J. C. Powys' Autobiography: A Reader's Companion - Site POWYS

14 Autobiography
Celtic Prime Minister (589) — David Lloyd George
(q.v.).
Cerberus — See “Sops to Cerberus.”
Ceridwen (296, 335, 643) — Welsh witch-figure,
owner of a magic cauldron by means of which
Taliessin acquired poetic wisdom in the first part
of “The Tale of Taliessin.” Her story is told in
“[The Tale of] Gwion Bach,” often translated with
The Mabinogion.
Cerne (132) — Cerne Abbas, a village in Dorset
north of Dorchester, famous for a hill-figure of a
naked giant carved into the chalk down. A scene
in The Brazen Head takes place on the figure, and
the giant appears as a character in JCP’s late
fantasy All or Nothing.
certain little girl (225) — Eleanor (Nelly) Powys,
JCP’s sister, who died in 1893 at the age of
fourteen. Llewelyn writes movingly about her in
“Threnody” (Ebony and Ivory [1923]).
Cervantes (9, 423) — Spanish novelist (1547–1616),
best known for his comic epic Don Quixote (1605,
1615). JCP devoted a chapter to him in The
Pleasures of Literature.
Chamberlain (301, 381) — Joseph Chamberlain
(1833–1914), English politician who quarrelled
with Gladstone (q.v.) and advocated a
decentralized Imperial Union of British Peoples.
“chandala” (167) — A member of one of the
lowest castes in the ancient Indian hierarchical
system, mentioned by JCP in The Pleasures of
Literature (555); here, “socially unacceptable.”
Chaplin, Charlie (455, 474, 475, 517, 561) — Britishborn
American comedian and film-maker
(1889–1977). The Pilgrim (517) was released in
1923. The first day of shooting of the film was
April 1st, 1921, and the last July 15th, 1922. See
Peltier (internet).
Charmides (138) — The name character in one of
Plato’s dialogues, known for his beauty.
Chaucer (550) — Geoffrey Chaucer (1340–1400),
English poet, famous for his Canterbury Tales. So,
“Chaucerian” (also 550).
Cha[u]tauqua (459, 504) — A town in western New
York State, where an adult education movement,
originally with Methodist associations, originated.
See Peltier (internet). NB: the spelling of
“Chatauqua” (459) is an error.
Chesil Beach (187, 529) — Well-known pebble
beach to the west of Weymouth famous for the
naturally-regulated size of its pebbles, see Peltier
(internet) Llewelyn has an essay, “The Chesil
Beach,” in Wessex Memories. After JCP’s death,
his ashes were scattered there. NB: At 187,
“western” reaches is incorrect, since Chickerel
and Wyke Regis are both east of Chesil Beach.
“Chewink” (619) — Popular name for a bird called
eastern towhee (known in JCP’s time as the
rufous-sided towhee). It belongs, like the
yellowhammer, to the family that includes
buntings and sparrows, and JCP is correct in
stating that the eggs resemble those of the
yellowhammer.
“Chicago, the great city” (473) — From Whitman’s
“Mediums” in Noon to Starry Night (l.6).
Chickerel (187) — A small community between
Chesil Beach (q.v.) and Weymouth.
Children’s Crusade (281) — A disastrous crusade
led by a shepherd boy in 1212. Most of the
participants were either lost at sea or sold into
slavery.
Chinon on the Vienne (262) — The birthplace of
Rabelais (q.v.) in Touraine, western France, and
continually referred to in his work.
Chiron (147) — A centaur, half-man, half-horse,
famous in Classical mythology for his wisdom and
as the tutor of numerous Greek heroes. I have
not been able to trace the story of his carrying
Helen across the flood (262).
Chitterling chapter (248) — See Rabelais (Book 4,
ch.39). In Rabelais (115), JCP quotes the Concise
Oxford Dictionary definition of chitterlings as
“the smaller intestines of beasts; especially as
cooked for food.”
Choregi (570) — Members of the chorus in a
Greek drama.
Christian (190) — The main character in Bunyan’s
The Pilgrim’s Progress, who bore an allegorical
burden upon his back.
Church’s Stories from Homer (122) — Rev.
Richard J. Church’s book, published in 1878.
Cicero (154, 502, 503, 599) — M. Tullius Cicero
(106–43 BC), Roman orator and writer. His
writings include De Senectute (Of Old Age) and
De Divinatione (Of Divination), both translated
by Judge Falconer (q.v.). So, “Ciceronian” (154).
Cimabue (389) — Giovanni Cimabue
(c.1240–c.1302), Italian painter regarded as the
founder of the Florentine school. JCP is possibly
confused here; he seems to have Santa Maria
Novella in mind, but, though the church once
possessed a Madonna attributed to Cimabue, this
is now in the Uffizi.
Cities of the Plain (179) — Sodom and Gomorrah,
destroyed by God because of the sins of their
inhabitants. See Genesis 19.
Clavadel ... Davos Platz (395) — In a region of the
Swiss Alps well-known for the treatment of
tuberculosis.
Clayhanger (511) — A novel by Arnold Bennett
(q.v.), published in 1910.
“cleared his mind of cant” (461) — Samuel
Johnson’s phrase, from Boswell’s Life of Johnson,
entry for 15 May 1783, also alluded to in
Suspended Judgments (411).