Conan the Swordsman

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Conan the Swordsman Page 25

by L. Sprague De Camp


  Kwarada — In BB, the Witch of Skandaga, Valerian's mistress. A pseudo-Iroquois name.

  Kyros —A wine-growing region mentioned in HS, CB, CC. The Greek spelling of Cyrus (Old Persian, Kurush; cf. Kurush Khan).

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  Lalibeha — In IG, the king of Punt. From Lalibela, a Zangwe king in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in +XII.

  Laodamas — In MB, an Aquilonian officer. The name of several Greek mythological heroes.

  Laranga — In CC, a Negro gadey slave. A pseudo-Bantu name.

  Larsha — In HD, a ruined city near Shadizar. From Larsa, a city of ancient Babylonia.

  Lazbekri — In CA, the Mirror of Lazbekri enables Conan and Pelias to spy on the sorcerer Yah Chieng.

  Lemuria — In TE, an eastern archipelago of At-lantean times. A hypothetical land bridge from India to South Africa, invented by scientists in the late +XIX to explain the distribution of lemurs and the similarity of some geological formations in India and South Africa; later, in Theosophical and other occult doctrines, a sunken continent in the Indian or the Pacific Ocean, contemporary with or preceding Atiantis (q.v.). Lemuria as a scientific hypothesis has been discredited by the advances of +XX geology.

  Leng Chi — In CA, a Khitan; common Chinese names.

  Libnun Hills — In HS, a range near Asgalun; From Libnan, Arabic for Lebanon, the mountain and the republic. In Howards original non-Conan story, "Hawks Over Egypt," these hills were the Mokattam (Arabic, Muqattam) Hills near Cairo.

  Ligureans — In BB, BN, a race of light-skinned savages dwelling in small clans in the Pictish Wilderness, culturally similar to the Picts but racially distinct from them. From the Ligurians, a pre-Roman people of northwestern Italy and southern France, who mixed with the invading Celts and were conquered by the Romans.

  Lilit — In SH, the ruler of Yanyoga. In Semitic mythology, Lilith or Lilitu is a nocturnal female demon.

  Lir — In SS, a god by whom Conan swears. The Irish sea god. (Lir is the genetive; the nominative is properly Ler.) The character also appears as the Welsh god Llyr and as the "King Lear" of Geoffrey of Monmouth (Historia Regum Britanniae, II, 11-14) and Shakespeare.

  Lissa — In DT, a girl of the desert city of Gazal. From Elissa, the name of the Tyrian princess (better known by her nickname of "Dido") who is traditionally believed to have fled from Tyre during a dynastic struggle and founded Carthage, -XIX or -VIII. Howard used another name from the same source, Nalissa, in the King Kull story, "Swords of the Purple Kingdom."

  Livia — In VW, an Ophirean girl of noble family, carried off by Kushites to Bakalah. The feminine form of Livius, a Roman gentile name. Before the Christiani-zation of the Roman Empire, Roman women had no personal names. They were known by the feminine form of their fathers gentile (clan) or middle name only; hence, for instance, Gaius Julius Caesar's daughter was automatically called Julia. If a man had more than one daughter, the later ones were given numbers (Secunda, &c.) or diminuitives (Livilla, &c.) to tell them apart.

  Lodier — In SK, a barony in Ophir.

  Lor — In CA, a barony of Aquilonia.

  Lotus — In TE, the powder of the black lotus of Khitai is a deadly poison. In TE, CA, the "fumes" and the pollen of the yellow lotus of Khitai are narcotics. In CC, the smoke of the burning pollen of the black lotus is a powerful drug. In RH, the dust of the gray lotus, which grows beyond Khitai, is a deadly poison. In SC, the juice of the purple lotus of Stygia paralyzes. In SM, the juice of the golden lotus restores sanity. In Homer (Odyssey, IX) the fruit of the lotus (probably the jujube, the shrub Zizyphus and its relatives) reduces people to a dreamy, lethargic, forgetful state. In modern botany, any of several Old World water lillies of the genera Nelumbo and Nymphaea.

  Louhi — In WM, the witch-mistress of Pohiola. The mistress of Pohjola in the Kalevala.

  Loulan — In FK, a region of eastern Hyrkania. A pseudo-Chinese name.

  Lubemba — In RZ, the king of Zembabwei who first tamed the wyverns. The country of the Bemba, in modern Zambia.

  Lucian — In MB, an Aquilonian general. From the Greek Loukianos (Latin, Lucianus), a common name borne by, among others, the Syrio-Greek satirical writer Lucian of Samosata, +11.

