1177. This is a most valuable record of the laws, customs, and manners of the ancient Scandinavians. Samuel Laing published his English translation of it in 1844.
1.The Icelandic Sagas.Besides the two Icelandic sagas collected by Sæmund Sigfusson, numerous others were subsequently embodied in theLandama Bok, set on foot by Ari hinn Frondê, and continued by various hands.
2.Frithjof’s Sagacontains the lifeand andadventures of Frithjof, of Iceland, who fell in love with Ingeborg, the beautiful wife of Hring, king of Norway. On the death of Hring, the young widow marries her Icelandic lover. Frithjof lived in the eighth century, and this saga was compiled at the beginning of the fourteenth century, a year or two after theHeimskringla. It is very interesting, becauseTegnér, the Swedish poet, has selected it for hisIdylls(1825), just as Tennyson has taken his idyllic stories from theMorte d’Arthuror the WelshMabinogion. Tegnér’sIdyllswere translated into English by Latham (1838), by Stephens (1841), and by Blackley (1857).
3.The Swedish Saga, or lay of Swedish “history,” is theIngvars Saga.
4.The Russian Saga, or lay of Russian legendary history, is theEgmunds Saga.
5.The Folks-Sagasare stories of romance. From this ancient collection we have derived our nursery tales ofJack and the Bean-Stalk,Jack the Giant-Killer, theGiant who smelt the Blood of an Englishman,Blue Beard,Cinderella, theLittle Old Woman cut Shorter, thePig that wouldn’t go over the Bridge,Puss in Boots, and even the first sketches ofWhittington and His Cat, andBaron Munchausen. (See Dasent,Tales from the Norse, 1859.)
6.Sagas of Foreign origin.Besides the rich stores of original tales, several foreign ones have been imported and translated into Norse, such asBarlaham and Josaphat, by Rudolph of Ems, one of the German minnesingers. On the other hand, the minnesingers borrowed from the Norse sagas their famous story embodied in theNibelungen Lied, called the “GermanIliad,” which is from the second part of Snorro Sturleson’sEdda.
Sagaman, a narrator of sagas. These ancient chroniclers differed from scalds in several respects. Scalds were minstrels, who celebrated in verse the exploits of living kings or national heroes; sagamen were tellers of legendary stories, either in prose or verse, like Scheherazādê, the narrator of theArabian Nights, the mandarin, Fum-Hoam, the teller of theChinese Tales, Moradbak, the teller of theOriental Tales, Ferămorz, who told the tales to Lalla Rookh, and so on. Again, scalds resided at court, were attached to the royal suite, and followed the king in all his expeditions; but sagamen were free and unattached, and told their tales to prince or peasant, in lordly hall or at village wake.
Sage of Concord(The), Ralph Waldo Emerson, author ofLiterary Ethics(1838),Poems(1846),Representative Men(1850),English Traits(1856), and numerous other works (1803-1882).
In Mr. Emerson we have a poet and a profoundly religious man, who is really and entirely undaunted by the discoveries of science, past, present or prospective. In his case, poetry, with the joy of a Bacchanal, takes her graver brother, science, by the hand, and cheers him with immortal laughter. By Emerson scientific conceptions are continually transmuted into the finer forms and warmer lines of an ideal world.—Professor Tyndall,Fragments of Science.
In Mr. Emerson we have a poet and a profoundly religious man, who is really and entirely undaunted by the discoveries of science, past, present or prospective. In his case, poetry, with the joy of a Bacchanal, takes her graver brother, science, by the hand, and cheers him with immortal laughter. By Emerson scientific conceptions are continually transmuted into the finer forms and warmer lines of an ideal world.—Professor Tyndall,Fragments of Science.
Sage of Monticello(The), Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, whose country seat was at Monticello.
As from the grave where Henry sleeps,From Vernon’s weeping willow,And from the grassy pall which hidesThe Sage of Monticello ...Virginia, o’er thy land of slavesA warning voice is swelling.Whittier,Voices of Freedom(1836).
Sage of Samos(The), Pythagŏras, a native of Samos (B.C.584-506).
Sages(The Seven). (SeeSeven Wise Men of Greece.)
Sag´ittary, a monster, half man and half beast, described as “a terrible archer, who neighs like a horse, and with eyes of fire which strike men dead like lightning.” Any deadly shot is a sagittary.—Guido delle Colonna (thirteenth century),HistoriaTroyana Prosayce Composita(translated by Lydgate).
