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[NABOKOV-L] A bit more on the Farlow's dogs in Lolita at "(h)Our
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In his notes do "Lolita", Chapter 20, pages 89-90, we read A.Appel Jr's comments on Cavall and Melampus
89/1 "The Farlows' dogs "Cavall" comes from cavallo (a horse) and "Melampus" from the seer in Greek mythology who understood the tongue of dogs and introduced the worship of Dionysus. More specifically, noted Nabokov, the dogs are name after those of a famous person, though he was not certain who owned them. He thought it was Lord Byron, who had many bizarrely named dogs. In any event, these allusions are hardly within the cultural reach of the Farlows.
I was interested in the informal enumeration of Actaeon's dogs, with a rough translation of their names (Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer ) because he mentions, instead of Melampus, two dogs Melamp (dark) and Lampus (shining), in a typical reference to contrasts of black and white, light and darkness we so often find in Nabokov's novels. However, checking further, most ancient sources offer different versions for Actaeon's sacrifice (sometimes indirectly related to Semele and Dionysus) and all of them mention Melampus (although not as a seer, as did Appel Jr.).* Following Appel, Nabokov was aware (but unsure) of their relation to Lord Byron.
.............................................................................................................................................................................................
* Here are some of the results:
When Artemis in the summertime was bathing in a stream, Actaeon sought the same place for cooling himself and the dogs which he had exercised in chasing wild beasts. He then caught sight of the goddess, and to keep him from telling of it, she changed him into a stag. As a stag, then, he was mangled by his own hounds. These are the dogs of Actaeon according to three authors:
Apollodorus, Library 3.4.4: Amarynthus, Arcena, Balius 2, Bores, Lynceus 3, Omargus, Spartus.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.206ff.: Aello 2, Agre, Alce, Argiodus, Asbolus 2, Canache, Cyprius, Dorceus 1, Dromas, Harpalus 2, Harpyia, Hylactor, Hylaeus 2, Ichnobates, Labros, Lachne, Lacon, Ladon 2, Laelaps 1, Leucon 2, Lycisce, Melampus 2, Melanchaetes, Melaneus 3, Nape, Nebrophonus 2, Oresitrophos, Oribasus, Pamphagus, Poemenis, Pterelas 1, Sticte, Theridamas, Theron 1, Thoos, Tigris.
Hyginus, Fabulae 181: Acamas 5, Aello 2, Aethon 5, Agre, Agriodus, Agrius 7, Alce, Arcas 2, Arethusa 4, Argo, Aura 1, Borax, Boreas 2, Canache, Charops 2, Chediaetros, Corus, Cyllo, Cyllopodes, Cyprius, Dinomache, Dioxippe 3, Dorceus 1, Draco, Dromas, Dromius, Echione, Echnobas, Eudromus, Gorgo 2, Haemon 5, Harpalicus, Harpalus 2, Harpyia, Hylactor, Hylaeus 2, Ichneus, Ichnobates, Labros, Lacaena, Lachne, Lacon, Ladon 2, Laelaps 1, Lampus 5, Leaena, Leon, Leucon 2, Lycisca, Lynceste, Machimus, Melampus 2, Melanchaetes, Melaneus 3, Nape, Nebrophonus 2, Obrimus 1, Ocydrome, Ocydromus, Ocypete 3, Ocythous 1, Oresitrophos, Orias, Oribasus, Oxyrrhoe, Pachylus, Poemenis, Pterelas 1, Sagnos, Sticte, Stilbon, Syrus 2, Theridamas, Theriope, Theriphone, Therodanapis, Theron 1, Thous, Tigris, Urania 3, Volatos, Zephyrus 2.
A different source (wiki), quoting again Hyginus, his dogs Melampus, Ichnobates, [Echnobas], Pamphagos, Dorceus, Oribasus, Nebrophonus, Laelap, Theron, Pterelas, Hylaeus, Nape, Ladon, Poemenis, [Therodanapis], Aura, Lacon, Harpyia, Aello, Dromas, Thous Canache, Cyprius, Sticcte, Labros, Arcas, Agriodus, Tigris, Hylactor, Alce, Harpalus, Lycisca, Melaneus, Lachne, Leucon; his bitches: Melanchaetes, Agre, theridamas, Oreistrophos.
