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Chapter 22
Lord De Guest at Home

Half-forgotten classicalities and the severe Falernian
While John and the earl are drinking, the earl urges John to tell him about his love.  The earl calls his port, "severe Falernian," recalling Horace's Ode 1.27.  In joking with John, the earl dusts off a classical phrase that he has partially remembered.  Later in the chapter Trollope continues to refer to the earl's "Falernian."  [RR]

Patron
This reference occurs after Johnny Eames returns home after saving the earl and dining with him at his house.  Trollope refers to the earl as Johnny's patron.  This usage refers to the patron-client system that was prominent in Rome. In this system, an affluent man would support his client in various ways and vice versa.  Trollope is using this reference to allude to the future of the two's relationship where perhaps the earl will help Johnny financially and socially.  The patron-client comparison to the earl and Johnny occurs throughout the novel.  [KD]

Chapter 23
Mr. Plantagenet Palliser

Diana
Lady Alexandrina proclaims to Crosbie that even Diana could not play billiards in her riding habit.  Diana is the Roman name for Artemis, the goddess of hunting, women, and childbirth.  Diana or Artemis is also the twin sister to Apollo.  Trollope is using this reference in two ways.  The more apparent one is that even the hunter-goddess with arrow-shooting skills could not play with a habit on.  Trollope could also be commenting on the relationship between Crosbie and Lady Alexandrina.  As we have seen, Crosbie was named Apollo by Lily Dale. (See commentary for Chapter 2.)  Thus Trollope is implying that Crosbie and Lady Alexandrina are like brother and sister or, rather, two peas in a pod.
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology  [KD]

The die was cast
Iacta alea est. According to Suetonius in the "Life of Julius" section 23, Caesar said this as he crossed the Rubicon into Italy, thus implicitly declaring war on his own country.  This allusion is made after Crosbie tells Lady Alexandrina that he is supposed to marry one woman (Lily) when he actually loves another (her). Crosbie knows that his engagement to Lily Dale must be called off because the die has already been cast--with his words he has committed himself to Lady Alexandrina.  [KD]

Hecatombs
See commentary on The Warden Chapter 16.  In this reference, Trollope says that Plantagent Palliser's uncle, the Duke of Ominium, would have preferred him to be a country gentlemen, a slaughterer of "hecatombs" of birds, rather than a politician.  [KD]

Nestor
Trollope refers to an old member of the government as "the old Nestor of the cabinet."  Nestor was the elderly king of Pylos, and in Homer's Iliad he was known for giving advice to Greek leaders.  Trollope uses a mythological reference here to add character to an anonymous person in the cabinet.  [KD]

Innuendoes
Innuendo is a Latin gerund literally meaning "by nodding."  In English innuendo was incorporated around 1564 for use in legal documents to introduce a parenthetical explanation.  By the 17th century, innuendo was used to refer to any hint that implies more than it says (especially of a derogatory nature).  Trollope uses this term when describing Lady Dumbello and her relationship (or lack thereof) with Plantagenet Palliser.  Trollope says that when Plantagenet is in the same room with Lady Dumbello, she "would be observed to raise her head with some little show of life."  Trollope follows by saying that with these "innuendoes" abroad people will notice the mild mutual admiration of the two.  In this case, Trollope literally means the physical nodding of the head of Lady Dumbello when she is around Plantagenet Palliser as well as the rumors that her behavior provokes.
OED  [KD]

By Jove
An exclamation identical to "By God," as Jove was the chief Roman god, Jupiter. The Honourable George says it here to his cousin, Mr. Gresham, about what Dumbello would think about his wife's relationship with Plantagenet Palliser.  [KD]

Chapter 24
A Mother-in-law and a Father-in-law

[19-21]   [25-27]

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