The dreadful Sagittary,Appals our numbers.Shakespeare,Troilus and Cressida(1602).
(See alsoOthello, act i. sc. 1, 3. The barrack is so called from the figure of an archer over the door.)
Sagramour le De´sirus, a knight of the Round Table.—SeeLauncelot du LacandMorte d’Arthur.
Sailor King(The), William IV. of Great Britain (1765, 1830-1837).
Saint(The), Kang-he, of China, who assumed the name of Chin-tsou-jin (1653, 1661-1722).
St. Aldobrand, the noble husband of Lady Imogine, murdered by Count Bertram, her quondam lover.—C. Maturin,Bertram(1816).
St. Alme(Captain), son of Darlemont, a merchant, guardian of Julio, count of Harancour. He pays his addresses to Marianne Franval, to whom he is ultimately married. Captain St. Alme is generous, high-spirited, and noble-minded.—Thomas Holcroft,The Deaf and Dumb(1785).
St. Andre, a fashionable dancing-master in the reign of Charles II.
St. Andre’s feet ne’er kept more equal time.Dryden,MacFlecknoe(1682).
St. Asaph(The dean of), in the court of Queen Elizabeth.—Sir W. Scott,Kenilworth(1821).
St. Basil Outwits the Devil.(SeeSinner Saved.)
St. Botolph(The Prior of). Sir W. Scott,Ivanhoe(time, Richard I.).
St. Cecili,Cecily, orCecile(2syl.), the daughter of noble Roman parents, and a Christian. She married Valirian. One day, she told her husband she had “an aungel ... that with gret love, wher so I wake or slepe, is redy ay my body for to kepe.” Valirian requested to see this angel, and Cecile told him he must first go to St. Urban, and, being purged by him “fro synne, than [then] schul ye see that aungel.” Valirian was accordingly “cristened” by St. Urban, returned home, and found the angel with two crowns, brought direct from paradise. One he gave to Cecile and one to Valirian, saying that “bothe with the palme of martirdom schullen come unto God’s blisful feste.” Valirian suffered martydom first; then Almachius, the Roman prefect, commanded his officers to “brenne Cecile in a bath of flammês red.” She remained in the bath all day and night, yet, “sat she cold, and felte of it no woe.” Then smote they her three strokes upon the neck, but could not smite her head off. She lingered on for three whole days, preaching and teaching, and then died. St. Urban buried her body privately by night, and the house he converted into a church, which he called the church of Cecily.—Chaucer,Canterbury Tales(“The Second Nun’s Tale,” 1388).
St. Christopher, a native of Lycia, very tall, and fearful to look at. He was so proud of his strength that he resolved to serve only the mightiest, and went in search of a worthy master. He first entered the service of the emperor; but one day, seeing his master cross himself for fear of the devil, he quitted his service for that of Satan. This new master he foundwas thrown into alarm at the sight of a cross; so he quitted him also, and went in search of the Saviour. One day, near a ferry, a little child accosted him, and begged the giant to carry him across the water. Christopher put the child on his back, but found every step he took the child grew heavier and heavier, till the burden was more than he could bear. As he sank beneath his load, the child told the giant he was Christ, and Christopher resolved to serve Christ and Him alone. He died three days afterwards, and was canonized. The Greek and Latin churches look on him as the protecting saint against floods, fire, and earthquake.—James de Voragine,Golden Legends, 100 (thirteenth century).
***His body is said to be at Valencia, in Spain; one of his arms at Compostella; a jaw-bone at Astorga; a shoulder at St. Peter’s, in Rome; and a tooth and rib at Venice. His day is May 9 in the Greek Church, and July 25 in the Latin. Of course, “the Christ-bearer” is an allegory. The gigantic bones called his relics may serve for “matters of faith” to give reality to the fable.
(His name before conversion was Offĕrus, but after he carried Christ across the ford, it was called Christ-Offerus, shortened into Christopher, which means “the Christ-bearer.”)
St. Clare(Augustin), the kind, indulgent master of Uncle Tom. He was beloved by all his slaves.
Evangeline St. Clare, daughter of Mr. St. Clare. Evangeline was the good angel of the family, and was adored by Uncle Tom.
Miss Ophelia St. Clare, sister of Augustin.—Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe,Uncle Tom’s Cabin(1852).
St. Distaff, an imaginary saint to whom January 7, or Twelfth Day is consecrated.
