CAPTAIN ROCK, a fictitious name assumed by the leader of certain Irish insurgents in 1822, etc.  All notices, summonses, and so on, were signed by this name.

CAP’ULET, head of a noble house of Verona, in feudal enmity with the house of Mon’tague (3 syl).  Lord Capulet is a jovial, testy old man, self-willed, prejudiced, and tyrannical.

Lady Capulet, wife of lord Capulet and mother of Juliet.—­Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (1598).

CAPYS, a blind old seer, who prophesied to Romulus the military triumphs of Rome from its foundation to the destruction of Carthage.

  In the hall-gate sat Capys,
  Capys the sightless seer;
  From head to foot he trembled
  As Romulus drew near. 
  And up stood stiff his thin white hair,
  And his blind eyes flashed fire.

Lord Macaulay, Lays of Ancient Rome ("The Prophecy of Capys,” xi.).

CAR’ABAS (Le marquis de), an hypothetical title to express a fossilized old aristocrat, who supposed the whole world made for his behoof.  The “king owes his throne to him;” he can “trace his pedigree to Pepin;” his youngest son is “sure of a mitre;” he is too noble “to pay taxes;” the very priests share their tithes with him; the country was made for his “hunting-ground;” and, therefore, as Beranger says: 

  Chapeau bas! chapeau bas! 
  Gloire au marquis de Carabas!

The name occurs in Perrault’s tale of Puss in Boots, but it is Beranger’s song (1816) which has given the word its present meaning.

CARACCI OF FRANCE, Jean Jouvenet, who was paralyzed on the right side, and painted with his left hand (1647-1707).

CARACTACUS OR CARADOC, king of the Silures (Monmouthshire, etc.).  For nine years he withstood the Roman arms, but being defeated by Ostorius Scapula the Roman general, he escaped to Brigantia (Yorkshire, etc.) to crave the aid of Carthismandua (or Cartimandua), a Roman matron married to Venutius, chief of those parts.  Carthismandua betrayed him to the Romans, A.D. 47.—­Richard of Cirencester, Ancient State of Britain, i. 6, 23.

Caradoc was led captive to Rome, A.D. 51, and, struck with the grandeur of that city, exclaimed, “Is it possible that a people so wealthy and luxurious can envy me a humble cottage in Britain?” Claudius the emperor was so charmed with his manly spirit and bearing that he released him and craved his friendship.

Drayton says that Caradoc went to Rome with body naked, hair to the waist, girt with a chain of steel, and his “manly breast enchased with sundry shapes of beasts.  Both his wife and children were captives, and walked with him.”—­Polyolbion, viii. (1612).

CARACUL (i.e.  Caraeatta), son and successor of Severus the Roman emperor.  In A.D. 210 he made an expedition against the Caledonians, but was defeated by Fingal.  Aurelius Antoninus was called “Caracalla” because he adopted the Gaulish caracalla in preference to the Roman toga.—­Ossian, Comala.