| Being |
Location |
Example |
Gloss |
| Amazon, Amazonian |
1H6 I.ii.104 |
stay thy hands; thou art an Amazon |
one of a race of warrior women, said to be descended from Ares, god of war |
| Anthropophagi |
Oth I.iii.143 |
the Cannibals that each other eat, / The Anthropophagi |
mythical race of man-eaters |
| Bayard |
E3 III.i.58 |
Bayard-like, blind, overweening Ned |
magic horse given by Charlemagne to Rinaldo (Renaud), one of the four sons of Aimon; a symbol of blind recklessness |
| Bevis |
H8 I.i.38 |
that former fabulous story, ... got credit, / That Bevis was believed |
medieval Saxon knight who conquered Ascapart, a giant, and made him his squire |
| Chanticleer |
AYL II.vii.30 |
My lungs begin to crow like Chanticleer |
cock in the medieval story of Reynard the Fox, such as retold in Chaucer’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale |
| Child Roland |
KL III.iv.176 |
Child Roland to the dark tower came |
Charlemagne’s most famous knight, as recounted in various ballads
 Charlemain in HISTORICAL FIGURES |
| Colbrand |
KJ I.i.225 |
Colbrand the Giant, that same mighty man? |
medieval Danish champion giant, killed by Sir Guy of Warwick at Winchester |
| Cophetua |
LLL IV.i.68 |
most illustrate King Cophetua set eye upon the pernicious and most indubitate beggar Zenelophon |
African king of a romantic ballad, who fell in love with a beggar-girl, Zenelophon |
| Corin |
MND II.i.66 |
in the shape of Corin sat all day / Playing on pipes of corn, and versing love / To amorous Phillida |
traditional name given to a love-sick shepherd; Phillida, the corresponding name given to his beloved |
| Dagonet, Sir |
2H4 III.ii.271 |
I was then Sir Dagonet in Arthur's show |
King Arthur’s fool |
| Florentius |
TS I.ii.68 |
Be she as foul as was Florentius' love |
knight in Gower’s Confessio Amantis who married an ugly woman in return for the answer to a riddle on which his life depended |
| Gargantua |
AYL III.ii.218 |
You must borrow me Gargantua’s mouth |
large-mouthed voracious giant of N France, as described by Rabelais |
| Gorboduc |
TN IV.ii.14 |
the old hermit of Prague ... said to a niece of King Gorboduc: that that is, is |
legendary King of Britain; name of a play by Norton and Sackville, first performed in 1561 |
| Grissel |
TS II.i.288 |
For patience she will prove a second Grissel |
Griselda, model of wifely patience in Chaucer’s Clerk’s Tale |
| Guinevere |
LLL IV.i.124 |
when Queen Guinevere of Britain was a little wench |
legendary Queen of Britain, known for her unfaithfulness to her husband |
| Guy, Sir |
H8 V.iv.22 |
I am not Samson, nor Sir Guy, nor Colbrand |
legendary hero of Warwick, whose last great act was to kill the giant Colbrand
Nine Worthies in HISTORICAL FIGURES |
| Hippolyta |
TNK I.i.77 |
Honoured Hippolyta, / Most dreaded Amazonian |
Queen of the Amazons; character in Two Noble Kinsman; see also Amazon, Amazonian |
| John |
MW I.i.160 |
What say you, Scarlet and John? |
Will Scarlet and Little John, companions of Robin Hood |
| Mab, Queen |
RJ I.iv.53 |
I see Queen Mab hath been with you |
midwife to the fairies |
| Maid Marian |
1H4 III.iii.113 |
Maid Marian may be the deputy's wife of the ward to thee |
woman loved by Robin Hood |
| Merlin |
KL III.ii.95 |
This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before his time |
good wizard or sage whose magic helped King Arthur; famous for his prophecies |
| Partlet |
1H4 III.iii.51 |
How now, dame Partlet the hen |
traditional name for a hen [Pertelote], as in Chaucer’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale |
| Pendragon |
1H6 III.ii.95 |
stout Pendragon in his litter sick / Came to the field |
early British king, the father of Arthur |
| Penthesilea |
TN II.iii.170 |
Good night, Penthesilea |
Amazonian queen, who helped Priam at Troy |
| Phillida |
MND II.i.68 |
|
Corin above |
| Pigmies |
MA II.i.247 |
I will ... do you any embassage to the Pigmies, rather than hold three words’ conference with this harpy |
legendary race of dwarfs |
| Prester John |
MA II.i.245 |
I will ... bring you the length of Prester John’s foot ... rather than hold three words’ conference with this harpy |
legendary Christian king of Africa or Asia |
| Scarlet |
MW I.i.160 |
John above |
| Sycorax |
Tem I.ii.340 |
All the charms / Of Sycorax – toads, beetles, bats light on you! |
witch, and mother of Caliban, character in The Tempest |
| Zenelophon |
LLL IV.i.69 |
|
Cophetua above |