Partly worke and partly playYou must on St. Distaff’s Day;Give St. Distaff all the right,Then give Christmas sport good night.Wit Asporting in a Pleasant Grove of New Fancies(1657).
St. Filume´naorFilomena, a new saint of the Latin Church. Sabateli has a picture of this nineteenth-century saint, representing her as hovering over a group of sick and maimed, who are healed by her intercession. In 1802 a grave was found in the cemetery of St. Priscilla, and near it three tiles, with these words in red letters.
A re-arrangement of the tiles made the inscription,Pax Te-cum, Fi-lumena. That this was the correct rendering is quite certain, for the virgin martyr herself told a priest and a nun in a dream, that she was Fi[lia] Lumina, the daughter Lumina,i.e.the daughter of the Light of the world. In confirmation of this dream, as her bones were carried to Mugnano, the saint repaired her own skeleton, made her hair grow, and performed so many miracles, that those must indeed be hard of belief who can doubt the truth of the story.
St. Georgeis the national saint of England, in consequence of the miraculous assistance rendered by him, to the arms of the Christians under Godfrey de Bouillon during the first crusade.
St. George’s Sword, Askelon.
George he shaved the dragon’s beard,And Askelon was his razor.Percy’sReliques, III. iii. 15.
St. George(Le chevalier de), James Francis Edward Stuart, called “The Old (orelder) Pretender” (1688-1766).
St. Graal.(SeeSangraal.)
St. Leon, the hero of a novel of the same name, by W. Goodwin (1799). St. Leon becomes possessed of the “elixir of life,” and of the “philosopher’s stone;” but this knowledge, instead of bringing him wealth and happiness, is the source of misery and endless misfortunes.
Saint Maur, one of the attendants of Sir Reginald Front de Bœuf (a follower of Prince John).—Sir W. Scott,Ivanhoe(time, Richard I.).
St. Nicholas, the patron saint of boys. He is said to have been bishop of Myra, in Lycia, and his death is placed in the year 326.
Under his triple names ofSt. Nicholas,Santa ClausandKriss Kringle, he fills good children’s stockings on Christmas Eve. Clement C. Moore has made the annual visit of this saint “in a miniature sleigh drawn by eight tiny reindeer,” the subject of his famous nursery poem beginning:
“’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house,Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”(1844).
St. Prieux, theamantof Julie, in Rousseau’s novel entitledJulieouLa Nouvelle Héloïse(1760).
St. Ronan’s Well, a novel by Sir W. Scott (1823). An inferior work; but it contains the character of Meg Dods, of the Clachan or Mowbray Arms inn, one of the very best low comic characters in the whole range of fiction.
St. Stephen’s Chapel, properly the House of Commons, but sometimes applied to the two Houses of Parliament. So called by a figure of speech from St. Stephen’s Chapel, built by King Stephen, rebuilt by Edward II. and III., and finally destroyed by fire in 1834. St. Stephen’s Chapel was fitted up for the use of the House of Commons in the reign of Edward IV. The great council of the nation met before in the chapel-house of the abbey.
St. Swithin, tutor of King Alfred, and bishop of Winchester. The monks wished to bury him in the chancel of the minster; but the bishop had directed that his body should be interred under the open vault of heaven. Finding the monks resolved to disobey his injunction, he sent a heavy rain on July 15, the day assigned to the funeral ceremony, in consequence of which it was deferred from day to day for forty days. The monks then bethought them of the saint’s injunction, and prepared to inter the body in the churchyard. St. Swithin smiled his approbation by sending a beautiful sunshiny day, in which all the robes of theheirarchymight be displayed without the least fear of being injured by untimely and untoward showers.
Saints(Island of), Ireland.
Saints(Royal).
David of Scotland (*, 1124-1153).
Edward the Confessor (1004, 1042-1066).
Edward the Martyr (961, 975-979).
Eric IX. of Sweden (*, 1155-1161).
Ethelred I., king of Wessex (*, 866-871).
Eugenius I., pope (*, 654-657).
Felix I., pope (*, 269-274).
Ferdinand III. of Castile and Leon (1200, 1217-1252).
Julius I., pope (*, 337-352).
Kâng-he, second of the Manchoo dynasty of China (*, 1661-1722).
Lawrence Justiniani, patriarch of Venice (1380, 1451-1465).
Leo IX., pope (1002, 1049-1054).
Louis IX. of France (1215, 1226-1270).
Olaus II. of Norway (992, 1000-1030).
