The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions

The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions • THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ALLUSIONS < r * ^ * MOÊ ^••f irlanguage com irlanguage jpg 4 m w/^ÊÊÈP" Allusions form a colourful extension to the English language, draw[.]

• THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ALLUSIONS www.oup.com £15.99 RRP $25.00 USA Andrew Delahunty, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock are all freelance lexicographers with many years experience in writing dictionaries and other reference works Between them they have worked on a wide range of books including dictionaries for adults, children, and those learning English as a foreign language This book grew out of their shared interest in the subject of allusions Jacket illustration: Echo and Narcissus, 1903, by John William Waterhouse, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool/Bridgeman Art Library Board of Trustees: National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside Classic dictionaries from Oxford: THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF PHRASE & FABLE Edited by Elizabeth Knowles A major reference work, diis book provides a wealth of fascinating and informative background detail for over 20,000 phrases used in English today From Barbie doll to the seven-league boots, this highly browsable/>o«m of terms includes entries from a broad range of topics, from classical mythology, history, religion, folk customs, popular culture, science and technology, and many more THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS 5th edition \ }• Edited by Elizabeth Knowles Acclaimed for its broad and authoritative coverage, this major new edition contains 20,000 quotations and a new thematic index New sections bring together Advertising slogans, Epitaphs, Film lines, Misquotations, and other special categories, such as Catchphrases, Opening lines, and Political slogans and songs 'Invaluable' The Times The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions Andrew Delahunty Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock OXFORD UNIVERSITY P R E S S OXTORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Great Clarendon Street, Oxford 0x2 6DP Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogota Buenos Aires Calcutta Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris Sâo Paulo Shanghai Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw with associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © Andrew Delahunty, Sheila Dignen, and Penny Stock 2001 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (makers) First published 2001 All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Data available ISBN 0-19-860031-3 10 Designed by Jane Stevenson Typeset in Photina and Quay Sans by Interactive Sciences Ltd Printed in Great Britain by T J International, Padstow Contents Introduction List of Themes List of Special Entries Dictionary Index vii xi xiii 423 Karloff, Boris Karma Karnac Kelly, Ned Kent, Clark and Superman Keystone Kops King, Martin Luther Kitchener, Lord Klimt Knox, John Kojak Kon-Tiki Krakatoa Ugliness Destiny and Luck Deserted Places Outlaws Change Labyrinth Lady in Red Laelaps Lais Lake, Veronica Lamb of God Lancelot, Sir Lancelot and Guinevere land of milk and honey Land of Nod Land of Promise Laocoôn Laodicean Laon and Cythna Laurel and Hardy Lautrec Lawrence, St Lawrence of Arabia Lazarus Lear, King Legree, Simon Leonardo Leontes Lesbos Lethe Leviathan Liar, Billy Lilliputian Lincoln, Abraham Linus blanket Little Bighorn Little Dutch boy Complexity Betrayal Speed Prostitutes Hair Innocence Heroes, Rescue Lovers Abundance and Plenty Sleep Idyllic Places Prophecy, Struggle, Suffering Indifference Lovers Comedy and Humour Artists Suffering Heroes Poverty, Rebirth and Resurrection, Returning