The Last Chronicle of Barset
Chapters 7 to 9

chapter list

[4-6]   [10-12]

Chapter 7
Miss Prettyman's Private Room

By Jove
Miss Annabella Prettyman uses this exclamation to agree with Major Grantly when he comes to her and declares that Mr. Crawley's affair is terrible.  [KD]

 

Chapter 8
Mr Crawley is Taken to Silverbridge

Mr. Crawley and Greek
Trollope presents Mr. Crawley with his daughter reading Greek.  He is teaching his daughter to read Greek.  See commentary for Chapter 4 for more on Greek and Mr. Crawley.  [KD]

Myrmidon
The Myrmidons were a race of men and women transformed from ants and created for a lonely Aeacus on the island of Aegina.  Male Myrmidons comprised Achilles' fighting force at Troy.  The word myrmidon can also mean a follower or servant.  Trollope uses this reference in regard to Thompson's assistant who must walk behind the carriage as the Crawleys are taken to Silverbridge.
OED
Cassell's Dictionary of Classical Mythology  [KD]

By Jove
At Mr. Crawley's hearing, Lord Lufton exclaims that he wishes he could drop the whole affair about the cheque.  [KD]

 

Chapter 9
Grace Crawley Goes to Allington

The lictor and the fasces
Trollope states that if there had been a lictor and fasces at the trial of Mr. Crawley, then perhaps Miss Anne Prettyman, a teacher versed in Roman history, would have better understood the proceedings and outcome of the trial.  A lictor was an attendant who entered before a Roman magistrate, bearing the fasces on his left shoulder.  The fasces were a bundle of rods, usually tied by a red string.  Fasces symbolized the power of the Rome.  This reference is poking fun at Miss Anne because she does not know the procedures of the courts in her own land. 
OCD  [KD]

Miss Prettyman's "private sanctum"
A sanctum, literally meaning "sacred thing" is a holy or sacred place where a temple or church is built.  Miss Prettyman's room is referred to as a sanctum into which one must be invited.  We see the sanctum when Grace Crawley goes to Miss Prettyman to discuss her father's dilemma and to decide if she should go to Allington.
OED
OLD  [KD]

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