Stephen I. of Hungary (979, 997-1038).
Saints for Diseases.These saints either ward off ills or help to relieve them, and should be invoked by those who trust their power:—
Ague.St. Pernel cures.
Bad Dreams.St. Christopher protects from.
Blear Eyes.St. Otilic cures.
Blindness.St. Thomas à Becket cures.
BoilsandBlains.St. Rooke cures.
Chastity.St. Susan protects.
Children’s Diseases(All). St Blaise heals; and all cattle diseases. The bread consecrated on his day (February 3) and called “the Benediction of St. Blaise,” should have been tried in the recent cattle plague.
Cholera.Oola Beebee is invoked by the Hindûs in this malady.
Colic.St. Erasmus relieves.
Dancing Mania.St. Vitus cures.
Defilement.St. Susan preserves from.
Discovery of Lost Goods.St. Ethelbert and St Elian.
Doubts.St. Catherine resolves.
Dying.St. Barbara relieves.
Epilepsy.St. Valentine cures.
Fire.St. Agatha protects from it, but St. Florian should be invoked if it has already broken out.
Flood,Fire, andEarthquake. St. Christopher saves from.
Gout.St. Wolfgang, they say, is of more service than Blair’s pills.
Gripes.St. Erasmus cures.
Idiocy.St. Gildas is the guardian angel of idiots.
Infamy.St. Susan protects from.
Infection.St. Roque protects from.
Leprosy.St. Lazarus, the beggar.
Madness.St. Dymphna cures.
MiceandRats. St. Gertrude and St. Huldrick ward them off.
Night Alarms.St. Christopher protects from.
Plague.St. Roch, they say, in this case is better than the “good bishop of Marseilles.”
Quenching Fire.St. Florian and St. Christopher should not be forgotten by fire-insurance companies.
Quinsy.St. Blaise will cure it sooner than tartarized antimony.
Riches.St. Anne and St. Vincent help those who seek it. Gold-diggers should ask them for nuggets.
Scabs.St. Rooke cures.
Small-pox.St. Martin of Tours may be tried by those objecting to vaccination. In Hindûstan, Seetla wards it off.
Sudden Death.St. Martin saves from.
Temperance.Father Mathew is called “The Apostle of Temperance” (1790-1856).
Tooth-ache.St. Appolline cures better than creosote.
Vermin-destroyers.St. Gertude and St. Huldrick.
Wealth-bestower.St. Anne, recommended to the sultan.
Saints of Places.The following are the patron saints of the cities, nations, or places set down:—
Aberdeen, St. Nicholas (died 342). His day is December 6.
Abyssinia, St. Frumentius (died 360). His day is October 27.
Alexandria, St. Mark, who founded the church there (diedA.D.52). His day is April 25th.
Alps(The), Felix Neff (1798-1829).
Antioch, St. Margaret (died 275). Her day is July 20.
Ardennes(The), St. Hubert (656-730). He is called “The Apostles of the Ardennes.” His days are May 30 and November 3d.
Armenia, St. Gregory of Armenia (256-331). His day is September 30.
Bath, St. David, from whose benediction the waters of Bath received their warmth and medicinal qualities (480-544). His day is March 1.
Beauvais, St. Lucian (died 290), called “The Apostle of Beauvais.” His day is January 8.
Belgium, St. Boniface (680-755). His day is on June 5.
Bohemia, St. Wenceslaus.
Brussels, the Virgin Mary; St. Gudule, who died 712. St. Gudule’s day is January 8.
Cagliari(in Sardinia), St. Efisio or St. Ephesus.
Cappadocia, St. Matthias (diedA.D.62). His day is February 24.
Carthage, St. Perpetua (died 203). Her day is March 7.
Cologne, St. Ursula (died 452). Her day is October 21.
Corfu, St. Spiridion (fourth century). His day is December 14.
Cremona, St. Margaret (died 275). Her day is July 20.
Denmark, St. Anscharius (801-864), whose day is February 3; and St. Canute (died 1086), whose day is January 19.
Edinburgh, St. Giles (died 550). His day is September 1.
England, St. George (died 290). St. Bede calls Gregory the Great “The Apostle of England,” but St. Augustin was “The Apostle of the English People” (died 607). St. George’s day is April 23.
Ethiopia, St. Frumentius (died 360). His day is October 27.
Flanders, St. Peter (died 66). His day is June 29.
Florence, St. John the Baptist (diedA.D.32). His days are June 24 and August 29.