Insanity Ruthlessness Artists Jealousy Sex and Sexuality Death, Memory Large Size, Strength Lying Importance, Small Size Freedom, Oratory, Speech, Thinness Safety Defeat Courage Comedy and Humour Goodness Moustaches Artists Disapproval, Sternness Baldness Travellers and Wanderers Sound 4 INDEX Little Engine That Could Little Match Girl Little Orphan Annie Lochinvar Loki Lolita Loman, Willy Lone Ranger Long John Silver Lorelei Lot Lothario Lot's wife Lotus-eaters Louis XIV Lovelace Lucan, Lord Lucifer Lucretia Lucullus Luddites Luke, St Lysistrata Perseverance Poverty Hair Heroes Cunning, Evil, Mischief Sex and Sexuality Failure Concealment, Solitude Walk Danger, Sirens Departure, Escape and Survival Seducers and Male Lovers Change, Punishment Happiness, Memory Arrogance and Pomposity Seducers and Male Lovers Disappearance and Absence Ascent and Descent, Cunning, Devil, Failure, Pride, Rebellion and Disobedience Sex and Sexuality Food and Drink Lack of Change Medicine Chastity and Virginity Macavity Macbeth, Lady Macbeth/Lady Macbeth Macbeth's witches Machiavelli Mad Hatter Mad Hatter's Tea Party Madonna Maecenas Maenad Mafeking Mafia Magdalene, Mary Magi Magritte, René Mahalalel Malaprop, Mrs Malvolio Mambrino's helmet Mammon Man in the Iron Mask manna Disappearance and Absence Ambition, Cunning, Evil, Gesture, Sleep Guilt Ugliness Cunning Insanity Chaos and Disorder Beauty: Female Beauty, Goodness, Peace Wealth Chaos and Disorder, Sex and Sexuality Courage Revenge Grief and Sorrow, Guilt, Prostitutes Wisdom Strangeness Old Age Speech Arrogance and Pomposity Invisibility Avarice, Wealth Captives Food and Drink INDEX 4 Marat March Hare Marie Antoinette Marius Marlowe, Philip Marner, Silas Marple, Miss Mars Marsyas Marvel, Captain Marvin Marx, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx Brothers Mary Celeste Mason, Perry Mata Hari Matilda McCarthy, Senator McLuhan Mecca Meddlesome Matty Medea Medes and Persians Medusa Mekon Melpomene Menjou, Adolph Mephistopheles Mercury Merlin Merlin and Nimue Mesmer mess of pottage Messiah Methuselah Micawber, Mr Michelangelo Mickey Mouse Midas Midian, hosts of Miller, Daisy Millet Mills and Boon Milquetoast, Caspar Milton Death Insanity Arrogance and Pomposity, Idealism, Indifference Solitude Detectives Miserliness Detectives War Punishment Heroes Pessimism Walk Silence Comedy and Humour Deserted Places, Disappearance and Absence, Silence Detectives Sirens Lying Ruthlessness Communication Quest Mischief Jealousy, Revenge Lack of Change Hair, Ugliness Baldness Inspiration, Suffering Moustaches Devil, Temptation Messengers, Speed Magic, Past, Wisdom Lovers Power Bargain Freedom Old Age Optimism, Thrift Artists, Beauty: Male Beauty Importance, Speech Avarice, Disclosure, Punishment, Wealth Enemy Naivety Artists Love and Marriage Weakness Writers 4 INDEX Mimir Minerva Ministry of Silly Walks Minotaur Miranda Miriam Mithras Mitty, Walter Munchausen, Baron Mnemosyne Moby Dick Modigliani, Amedeo Moloch Mona Lisa Monroe, Marilyn Montagues and Capulets Monte Cristo, Count of Monty Python Morgan, John Pierpoint Morgan le Fay Moriarty Morpheus Moses Mother Hubbard Muhammad Munchkin Muses Mussolini Myron Wisdom Appearing, Craftsmen, Music, War, Wisd Walk Monsters Naivety Music Light Illusion, Lying Lying Memory Quest Thinness Evil, Power Mystery, Smiles Beauty: Female Beauty Conflict, Enemy Captives, Revenge Comedy and Humour, Strangeness Wealth Magic Criminals Dreams, Sleep Appearing, Freedom, Movement, Safety Abundance and Plenty Movement Small Size Inspiration Dictators and Tyrants Sculptors Naboth's vineyard naiad Napoleon Narcissus Narnia Nautilus Nazirite Nebuchadnezzar nectar Nefertiti Nelson Nemesis Nepenthe Neptune Nereid Nereus Nero Avarice Hair Leaders, Soldiers Beauty: Male Beauty, Vanity Strangeness Modernity Hair Dreams, Hair, Insanity Food and Drink Beauty: Female Beauty