French artistic and literary dandy who spent much time in England and became the companion of Lady Blessington. He was reputed to display notable generosity, and his extravagance contributed to Blessington's financial ruin.
Orrery published a romance called Partheuissa (1664) as well as a number of dramatic works.
In Greek myth, a singer and lyre-player whose music was so beautiful it could tame wild beasts. When his wife Eurydice was killed by a snake, Orpheus descended to the Underworld to bring her back. After charming Hades with his music, Orpheus was permitted to retrieve his wife on condition that he not look back at her until they had returned to daylight. Just before reaching safety, Orpheus violated this condition, and Eurydice was returned to the Underworld permanently.
The 12th earl and 1st Duke of Ormonde, James Butler was an Anglo-Irish soldier, statesman, and Protestant who served as the foremost agent of Royalist authority in Ireland from the period of the English Civil Wars to the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
Born Philippe Charles, duke of Chartres, later known as Philip II, duke of Orleans, regent of France, Philippe Charles was a member of the royal French family, and nephew to Louis XIV, with whom he had a feud regarding assigned military commands, due to which he spitefully neglected his wife, Louis's daughter, and earned a lasting reputation for scandal and debauchery. He ruled over France as regent during the interim period between Louis XIV's death and Louis XV's maturity.
Daughter of King Erechtheus, this Athenian princess was abducted by Boreas, the wind god of the north. Her story appears in Ovid's Metamorphosis
Subject of Euripides's Oresteia, Orestes was pursued by the Furies for killing his mother.
British portrait and history painter.
Popular as a poet, novelist, and author of short tales, Amelia Alderson was the wife of artist John Opie, a significant figure in the circle of Norwich religious dissenters. Her better-known novels and tales include The Father and Daughter, A Tale, in Prose (1801), Adeline Mowbray; or, The Mother and Daughter (1805), Tales of Real Life (1813), and Tales of the Heart (1820). Her volume Poems appeared in 1802. Her contributions to the abolition debate include The Negro Boy's Tale (1824) and The Black Man's Lament; or, How to Make Sugar (1826).
Character in William Shakespeare's drama Hamlet.
