Deceit

Deceit

Aimwell

pretends to be titled to wed into wealth. [Br. Lit.: The Beaux’ Stratagem]

Ananias

lies about amount of money received for land. [N.T.: Acts 5:1–6]

Ananias Club

all its members are liars. [Am. Lit.: Worth, 10]

angel of light

false apostles are like Satan in masquerade. [N.T.: II Corinthians 11:14]

Apaturia

epithet of Athena, meaning ‘deceitful.’ [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 36]

apples of Sodom

outwardly sound fruit; inwardly rotten. [Class. Myth.: Jobes, 114]

Arbaces

priest who frames Glaucus. [Br. Lit.: The Last Days of Pompeii, Magill I, 490–492]

Archimago

uses sorcery to deceive people. [Br. Lit.: Faerie Queene]

Arnolphe

plans marriage to ward; maintains guardianship under alias. [Fr. Lit.: L’Ecole des Femmes]

bilberry

symbol for falsehood. [Flower Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 172]

Brunhild

outdone in athletic competition by Gunther with invisible assistance. [Ger. Myth.: Nibelungenlied]

Buttermilk, Little Johnny

fools witch by substituting china for self in sack. [Br. Fairy Tale: Macleod, 21–24]

Camilla, Mrs.

practises deception on Pip. [Br. Lit.: Great Expectations]

clematis

symbol of deception. [Flower Symbolism: Jobes, 347; Flora Symbolica, 173]

Conchis

for his psychological experiments he baits subjects with apparently seducible young women. [Br. Lit.: John Fowles The Magus in Weiss, 279]

dogbane

symbol for deceit. [Flower Symbolism: Jobes, 458]

Hlestakov, Ivan Alexandrovich

dissimulating gentleman hoodwinks town dignitaries as tsar’s inspector. [Russ. Lit.: The Inspector General]

hocus-pocus

magician’s parody of Hoc Est Corpus Domini. [Western Folklore: Espy, 76]

Jingle, Alfred

pretends to be a person of influence and elopes with an old maid for her money. [Br. Lit.: Dickens Pickwick Papers]

Judas goat

decoy for luring animals to slaughter. [Western Folklore: Espy, 80]

Latch, William

Esther’s betrayer; seduces her on marriage pretense. [Br. Lit.: Esther Waters, Magill I, 254–256]

Mak

Falstaffian figure; categorically maintains his innocence. [Br. Lit.: The Second Shepherds’ Play]

Malengin

personification of craftiness. [Br. Lit.: Faerie Queene]

mask

a disguise; hence, symbol of deception. [Art: Hall, 204]

Mme. St. Pé

feigns paralysis for seventeen years to keep her husband away from the woman he loves. [Fr. Drama: Jean Anouilh The Waltz of the Toreadors in On Stage, 383]

Moncrieff, Algernon, and Jack Worthing

both assume fictitious name “Ernest” in wooing belles. [Br. Lit.: The Importance of Being Earnest]

Montoni, Signor

marries Emily’s aunt to secure her property. [Br. Lit.: The Mysteries of Udolpho, Magill I, 635–638]

nightshade

poisonous flower; symbol of falsehood. [Flower Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 176]

Nimue

cajoles Merlin to reveal secret of power. [Arth. Romance: History of Prince Arthur, Brewer Handbook, 756]

Nixon, Richard

(1913–) 37th U.S. president (1969–1974); nicknamed “Tricky Dicky.” [Am. Hist.: Kane, 523]

Pinocchio

wooden nose lengthens when he lies. [Ital. Lit.: Pinocchio]

Sinon

convinced Trojans to accept wooden horse. [Rom. Lit.: Aeneid]

Trojan Horse

hollow horse concealed soldiers, enabling them to enter and capture Troy. [Gk. Myth.: Iliad]

white flytrap

lures insects with sweet odor. [Flower Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 178]

winter cherry

inedible fruit symbolizes falsehood. [Plant Symbolism: Jobes, 319]