Forests, St. Sylvester, becausesilva, in Latin, means “a wood.” His day is June 20.
Forts, St. Barbara (died 335). Her day is December 4.
France, St. Denys (died 272). His day is October 9. St. Remi is called “The Great Apostle of the French” (439-535). His day is October 1.
Franconia, St. Kilian (died 689). His day is July 8.
Friseland, St. Wilbrod or Willibrod (657-738), called “The Apostle of the Frisians.” His day is November 7.
Gaul, St. Irenæus (130-200), whose day is June 28; and St. Martin (316-397), whose day is November 12; St. Denys is called “The Apostle of the Gauls.”
Genoa, St. George of Cappadocia. His day is April 23.
Gentiles.St. Paul was “The Apostle of the Gentiles” (diedA.D.66). His days are January 25 and June 29.
Georgia, St. Nino, whose day is September 16.
Germany, St. Boniface, “Apostles of the Germans” (680-755), whose day is June 5; and St. Martin (316-397), whose day is November 11. (St. Boniface was called Winfred till Gregory II. changed the name.)
Glasgow, St. Mungo, also called Kentigern (514-601).
Groves, St. Sylvester, becausesilva, in Latin, means “a wood.” His day is June 20.
Highlanders, St. Columb (521-597). His day is June 9.
Hills, St. Barbara (died 335). Her day is December 4.
Holland, the Virgin Mary. Her days are: herNativity, November 21;Visitation, July 2;Conception, December 8;Purification, February 2;Assumption, August 15.
Hungary, St. Louis; Mary of Aquisgrana (Aix-la-Chapelle); and St. Anastatius (died 628), whose day is January 22.
India, St. Bartolomé de las Casas(1474-1566):the Rev. J. Eliot (1603-1690); and Francis Xavier (1506-1552), called “The Apostle of the Indians,” whose day is December 4.
Ireland, St. Patrick (372-493). His day is March 17. (Some give his birth 387, and some his death 495).
Italy, St. Anthony (251-356). His day is January 17.
Lapland, St. Nicholas (died 342). His day is December 6.
Lichfield, St. Chad, who lived there (died 672). His day is March 2.
Liege, St. Albert (died 1195). His day is November 21.
Lisbon, St. Vincent (died 304). His translation to Lisbon is kept September 15.
London, St. Paul, whose day is January 25; and St. Michael, whose day is September 29.
Moscow, St. Nicholas (died 342). His day is December 6.
Mountains, St. Barbara (died 335). Her day is December 4.
Naples, St. Januarius (died 291), whose day is September 19; and St. Thomas Aquīnas (1227-1274), whose days are March 7 and July 18.
Netherlands, St. Armand (589-679).
North(The), St. Ansgar (801-864), and Bernard Gilpin (1517-1583).Norway, St. Anscharius, called “The Apostle of the North” (801-864), whose day is February 3; and St. Olaus (992, 1000-1030).
Oxford, St. Frideswide.
Padua, St. Justina, whose day is October 7; and St. Anthony (1195-1231), whose day is June 13.
Paris, St. Geneviève (419-512). Her day is January 3.
Peak(The), Derbyshire, W. Bagshaw (1628-1702).
Picts(The), St. Ninian (fourth century), whose day is September 16; and St. Columb (521-597), whose day is June 9.
Pisa, San Ranieri.
Poitiers, St. Hilary (300-367). His day is January 14.
Poland, St. Hedviga (1174-1243), whose day is October 15; and St. Stanislaus (died 1078), whose day is May 7.
Portugal, St. Sebastian (250-288). His day is January 20.
Prussia, St. Andrew, whose day is November 30; and St. Albert (died 1195), whose day is November 21.
Rochester, St. Paulīnus (353-431). His day is June 22.
Rome, St. Peter and St. Paul. Both died on the same day of the month, June 29. The old tutelar deity was Mars.
Russia, St. Nicholas, St. Andrew, St. George, and the Virgin Mary.
Saragossa, St. Vincent, where he was born (died 304). His day is January 22.
Sardinia, Mary the Virgin. Her days are:Nativity, November 21;Visitation, July 2;Conception, December 8;Purification, February 2;Assumption, August 15.
Scotland, St. Andrew, because his remains were brought by Regulus into Fifeshire in 368. His day is November 30.
Sebastia(in Armenia), St. Blaise (died 316). His day is February 3.