Authors other than Hyginus: (dogs), Acamas, Syrus, Leon, Stilbon, Agrius, Charops, Aethon, Corus, Boreas, Draco, Eudromus, Dromius, Zephyrus, Lampus, Haemon, Cyllopodes, Harpalicus, Machimus, Ichneus, Melampus, Ocydromus, Borax, Ocythous, Pachylus, Obrimus;(bitches): Argo, Arethusa, Urania, Theriope, Dinomache, Dioxippe, Echione, Gorgo, Cyllo, Harpyia, Lynceste, Leaena, Lacaena, Ocyptete, Ocydrome, Oxyrhoe, Orias, *Sagnos, Theriphone, *Volatos, *Chediaetros.
In relation to the Arthurian Legend:
... Celtic hunting hounds perhaps? Hounds of the Gaels? these images are sourced from the Bibliothèque nationale de France
The Hunt of the White Stag in Geraint, Son of Erbin
While Arthur is holding court at Caerlleon, the Forester of Dean (Madawc, son of Twrgardarn) arrives with news of the White Stag that will precipitate the adventure that is the story of Geraint (Erec) and Enid..."In the Forest I saw a stag, the like of which beheld I never yet." "What is there about him," asked Arthur, "that thou never didst see his like?" "He is of pure white, Lord, and he does not herd with any other animal through stateliness and pride, so royal is his bearing." "It seems best to me," said Arthur, "to go and hunt him to-morrow at break of day; and to cause general notice there-of to be given tonight in all quarters of the Court." And Arryfuerys was Arthur's chief huntsman, and Arelivri was his chief page.Now, this is how Arthur hunted the stag. The men and the dogs were divided into hunting parties, and the dogs were let loose upon the stag. And the last dog that was let loose was the favorite dog of Arthur. Cavall was his name. And he left all the other dogs behind him, and turned the stag. And at the second turn, the stag came towards the hunting party of Arthur. And Arthur set upon him. And before he could be slain by any other, Arthur cut off his head. Then they sounded the death horn for slaying, and they all gathered round...
Then they all set forth, holding converse together concerning the head of the stag, to whom it should be given. One wished that it should be given to the lady best loved by him, and another to the lady whom he loved best. And all they of the household, and the knights, disputed sharply concerning the head.The Mabinogion, Geraint Son of Erbin Lady Charlotte Guest, trans. (London : J. M. Dent & Sons, 1910): pp220-21,231.
The hunt of the White Stag in Chretien de Troyes' Erec and Enide...
On Easter day, in springtime,
at Cardigan, his castle,
King Arthur held court.
So rich a one was ever seen,
for there were many good knights,
brave and combative and fierce,
and rich ladies and maidens,
daughters of kings, noble and beautiful;
but before the court concluded
the king said to his knights
that he wanted to hunt the white stag
in order to revive the tradition.
My lord Gawain was not a bit pleased
when he heard this:
"Sire," said he, "from this hunt
you will never have either gratitude nor thanks.
We have all known for a long time
what tradition is attached to the white stag:
he who can kill the white stag
by right must kiss
the most beautiful of the maidens of your court,
whatever may happen.
Great evil can come from this,
for there are easily five hundred
Damsels of high lineage here,
daughters of kings, noble and prudent,
and there is not a one that is not the favorite
of some valiant and bold knight,
each of whom would want to contend,
either rightly or wrongly,
that the one who pleases him
is the most beautiful and the most noble."
The king replied: "This I know well,
but I will not give up my plan for all that,
for the word of a king
must not be opposed.
Tomorrow morning with great pleasure
we will all go to hunt the white stag
in the forest of adventures:
this hunt will be truly wondrous."
Thus was the hunt arranged
for the morrow, at daybreak.
The next day, as soon as it was light,
the king arose and made ready;
to go into the forest
he put on a short tunic.
