Tasnar[Tasnar], an enchanter, who aided the rebel army arrayed against Misnar, sultan of Delhi. A female slave undertook to kill the enchanter, and went with the sultan’s sanction to carry out her promise. She presented herself to Tasnar and Ahu´bal, and presented papers which she said she had stolen. Tasnar, suspecting a trick, ordered her to be bow-strung, and then detected a dagger concealed about her person. Tasnar now put on the slave’s dress, and, transformed into her likeness, went to the sultan’s tent. The vizier commanded the supposed slave to prostrate “herself” before she approached the throne, and while prostrate he cut off “her” head. The sultan was angry, but the vizier replied, “This is not the slave, but the enchanter. Fearing this might occur, I gave the slave a pass-word, which this deceiver did not give, and was thus betrayed. So perish all the enemies of Mahomet and Misnar, his vicegerent upon earth!”--Sir C. Morell [J. Ridley], Tales of the Genii, vi. (1751).
Tasso and Leonora. When Tasso, the poet, lived in the court of Alfonso II., the reigning duke of Ferrara, he fell in love with Leonora d’Este (2 syl.), the duke’s sister, but “she saw it not or viewed with disdain” his passion, and the poet, moneyless, fled half mad to Naples. After an absence of two years, in which the poet was almost starved to death by extreme poverty, his friends, together with Leonora, induced the duke to receive him back, but no sooner did he reach Ferrara than Alfonso sent him to an asylum, and there he was kept for seven years, when he was liberated by the instigation of the pope, but died soon afterwards (1544-1595).
Taste, a farce by Foote (1753), to expose the imposition of picture-dealers and sellers of virtu generally.
Tati´nus, a Greek who joined the crusaders with a force of 200 men armed with “crooked sabres” and bows. These Greeks, like the Parthians, were famous in retreat, but when a drought came they all sneaked off home.--Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered, xiii. (1575).
Tatius (Achilles), the acolyte, an officer in the Varangian guard.--Sir W. Scott, Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).
Tatlanthe (3 syl.) the favorite of Fadladinida (queen of Queerummania and wife of Chrononhotonthologos). She extols the warlike deeds of the king, supposing the queen will feel flattered by her praises; and Fadladinida exclaims, “Art mad, Tatlonthe? Your talk’s distasteful.... You are too pertly lavish in his praise?” She then guesses that the queen loves another, and says to herself, “I see that I must tack about,” and happening to mention “the captive king,” Fadladinida exclaims, “That’s he! that’s he! that’s he! I’d die ten thousand deaths to set him free.” Ultimately, the queen promises marriage to both the captive king and Rigdum-Funnidos “to make matters easy.” Then, turning to her favorite, she says:
And now, Tatlanthe, thou art all my care;
Where shall I find thee such another pair?
Pity that you, who’ve served so long and well,
Should die a virgin and lead apes in hell.