Troilus and Cressida Study Guide

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