He had the knights awakened,
the hunting-steeds readied.
They had their bows and their arrows,
and set off to hunt in the forest.
The queen mounted up after them,
accompanied by an attendant;
she was a maiden, daughter of a king,
and sat upon a good palfrey.
A knight came spurring after them:
his name was Erec.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
They rode speedily on
and came straight to the forest.
Those who had gone on ahead
Had already raised the stag:
some blew on horns, others shouted;
the dogs went noisily after the stag,
running, rushing and barking;
the archers were shooting thick and fast.
Out in front of all of them the king was hunting,
mounted on a Spanish hunter.
As the hunting party moves on ahead, Erec and the Queen chance upon a "armored knight on a charger," accompanied by a "fine looking maiden," and a dwarf, "who was very evil and baseborn." The confrontation is an ugly one; "Folly is not prowess; / in this Erec acted very wisely: / he withdrew...", but after reflection resolves to follow the knight and avenge himself.
Erec left the queen
and followed the knight.
And the queen remained in the woods,
where the king had caught up with the stag:
at the taking of the stag
the king arrived before any of the others.
They killed and took the white stag.
All started back,
carrying the stag as they went;
they arrived at cardigan.
After the evening meal, when the nobles
were joyful throughout the house,
the king, according to the tradition,
since he had taken the stag,
said that he would bestow the kiss
in order to observe the tradition of the stag.
Throughout the court there was much muttering:
They promised and swore to one another
that this would never be done without contention
by means of sword or lance of ash-wood.
Each one wanted, by deeds of arms,
to contend that his lady
was the most beautiful in the hall;
these words did not bode well;
When my lord Gawain heard this,
You may be sure that he was not at all pleased.
Chretien, de Troyes. Erec and Enide. Carleton W. Carroll, trans, ed. Garland Library of Medieval Literature; vol. 25. series A. (New York : Garland Publishing, 1987). pp 3-5,7,15.*
extracted from a blog named "Deerhound", the "Rogue"
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89/1 "The Farlows' dogs "Cavall" comes from cavallo (a horse) and "Melampus" from the seer in Greek mythology who understood the tongue of dogs and introduced the worship of Dionysus. More specifically, noted Nabokov, the dogs are name after those of a famous person, though he was not certain who owned them. He thought it was Lord Byron, who had many bizarrely named dogs. In any event, these allusions are hardly within the cultural reach of the Farlows.
I was interested in the informal enumeration of Actaeon's dogs, with a rough translation of their names (Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer ) because he mentions, instead of Melampus, two dogs Melamp (dark) and Lampus (shining), in a typical reference to contrasts of black and white, light and darkness we so often find in Nabokov's novels. However, checking further, most ancient sources offer different versions for Actaeon's sacrifice (sometimes indirectly related to Semele and Dionysus) and all of them mention Melampus (although not as a seer, as did Appel Jr.).* Following Appel, Nabokov was aware (but unsure) of their relation to Lord Byron.
.............................................................................................................................................................................................
* Here are some of the results:
When Artemis in the summertime was bathing in a stream, Actaeon sought the same place for cooling himself and the dogs which he had exercised in chasing wild beasts. He then caught sight of the goddess, and to keep him from telling of it, she changed him into a stag. As a stag, then, he was mangled by his own hounds. These are the dogs of Actaeon according to three authors:
Apollodorus, Library 3.4.4: Amarynthus, Arcena, Balius 2, Bores, Lynceus 3, Omargus, Spartus.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.206ff.: Aello 2, Agre, Alce, Argiodus, Asbolus 2, Canache, Cyprius, Dorceus 1, Dromas, Harpalus 2, Harpyia, Hylactor, Hylaeus 2, Ichnobates, Labros, Lachne, Lacon, Ladon 2, Laelaps 1, Leucon 2, Lycisce, Melampus 2, Melanchaetes, Melaneus 3, Nape, Nebrophonus 2, Oresitrophos, Oribasus, Pamphagus, Poemenis, Pterelas 1, Sticte, Theridamas, Theron 1, Thoos, Tigris.
