Benford's G&S Lexicon Entries for Princess Ida

Hilarion is like the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah who said, "Ah, Lord God! behold I cannot speak; for I am a child."

Official conveyors of important announcements or royal proclamations.

Shielded by diplomatic immunity (but not for long, as it turns out).

King.

An inclination or strong point.

Pronunciation: DOW-tee

Brave.

One who does good deeds out of a love for mankind. A splendid example would be an enlightened person who buys bales of this lexicon to place in hotel rooms.

Pronunciation: Rhymes with purring.

Departing from the correct way.

To treat scornfully, coldly, or with contempt. To bring up short with rudeness or indifference. Let me cite an example of snub and counter-snub. Back in 1707 the nations of Europe were concerned with the brash King Charles of Sweden, who had conquered Saxony and stood poised to upset the balance of power throughout the continent. England's most powerful leader was John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough. He requested an audience with Charles and was invited to meet the king in his temporary residence in central Germany. Since Churchill was not a monarch, diplomatic protocol demanded that his initial contact should be with Count Piper, Charles's de facto prime minister. When the duke in his carriage arrived at the palace, Piper sent word that he was busy and kept the duke waiting half an hour. Finally, as Piper came forward, the duke stepped out of his carriage, donned his hat, and walked right past the count without acknowledging his presence. Then, a few feet away, the duke calmly urinated against a wall, then turned and greeted Piper "in courtly fashion" (202). Next time someone snubs you, keep this riposte in mind.

Self-satisfied, conceited.

To humiliate.

The hidden, usually selfish, reasons for taking a position that seems to be based on high principles.

One who is sternly self-denying. The word derives from the Greek asketes, or hermit.

A half-suppressed laugh.

A sly or furtive look expressive of malignity, lasciviousness, or triumph (75).

Detracting from reputation.

To knock back and forth, or to wrangle. The word also means bent, as in bandy-legs (bow legs), to which Cyril alludes in his reply, "No need to bandy aught that appertains to you." The second meaning goes back to the seventeenth century, when a curved stick called a "bandy" was used in bandy ball, a game similar to hockey (12).

Anything.

A dishonest person. The miserable, poorly educated sort who would write an unfavorable review of this book.

Not a gentleman; one who arrogates to himself merits which he does not deserve (56).

A comparative novelty at the time the opera was produced (178).

The head (56).

Isaac Watts (1674-1748) was an English theologian and prolific author of hymns, his total output reaching some 600, including "O God, Our Help in Ages Past." His works are available today in a reprint of his Hymns and Spiritual Songs, originally published in 1707.

Entreat.

A high-class wine produced in and around the village of Sillery in Champagne (228).

The OED (229) offers several meanings including a dwelling, a poetic word for an idealized abode, a shady recess, or a lady's private apartment or boudoir. Any one of those would fit the context.

A poem of eight lines and a specific rhyming pattern, which starts out AB, AA, ABAB … Stedman (273) calls attention to the song "Expressive glances," in which the word occurs. The verses of the song are themselves close to being triolets.

Heigh-ho is an exclamation of weariness. "Heigho-let" is Gilbert's variation to rhyme with triolet and violet and, as he so thoughtfully goes on to say, means a little sigh.

Polished politeness.

Pertaining to emptiness or silliness. In other words, sweet nothings for those shell-like ears.