Voluspa Saga (The), the prophecy of Völa. It contains between 200 and 300 verses, and resembles the Sibylline books of ancient Rome. The Voluspa Saga gives, in verse, a description of chaos, the formation of the world, the creation of all animals (including dwarfs and giants, genii and devils, fairies and goblins), the final conflagration of the world and its renewal, when it will appear in celestial beauty, like the new Jerusalem described in the book of the Revelation.
Vorst (Peterkin), the sleeping sentinel at Powys Castle.--Sir W. Scott, The Betrothed (time, Henry II.).
Vortigern, counsel of the Gewisseans, who crowned Constans, king of Britain, although he was a monk, but treacherously contrived to get him assassinated afterwards, and then usurped the crown. He married Rowen’a, daughter of Hengist, and was burnt to death in a tower set on fire during a siege by Ambrosius.--Geoffrey, British History, vi. 6; viii. 1 (1142).
Vortigern, a drama put forward by Henry W. Ireland (1796) as a newly discovered play by Shakespeare. It was brought out at Drury Lane Theatre, by John Kemble. Dr. Parr declared it to be his opinion that the play was genuine.
Vortigern and Hengist. The account of the massacre of the Long-Knives, given by Geoffrey, in his British History, vi. 15, differs greatly from that of the Welsh Triads (See Stonehenge, a Trophy). Geoffrey says that Hengist came over with a large army, at which King Vortigern was alarmed. To allay this suspicion, Hengist promised to send back all the men that the king did not require, and begged Vortigern to meet him in conference at Ambrius (Ambresbury), on May-day. Hengist, in the meantime, secretly armed a number of his soldiers with “long-knives,” and told them to fall on the Britons during the conference, when he uttered the words, “Nemet oure Saxas.” This they did, and 460 “barons and consuls” fell. It does not appear from this narrative that the slaughter was due “to the treachery of Vortigern,” but was wholly the work of Hengist. Geoffrey calls the earl of Gloucester “Eldol,” and not “Eidiol.”
Vortigern’s Tower, like Penelopê’s web, is a work ever beginning, and never ending. Vortigern was told by his magicians to build a strong tower for his own security; so he commanded his workmen to build one on Mount Erir, but whatever they built one day, was wholly swallowed up by the earth during the night.--Geoffrey, British History, vi. 17 (1142).
Vos non Vobis. The tale is that Virgil wrote an epigram on Augustus Cæsar, which so much pleased the emperor that he desired to know who was the author. As Virgil did not claim the lines, one Bathyllus declared they were his. This displeased Virgil, and he wrote these four words, Sic vos non vobis ... four times as the commencement of four lines, and Bathyllus was requested to finish them. This he could not do, but Virgil completed the lines thus:
Sic vos non vobis nidificatis aves;
Sic vos non vobis villera fertis oves;
Sic vos non vobis mellificatis apes;