Blindness Destiny and Luck, Punishment, Revenge Memory Water Water Water Dictators and Tyrants, Indifference INDEX 4 Nestor Never-Never Land New Jerusalem Newgate Newton, Isaac Nibelung Nietzsche Niflheim Nightingale, Florence Nightmare on Elm Street Nijinsky Nike Nimrod Nineveh Ninth Plague of Egypt Niobe Nirvana Noah Noah's Ark Noah's dove Noah's flood noble savage Noddy Norns Nostradamus Nureyev, Rudolph Nymph Wisdom Idyllic Places Idyllic Places Prisons Intelligence, Realization Wealth Superiority Darkness Goodness, Medicine Fear Oates, Captain Occam's razor Odin Odysseus Departure Intelligence Wisdom Destiny and Luck, Disguise, Noses, Returning, Travellers and Wanderers Travellers and Wanderers Blindness, Destiny and Luck, Jealousy, Sex and Sexuality Devil Difficulty, Perseverance Devil Superiority Importance Wealth Lovers Odyssey Oedipus Old Harry Old Man of the Sea Old Nick Olympian Olympus Onassis, Aristotle Onegin, Eugene and Tatiana Ophelia Ophir Dancing Victory Hunters Destruction, Distance Darkness Grief and Sorrow Happiness Escape and Survival, Nakedness, Past Outdatedness Movement Water Naivety Importance Destiny and Luck Prophecy Dancing Beauty: Female Beauty Death, Insanity Distance 4 INDEX Orion Orpheus Orwell Ossian Othello Othello and Desdemona Outer Mongolia Oyl, Olive Ozymandias Hunters Music Power Travellers and Wanderers Jealousy Lovers Distance Thinness Power, Pride Packer, Kerry Pacolet Pan Pandemonium Pandora's box Pangloss Pantagruel Pantheon Paolo and Francesca Papa Doc Paracelsus Paradise Parcae Sisters Paris Parnassus Parthian Patton, General Paul and Virginia Pauline Pavlov Pavlova Pax Pecksniff Peeping Tom Pegasus Pelion on Ossa Pelléas and Mélisande Penelope Pepys, Samuel Pericles Peripatetic Persephone Perseus Peter Pan Petra Petrarch and Laura Petruchio Wealth Messengers Chaos and Disorder, Music, Sex and Sexuality Chaos and Disorder, Unpleasant or Wicked Places Problem Optimism Gluttony Leaders Lovers Dictators and Tyrants Medicine Idyllic Places Indifference Judgement and Decision Inspiration Departure Soldiers Lovers Change Conformity Dancing Peace Hypocrisy Blindness, Punishment Escape and Survival, Horses Difficulty Lovers Patience Writers Oratory Movement Temptation Rescue Hair, Youth Deserted Places Lovers Power INDEX 4 Phaethon Pharaoh Pharisee Pheidippides Phidias Philistine Philistines Philoctetes Philosopher's Stone Phobos Phoebe Phoebus Phoenix Phryne Picasso Pickwick, Mr Pied Piper Pieria Piggy, Miss Pilate, Pontius Pilate's wife Pillars of Hercules Pinkerton's Pinocchio Piranesi plagues of Egypt Plato Pluto Plutus Pocahontas Podsnap Poirot, Hercule Pollock Pollyanna Polo, Marco Polonius Polycrates Polydamas Polyhymnia Polyphemus Pomona Pompeii Pony Express Pooh-Bah Popeye Poppins, Mary Failure Dictators and Tyrants, Dreams Hypocrisy Messengers Sculptors Stupidity Enemy Suffering Quest Fear Light Light, Temperature Rebirth and Resurrection Prostitutes Artists Fatness Power, Solitude Inspiration Fatness Gesture, Guilt, Innocence Dreams Distance Detectives Life: Generation of Life, Lying, Noses Strangeness Suffering Idealism, Intelligence Darkness Wealth Beauty: Female Beauty Arrogance and Pomposity Detectives Artists Optimism Travellers and Wanderers Concealment Destiny and Luck Strength Inspiration Jealousy Abundance and Plenty Deserted Places, Destruction Messengers Arrogance and Pomposity Strength Wholesomeness 4 INDEX Promised Land Prospero Prospero's banquet Proteus Proust Prynne, Hester Psycho Puck Punch and Judy Punchinello Pygmalion Pygmalion and Galatea Pyramus and Thisbe Pyrrhic victory Success Disguise Anger, Water Sex and Sexuality Bargain Sculptors Hair Sex and Sexuality Seducers and Male Lovers Devil Captives Captives Captives Conformity, Large Size Food and Drink, Forgiveness, Returning Cunning, Life: Generation of Life, Problem, Punishment, Rebellion and