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Aaron

Aaron   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
36 words

the brother of Moses (Moyses), a priest, is cited by the friar in The Summoner's Tale (III.1894) as

ABC

ABC   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
230 words

one of Chaucer's shorter poems (184 lines, in eight-line stanzas). It is a translation of a prayer to the Virgin

Abigayl

Abigayl   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
78 words

Abigail, the wife of Nabal in the Old Testament, saved her husband (I Sam. 25:1–35) from the wrath of King

Abraham

Abraham   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
55 words

the Old Testament patriarch whose story is told in Genesis 11:27–25:18. He was traditionally held to be the image of

Absolon

Absolon (2)   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
113 words

the Oxford parish clerk in The Miller's Tale, the rival of the clerk Nicholas for the affections of Alison.

Absolon

Absolon (1)   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
76 words

in the Old Testament, the son of King David (2 Sam. 13–19:8), whose beauty and whose splendid head of hair

accident

accident   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
146 words

is used to mean ‘chance happening’ or ‘occurrence’, but in medieval philosophy it also had a more technical sense, deriving

Accidie

Accidie   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
8 words

Sloth; one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Achademycis

Achademycis   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
37 words

‘the scoles of … Achademycis’ [L. Academicis studiis], the ‘Academy’, the school of philosophy founded by Plato (in

Achate

Achate   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
30 words

a faithful friend of Aeneas (Eneas), ‘a knyght’, mentioned in The House of Fame 226, and in the

Acheloys

Acheloys   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
45 words

(Acheloys is the possessive form), the river Achelous in Greece. Achelous the river god in the form of a bull

Achemenye

Achemenye   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
31 words

Persia (and Armenia), from the mountains of which the Tigris and the Euphrates flow (L. Achamaenes, founder of the first

Achille

Achille   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
184 words

son of Peleus and Thetis, the greatest of the Greek heroes in the siege of Troy, is mentioned a

Achitofel

Achitofel   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
33 words

the wicked counsellor of King David, who incited Absolon (1) to rebel against his father (2 Sam. 15–17), cited as

Adam

Adam (1)   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
185 words

the first man according to the Book of Genesis, made by God from earth; the husband of Eve, and

Adam

Adam (2)   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
175 words

Chaucer's scribe (see book), the subject of the poem Adam (sometimes called ‘Adam Scriveyn’ or, from the rubric

Adoon

Adoon   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
64 words

the son of Myrrha (Mirra). His beauty captivated Venus. When, in spite of her warnings, he went hunting

Adrastus

Adrastus   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
25 words

legendary king of Argos, who led the army of the Seven against Thebes (1). He returned home (Anel

Adriane

Adriane   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
139 words

Ariadne, daughter of King Minos of Crete, fell in love with Theseus, and gave him a thread so that

Affrican

Affrican (1) (236/5– c.183 bc)   Reference library

The Oxford Companion to Chaucer

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2005
Subject:
Literature, Literary studies (early and medieval)
Length:
104 words

(236/5– c.183 bc),

Roman consul at the beginning of the Second Punic War and a great general

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