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Chapter 16
Miss Dunstable

Auspices
This alludes to the ancient Roman tradition of auspicium, literally meaning divination from the flight of birds, but actually referring to five different kinds of auspices: from birds, from the sky, from pulli (holy chickens), from four-legged animals, and from unusual events or happenings. Any individual was allowed to partake in the auspices, which told whether or not the gods approved of an action or event. In this case, Frank Gresham is about to begin his courtship of Miss Dunstable, at his aunt Lady DeCourcy's request, and it is said that in his own best interests, it would be fortunate if he could "do so under the best possible auspices," so that he would have the best possible chance of success.
OCD  [MD]

Slow and sure
This sounds like a version of the maxim "slow and steady," which is a phrase used in Aesop's fable The Tortoise and the Hare. In this story, a tortoise challenges an arrogant rabbit to compete with him in a race, to which the hare agrees. However, the hare was so confident in his speed that he decided to take a nap while the tortoise began to plod toward the finish line. When the rabbit finally wakes and runs the length of the course, he find out that the tortoise has already finished; thus the phrase, "slow and steady wins the race."  Trollope uses this expression as advice from the Lady DeCourcy, which she gives to her nephew, Frank Gresham, regarding his courtship of Miss Dunstable. If Frank acts hastily, like the hare in Aesop's story, he will share this animal's fate and lose the race, or in Frank's case, Miss Dunstable.  However, if he approaches the prospect of marriage with her at an even pace, he should ultimately succeed in wedding her, just like the tortoise which beat the hare. http://www.mythfolklore.net/aesopica/oxford/237.htm http://www.bartleby.com/59/3/slowbutstead.html  [MD]

Chapter 17
The Election

Elysium
Mr. Moffat's personal Elysium is his seat in Parliament. 
See commentary on Elysium in The Warden, Chapter 1.  [JC]

Facetiae
This word is the plural form of the Latin facetia, meaning a jest or joke.  According to the OED the English word means "witticisms" or "humorous sayings," which furthers the joke that Trollope is making here.  He uses this sophisticated word to describe the very unsophisticated taunts which the men toss at Mr. Moffat as he makes his speech.  Furthermore, he uses the word just as the most juvenile attack--the throwing of the rotten egg--is about to be committed.  [JC]

Words flowing sweeter than honey
This phrase is a rendition of the word "mellifluous," which is of Latin origin.  Mr. Moffat, by this point (after having been attacked with a rotten egg), has lost all faith in the mellifluousness of his speaking skills.  [JC]

Chapter 18
The Rivals

Daughter of Plutus
Plutus is the Roman god of wealth; the wealthy heiress Miss Dunstable, whom the Greshams desire for Frank to court and marry, is referred to as a daughter of Plutus.  [JM]

This bird, so rare in the land
Referring to Mr. Moffat, who is rare in that he is both young and precociously calculating.  This phrase recalls Juvenal's Satire 6, line 165: rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cycno, "A rare bird on earth, most similar to a black swan," spoken of a hypothetical ideal wife.  [JM]

Quid pro quo
Latin, "something for something," one thing in exchange for another.  Mr. Moffat is speaking to Miss Dunstable of how the aristocracy expects something in return for their company. In this case, they expect low-born but rich people to marry poor aristocrats and impart to them their wealth in exchange for induction into high society.  [JM]

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