Classics Retold

The idiom one's heart is in his throat means experiencing extreme nervousness, fear, or anxiety, often causing physical sensation of light-heartedness or pounding heart.  It describes a moment of high tension, such as waiting for bad news, watching a horror movie or anticipating a scary event. Often used to describe a sudden rush of fear such as being heart in mouth while witnessing something dangerous.  In Chapter 41 of Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy use this idiom with slight variation. While leaving for Union House to meet Fanny Robin, Troy inadvertently opened the case at the back of his watch, and the small coil of hair stowed in it fell in the eyes of Bathsheba. Then followed heated exchange between the husband and wife. "Troy had driven her to extreme bitterness: her heart was big in her throat," are the words used by the novelist, to present the mental turbulence of Bathsheba. 

Lucus a non lucendo is a Latin phrase describing an absurd or iconic etymology where a thing is named for the opposite of its nature.  Lucus is a Latin term primarily meaning a sacred grove, woodland sanctuary or a consecrated clearing within a forest. Unlike natural forest a lucus was cultivated and considered a site where Romans held ceremonies, made vows, and left offerings to deities.  In ancient Roman religion, it was a wooded area dedicated to a particular deity  Lucus non lucendo is a Latin phrase refering to an illogical, paradoxical derivation where a word is named after what it lacks.  The paradox is that light does not enter a Lucus ( a grove). A grove is a grove because sunlight does not enter it.  Today lucus non lucendo refers to an explanation that derives something from its opposite. Calling something "black white" is a lucus non lucendo. A noisy place when called "Silent Valley" is lucus a non lucendo. The Chapter 41 of Far From The Madding Crow...

Sergeant Troy uses the phrase "such strait waist-coating as you treat me to is not becoming in you at an early date."  Here strait waist-coating is a metaphor for being confined, restricted, or controlled. He is complaining about Bathsheba's attempt to control his movements, question his expenditure, or prying into his past, implying she is acting more like a strict keeper than a wife. This conversation takes place after they were married when Troy asks for twenty pounds, without explaining why, and Bathsheba's jealousy and suspicion are growing. Strait-waistcoat is a garment designed to retain a person's movement by binding their arms tightly against their body.  Made from durable canvas or leather it features long sleeves that are crossed over the chest and secured behind the wearer's back. The term originated in the mid 18th century was first described in 1772 textbook by David Macbride. Historically they were used extensively in asylums. David Macbride was...

The woman walked on for a considerable time.  Her steps became weak and she strained her eyes to look afar upon the naked road, now indistinct amid the  Penumbrae .  At length her onward walk dwindled to the merest totter, and she opened a gate within which was a haystack.  Underneath this she sat down and soon slept. The woman awoke to find herself in the depths of a moonless night.  A heavy unbroken crust of cloud stretched across the sky; and a distant halo hung over the town of Casterbridge. "If I could only get there!" the woman said looking at the halo hung over Casterbridge.  "Meet him the day after tomorrow: God help me!  Perhaps I shall be in my grave before then."  A clock from the far depth of shadows struck the hour one, in small, attenuated tone.  Two lights arose from the remote shade, and grew larger.  A carriage rolled along the road.  It contained some late diners-out. The light from the carriage showed the crouchin...

The Pleiads also known as Seven Sisters or Messier 45 (M45) is a prominent open star cluster in the Constellation Taurus located at 444 light-years from Earth.  It is one of the nearest star clusters to Earth and is visible to the naked eye as a tiny, blue-tinted misty dipper of stars It contains over 1000 stars, though only six to seven are visible to the naked eye. It is a young cluster consisting of hot B type stars formed within the last few million years.  In Greek mythology Seven Sisters were the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas and the sea nymph Pleione. Pursued by hunter Orion Zeus transformed them into stars to protect them. 

Hazel copse is a traditional woodland area where hazel trees are cut near ground level on a 7 to 15 years rotation, encouraging vigorous regrowth for sustainable timber, fencing and garden material.  This ancient method, called coppicing  produces straight flexible poles ideal for hurdle making, thatch spars, and plant supports while promoting biodiversity. A forest or grove that has been subject to coppicing is called copse. Hazel is often grown as an understorey beneath larger Oak or ash trees. They are cut in winter because it reduces decay in poles. Known for producing flexible wands hazel is used for wattle and hurdles for fencing, beanpoles and walking sticks.  Mass cutting allows light to reach the woodland floors, benefitting wild flowers and dormice.  Similar process is carried out at a higher level is called pollarding. This is done to prevent grazing animals from eating new shoots.  Dormice:  Small nocturnal Old World rodents known for their long...