Sicily, St. Agatha, where she was born (died251.Her day is February 5. The old tutelar deity was Cerês.
Silesia, St. Hedviga, also called Avoye (1174-1243). His day is October 15.
SlavesorSlavi, St. Cyril, called “The Apostle of the Slavi” (died 868). His day is February 14.
Spain, St. James the Greater (diedA.D.44). His day is July 24.
Sweden, St. Anscharius, St John, and St. Eric IX. (reigned 1155-1161).
Switzerland, St. Gall (died 646). His day is October 16.
Valleys, St. Agatha (died 251). Her day is February 5.
Venice, St. Mark, who was buried there. His day is April 25. St. Pantaleon, whose day is July 27; and St. Lawrence Justiniani (1380-1465).
Vienna, St. Stephen (diedA.D.34). His day is December 26.
Vineyards, St. Urban (died 230). His day is May 25.
Wales, St. David, uncle of King Arthur (died 544). His day is March 1.
Woods, St. Silvester, becausesilva, in Latin, means “a wood.” His day is June 20.
Yorkshire, St. Paulīnus (353-431). His day is June 22.
Saints for Special Classes of Persons, such as tradesmen, children, wives, idiots, students, etc.:—
Archers, St. Sebastian, because he was shot by them.
Armorers, St. George of Cappadocia.
Artistsand theArts, St. Agatha; but St. Luke is the patron of painters, being himself one.
Bakers, St. Winifred, who followed the trade.
Barbers, St. Louis.
Barren Women. St. Margaret befriends them.
Beggars, St. Giles. Hence the outskirts of cities are often called “St. Giles.”
Bishops, etc., St. Timothy and St. Titus (1Tim.iii. 1;Titusi. 7).
Blind Folk, St. Thomas à Becket, and St. Lucy, who was deprived of her eyes by Paschasius.
Booksellers, St. John Port Latin.
Brides, St. Nicholas, because he threw three stockings, filled with wedding portions, into the chamber window of three virgins, that they might marry their sweethearts, and not live a life of sin for the sake of earning a living.
Burglars, St. Dismas, the penitent thief.
CandleandLamp Makers, St. Lucy and Lucian. A pun uponlux lucis(“light”).
Cannoneers, St. Barbara, because she is generally represented in a fort or tower.
Captives, St. Barbara and St. Leonard.
Carpenters, St. Joseph, who was a carpenter.
Children, St. Felicitas and St. Nicholas. This latter saint restored to life some children, murdered by aninkeeper,of Myra, and pickled in a pork-tub.
Cobblers, St. Crispin, who worked at the trade.
Cripples, St. Giles, because he refused to be cured of an accidental lameness, that he might mortify his flesh.
Divines, St. Thomas Aquinas, author ofSomme de Theology.
Doctors, St. Cosme, who was a surgeon in Cilicia.
Drunkards.St. Martin, because St. Martin’s Day (November 11) happened to be the day of the Vinalia, or feast of Bacchus. St. Urban protects.
Dying, St. Barbara.
Ferrymen, St. Christopher, who was a ferryman.
Fishermen, St. Peter, who was a fisherman.
Fools, St. Maturin because the Greek wordmatiaormatêmeans “folly.”
Free Trade.R. Cobden is called “The Apostle of Free Trade” (1804-1865).
Freemen, St. John.
Fullers, St. Sever, because the place so called, on the Adour, is or was famous for its tanneries and fulleries.
Goldsmiths, St. Eloy, who was a goldsmith.
Hatters, St. William, the son of a hatter.
HogandSwineherds, St. Anthony. Pigs unfit for food used anciently to have their ears slit, but one of the proctors of St. Anthony’s Hospital once tied a bell about the neck of a pig whose ear was slit, and no one ever attempted to injure it.
Housewives, St. Osyth, especially to prevent their losing the keys, and to help them in finding these “tiny tormentors;” St. Martha, the sister of Lazarus.
Huntsmen, St. Hubert, who lived in the Ardennes, a famous hunting forest; and St. Eustace.
Idiots.St. Gildas restores them to their right senses.
Infants, St. Felicitas and St. Nicholas.
Infidels.Voltaire is called “The Apostle of Infidels” (1694-1778).
Insane Folks, St. Dymphna.
Lawyers, St. Yves Helori (in Sicily), who was called “The Advocate of the Poor,” because he was always ready to defend them in the law courts gratuitously (1233-1303).
