159 “Octoroon” Dion Boucicault, The Octoroon (1859), an antislavery novel.
162 John Alden’s books Popular reference books.
162 Proudhon Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809-1865), French political economist and socialist.
164 swallow The first seven lines of the poem refer to the Philomela story in Ovid’s Metamorphoses; after her tongue has been cut out, she speaks through her art.
164 Hellas Ancient Greece.
165 Elagabalus Controversial Roman emperor of the Severant dynasty who showed little respect for Roman religious traditions and sexual taboos.
165 Arimaspi In Greek legend, one-eyed warriors of northern Scythia.
170 ‘What is Truth?’ See John 18:38.
171 “Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven” See Matthew 5:3, 10.
175 “Commercial” Name of hotel.
176 Who knows not what is false “Who knows what is false” in Reedy’s Mirror of November 20, 1914.
182 The Hill See note for p. 13.
183 whoso enters the vineyard at the eleventh hour Cf. Matthew 20:1-16.
188 the Furies In Greek mythology, the Fates were avenging goddesses.
188 the Fates In Greek mythology, the Furies were the goddesses who determined when a person would die.
192 Altgeld See note for p. 128.
192 his head on a platter See Mark 6:21-28.
193 Apollo’s Greek God of poetry.
200 Peter the Rock See Matthew 16:18.
201 “a youth . . . haggard eye” Cf. Shelley’s line in “Death” (1817): “A Youth with hoary hair and haggard eye,” the personification of misery.
205 Spencer Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), synthetic philosopher whose doctrine appealed to deterministic writers such as Masters and Dreiser.
206 “the upright . . . be shortened” See Proverbs 2:21.
208 Tagalogs Filipinos. This is a reference to the highly controversial Philippine-American War of 1899-1902.
215 “With malice toward none, with charity for all” See Lincoln’s second inaugural address.
215 Beloved in life of Abraham Lincoln Masters disavowed any support for this legend in Lincoln: The Man (1931), p. 47.
216 " ’Tears, Idle Tears’” Poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892).
218 Herndon William H. Herndon (1818-1891) was Lincoln’s law partner and biographer, who—according to Masters—was largely responsible for the Anne Rutledge-Lincoln myth; see p. 215.
218 a man Abraham Lincoln.
218 John Wilkes Booth assassin of Lincoln.
220 ambrotypes The successor to the daguerreotype, or nineteenth-century photograph.
227 Jean Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Swiss philosopher.
229 Mary Baker G. Eddy Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910), the “G” here standing for her first married surname of “Glover,” was the founder of Christian Science, a popular spiritual healing movement.
229 “Bhagavad Gita” Part of the Hindu scriptures.
231 Imanuel Ehrenhardt This poem names a number of European philosophers and one American naturalist, John Muir (1838-1914), whose writings reflected Masters’s own Cartesian philosophy.
235 Tyndall John Tyndall (1820-1893), Irish natural philosopher.
242 Upanishads Part of the Hindu scriptures expressing a sense of mysticism.
246 planchette Triangular board used with a Ouija or spirit board.
246 “Charles Guiteau” Charles Julius Guiteau (1841-1882) assassinated President James Garfield on July 2, 1881.
246 Mrs. Surrat Mary Surratt (1823-1865), hanged on July 7, 1865, for her alleged involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.
250 Pericles Greek statesman and general (ca. 495 BC-429 BC).
250 Cæsar Borgia Italian soldier and statesman, son of Pope Alexander VI; he was a prominent figure of the Italian Renaissance (1476-1507).
251 open “Opened” in Reedy’s Mirror of November 20, 1914.
256 And shoots . . . / skeleton tangle These two lines were not part of the poem in Reedy’s Mirror of January 1, 1915.
257 tongues of flame See Acts 2:3.
261 Webster Ford Nom de plume under which the Spoon River Anthologypoems first appeared in Reedy’s Mirror; see the Introduction.
261 Delphic Apollo Greek god of poetry.
261 Plutus Greek god of wealth.
265 The Spooniad First published in Reedy’s Mirror of December 18, 1914, with mock historical introduction by Reedy.
265 Chian’s face Reference to Homer, born on the island of Chios.
265 Scamander Personification of the Scamander River in the Iliad on which Masters’s mock-heroic poem is based.
265 Peleus’ son Achilles.
265 Chryseis Mistress of Achilles, kidnapped by Agamemnon.
265 Momus Greek deity of mockery.
265 Thalia Greek muse of comedy and pastoral poetry.
275 Beelzebub Name for the devil.
275 Loki Mischievous god in Norse mythology.
275 Yogarindra Delusion personified, according to the Hallwas edition, p. 436.
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