Hyginus, Fabulae 181: Acamas 5, Aello 2, Aethon 5, Agre, Agriodus, Agrius 7, Alce, Arcas 2, Arethusa 4, Argo, Aura 1, Borax, Boreas 2, Canache, Charops 2, Chediaetros, Corus, Cyllo, Cyllopodes, Cyprius, Dinomache, Dioxippe 3, Dorceus 1, Draco, Dromas, Dromius, Echione, Echnobas, Eudromus, Gorgo 2, Haemon 5, Harpalicus, Harpalus 2, Harpyia, Hylactor, Hylaeus 2, Ichneus, Ichnobates, Labros, Lacaena, Lachne, Lacon, Ladon 2, Laelaps 1, Lampus 5, Leaena, Leon, Leucon 2, Lycisca, Lynceste, Machimus, Melampus 2, Melanchaetes, Melaneus 3, Nape, Nebrophonus 2, Obrimus 1, Ocydrome, Ocydromus, Ocypete 3, Ocythous 1, Oresitrophos, Orias, Oribasus, Oxyrrhoe, Pachylus, Poemenis, Pterelas 1, Sagnos, Sticte, Stilbon, Syrus 2, Theridamas, Theriope, Theriphone, Therodanapis, Theron 1, Thous, Tigris, Urania 3, Volatos, Zephyrus 2.
A different source (wiki), quoting again Hyginus, his dogs Melampus, Ichnobates, [Echnobas], Pamphagos, Dorceus, Oribasus, Nebrophonus, Laelap, Theron, Pterelas, Hylaeus, Nape, Ladon, Poemenis, [Therodanapis], Aura, Lacon, Harpyia, Aello, Dromas, Thous Canache, Cyprius, Sticcte, Labros, Arcas, Agriodus, Tigris, Hylactor, Alce, Harpalus, Lycisca, Melaneus, Lachne, Leucon; his bitches: Melanchaetes, Agre, theridamas, Oreistrophos.
Authors other than Hyginus: (dogs), Acamas, Syrus, Leon, Stilbon, Agrius, Charops, Aethon, Corus, Boreas, Draco, Eudromus, Dromius, Zephyrus, Lampus, Haemon, Cyllopodes, Harpalicus, Machimus, Ichneus, Melampus, Ocydromus, Borax, Ocythous, Pachylus, Obrimus;(bitches): Argo, Arethusa, Urania, Theriope, Dinomache, Dioxippe, Echione, Gorgo, Cyllo, Harpyia, Lynceste, Leaena, Lacaena, Ocyptete, Ocydrome, Oxyrhoe, Orias, *Sagnos, Theriphone, *Volatos, *Chediaetros.
In relation to the Arthurian Legend:
... Celtic hunting hounds perhaps? Hounds of the Gaels? these images are sourced from the Bibliothèque nationale de France
The Hunt of the White Stag in Geraint, Son of Erbin
While Arthur is holding court at Caerlleon, the Forester of Dean (Madawc, son of Twrgardarn) arrives with news of the White Stag that will precipitate the adventure that is the story of Geraint (Erec) and Enid..."In the Forest I saw a stag, the like of which beheld I never yet." "What is there about him," asked Arthur, "that thou never didst see his like?" "He is of pure white, Lord, and he does not herd with any other animal through stateliness and pride, so royal is his bearing." "It seems best to me," said Arthur, "to go and hunt him to-morrow at break of day; and to cause general notice there-of to be given tonight in all quarters of the Court." And Arryfuerys was Arthur's chief huntsman, and Arelivri was his chief page.Now, this is how Arthur hunted the stag. The men and the dogs were divided into hunting parties, and the dogs were let loose upon the stag. And the last dog that was let loose was the favorite dog of Arthur. Cavall was his name. And he left all the other dogs behind him, and turned the stag. And at the second turn, the stag came towards the hunting party of Arthur. And Arthur set upon him. And before he could be slain by any other, Arthur cut off his head. Then they sounded the death horn for slaying, and they all gathered round...