  Ludovic — In BN, the king of Ophir, successor to Amalrus. A common North European name, also Hlo-dovic, Ludwig, Clovis, Louis, Lodovico, Luigi, Luis, &c.

  Luxur — In FK, TT, CC, &c, the capital of Stygia. From Luxor, Egypt (from Arabic al-Aqsur or al-Uqsur, "the castles," in ancient times called Wesi, Opet, No-Amun, or Thebes).

  Lyco — In CA, a Kothian captive in Paikang. From Lykon, a common Classical Greek name.

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  Macha — In PS, a Cimmerian deity. From Emain Macha (pronounced approximately EV-in MAH-khah), Cuchulainn's home in Irish myth.

  Mannanan — In SS, a god by whom Conan swears. From Manannán (pronounced mah-nah-NYAWN), in Irish mythology a sea god, the son of Lér.

  Manara — In CA, a county of Aquilonia.

  Marala — In SK, the queen of King Moranthes II of Ophir; later the Countess Albiona.

  Marco — In CI, a Barachan pirate in Conan's crew. An Italian given name, from the Latin praenomen Marcus.

  Marinus — In CA, a hireling of King Yezdigerd in Tarantia. From the Greek Marinos, a common name borne by, among others, a noted +11 Tyrian geographer.

  Matamba — In CB, a Kushite tribe. A pseudo-Bantu name.

  Mattenbaal — In HS, a priest of Pteor. A Phoenician name.

  Maul — In TE, HD, the thieves' quarter in a Zamor-ian city.

  Mayapan — In CI, the American coast adjacent to AntilHa. The Mayas' own name for their country.

  Maypur — In CA, a Turanian city. Probably from the Mayan Indians.

  Mazdak — In HS, a Hyrkanian mercenary in the Pelishti army. A Persian name, notably that of the founder of a communistic religion in +V.

  Mbega — In RZ, SH, one of the twin kings of Zembabwei. A legendary conquering East African chieftain, c. +1700, in the present Tanzania.

  Mbonani — In CB, a Ghanata slaver. A +XIX East African chieftain.

  Mecanta — In SK, a county in Ophir.

  Mena — In GT, a Shemitish conjuror in Captain Gonzago's crew. The more or less legendary founder of the First Dynasty of Egypt, c. -3100.

  Menkara — In CB, a priest of Set. The name of a Fourth Dynasty king of Egypt, also Menkaura, Men-kure, or Mycerinus.

  Meru — In CS, CM, SH, a tropical valley between the Talakma and Himelian mountain ranges. In Hindu mythology, the mountain on which the gods dwell.

  Mesmerism — An obsolete name for hypnotism, after its discoverer Franz Anton Mesmer (1733-1815), an Austrian physician; used in this sense by Howard in SZ, PC.

  Messantia — In PO, CC, CI, the main seaport of Argos. Probably from Messina, Italy.

  Metemphoc — In CI, the chief of the thieves of Ptahuacan. A synthetic Egypto-Mayan name.

  Milo — In CS, BM, the king of Argos; in CI, Conan's boatswain. From the Greek Milon, a legendary athlete of Crotona; also a Roman cognomen.

  Mindanga — In DT, a people of the Tombalku Empire. See Bigharma.

  Mithridates — In CA, a king of Zamora. The Greek version of the Persian Mithradata, borne by various Achaemenid Persian notables and by several kings of Pontus, especially Mithridates VI, the Great, c. -100.

  Mitra — In GB, RH, QC, &c., a Hyborian god. In Indian mythology, a sun god, cognate with the Persian Mithra or Mithras.

  Mkwana — In SH, a Zembabwan officer. A pseudo-Bantu name.

  Monargo — In CI, the count of Couthen. From Monaco.

  Moranthes — In SD, SK, the king of Ophir and the second of that name, Amalrus' predecessor. Possibly suggested by Orontes, a Persian name (Aurwand, Al-wand) borne by a character in Moliere's The Misanthrope. Also a river in Syria (modern Nahr al-'Asi).

  Morrigan — In PS, a Cimmerian deity. An Irish goddess, who appears in Arthurian legend in the guise of Morgan le Fay (Malory's English for the French Morgain la fée).

  Mulai
— In CM, a Turanian soldier. A Turkish name. Munthassem Khan — In HN,- a Turanian governor.

  Muriela — In JG, IG, a Corinthian dancing girl. From the feminine proper name Muriel.