Learned Men, St. Catherine, noted for her learning, and for converting certain philosophers, sent to convince the Christians of Alexandria of the folly of the Christian faith.
Madmen, St. Dymphna.
Maidens, the Virgin Mary.
Mariners, St. Christopher, who was a ferryman; and St. Nicholas, who was once in danger of shipwreck, and who, on one occasion, lulled a tempest for some pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land.
Millers, St.Arnold, the son of a miller.
Mercers, St. Florian, the son of a mercer.
Mothers, the Virgin Mary; St. Margaret, for those who wish to be so. The girdle of St. Margaret, in St. Germain’s, is placed round the waist of those who wish to be mothers.
Musicians, St. Cecilia, who was an excellent musician.
Nailers, St. Cloud, becauseclou, in French means “a nail.”
Netmakers, St. James and St. John (Matt.iv. 21).
Nurses, St. Agatha.
Painters, St. Luke, who was a painter.
Parish Clerks, St. Nicholas.
Parsons, St. Thomas Aquinas, doctor of theology, at Paris.
Physicians, St. Cosme, who was a surgeon; St. Luke (Col.iv. 14).
Pilgrims, St. Julian, St. Raphael, St. James of Compostella.
Pinmakers, St. Sebastian, whose body was as full of arrows in hismartydomas a pincushion is of pins.
Poor Folks, St. Giles, who affected indigence, thinking “poverty and suffering” a service acceptable to God.
Portrait-paintersandPhotographers, St. Veronica, who had a handkerchief with the face of Jesus stamped on it.
Potters, St. Gore, who was a potter.
Prisoners, St. Sebastian and St. Leonard.
Sages, St. Cosme, St. Damian, and St. Katherine.
Sailors, St. Nicholas and St. Christopher.
Scholars, St. Katherine. (See “Learned Men.”)
School Children, St. Nicholas and St. Gregory.
Scotch Reformers.Knox is “The Apostle of the Scotch Reformers” (1505-72).
Seaman, St. Nicholas, who once was in danger of shipwreck; and St. Christopher, who was a ferryman.
Shepherdsand theirFlocks, St. Windeline, who kept sheep, like David.
Shoemakers, St. Crispin, who made shoes.
Silversmiths, St. Eloy, who worked in gold and silver.
Slaves, St. Cyril. This is a pun; he was “The Apostle of the Slavi.”
Soothsayers, etc., St. Agabus (Actsxxi. 10).
Sportsmen, St. Hubert. (See “Huntsmen.”)
Statuaries, St. Veronica. (See above, “Portrait-painters.”)
Stonemasons, St. Peter, (Johni. 42).
Students, St. Katherine, noted for her great learning.
Surgeons, St. Cosme, who practised medicine in Cilicia gratuitously (died 310).
Sweethearts, St. Valentine, because in the Middle Ages ladies held their “courts of love” about this time. (SeeValentine.)
SwineherdsandSwine, St. Anthony.
Tailors, St. Goodman, who was a tailor.
Tanners, St. Clement, the son of a tanner.
Tax-collectors, St. Matthew, (Matt.ix. 9).
Tentmakers, St. Paul and St. Aquila, who were tentmakers (Actsxviii. 3).
Thieves, St. Dismas, the penitent thief. St. Ethelbert and St. Elian ward off thieves.
Travellers, St. Raphael, because he assumed the guise of a traveller in order to guide Tobias from Nineveh to Ragês (Tobitv.).
VintnersandVineyards, St. Urban.
Virgins, St. Winifred and St. Nicholas.
Wheelwrights, St. Boniface, the son of a wheelwright.
Wigmakers, St. Louis.
Wise Men, St. Cosme, St. Damian, and St. Catherine.
WoolcombersandStaplers, St. Blaise, who was torn to pieces by “combes of yren.”
Sakhar, the devil who stole Solomon’s signet. The tale is that Solomon, when he washed, entrusted his signet-ring to his favorite concubine, Amina. Sakhar one day assumed the appearance of Solomon, got possession of the ring, and sat on the throne as the king. During this usurpation, Solomon became a beggar, but in forty days Sakhar flew away, and flung the signet-ring into the sea. It was swallowed by a fish, the fish was caught and sold to Solomon, the ring was recovered, and Sakhar was thrown into the sea of Galilee with a great stone round his neck.—Jallâlo´ddin,Al Zamakh. (SeeFish and the Ring.)
Sa´kia, the dispenser of rain, one of the four gods of the Adites (2syl.).
