386 The Folklore of Shakespeare. •
Demon is only used once by Shakespeare as a synonym of devil :
" If that same demon that hath gull'd thee thus Should with his lion gait walk the whole world, He might return to vasty Tartar [Tartarus] back."
Henry V. ii. 2. 121.
To him the demon was the genius or good angel, and the good or evil familiar spirit.
'■^ Ferdinand to Prospero. the strong'st suggestion
Our worser genius can, shall never melt Mine honour into lust." Tempest, iv. i. 27.
" Soothsayer to Afitony. Thy demon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable. Where Caesar's is not ; but near him thy angel Becomes a fear, as being o'erpower'd, therefore Make space enough between you."
Antony and Cleo. ii. 3. 19.
4. Monsters.
The word Sagittary, meaning a centaur who shot with a
bow and was horrible to look at, is used in two senses by
Shakespeare, which has confused some of the commentators.
Agamemnon, referring to the help given by this monster to
the Trojans, says :
" the dreadful Sagittary
Appals our numbers."
Troilus and Cressida, v. 5. 14.
The other reference is to the arsenal in Venice, known as the Sagittary from the figure of the archer monster over the entrance.
lago says :
" Lead to the Sagittary the raised search."
Ot/iello, i. I. 159.