  Murilo — In RH, HN, a noble of a small city-state west of Zamora. Probably from Murillo, a -XVII Spanish painter.

  Murzio — In RZ, a Zingaran serving with Conan. From the Italian name Muzio, which comes from the Roman gentile names Mucius and Mutius.

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  Nabonidus — In RH, a priest in a small, unnamed city-state west of Zamora. Latin for Nabu-naid, the last Babylonian king.

  Nafertari — In DI, the mistress of the satrap Jungir Khan. From Nefertari, the name of several Egyptian queens.

  Nahor — In IG, a Shemitish merchant in Punt A biblical name (Gen. 11:23). Namedides See Numedides.

  Nanaia — In FK, a woman of Kobad Shah's harem. From Nana, an ancient oriental name.

  Natala — In SS, a Brythunian girL Presumably fromi the feminine proper name Natalie or Natalia.

  Natohk — In BC, SD, the name used by Thugra Khotan; "Khotan" (q.v.) backward.

  Nebethet — In IG, the dominant goddess of Punt From Nebthet or Nephthys, an Egyptian goddess.

  Nebthu — In BN, RZ, SH, a ruined city in northern Stygia. From the Egyptian goddess Nebthet or Nephthys.

  Nemain — In PS, a Cimmerian deity. An Irish goddess, pronounced approximately NEV-in.

  Nemedia, Nemedians — In TE, GB, QC, &c, a powerful Hyborian kingdom and its people. In Irish mythology, the Nemedians, descendants of the Scythian chief Nemed, were among the first invaders of Ireland. Cf. Conan; also Lebor Gabála Erenn, V, 237-56.

  Nenaunir — In WM, RZ, SH, one of the twin kings of Zembabwei, also priest of Damballah. A Sudanese name.

  Nergal — In HN, the Hand of Nergal is a powerful talisman. Nergal or Nerigal was the Babylonian war god. -

  Nestor — In HD, a Gunderman officer of Zamorian troops. In Homer's Iliad, a wise old king of Pylos with the Achaean host.

  N'Gora — In QC, a subchief of the black corsairs. A pseudo-Bantu name.

  Nezvaya — In HN, a river in Turan. Possibly suggested by the Russian rivers Nyeva and Velikaya, or similar names.

  Nilas (=Styx) — In the first draft of BC, the Nemedian name for the river (discarded); from Nilus, Neilos, or Nile, also mentioned as "Nilus" in "The Hyborian Age."

  Nimed — In CC, the king of Nemedia (q.v.). From Nemed, in Irish mythology a Scythian chief whose descendants invaded Ireland.

  Ninus — In HD, the Fountain of Ninus is west of Shadizar; in CB, RZ, a priest of Mitra. In Greek legend (Ninos), the founder of Nineveh.

  Niord — In FD, an As (see Æsir). From Njorth or Njörđ, one of the Vanir (q.v.) of Norse mythology.

  Nippr — In BC, a Shemitish city-state. From Nippur, an ancient Babylonian city.

  Njal — In LD, a chief or jarl of the Æsir, raiding into Hyperborea. From Njal (pronounced NYAHL) Thor-geirsson, hero of one of the most famous Icelandic sagas, NjaTs Saga or The Saga of Burnt Njal.

  Nordheim — In QC, the land of the Æsir and the Vanir. A medieval German place name, meaning "north home."

  Nuadens — In BN, a god invoked by Diviatix. A Celtic god, also Nuada or Nodens.

  Nuadwyddon — In BN, a sacred grove of the Ligu-rean Druids. A pseudo-Welsh name.

  Numa — In PS, a king of Nemedia. A legendary king of early Rome.

  Numalia — In GB, a Nemedian city. From Numa (q.v.).

  Numedides, Namedides — In DT, MB, TT, &c, a king of Aquilonia slain and superseded by Conan. From Numa and Nimed (q.v.) + the Greek gentile suffix -ides. Howard used both spellings, but in current editions of the stories the former is used exclusively.

  NYaga — In QC, a black corsair. A pseudo-Bantu name.

  Nzinga — In CB, RZ, the queen of the Amazons; in RZ, also, her daughter of the same name. A black warrior queen who fought the Portuguese in Angola in +XVII.

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  Octavia — In DJ, a Nemedian girl. The feminine form of the Roman gentile name Octavius (cf. Livia).

  Ogaha — In BB, a creek between the provinces of Conawaga and Schohira. A pseudo-Iroquois name, probably suggested by upstate New York place names like Oquaga, Otego, &c.

