Geoffrey of Monmouth says that Ebraucus, one of the descendants of Brute, king of Britain, had twenty sons, all of whom, except the eldest, settled in Tongres which was then called Germany, because it was the land of the germans or brothers.
These germans did subdue all Germany,
Of whom it hight.
Spenser, Faëry Queen, ii. 10 (1590).
Geron´imo, the friend of Sganarelle (3 syl.). Sganarelle[Sganarelle] asks him if he would advise his marrying. “How old are you?” asks Geronimo; and being told that he is 63, and the girl under 20, says, “No.” Sganarelle, greatly displeased at his advice, declares he is hale and strong, that he loves the girl, and has promised to marry her. “Then do as you like,” says Geronimo.—Molière, Le Mariage Force (1664).
⁂ This joke is borrowed from Rabelais. Panurge asks Pantagruel whether he advises him to marry. “Yes,” says the prince; whereupon Panurge states several objections. “Then don’t,” says the prince. “But I wish to marry,” says Panurge. “Then do it by all means,” says the prince. Every time the prince advises him to marry, Panurge objects; and every time the prince advises the contrary, the advice is equally unacceptable.—Pantagruel, iii. 9 (1545).
Géronte´ (2 syl.), father of Léandre and Hyacinthe; a miserly old hunks. He has to pay Scapin £1500 for the “ransom” of Léandre, and after having exhausted every evasion, draws out his purse to pay the money, saying, “The Turk is a villain!” “Yes,” says Scapin. “A rascal!” “Yes,” says Scapin. “A thief!” “Yes,” says Scapin. “He would wring from me £1500! would he?” “Yes,” says Scapin. “Oh, if I catch him, won’t I pay him out?” “Yes,” says Scapin. Then putting his purse back into his pocket, Géronte´ walks off, saying, “Pay the ransom, and bring back the boy.” “But the money; where’s the money?” says Scapin. “Oh, didn’t I give it you?” “No,” says Scapin. “I forgot,” says Géronte, and he pays the money (act ii. 11).—Molière, Les Fourberies de Scapin (1671).
In the English, version called The Cheats of Scapin, by Otway, Géronte is called “Gripe” Hyacinthe is called “Clara,” Léandre is Anglicized into “Leander,” and the sum of money borrowed is £200.
Geronte (2 syl.), the father of Lucinde (2 syl.). He wanted his daughter to marry Horace, but as she loved Léandre, in order to avoid a marriage she detested she pretended to have lost the power of articulate speech, and only answered, “Han, hi, hon!” “Han, hi, hon, han!” Sganarelle, “le médecin malgré lui,” seeing that this jargon was put on, and ascertaining that Léandre was her lover, introduced him as an apothecary, and the young man soon effected a perfect cure with “pills matrimoniac.”—Molière, Le Médecin Malgré Lui (1666).
Ger´rard, king of the beggars, disguised under the name of Clause. He is the father of Florez, the rich merchant of Bruges.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Beggars’ Bush (1622).