Part 157 (1/2)

_Sigismunda_, the heroine of Cervantes's last work of fiction. This tale is a tissue of episodes, full of most incredible adventures, astounding prodigies, impossible characters, and extravagant sentiments. It is said that Cervantes himself preferred it to his _Don Quixote_, just as Corneille preferred _Nicomede_ to his _Cid_, and Milton _Paradise Regained_ to his _Paradise Lost_.--_Encyc. Brit._, Art. ”Romance.”

=Sigurd=, the hero of an old Scandinavian legend. Sigurd discovered Brynhild, encased in a complete armor, lying in a death-like sleep, to which she had been condemned by Odin. Sigurd woke her by opening her corselet, fell in love with her, promised to marry her, but deserted her for Gudrun. This ill-starred union was the cause of an _Iliad_ of woes.

An a.n.a.lysis of this romance was published by Weber in his _Ill.u.s.trations of Northern Antiquities_ (1810).

=Sijil= (_Al_), the recording angel.

On that day we will roll up the heavens as the angel Al Sijil rolleth up the scroll wherein every man's actions are recorded.--_Al Koran_, xxi.

=Sikes= (_Bill_), a burglar, and one of f.a.gin's a.s.sociates. Bill Sikes was a hardened, irreclaimable villian,[TN-179] but had a conscience which almost drove him mad after the murder of Nancy, who really loved him (ch. xlviii.) Bill Sikes (1 _syl._) had an ill-conditioned savage dog, the beast-image of his master, which he kicked and loved, ill-treated and fondled.--C. d.i.c.kens, _Oliver Twist_ (1837).

The French ”Bill Sikes” is ”Jean Hiroux,” a creation of Henry Monnier.

=Sikundra= (_The_), a mausoleum about six miles from Agra, raised by Akhbah ”the Great.”

=Silence=, a country justice of asinine dullness when sober, but when in his cups of most uproarious mirth. He was in the commission of the peace with his cousin Robert Shallow.

_Falstaff._ I did not think Master Silence had been a man of this mettle.

_Silence._ Who, I? I have been merry twice and once, ere now.--Shakespeare, 2 _Henry IV._, act vi. sc. 3 (1598).

=Sile'no=, husband of Mysis; a kind-hearted man, who takes pity on Apollo when cast to earth by Jupiter, and gives him a home.--Kane O'Hara, _Midas_ (1764).

=Silent= (_The_), William I., prince of Orange (1533-1584). It was the principle of Napoleon III., emperor of the French, to ”hear, see, and say nothing.”

=Silent Man= (_The_), the barber of Bagdad, the greatest chatterbox that ever lived. Being sent for to shave the head and beard of a young man who was to visit the cadi's daughter at noon, he kept him from daybreak to midday, prating, to the unspeakable annoyance of the customer. Being subsequently taken before the caliph, he ran on telling story after story about his six brothers. He was called the ”Silent Man,” because on one occasion, being accidentally taken up with ten robbers, he never said he was not one of the gang. His six brothers were Bacbouc, the hunchback, Bakbarah, the toothless, Bakac, the one-eyed, Alcouz, the blind, Alnaschar, the earless, and Schacabac, the hare-lipped.--_Arabian Nights_ (”The Barber,” and ”The Barber's Six Brothers”).

=Silent Woman= (_The_), a comedy by Ben Jonson (1609). Morose, a miserly old fellow, who hates to hear any voice but his own, has a young nephew, Sir Dauphine, who wants to wring from him a third of his property; and the way he gains his point is this: He induces a lad to pretend to be a ”silent woman.” Morose is so delighted with the phenomenon that he consents to marry the prodigy; but the moment the ceremony is over, the boy-wife a.s.sumes the character of a virago, whose tongue is a ceaseless clack. Morose is in despair, and signs away a third of his property to his nephew, on condition of being rid of this intolerable pest. The trick is now revealed, Morose retires into private life, and Sir Dauphine remains master of the situation.

=Sile'nus=, son of Pan, chief of the sile'ni or older satyrs. Silenus was the foster-father of Bacchus, the wine-G.o.d, and is described as a jovial old toper, with bald head, pug nose, and pimply face.

Old Silenus, bloated, drunken, Led by his inebriate satyrs.

Longfellow, _Drinking Song._

=Silky=, a Jew money-lender, swindler, and miser. (See SULKY.)

Yon cheat all day, tremble at night, and act the hypocrite the first thing in the morning.--T. Holcroft, _The Road to Ruin_, ii. 3 (1792).

=Silly Billy=, William IV. (1765, 1830-1837).