Sakia, we invoked for rain;We called on Razeka for food;They did not hear our prayers—they could not hear.No cloud appeared in heaven,No nightly dews came down.Southey,Thalaba, the Destroyer, i. 24 (1797).
Sakunta´la, daughter of Viswamita and a water-nymph, abandoned by her parents, and brought up by a hermit. One day, King Dushyanta came to the hermitage, and persuaded Sakuntala to marry him. In due time a son was born, but Dushyanta left his bride at the hermitage. When the boy was six years old, his mother took him to the king, and Dushyanta recognized his wife by a ring which he had given her. Sakuntala was now publicly proclaimed queen, and the boy (whose name was Bhârata) became the founder of the glorious race of the Bhâratas.
This story forms the plot of the famous drama,Sakuntala, by Kâlidasa, well known to us through the translation of Sir W. Jones.
Sakya-Muni, the founder of Buddhism. Sakya is the family name of Siddharta, andmunimeans “a recluse.” Buddha (“perfection”) is a title given to Siddharta.
Sal´ace(3syl.) orSalacia, wife of Neptune, and mother of Triton.
Triton, who boasts his high Neptunian race,Sprung from the god by Salace’s embrace.Camoens,Lusiad, vi. (1672).
Sal´adin, the soldan of the East. Sir W. Scott introduces him inThe Talisman, first as Sheerkohf, emir of Kurdistan, and subsequently as Adonbeck el Hakim, the physician.
Salamanca(The Bachelor of), the title and hero of a novel by Lesage. The name of the bachelor is Don Cherubim, who is placed in all sorts of situations suitable to the author’s vein of satire(1704)
Sala´nio, a friend to Antonio and Bassānio.—Shakespeare,Merchant of Venice(1598).
Salari´no, a friend to Antonio and Bassānio.—Shakespeare,Merchant of Venice(1598).
Sa´leh.The Thamûdites (3syl.), proposed that Sâleh should, by miracle, prove that Jehovah was a God superior to their own. Prince Jonda said he would believe it if Sâleh made a camel, big with young, come out of a certain rock which he pointed out. Sâleh did so, and Jonda was converted.
(The Thamûdites were idolaters, and Sâleh, the prophet, was sent to bring them back to the worship of Jehovah.)
Sâleh’s Camel.The camel thus miraculously produced, used to go about the town, crying aloud, “Ho! every one that wanteth milk, let him come, and I will give it him.”—Sale,Al Korân, vii. notes. (SeeIsaiahlv. 1).
Saleh, a son of Faras´chê (3syl.) queen of a powerful under-sea empire. His sister was Gulna´rê (3syl.), empress of Persia. Saleh asked the king of Samandal, another under-sea emperor, to give his daughter, Giauha´rê, in marriage to Prince Beder, son of Gulnarê; but the proud, passionate despot ordered the prince’s head to be cut off for such presumptuous insolence. However, Saleh made his escape, invaded Samandal, took the king prisoner, and the marriage between Beder and the Princess Giauharê was duly celebrated.—Arabian Nights(“Beder and Giauharê”).
Sa´lem, a young seraph, one of the two tutelar angels of the Virgin Mary and of John the Divine, “for God had given to John two tutelar angels, the chief of whom was Raph´ael, one of the most exalted seraphs of the hierarchy of heaven.”—Klopstock,The Messiah, iii. (1748).
Sal´emal, the preserver in sickness, one of the four gods of the Adites (2syl.).—D’Herbelot,BibliothèquesOrientale(1697).
Salian Franks.So called from the Isăla or Yssel, in Holland. They were a branch of the Sicambri; hence, when Clovis was baptized at Rheims, the old prelate addressed him as “Sigambrian,” and said that “he must henceforth set at naught what he had hitherto worshipped, and worship what he had hitherto set at naught.”
Salisbury(Earl of), William Longsword, natural son of Henry II. and Jane Clifford, “The Fair Rosamond.”—Shakespeare,King John(1596); Sir W. Scott,The Talisman(time, Richard I.).
Sallust of France(The). César Vichard (1639-1692) was so called by Voltaire.
Salmigondin, or “Salmygondin,” a lordship of Dipsody, given by Pantagruel to Panurge (2syl.). Alcofribas, who had resided six months in the giant’s mouth without his knowing it, was made castellan of the castle.—Rabelais,Pantagruel, ii. 32; iii. 2 (1533-45).