Then they all set forth, holding converse together concerning the head of the stag, to whom it should be given. One wished that it should be given to the lady best loved by him, and another to the lady whom he loved best. And all they of the household, and the knights, disputed sharply concerning the head.The Mabinogion, Geraint Son of Erbin Lady Charlotte Guest, trans. (London : J. M. Dent & Sons, 1910): pp220-21,231.
The hunt of the White Stag in Chretien de Troyes' Erec and Enide...
On Easter day, in springtime,
at Cardigan, his castle,
King Arthur held court.
So rich a one was ever seen,
for there were many good knights,
brave and combative and fierce,
and rich ladies and maidens,
daughters of kings, noble and beautiful;
but before the court concluded
the king said to his knights
that he wanted to hunt the white stag
in order to revive the tradition.
My lord Gawain was not a bit pleased
when he heard this:
"Sire," said he, "from this hunt
you will never have either gratitude nor thanks.
We have all known for a long time
what tradition is attached to the white stag:
he who can kill the white stag
by right must kiss
the most beautiful of the maidens of your court,
whatever may happen.
Great evil can come from this,
for there are easily five hundred
Damsels of high lineage here,
daughters of kings, noble and prudent,
and there is not a one that is not the favorite
of some valiant and bold knight,
each of whom would want to contend,
either rightly or wrongly,
that the one who pleases him
is the most beautiful and the most noble."
The king replied: "This I know well,
but I will not give up my plan for all that,
for the word of a king
must not be opposed.
Tomorrow morning with great pleasure
we will all go to hunt the white stag
in the forest of adventures:
this hunt will be truly wondrous."
Thus was the hunt arranged
for the morrow, at daybreak.
The next day, as soon as it was light,
the king arose and made ready;
to go into the forest
he put on a short tunic.
He had the knights awakened,
the hunting-steeds readied.
They had their bows and their arrows,
and set off to hunt in the forest.
The queen mounted up after them,
accompanied by an attendant;
she was a maiden, daughter of a king,
and sat upon a good palfrey.
A knight came spurring after them:
his name was Erec.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
They rode speedily on
and came straight to the forest.
Those who had gone on ahead
Had already raised the stag:
some blew on horns, others shouted;
the dogs went noisily after the stag,
running, rushing and barking;
the archers were shooting thick and fast.
Out in front of all of them the king was hunting,
mounted on a Spanish hunter.
As the hunting party moves on ahead, Erec and the Queen chance upon a "armored knight on a charger," accompanied by a "fine looking maiden," and a dwarf, "who was very evil and baseborn." The confrontation is an ugly one; "Folly is not prowess; / in this Erec acted very wisely: / he withdrew...", but after reflection resolves to follow the knight and avenge himself.
Erec left the queen
and followed the knight.
And the queen remained in the woods,
where the king had caught up with the stag:
at the taking of the stag
the king arrived before any of the others.
They killed and took the white stag.
All started back,
carrying the stag as they went;
they arrived at cardigan.
After the evening meal, when the nobles
were joyful throughout the house,
the king, according to the tradition,
since he had taken the stag,
said that he would bestow the kiss
in order to observe the tradition of the stag.
Throughout the court there was much muttering:
They promised and swore to one another
that this would never be done without contention
by means of sword or lance of ash-wood.
Each one wanted, by deeds of arms,
to contend that his lady
was the most beautiful in the hall;
these words did not bode well;
When my lord Gawain heard this,
You may be sure that he was not at all pleased.
Chretien, de Troyes. Erec and Enide. Carleton W. Carroll, trans, ed. Garland Library of Medieval Literature; vol. 25. series A. (New York : Garland Publishing, 1987). pp 3-5,7,15.*
extracted from a blog named "Deerhound", the "Rogue"
Search archive with Google:
http://www.google.com/advanced_search?q=site:listserv.ucsb.edu&HL=en
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm
Visit "Nabokov Online Journal:" http://www.nabokovonline.com
Manage subscription options: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/
