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Chapter 26
Mrs. Proudie Wrestles and Gets a Fall

Divine anger
The divine anger of Mrs. Proudie is reminiscent of Hera's anger described by Homer at the beginning of the Iliad, in Book 1. Hera is upset because her husband, Zeus, has taken the side of the Trojans in the Greek War, instead of her side with the Greeks.  Mrs. Proudie is upset that her husband, Bishop Proudie seems to have taken Mr. Slope's side in their small war.  [MD]

As Achilles warmed at the sight of his armor
Achilles is a hero in Homer's Iliad, who is famous for his superior tactics on the battlefield, but also for his immense anger. This classical allusion refers to Homer's Iliad, Book 19, lines 15-20. Achilles is upset about the death of his close friend Patroclus, and while he is grieving his mother brings him arms made by the immortal god Hephaestus.  At the sight of the weapons, Achilles' anger flares up in order to avenge the death of his friend on the enemy Trojans. In a similar way, Mrs. Proudie becomes energized when she sees her own weapons which she can use in her war against Mr. Slope for control of her husband. When she looks upon the pillow of their bed, Mrs. Proudie knows that she will be able to convince the bishop to do what she wants as soon as he goes to bed.  [MD]

Nolo episcopari  
A Latin phrase meaning "I do not wish to be bishop." This is the appropriate response with which an individual should reply if he is offered the position of bishop in the church, even if he wishes to accept it. Trollope implies here that any other person, besides Bishop Proudie, would probably not want to be the bishop if he had to deal with Mrs. Proudie and her constant meddling; and thus, this person would actually mean nolo episcopari when saying the phrase.  [MD]

 Chapter 27
A Love Scene

Two strings to Cupid's bow  
Cupid is the God who makes mortals fall in and out of love.  In this case Cupid's arrows have sparked two attractions rather than just one.
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology  [TH]

Second book of Euclid
Euclid was a Greek mathematician.  He was revolutionary in the study of number theory.  His writings were used as a textbook for 2000 years.  Euclid's second book is a book of geometry that was likely used in education during the 19th century. 
Encarta Encyclopedia 2006  [TH]

Venus and her Adonis
Adonis was a god of fertility and vegetation.  He was also famous as one of Venus' lovers.  According to Ovid, Venus fell in love with Adonis when he was a young man.  Adonis was an avid hunter, and Venus warned him against hunting boars--but he didn't listen.  In the end he was killed by a boar while hunting.  Madeline enjoys having men at her feet.  She is trying to control Mr. Slope as though it were all a game.  Trollope describes her behavior around Mr. Slope as being "graceful as a couchant goddess, and, moreover, as self-possessed as Venus must have been when courting Adonis."  Madeline enjoys having power over men.  Venus is the goddess of love and, much like Madeline; she is often depicted manipulating men's passions.  The comparison with Venus courting Adonis adds to Madeline's exotic and over-the-top persona.
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology  [TH]

Dido and Cleopatra
Madeline has an interesting conversation with Mr. Slope when she compares Dido and Cleopatra.  Dido was the founder of Carthage who was a lover of Aeneas.  Dido's sister built a pyre for her to burn all reminders of Aeneas after he abandoned her but instead Dido kills herself using Aeneas' sword and hurls herself onto the pyre.  Cleopatra was the lover of Julius Caesar and later Marc Antony.  She sailed her fleet with Marc Antony in battle against Octavian.  In this reference, Mr. Slope introduces the name of Dido presumably because he wants it to convey some romantic notions, but Madeline counters by naming another North African woman, Cleopatra.  Madeline favors Cleopatra on the grounds that she, unlike Dido, insisted on bringing out her ships and going with her man.  (Although Madeline faults Dido for mixing "love and business," Cleopatra could be as guilty as Dido of that charge.)  Mr. Slope's mention of Dido may merit a bit more consideration.  He claims that he does not throw away Madeline's letters, but rather has them "burnt on a pyre, as Dido was of old."  Madeline's letters may be analogous to the reminders of Aeneas out of which Dido's pyre was built--Mr. Slope's allusion thus casts Madeline in the role of Aeneas and himself in the role of Dido. 
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology
Encarta Electronic Encyclopedia 2006  [TH & RR]

Nemesis
Madeline says, "Never mind love.  After all, what is it?  The dream of a few weeks.  That is all its joy.  The disappointment of a life is its Nemesis."  Nemesis was a force of divine vengeance.  She punished mortals for pride and law-breaking and also presided over good and bad fortune.  Perhaps Madeline is saying that love is a sort of pride so outrageous that Nemesis is right to destroy such happiness.
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology  [TH]

Troilus
This reference is tied in with that of Nemesis (above).  Troilus was the son of Priam who was killed by Achilles during the Trojan War.  He is described in the Iliad (24.257) as a warrior charioteer.  In a later medieval rendition Achilles killed Troilus over the love Troilus felt for Cressida (Chryseis).  This is used as an example demonstrating that love meets just retribution.  The reference to Cressida a few lines down (saying all women are not Cressids) is related to a Shakespearean play based on the story.  In this rendition Cressida betrays Troilus who believes himself to be truly in love with her.
www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/cressida/
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology  [TH]

Chapter 28
Mrs. Bold is Entertained by Dr. and Mrs. Grantly at Plumstead

Particeps criminis
Latin, "partner of crime."  [JC]

Lucretia and Tarquin
Mr. Harding's fondness for his daughter overrides his distaste for the wedding of Eleanor and Mr. Slope which Mr. Harding believes is imminent.  Eleanor is here likened to Lucretia, a paragon of Roman female virtue, who committed suicide in the presence of her husband and her father after being raped by Sextus Tarquinius, the son of the Roman king Tarquinius Superbus (Livy 1.57-1.59).  In Livy's account, Lucretia's father and husband try to persuade her that she is not at fault for Sextus' violation of her.  Livy's Lucretia dies by her own choice.  Perhaps Trollope here conflates the story of Lucretia with that of Verginia, a Roman maiden whose father Verginius kills her to keep her free from the machinations of the decemvir Appius (Livy 3.44-3.48).  At the outset of his account of Verginia, Livy himself acknowledges similarities between the stories of Lucretia and Verginia.  Mr. Harding would not have the heart of a Roman father like Verginius.

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