Astrophil and Stella Glossary

Glossary of Terms

Aganippe

in classical mythology, a spring of poetic inspiration on Mt. Helicon

alabaster

smooth and white, like the alabaster stone

allegory

a representation of something often abstract or spiritual through something concrete or tangible; usually the elements of the concrete thing have parallels with elements of the thing represented

ambrosia

the traditional food of the gods

Amphion

in classical mythology, one of two twin brothers of Antiope and Zeus. He became the husband of Niobe. With his twin Zethus, he built the Theban walls by using his lyre to charm the stones to move into place.

Argus

a giant having one hundred eyes

Aurora

the goddess of the dawn

base

morally low or dishonorable

bate

to contend; a contention

beck

nod

beggary

utter poverty

beguile

to charm, divert, or influence, often by trickery

brawl

a kind of dance

brazen

shameless or impudent; also, like brass or made of brass

caustic

harsh, especially in language; corrosive

chafe

anger

changeling

an ugly or odd creature left by fairies in place of a child

chastity

being pure and chaste, especially by avoiding sexual practices

citadel

a defensive fortress over a city

clips

hugs or embraces

coltish

unruly or wild, like a young horse

conceit

in poetic terms, an extended metaphor; a whim

Dian

Diana, the virgin goddess of the moon and of hunting, also a protector of women

dribbed

done little by little

dustie

timeworn and stale

eke

also

eloquence

rhetoric, the art of using language well for communication

endite

to compose or write something, such as this poem

ermine

a weasel or its white fur

fancy

imagination or fantasy

firebrand

a piece of burning wood or something similar; metaphorically, a person with a fiery temper

Ganymede

a mythological boy so beautiful that Jove fell in love with him. Jove made him his cup-bearer in the heavens.

guise

a semblance or an assumed appearance

harbinger

a herald or anything that points to a future event

Helen

the beautiful wife of King Menelaus who was abducted to Troy by the young man Paris. This was the stated cause of the Trojan War (see the Iliad).

hemisphere

half of the globe

Hercules

a mythological hero with exceptional strength and verve

indentures

a contract that binds one person into the service of another

Jove

Jupiter, the supreme deity of the ancient Romans, god of the heavens and weather.

languish

to become weak or feeble, or to be so

laud

praise

layman

a person who is not a member of the clergy or a given profession (such as law or medicine)

livery

a distinctive uniform worn by an official or a member of a company or guild; also, characteristic dress or outward appearance

loadstar

something that serves as a guide or on which someone fixates

lyre

a musical instrument used to accompany singing and recitation

margent

the border or edge, especially on the edges of a printed book

Mars

the ancient Roman god of war and agriculture, identified with the Greek god Ares

maugre

despite

metamorphose

to undergo a change in form or nature

Morpheus

a son of Hypnos (the god of sleep) and the god of dreams

Muscovite

someone from the Grand Duchy of Muscovy or Moscow; a Russian

Muscovy

also called Grand Duchy of Muscovy, a Russian principality founded about 1271

ne

nor

nectar

traditionally the life-giving drink of the gods

Nestors

Nestor was an epic hero considered an elderly, wise counselor to the Greeks when they fought at Troy (see the Iliad).

niggard

an excessively miserly or stingy person

orator

a public speaker, especially one of great eloquence

Orpheus

in Greek mythology, a poet and musician who followed Euridice, his dead wife, to the underworld. He charmed Hades to give him permission to lead her back home, provided that he did not look back at her until they returned. At the last moment, he turned to look, and she was lost to him forever.

page

someone, usually young, in attendance on a person of rank

pap

a teat or nipple

Paris

the Trojan prince who abducted Helen (see the Iliad); he had been called on to judge which of three goddesses was the most beautiful. His judgment caused havoc in the heavens and on earth.

Parnassus

a Greek mountain that was sacred to Apollo, Dionysus, and the nine Muses

perplexity

a state of confusion or uncertainty

Petrarch

an 14th-century Italian poet and scholar who was famous for his love lyrics and his sonnet style

phlegmatic

having the cold, moist humor (a biological term of Sidney's time), resulting in a slow temperament

Phoebus

Apollo, the sun god

pied

black and white; particolored

Pindar

a Greek poet from the 5th century B.C., generally regarded as the greatest Greek lyric poet

piteous

evoking or deserving pity; pathetic

plague

an epidemic disease that had a very high mortality in the Middle Ages. It was transmitted to humans from rats via fleas.

plaint

complaint

poesie

poetry

porphir

a kind of stone

purling

flowing or rippling with a murmuring sound

quintessence

the pure, concentrated essence of something

ravishing

extremely beautiful and entrancing

rhubarb

a caustic substance, when medicinal; a vegetable

rogue

a homeless man or vagabond

ruddy

looking fresh, healthy, and red (especially in the cheeks)

scourge

a cause of great affliction or calamity; more weakly, someone or something that punishes or deeply criticizes

shent

shamed

sophistry

a false method of reasoning; a false argument; what the Sophists practiced

sovereignty

supremacy of authority or rule; having a rightful status, independence, or prerogative

Spartan

a native or inhabitant of Sparta, known for having a culture geared toward the production of warriors

sprite

a small or elusive supernatural being; an elf or pixie; also, a different form of the word for "spirit," meaning the attitude or principle that inspires thought, feeling, or action

staid

fixed, settled, or permanent

step-dame

stepmother

strife

vigorous or bitter conflict

succour

help or relief; also, a person or thing that gives succor

Tantals

a reference to Tantalus, a son of Zeus who stole from the gods, revealed their secrets, and killed and boiled his son. Tantalus was punished (tantalized).

Tempe

a Greek valley where Apollo chased Daphne until she was transformed into a laurel tree

Thebes

a city of ancient Greece

treble

pertaining to the highest pitch or range, as a voice part, voice, or instrument

trope

a figure of speech using words in non-literal ways, such as a metaphor

tygrish

tiger-like

vapours

vapor; a state of depression

vellum

calfskin, lambskin, kidskin, etc., used as a writing surface; books often were published on vellum

vexing

annoying and bothersome

wanton

malicious or unjustifiable; also, mischievous or frolicsome, often sexually and to one's detriment

windlass

ambush

wit

understanding, intelligence, or astuteness

wracke

damage or destruction

wretch

a person who is very unfortunate or unhappy or who has a despicable or base character

yelden

yielded

yoke

a device that holds together the heads of draft animals so that they will, for example, plow a field together; metaphorically, subjection, servitude, or oppression

zenith

a point in the sky that is directly above the observer