Disobedience, Suffering Idyllic Places Magic Disappearance and Absence Appearing, Change Memory Adultery Fear Mischief Conflict, Speech Speech Life: Generation of Life, Sculptors Lovers Lovers Victory Quasimodo Quatermain, Allan Music, Ugliness Adventure Ra Rabelais Rachel Rackham, Arthur Raft of the Medusa Ragnarok Rambo Rapunzel Rasputin Reading Gaol Reardon, Edwin Rebel Without a Cause Light Comedy and Humour Grief and Sorrow Naivety Suffering Destruction Macho Men Hair Evil Prisons Failure Nonconformity Porter, KCB, Sir Joseph Portia Poseidon Potiphar's wife pound of flesh Praxiteles Pre-Raphaelite Priapus Prince Charming Prince of Darkness Princes in the Tower Prisoner of Chillon Prisoner of Zenda Procrustes Prodigal Son Prometheus INDEX 4 Red Cross Knight Red Queen Red Sea Red Shoes Reed, Donna Rembrandt Revere, Paul Reynolds Rhadamanthus Richard, Cliff Rip Van Winkle Rivera rivers of Babylon Roadrunner Robben Island Robert the Bruce Robin Hood Rochester, Mrs Rockefeller Rockwell, Norman Rogers, Ginger Roland and Oliver Romeo Romeo and Juliet Romulus and Remus Roscius Rosinante Rothko Rothschild Rousseau Rubens Rubicon Rudolph Rumpelstiltskin Ruritania Rescue Speed Movement Dancing Wholesomeness Artists, Darkness Messengers Artists Judgement and Decision, Sternness Wholesomeness Outdatedness, Returning, Sleep Artists Grief and Sorrow Speed Prisons Perseverance Generosity, Outlaws, Rebellion and Disobedience Concealment, Insanity Generosity, Wealth Wholesomeness Dancing Similarity Seducers and Male Lovers Lovers Similarity Actors Horses Artists Wealth Artists, Naivety Artists, Beauty: Female Beauty, Fatness Change Noses Change, Disclosure Cunning Sadduccee Sade, Marquis de Salome Samaritan Samson Doubt Sex and Sexuality Dancing Goodness Blindness, Captives, Hair, Safety, Strength, Weakness Lovers Food and Drink Sleep Generosity Sex and Sexuality Samson and Delilah Samuel Sandman Santa Claus Sappho 4 INDEX SAS Satan Saturnalian Satyr Saul/Paul Savonarola Sawyer, Tom scapegoat Scaramouch Scarecrow Scarlet Pimpernel Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler Scheherazade Schindler, Oskar Schopenhauer Schwarzenegger, Arnold Schweitzer, Albert Scott, Walter Scott of the Antarctic Scrooge Scylla and Charybdis Sebastian, St Selene Sennacherib Sermon on the Mount Serpent Seven Sages of Greece Seven Sleepers Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Shakespeare Shangri-la Sharp, Becky Sheba, Queen of Sheppard, Jack Shylock Siberia Sibyl Siegfried Silenus Simeon Stylites, St Simple Simon Sinbad Sir Humphrey Sirens Rescue Cunning, Devil, Hair, Rebellion and Disobedience, Temptation Food and Drink Sex and Sexuality Change Disapproval Cunning, Nonconformity Guilt Cowardice Stupidity Disappearance and Absence, Rescue Lovers Cunning, Storytellers Goodness Pessimism Heroes Goodness Adventure Temperature Miserliness Danger, Problem Suffering Light Disappearance and Absence Oratory Cunning, Problem Wisdom Sleep Temperature Writers Idyllic Places Cunning Arrogance and Pomposity Escape and Survival Bargain, Miserliness Distance, Unpleasant or Wicked Places Communication, Knowledge, Prophecy Heroes, Weakness Fatness, Food and Drink Height Stupidity Adventure, Strangeness, Travellers and Wanderers Power Danger, Destruction, Sirens Difficulty, Failure, Punishment, Suffering Poverty Heroes Silence, Sleep Horses Despair Thrift Quest Indifference Beauty: Female Beauty Envy, Vanity Sisyphus Skid Row Skywalker, Luke Sleeping Beauty Sleipnir Slough of Despond Smiles, Samuel Snark Snow Queen Snow White Snow White's stepmother Socrates Sodom Sodom and Gomorrah Solomon Solomon's temple Solon Somnus sorcerer's apprentice Spade, Sam Spartan Speedy Gonzalez Spenser Sphinx Spock Squeers, Wackford Stalin Stanislavsky Starship Enterprise Steen Stentor Stepford Wives Stephen, St Struldbrug Stygian Styx Sun City Sun King Superman Susanna