Maria Theresa Panza, wife of Sancho Panza. She is sometimes called Maria, and sometimes Theresa.—Cervantes, Don Quixote (1605).
Mariage Forcé (Le). Sganarelle, a rich man of 64, promises marriage to Dorimène (3 syl.), a girl under 20, but, having scruples about the matter, consults his friend, two philosophers, and the gypsies, from none of whom can he obtain any practical advice. At length, he overhears Dorimène telling a young lover that she only marries the old man for his money, and that he cannot live above a few months; so the old man goes to the father and declines the alliance. On this, the father sends his son to Sganarelle. The young man takes with him two swords, and with the utmost politeness and sang-froid requests Mons. to choose one. When the old man declines to do so, the young man gives him a thorough drubbing, and again with the utmost politeness requests the old man to make his choice. On his again declining to do so, he is again beaten, and at last consents to ratify the marriage.—Molière, Le Mariage Forcé (1664).
Mariamne, (4 syl.), a Jewish princess, daughter of Alexander and wife of Herod, “the Great.” Mariamnê was the mother of Alexander and Aristobu´lus, both of whom Herod put to death in a fit of jealousy, and then fell into a state of morbid madness, in which he fancied he saw Mariamnê and heard her asking for her sons.
⁂ This has been made the subject of several tragedies: e.g. A. Harley, Mariamne (1622); Pierre Tristan l’Ermite, Mariamne (1640); Voltaire, Mariamne (1724).
Marian, “the Muses’ only darling,” is Margaret, countess of Cumberland, sister of Anne, countess of Warwick.
Fair Marian, the Muses’ only darling,
Whose beauty shineth as the morning clear,
With silver dew upon the roses pearling.
Spenser, Colin Clout’s Come Home Again (1595).
Marian, “the parson’s maid,” in love with Colin Clout, who loves Cicely. Marian sings a ditty of dole, in which she laments for Colin, and says how he gave her once a knife, but “Woe is me! for knives, they tell me, always sever love.”—Gay, Pastorals, ii. (1714).