Glossary of Terms
addled: rotten
afield: on the battlefield
Apollo: the sun god
Argus: a mythological herdsman with countless eyes all over his body
Ariachne: a coinage combining Ariadne, the woman who helped Theseus through the labyrinth, and Arachne, the legendary weaver who was turned into a spider
bauble: a small toy or trinket
bawd: pimp
beef-witted: slow, stupid
bodements: predictions
bolting: sifting flour
Briareus: a mythical, hundred-handed giant
bruit: rumor
caduceus: Mercury's staff
calumniate: to spread lies about someone
catlings: catgut strings
churlish: violent
clapper-clawing: clawing; clapping raucously
cogging: deceitful
conflux: confluence
coped: struck
cygnet: baby swan
Daphne: a nymph pursued by Apollo who was turned into a bay tree to prevent her from being raped
daws: little birds; fools
Diana: the goddess of virginity
drayman: driver of a sled
emulous: envious
fellest: fiercest; cruellest
fitchew: polecat
fond: foolish
fusty: old; stale; highfaluting
glass: mirror
honesty: virtue; reputation; chastity
humble-bee: bumblebee
immures: walls
lifter: thief
mettle: strength; courage
Milo: a legendary Greek who was very strong
minced: diced into tiny pieces
moiety: part
Niobes: a legendary mother who still wept after being turned to stone
oracle: a seer; fortune
orgulous: prideful
peevish: obstinate
Phrygia: western Asia Minor
phthisic: respiratory illness
primogeneity: the practice of the first-born son inheriting the wealth of the parents
protractive: extended; long
purblind: completely blind
quondam: former
repair: return, go back
soilure: defilement
spotted: sick; dirty
sunder: tear apart; keep apart
Tenedos: an island near Troy
tetchy: capricious; fretful
tisick: cough
tortive: distorted
untimbered: lacking support
vambrance: forearm plate
varlet: boy; servant; male lover
Vulcan: the smith (arms-making) god from Greek mythology
wit: intelligence; wisdom
ClassicNote on Troilus and Cressida
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