Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 09.djvu/28

* GOLDEN FLEECE. empris ('I have dared it'). Theie is also a cap of purple velvet embroidered in gold, with a hood: the shoes and stockings are red. See Or- DEKS. GOLDEN GATE, The. See S. Francisco Bay. GOLDEN HORDE. The name ( 1 ) of a great body of Tatars who, under Batu Kl>an, grandson of Genghis Khan, overran Eastern Europe; and (2) of the khanate or empire which they estab- lished on the banks of the Volga, and which is also known as Kiptchak (q.v.). The army led by Batu (known also as Sain Khan, 'the good prince,' and described by Marco Polo as 'a very puissant king') was one of three sent out in 1235 by Ogdai Khan, the successor of Genghis. Crossing the Ural River in 12.37, they invaded Russia, penetrating to the A'ery centre of the country, pil- laging, burning, devastating, and murdering, de- feating army after army, and showing no mercy. Moscow and Kiev and other cities were taken and burned, and their inhabitants put to the sword. From Russia they passed into Poland. Silesia, and Hungary, carrying devastation and blood- shed everywiiere. Lublin and Cracow were de- stroyed in 1240, Breslau was burned in 1241, and at Liegnitz, on the field since known as the Wahlstatt, an army of Silesians, Poles, and Teu- tonic knights, under Henry II., Duke of Silesia, was overcome, although with great loss to the victors, April 9, 1241. Unsuccessful in the siege of Neustadt, the Horde turned eastward, and Batu pitched his goi-geously embroidered silk tent on the banks of the Volga, and summoned the Russian princes to his presence to do him hom- age. The empire established by him over the Russians was maintained until the power of the khans was broken by Ivan III. toward the close of the fifteenth century. See Kiptchak; and Mongol Dyna.sties. GOLDEN HORN. See Constantinople. GOLDEN HOUSE OF NERO (Lat. Aurea Domus). A remarkable structure planned by Nero after the fire of a.d. 04, between the Pala- tine and Esquiline .hills, covering an area of a square mile. It embraced farms, vineyards, game preserves, sulphur and sea baths, ponds and ■waterfalls, and elaborate colonnades and halls, adorned with the most lavish expenditure. Among its celebrated features were a vestibule contain- ing a colossal bronze statue of Nero, 120 feet in height; a portico 3000 feet long; and a ban- quet hall with a revolving ceiling of carved ivory representing the firmament. In other halls the ceilings dropped flowers and perfumes on the guests. The walls were incrusted with rare marbles, mosaics, mother-of-pearl, precious stones, and paintings, and the courts and apartments contained hundreds of rare columns and statues. The depression where the Coliseum stands was occupied by a lake. The Golden House had been pulled down bi^ore A.n. 75. and its remains were used as foundations for later buildings, particu- larly for the baths of Trajan and Titus, while the grounds were given back to public use. GOLDEN HUMMER. A Peruvian humming- bird (HeUolhrix aurHiis). having a golden gloss upon its plumage. See Colored Plate of HuM- MING-BlRnS. GOLDEN LEGEND (Lat. Lefjetidn Aurrn). A celebrated collection of hagiology, which for a 12 GOLDEN NUMBER. time enjoyed almost unexampled popularity, hav- ing passed through more than 100 editions, and translations into almost all the European lan- guages. It is the work of James of Viraggio, better known as Jacobus de Voragine, who was born at Viraggio (now Varazze), on the coast, near Genoa, about the year 1230. He entered the Dominican Order (1244), and was provin- cial of the Order in Loml)ardy from 1207 to 1286. In 1292 lie became Archbishop of Genoa, and by his ability, moderation, and exemplary life he played a most influential part in the pub- lie aft'airs of his time. He died in Genoa in 1298. The Legenda consists of 177 sections, each of which is devoted to a particular saint or festival, selected according to the order of the calendar. It presents nearly the entire narrative portions of the Bible, with many homilies and much information, some curious, concerning Church characters. In its execution the work, as may be supposed from its age, is far from critical; but it is deserving of study as a literary monimient of the period, and as illustrating the religious habits and views of the Christians at that time. The Legenda is also called Historia hongoburdiea, because it appends a brief Lombard clnonicle to the life of Pope Pelagius. A trans- lation of the Golden Legend was made by Wil- liam Caxton for the Earl of Arundel, and first published in London (1483) ; it was reprinted, edited, and modernized by Ellis (London. 1900). The classical edition of the original Latin is by Graesse (Breslau. 1890). GOLDEN LEGEND, The. A religious dra- matic poem by Longfellow, published in 1851. With yew Englnnd Tmgedirs and The Dirine Tragedy, it forms a trilogy entitled Vhristus. It is a mediaeval tale, faintly resembling Faust. GOLDEN (or CAPE) MOLE. A member of a family of inseetivores. Chrysochlorida", confined to South Africa, having an external resemblance to, and the habits of, moles, but in structure more closely allied to the tenrecs and potamogales. They "do not dig, as do the true moles, with fore" feet modified into hands, but mainly with the enormous claws of the two middle fingers. They take their name from the brilliant and arying bronzed lustre of their fur. GOLDEN NUMBER (Lat. numerus au- reus). The number of any year in the Metonic cycle (q.v.). As this cycle embraces nineteen years, the golden numbers range from 1 to 19. The cycle of ileton came into general use soon after its discover.y, and the number of each year in the Metonic "cycle was ordered to be en- graved in letters of gold on pillars of marble. Since the introduction of the Gregorian cal- endar, the point from which the golden num- bers are reckoned is B.C. I, as in that year the new moon fell on Januarj' 1st; and as by Meton's law the new moon falls on the same day (January 1st) every nineteentli year from thtit time, we' obtain the following rilc for finding the golden number for any particular year: "Add one to the number of years, and divide hy nine- teen; the quotient gives the number of cycles, and the remainder gives the golden number for that year: and if there he no remainder, then nineteen is the golden number, and that year is the last of the cycle." The golden number is used for deter- mining the Epact (q.v.). and the time for hold- ing Easter (q.v.).