la légende des siecles

l'ordre teutonique, the Order of Teutonic Knights. Originally founded to protect the
Christians in Palestine, the Teutonic Knights received domains in Italy and Germany
from the Pope and Emperor, conquered Prussia (1228), and established there a military
power which lasted four centuries.
hydre. In Greek legend the hydra was a serpent with seven heads, and, when one of
them was cut off, two grew in its place. It is Hugo's favourite figure for cruelty or
tyranny.
Lusace consisted of two margraviates, the upper and the lower.
elle a peur du fleuron, i.e. she is afraid to be marchioness. The flower-shaped ornaments
in a crown are called fleurons. A marquis's coronet was adorned with 'fleurons'
alternating with pearls and the contrast between the pointed 'fleuron' and the round pearl
suggests the figure employed in the next line.
tribunaux d'amour, or cours d'amour, were the celebrated courts of the Middle Ages,
presided over by ladies of high rank, which gave judgement in cases of love and
gallantry and laid down laws for lovers. They existed principally in France, especially in
Southern France.
L. 369. The Wends were a Slav people who lived in Lusatia, but the name Thassilo is
Bavarian.
Nemrod. See note on PLEINE MER.
Fenris: the great wolf of Scandinavian mythology whose growth was such that the gods
in fear chained him to a rock. Some day his upper jaw will touch the sky, while his
lower still rests on earth, and then Odin will tremble for his throne.
le serpent Asgar. This serpent is probably of Hugo's invention and its name taken from
the mythical city of the Scandinavians, Asgard, built by the gods and in which they
often resided.
l'archange Attila. This is not the king of the Huns, nor is he one of the known
archangels. However, as the Scriptures mention only three archangels, Gabriel, Michael,
and Raphael, out of the seven, Hugo may or may not be right in speaking of an
archangel of the name of Attila. Le grand chandelier brought from the lower regions by
the archangel is merely a poetic fancy and a reminiscence of the seven-branched
candlestick of the tabernacle (Exod. XXV. 31-7).
Actéon. Actaeon in Greek mythology was a hunter who saw Diana bathing, and was in
consequence changed by the goddess into a stag.
L. 437. chanfrein, the piece of armour which covered the head of the horse.
Les chatons des cuissards sont barris de leurs clés. A difficult line. The chatons were
the studs or screws which held the thigh-piece (cuissard) in its place, and the instrument
which worked them was called la clé. Barrés appears to mean simply 'fastened'. Sir G.
Young translates:—