  Olgerd — In WB, FK, Olgerd Vladislav is a Zaporo-skan chief of the Zuagirs. From Olgierd, a grand duke of Lithuania in +XIV (see Vladislav).

  Olivero — In BN, the husband of Princess Chabela. A Spanish name.

  Olivia — In SM, an Ophirean princess. An Italian and English feminine proper name.

  Ollam-Onga — In DT, the god of Gazal.

  Olmec — In RN, a chief of Xuchotl. From the Olmecs or Olmeca, a tribe of Mexican Indians.

  Onagrul — In CA, a pirate settlement on the eastern shore of the Vdayet Sea. From "onager," the Asiatic wild ass.

  Onyaga — In BB, the Hawk Clan of the Picts. A pseudo-Iroquois name.

  Ophir — In TE, QC, SM, &c., a Hyborian kingdom. A goldmining region in the Old Testament, possibly on the shores of the Red or Arabian seas (e.g., western Arabia) or the country of the Afar, in Eritrea on the opposite side of the Red Sea.

  Orastes — In CC, a former priest of Mitra. From Orestes, in Greek myth the son of Agamemnon; also regent of Italy in +V for his son Romulus Augustulus, the last West Roman Emperor; executed by order of Odovakar in +476.

  Oriskonie — In MB, BB, a province of the Wester-marck. From Oriskany (now Oriskany Falls), New York, site of a battie in the Revolutionary War.

  Orklaga (=Ogaha) — In first draft of BB; discarded. A pseudo-Iroquois name.

  Ortho — A pirate alluded to in RN. Possibly from Otho, a Roman cognomen or famdy name.

  Ostorio — In BG, a Nemedian. From Ostorius, a Roman gentde name.

  Othbaal — An Anaki intriguer. From Ithobaal" or Ethbaal, king of Sidon in -IX.

  Otho — See Ortho, Strom.

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  Paikang — In WB, CA, a city in Khitai. From Pei-king, China.

  Palian Way — In GB, a street in Numalia. Probably from the Mappalian Way, a street in Carthage alluded to in Flaubert's Salammbó; possibly also from the river Pallia, a tributary of the Tiber.

  Pallantides — In PS, CC, CA, &c, an Aquilonian general. In Greek mythology, a collective name for the fifty sons of Pallas, uncle of Theseus, who slew all the Pallantides in a struggle for the throne of Athens. Howard may, however, have derived the name from a combination of Palamedes, a Trojan hero, and Pallancia (modern Palencia), Spain.

  Pantho — In BN, a Zingaran, the duke of Guarralid. From Sancho Panza (Castillian z = English th).

  Pelias — In SC, CA, a Kothian wizard. In Greek myth, a king of Iolkos and Jason's wicked uncle.

  Pelishtim — In WB, CI, JG, a Shemitish nation. Hebrew for the Philistines, whence "Palestine" is also derived. Howard used "Pehshtim" in the singular, whereas the Hebrew singular would be "Pelishti," which form I have substituted where appropriate in the current editions.

  Pellia — In SC, CC, a principality in Aquilonia. Probably from Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia.

  Peshkauri — In PC, a city in northwestern Vendhya. From Peshawar (or Peshavar), Pakistan.

  Petanius — See Aztreas.

  Petreus — In RH, a conspirator against Nabonidus. From Petrus, the Latin form of Peter (Greek, Petros).

  Picts — In TE, GB, BR, &c., the primitive inhabitants of the Pictish Wilderness, along the west coast of the main continent. The primitive pre-Celtic inhabitants of Britain, who were finally absorbed by the invading Scots from Ireland. The affinities of their language are much disputed, some holding them to have spoken a Celtic tongue, some a non-Celtic Indo-European, and some a non-Indo-European one. In the Conan stories, Howard made the Picts a swarthy folk with an Iroquois-like culture; in other stories, he assumed they were dwarfish and Neanderthaloid. From anthropological considerations, it seems most likely that they were physically much the same as the present people of Scodand.

  Pohiola — In WM, BN, RZ, a sorcero
us Hyperborean stronghold. From Pohjola, in the Kalevala the "North Country," corresponding to Lapland or a suppositious land even farther north.

  Poitain — In TT to BN, the southernmost province of Aquilonia, at times independent of that kingdom. From Poitou, a French province on the west coast. Howard spelled the corresponding adjective "Poitanian."

  Posthumo — In GB, a Numalian policeman. From the Roman cognomen Posthumus, which originally meant "born after his fathers death."

 

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