And with a smile on his face he sank back into his son’s arms.—Thomas Nelson Page, In Ole Virginia (1887).
Olifant, the horn of Roland or Orlando. This horn and the sword “Durinda´na” were buried with the hero. Turpin tells us in his Chronicle that Charlemagne heard the blare of this horn at a distance of eight miles.
Olifant (Basil), a kinsman of Lady Margaret Bellenden, of the Tower of Tillietudlem.—Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).
Olifaunt (Lord Nigel), of Glenvarloch. On going to court to present a petition to James I. he aroused the dislike of the duke of Buckingham. Lord Dalgarno gave him the cut direct, and Nigel struck him, but was obliged to seek refuge in Alsatia. After various adventures he married Margaret Ramsay, the watch-maker’s daughter, and obtained the title-deeds of his estates.—Sir W. Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel (time, James I.).
Olim´pia, the wife of Bireno, uncompromising in love, and relentless in hate.—Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).
Olimpia, a proud Roman lady of high rank. When Rome was sacked by Bourbon, she flew for refuge to the high altar of St. Peter’s, where she clung to a golden cross. On the advance of certain soldiers in the army of Bourbon to seize her, she cast the huge cross from its stand, and as it fell it crushed to death the foremost soldier. Others then attempted to seize her, when Arnold dispersed them and rescued the lady; but the proud beauty would not allow the foe of her country to touch her, and flung herself from the high altar on the pavement. Apparently lifeless, she was borne off; but whether she recovered or not we are not informed, as the drama was never finished.—Byron, The Deformed Transformed (1821).
Olindo, the lover of Sophronia. Aladine, king of Jerusalem, at the advice of his magicians, stole an image of the Virgin, and set it up as a palladium in the chief mosque. During the night it was carried off, and the king, unable to discover the thief, ordered all his Christian subjects to be put to death. To prevent this massacre, Sophronia delivered up herself as the perpetrator of the deed, and Olindo, hearing thereof, went to the king and declared Sophronia innocent, as he himself had stolen the image. The king commanded both to be put to death, but, by the intercession of Clorinda, they were both set free.—Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered, ii. (1575).
Oliphant or Ollyphant, the twin-brother of Argan´tê, the giantess. Their father was Typhæus, and their mother Earth.—Spenser, Faëry Queen, iii. 7, 11 (1590).
Olive Litchfield, young woman married to an elderly man, whose fatherly kindness wins her grateful esteem. With her knowledge and sanction he leaves the bulk of his property to charitable objects, thereby disappointing her rapacious relatives. She is quite willing, as a widow, to marry the man her mother dismissed in order to wed her to a millionaire, but James Merion, the cured suitor, prefers a fresh love.—Ellen Olney Kirk, A Daughter of Eve.
Olive Tree (The), emblem of Athens, in memory of the famous dispute between Minerva (the patron goddess of Athens) and Neptune. Both deities wished to found a city on the same spot; and, referring the matter to Jove, the king of gods and men decreed that the privilege should be granted to whichever would bestow the most useful gift on the future inhabitants. Neptune struck the earth with his trident, and forth came a war-horse; Minerva produced an olive tree, emblem of peace; and Jove gave the verdict in favor of Minerva.