| 释义 |
myrmidon|ˈmɜːmɪdən|
Forms: α. 5 mirmydane, -en, myrmaidon, murmindone, -mondon, 5, 7 mer-, 5, 8 mir-, myrmydon, 6 myr-, 6–7 mir-, 7–8 mermidon, 7– myrmidon. β. 5 mi-, myrondone, mi-, myrundone.
[ad. L. Myrmidon-es pl., a. Gr. Μυρµιδόνες.]
1. (With capital M.) One of a warlike race of men inhabiting ancient Thessaly, whom, according to the Homeric story, Achilles led to the siege of Troy (Iliad ii. 684).
αc1400Laud Troy Bk. 4597 Achilles cam thenne faste saylande With alle his gode Mirmydanes. Ibid. 7353 Achilles with his Murmindones. c1400Destr. Troy 8666 The Myrmaidons, his men, þaire maistur can take. 1598Marston Sco. Villanie iii. viii, What Mirmidon, or hard Dolopian, What sauage minded rude Cyclopian? 1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. viii. 13 On Myrmidons, cry you all a maine, Achilles hath the mighty Hector slaine. a1618Sylvester Woodmans Bear lxxv, Marble-hearted Mermidon. 1715Pope Iliad i. 238 Go, threat thy earth-born Myrmidons. 1833Penny Cycl. I. 84/2 [Achilles] allowed his friend..Patroclus..to lead the Myrmidons, his followers, out to battle.
β1412–20Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. 8574 Þe..ferse Achille Ariued is with his knyȝtes alle, Mirundones whom men are wont to calle. 1471Caxton Recuyell (ed. Sommer) 574 And then arryued the right stronge Achilles with his myrondones. Ibid. 634 Mirondones. Ibid. 635 Myrundones.
b. Used of Achilles himself.
1606Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 378 For that will physicke the great Myrmidon, Who broyles in lowd applause.
2. transf. A soldier of (one's) body-guard; a faithful follower or servant. ? Obs.
Cf. Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. vii. 1.
c1610Beaum. & Fl. Philaster v. iv, We are thy Mirmidons, thy Guard, thy Rorers. 1640H. Glapthorne Wallenstein ii. ii, Fall on my Mirmidon, While we retreat. 1698Farquhar Love & Bottle iii. ii, Now, my myrmidons, fall on. 1748Richardson Clarissa III. xiii. 88 Who knows what consequences might have follow'd upon..my projected visit, followed by my Myrmidons? 1820T. Hope Anast. (ed. 2) III. xiii. 332 Part of my myrmidons hid their apparatus and persons near the quarter which I meant to alarm. 1821Scott Kenilw. i, Which produced the following dialogue, betwixt the myrmidons of the bonny Black Bear [sc. hostler and tapster].
3. An unscrupulously faithful follower or hireling; a hired ruffian; a base attendant.
1649Milton Eikon. iv. 30 He sallied out from Whitehall, with those trusty Myrmidons, to block up..the House of Commons. 1666Pepys Diary 12 July (1877) IV. 14 He spoke contemptibly of Holmes and his mermidons, that came to take down the ships from hence. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xv. v, The Door flew open, and in came Squire Western, with his Parson, and a Set of Myrmidons at his Heels. 1816T. L. Peacock Headlong Hall ii, His myrmidon on this occasion was a little rednosed butler. 1874Farrar Christ ii. lx. 372 Herod and his corrupt hybrid myrmidons ‘set Him at nought’.
transf.1839in Spirit Metrop. Conserv. Press (1840) II. 463 Acts which..are not only being perpetrated by British ministers, but are openly confessed and unblushingly gloried in by their myrmidons of the press. 1860Russell Diary India II. vii. 142 The Southern who harried their glens with his canine myrmidons in the evil days ere King Jamie annexed England to Scotland.
b. Chiefly myrmidon of the law, myrmidon of justice: applied contemptuously to a policeman, bailiff, or other inferior administrative officer of the law.
a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Myrmidons, the Constable's Attendants..; also the Watchmen. 1714Spectator No. 616 ⁋4, I have just left the Right Worshipful and his Myrmidons about a Sneaker of Five Gallons. 1809Byron Bards & Rev. 467 Bow-street Myrmidons. 1840Dickens Barn. Rudge lxvi, His complaint should be..fully stated..to all the inferior myrmidons of justice. 1863Conf. of Ticket of Leave Man 160 Lest my foes, the myrmidons of the law, should track the golden stream back to its sources. |