Scian Muse (The), Simon´dês, born at Scia, or Cea, now Zia, one of the Cyclades.
The Scian and the Teian Muse [Anacreon] ...
Have found the fame your shores refuse.
Byron, Don Juan, iii. (“The Isles of Greece,” 1820).
Science (The prince of), Tehuhe, “The Aristotle of China” (died A.D. 1200).
Scio (now called Chios), one of the seven cities which claimed to be the birthplace of Homer. Hence he is sometimes called “Scio’s Blind Old Bard.” The seven cities referred to make an hexameter verse:
Smyrna, Chios, Colophôn, Salamis, Rhodos, Argos, Athenæ; or
Smyrna, Chios, Colophôn, Ithacâ, Pylos, Argos, Athenæ.
Antipater Sidonius, A Greek Epigram.
Sciol´to (3 syl.), a proud Genoese nobleman, the father of Calista. Calista was the bride of Altamont, a young man proud and fond of her, but it was discovered on the wedding day that she had been seduced by Lothario. This led to a series of calamities: (1) Lothario was killed in a duel by Altamont; (2) a street riot was created, in which Sciolto received his death-wound; and (3) Calista stabbed herself.—N. Rowe, The Fair Penitent (1703).
(In Italian, Sciolto forms but two syllables, but Rowe has made it three in every case.)
Scipio “dismissed the Iberian maid” (Milton, Paradise Regained, ii.). The poet refers to the tale of Scipio’s restoring a captive princess to her lover, Allucius, and giving to her, as a wedding present, the money of her ransom. (See Continence.)
During his command in Spain a circumstance occurred which contributed more to his fame and glory than all his military exploits. At the taking of New Carthage, a lady of extraordinary beauty was brought to Scipio, who found himself greatly affected by her charms. Understanding, however, that she was betrothed to a Celtibērian prince named Allucius, he resolved to conquer his rising passion, and sent her to her lover without recompense. A silver shield, on which this interesting event is depicted, was found in the river Rhone by some fishermen in the seventeenth century.—Goldsmith, History of Rome, xiv. 3. (Whittaker’s improved edition contains a fac-simile of the shield on p. 215.)
Scipio, son of the gypsy woman, Coscolīna, and the soldier, Torribio Scipio. Scipio becomes the secretary of Gil Blas, and settles down with him at “the castle of Lirias.” His character and adventures are very similar to those of Gil Blas himself, but he never rises to the same level. Scipio begins by being a rogue, who pilfered and plundered all who employed him, but in the service of Gil Blas he was a model of fidelity and integrity.—Lesage, Gil Blas (1715).