Svengali sword of Damocles Symplegades Intelligence, Nonconformity Sex and Sexuality Destruction, Unpleasant or Wicked Places Judgement and Decision, Wisdom Wealth Wisdom Sleep Difficulty Detectives Strength, Thrift Speed Chastity and Virginity Mystery Intelligence Ruthlessness, Teachers Dictators and Tyrants Actors Modernity Artists Speech Conformity Suffering Old Age Darkness Death Prisons Wealth Change, Heroes, Strength, Weakness Innocence, Nakedness Power Danger Danger Taliesin Tamerlane Storytellers Leaders INDEX Tammany Hall Tannhàuser Tantalus tar baby Tartarus Tartuffe Tarzan Taylor, Jeremy Teflon Temple, Shirley Teresa, Mother termagant Terminator Terpsichore Thalia Thermopylae Thespis Thirty Pieces of Silver Thor Thoth Thought Police Thraso Three Musketeers Thumbelina Thyestes Timbuktu Tinker Bell Tin Man Tin-Pan Alley Tiresias Titan Titania Titanic Tithonus Titian Tityus Toad, Mr Tom Thumb Tophet Topsy Tortoise Toulouse-Lautrec Tower Hill Tower of London Tracy, Dick Unpleasant or Wicked Places Forgiveness Punishment, Suffering Problem Darkness, Punishment, Suffering, Unpleasant or Wicked Places Hypocrisy Macho Men, Strength Lack of Change Escape and Survival Hair, Naivety Goodness Fierce Women Macho Men Dancing, Inspiration, Music Beauty: Female Beauty, Comedy and Humour, Inspiration Courage Actors Betrayal Strength Wisdom Power Arrogance and Pomposity Friendship Small Size Punishment Distance Escape and Survival Immobility, Lack of Change Music Blindness, Prophecy Importance, Large Size, Strength, Superiority Sleep Danger Old Age Artists Punishment Disguise Small Size Unpleasant or Wicked Places Hair, Knowledge Perseverance Artists Death Prisons Detectives IN tree of knowledge Tristram Tristram and Iseult Triton Troilus and Cressida Trojan Horse Turner Turpin, Dick Tutankhamun Tutu, Archbishop Tweedledum and Tweedledee Twiggy Twilight Zone Twist, Oliver Tyburn Typhoid Mary Tyr Knowledge Despair, Hunters Lovers Water Lovers Cunning Artists Outlaws Curse Goodness Similarity Udolpho Ugly Duckling Ugly Sisters Ultima Thule Ulysses Uncle Tom Urania Uriah US cavalry Utopia Mystery Change, Ugliness Ugliness, Vanity Distance Travellers and Wanderers Betrayal Inspiration Betrayal Rescue Idealism, Idyllic Places Valhalla Valkyries Valley of (the Shadow of) Death Vandal Vanderbilt Van Dyck Van Gogh Vashti Veil of Isis Velasquez Venus Idyllic Places War Death Venus de Milo Veronese Vespucci, Amerigo Vesuvius Thinness Strangeness Poverty Death Danger, Deserted Places War Destruction Wealth Artists Artists Rebellion and Disobedience Mystery Artists Appearing, Beauty: Female Beauty, Love and Marriage, Sex and Sexuality Hair Artists Explorers Anger INDEX Victoria, Queen Vietnam Vitus, St Vladimir Volpone Voltaire Vulcan Comedy and Humour Defeat Dancing Patience Cunning Disapproval Craftsmen, Ugliness Waltons Wandering Jew Warshawski, V I Washington, George Waterloo Wayne, John Wee Willie Winkie Wellington Wells Fargo Wendy Werther Wesley, John West Side Story White Rabbit Whore of Babylon Wild Boy of Aveyron Wilde, Oscar Winnie the Pooh Wise Men Wise Men of Gotham Witch of Endor Wizard of Oz wolf in Red Riding Hood wolf in sheep's clothing Wonderland Woody Woodpecker Wooster, Bertie Would-Be, Lady writing on the wall Naivety, Wholesomeness Solitude, Travellers and Wanderers Detectives Honesty and Truth Defeat Heroes, Macho Men Sleep Soldiers Messengers Love and Marriage Suffering Oratory Dancing Speed, Time Evil, Prostitutes Naivety Captives, Sex and Sexuality Gluttony Wisdom Stupidity Appearing, Magic Magic Disguise, Smiles Disguise Strangeness Hair Stupidity Ambition Communication, Prophecy Xanadu Xerxes Idyllic Places Leaders Yahoo Yellow Brick Road Yogi Bear Destruction Quest Gluttony Zapata Zeus Moustaches Change, Seducers and Male Lovers INDEX Zeuxis Zorba Zorro Artists Dancing Concealment, Rebellion and Disobedience