Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 09.djvu/65

* GOBAL. 43 GORDIN. prove only varieties of Himalayan goral {Cemas goral) . This antelope-like animal stands only twenty-seven inches liigli, and is grayish brown, with a dark stripe along the back and another down the fore leg, and a enrious white ring around the eye; the forehead, nose, and tail are black. Both sexes have short black horns curving backward and ringed near the base. They wander in small bands about the edge of the highest for- est, and are exceedingly vigilant and agile, so that goral-stalking is a laborious and skillful, as well as delightful pursuit for the sportsman. See Serow. and Plate of Goat-Aktelopes. GORAMI, go'ra-mi, or GOXJRAMI, goo'ra-ml. See (UitAMAi. GOR'BODUC. A legendary King of Britain, •who is mentioned in the earl.y chronicles, and whose tragic fate, together with that of his sons, forms the plot of the first English tragedy. The play was written by Thomas Norton and Tlionias Sackville, was acted in 15G1. and was printed in 1565. It has been highly praised by Sidney and Pope, but is rather too sanguinary for modem audiences. It goes by the name of its hero, who, like Lear, has divided his possessions between his two sons, Ferrex and Porrex. The sons quarrel, and one is slain; the suri-ivor is slain by his mother, who, in turn, is killed with her husband by an indignant populace. GORBUSCHA, gor-boo'sha. The humpbacked salmon (Oncorhi/nchus gorbuscha). See S.L- MOX: HlMTISACKED SALMON. GOB'CUM. See Gorkum. GORDIAN KNOT (Lat. Gordius nodus). The traditional origin of this famous knot wag as follows: Gordius, a Phi-ygian peasant, was once plowing in his fields, when an eagle settled on his yoke of oxen. Surprised at so wonderful a phenomenon, he sought an explanation of it. and was informed by a prophetess of Telniissus that he should offer sacrifice to Zeus. He did so, and out of gratitude for the kindness shown him married the prophetess, by whom he had a son, the famous Jlidas. Somewhat later, in conse- quence of factional quarrels, the Phrygians con- sulted an oracle as to the choice of a king. In reply they were ordered to choose as king whoever should come to them riding in a car. As Gor- dius and his family came to the assembly while the reply was under discussion, he was at once chosen king, or, according to another version, his son Midas became ruler. Gordius dedicated his car and yoke to Zeus, in the acropolis of Gordium (a city named after himself), the knot of the yoke being tied in .so skillful a manner that an oracle declared whoever should unloose it woiild be ruler of all Asia. When Alexander the Great came to Gordium he cut the knot in two with his sword, and applied the prophecy to himself. GOR'DIA'NUS. The name of three Roman emperors, father, son, and grandson. The first, Marcus Antoxiu.s Gordianus, surnamed ,fri- CANUS (C.15S-238 A.D.), was descended on tlie fa- ther's side from the famous family of the Gracchi. He was remarkable for his attachment to literaiy pursuits. After being aedile. in which capacity he celebrated the gladiatorial sports with great mag- nificence, he twice filled the office of consul, first as the colleague of Caracalla, in a.d. 213. and sec- ond as the colleague of Alexander Severus. Soon afterwards he was appointed proconsul of Africa, Vol. IX. —4, where he gained the affections and esteem of the people, and his old age was spent in stud}'. The tyranny and injustice of the Emperor Maximinus having at length excited a rebellion against his au- thority in Africa, the Im|)erial procurator there was murilcred by a band of nobles who had formed a conspiracy against him on account of his cruelty. Gordianus. now in his eightieth year, was proclaimed Emperor, after having vainly re- fused the dangerous honor (ilareh 10, a.d. 238). He received the title of Africanus, and his son was conjoined with him in the exercise of im- perial authority. The Roman Senate acknowl- edged both, and proclaimed Maximinus, tlien ab- sent in Pajuionia, an enemy to his counti-j'. The younger Gordianus, however, was defeated and slain in battle by Capellianus, Governor of Numidia, before Carthage, and his father, in an agonj' of grief, put an end to his own existence, having been Emperor for little more than a month (April 16th). In his personal appearance Gordianus is said to have greatly resembled Augustus. — Marcus Axto- Nius Gordianus {1!)2-238), commonly called GoRDi.Nus Pius, Emperor a.d. 238-24-1, grandson of the preceding, was raised to the dignity of Ciesar aloiig with Pupienus Maximus and Balbi- nus, who were also proclaimed emperors in oppo- sition to Maximinus; and in the same year, after all three had fallen bv the hands of their own soldiers, Gordianus was elevated by the pra?torian guards to the rank of Augustus. Assisted by his father-in-law, Misitheus, a man distinguished for his wisdom, virtue, and courage, whom he made prefect of the pr;etorians. he marched, in the year 242, into' Asia, against the Persians, who, under Shahpur (Sapor), had taken possession of Meso- potamia, and had advanced into Syria. Antioeh, which was threatened by them, was relieved by Gordianus, the Persians were obliged to with- draw from Syria be.vond the Euphrates, and. Gor- dianus was just about to march into their coun- tiy when Misitheus died. Pliilip the Arabian, mIio succeeded Misitheus, stirred up dissatisfac- tion in the army against Gordianus by treacherj', and finally goaded on the soldiery to assassinate the Emperor, a.d. 244. GORDIN, gur'dyen, .Jacob M. (1853—). A .Jewish playwright and journalist, born in the Government of Poltava, Russia. He was private- ly educated, and after a number of years spent in teaching began to write short stories and general articles for newspapers in Saint Petersburg and Odessa. From 1886 to 1890 he was the editor of various publications at Odessa and Yelizavetgrad. In 1870 he founded at Yelizavetgrad the Society of Spiritual Brethren of the Bible, whose aim was to reconstruct religion upon the sole basis of prac- tical ethics, to the exclusion of all rites and ceremonies. In 1891 the society was suppressed by the Russian Government, and Gordin came to New York, where he began, almost immediately, to write for the Y'iddish stage, his first play, fiibcria. appearing in November. 1801. Within the next twelve years he had produced more than sixty plays, among them many adaptations and translations, dealing for the most part with .Jew- ish life in Russia and America. His adaptations are such in the sense only that the general o>it- line of their plot is borrowed; the details of the action, the character-drawing, and the underlying meaning of the play are entirely original. Gott,