ARTAXAM’INOUS, king of Utopia, married to Griskinissa, whom he wishes to divorce for Distaffi’na.  But Distaffina is betrothed to general Bombastes, and when the general finds that his “fond one” prefers “half a crown” to himself, he hates all the world, and challenges the whole race of man by hanging his boots on a tree, and daring any one to displace them.  The king, coming to the spot, reads the challenge, and cuts the boots down, whereupon Bombastes falls on his majesty, and “kills him,” in a theatrical sense, for the dead monarch, at the close of the burletta, joins in the dance, and promises, if the audience likes, “to die again to-morrow.”—­W.  B. Rhodes, Bombastes Furioso.

AR’TEGAL OR ARTHEGAL (Sir), son of Gorlois prince of Cornwall, stolen in infancy by the fairies, and brought up in Fairyland.  Brit’omart saw him in Venus’s looking-glass, and fell in love with him.  She married him, and became the mother of Aurelius Conan, from whom (through Cadwallader) the Tudor dynasty derives descent.  The wanderings of Britomart, as a lady knight-errant and the impersonation of chastity, is the subject of bk. iii. of the Faery Queen; and the achievements of sir Artegal, as the impersonation of justice, is the subject of bk. v.

Sir Artegal’s first exploit was to decide to which claimant a living woman belonged.  This he decided according to Solomon’s famous judgment respecting “the living and dead child” (canto 1).  His next was to destroy the corrupt practice of bribery and toll (canto 2).  His third was the exposing of Braggadoccio and his follower Trompart (canto 3).  He had then to decide to which brother a chest of money found at sea belonged, whether to Bracidas or Am’idas; he gave judgment in favor of the former (canto 4).  He then fell into the hands of Rad’igund queen of the Amazons, and was released by Britomart (cantos 5 and 6), who killed Radigund (canto 7).  His last and greatest achievement was the deliverance of Ire’na (Ireland) from Grantorto (rebellion), whom he slew (canto 12).

N.B.—­This rebellion was that called the earl of Desmond’s, in 1580.  Before bk. iv. 6, Artegal is spelled Arthegal, but never afterwards.

[Illustration] “Sir Artegal” is meant for lord Gray of Wilton, Spenser’s friend.  He was sent in 1580 into Ireland as lord-lieutenant, and the poet was his secretary.  The marriage of Artegal with Britomart means that the justice of lord Gray was united to purity of mind or perfect integrity of conduct.—­Spenser’s Faery Queen, v. (1596).

ARTEMIS’IA, daughter of Lygdamis and queen of Carlia.  With five ships she accompanied Xerxes in his invasion of Greece, and greatly distinguished herself in the battle of Salamis by her prudence and courage. (This is not the Artemisia who built the Mausoleum.)

  Our statues ... she
  The foundress of the Babylonian wall [Semirfa-mis];
  The Carian Artemisia strong in war.