la légende des siecles

incrusté d'érable, i. e. inlaid with maple.
bailli, i. e. governor.
reître, an old word, derived from the German Reiter, used of the German knights.
buccin, properly a whelk, is a name given to a musical instrument very similar to a
trombone.
brassière, a little jacket or vest worn close round the body. The word is usually used in
the plural. Likely enough Hugo intends simply the corset.
au penchant des mers, i. e. where the land slopes to the sea. A peculiar expression; au
penchant de la terre would be more usual.
les chouettes félines. The epithet refers to their nocturnal habits.
L. 353. The antecedent of que is vautours. The reference is to gladiatorial combats in
the Roman Circus, and the louve d'airain is the famous bronze wolf of the Capitol, a
statue representing a wolf suckling two children.
fauve, here `savage'. See note on ÉVIRADNUS.
cru, i. e. unashamed.
faîte vermeil. See note on AYMERILLOT. where the same phrase occurs.
figurant, 'suggesting the form of". A highly characteritic touch. Hugo possessed a
faculty of poetic vision which changed the shapes of things so as to bring them into
harmony with the dominant ideas of the moment. Cf. LA ROSE DE L'INFANTE, and
LA CONFIANCE.
Héliogabales. Heliogabalus was a Roman Emperor (r. 217-222) noted for his sensuality
and his caprices.
cistre, cittern or cithern, a musical instrument resembling the guitar.
un Louvre: the Louvre is the well-known palace in Paris where many kings of France
resided. Note the antithesis in the same line, antre de rois, Louvre de voleurs.
les ors, various kinds of gold. Sixte Malaspina, introduced as one of the counsellors of
Ratbert in a poem entitled 'Ratbert' not given here.
chape is the Picard form of 'cape' (see note on LES PAUVRES GENS). It is the name
for a long cloak, fastened in front, and worn by clergy and choristers when performing
Divine Service. Formerly any long loose cloak was called a charpe. As is still the
custom in the Greek Church, images of the Virgin or saints are largely used, and they
are found as ornaments on pieces of furniture and sacerdotal vestments.