To braid St. Catharine’s hair means “to live a virgin.”

  Thou art too fair to be left to braid St. Catharine’s
  tresses.

Longfellow, Evangeline (1848).

CATH’BA, son of Torman, beloved by Morna, daughter of Cormac king of Ireland.  He was killed out of jealousy by Ducho’mar, and when Duchomar told Morna and asked her to marry him she replied, “Thou art dark to me, Duchomar; cruel is thine arm to Morna.  Give me that sword, my foe;” and when he gave it, she “pierced his manly breast,” and he died.

Cathba, young son of Torman, thou art of the love of Morna.  Thou art a sunbeam in the day of the gloomy storm.—­Ossian, Fingal, i.

CATH’ERINE, wife of Mathis, in The Polish Jew, by J. R. Ware.

Catherine, the somewhat uninteresting heroine of Washington Square, by Henry James, a commonplace creature made more commonplace by the dull routine of wealthy respectability (1880).

Catherine (The countess), usually called “The Countess,” falls in love with Huon, a serf, her secretary and tutor.  Her pride revolts at the match, but her love is masterful.  When the duke her father is told of it, he insists on Huon’s marrying Catherine, a freed serf, on pain of death.  Huon refuses to do so till the countess herself entreats him to comply.  He then rushes to the wars, where he greatly distinguishes himself, is created prince, and learns that his bride is not Catherine the quondam serf, but Catherine the duke’s daughter.—­S.  Knowles, Love (1840).

CATH’ERINE OF NEWPORT, the wife of Julian Avenel (2 syl.).—­Sir W. Scott, The Monastery (time, Elizabeth). (See CATHARINE, and under K.)

CATH’LEEN, one of the attendants on Flora M’Ivor.—­Sir W. Scott, Waverley (time, Greorge II.).

CATH’LIN OF CLU’THA, daughter of Cathmol.  Duth-Carmor of Cluba had slain Cathmol in battle, and carried off Cathlin by force, but she contrived to make her escape and craved aid of Fingal.  Ossian and Oscar were selected to espouse her cause, and when they reached Rathcol (where Duth-Carmor lived), Ossian resigned the command of the battle to his son Oscar.  Oscar and Duth-Carmor met in combat, and the latter fell.  The victor carried the mail and helmet of Duth-Carmor to Cathlin, and Cathlin said, “Take the mail and place it high in Selma’s hall, that you may remember the helpless in a distant land.”—­Ossian, Cathlin of Clutha.

CATH’MOR, younger brother of Cair’bar ("lord of Atha"), but totally unlike him.  Cairbar was treacherous and malignant; Cathmor high-minded and hospitable.  Cairbar murdered Cormac king of Ireland, and having inveigled Oscar (son of Ossian) to a feast, vamped up a quarrel, in which both fell.  Cathmor scorned such treachery.  Cathmore is the second hero of the poem called Tem’ora, and falls by the hand of Fingal (bk. viii.).

Cathmor, the friend of strangers, the brother of red-haired Cairbar.  Their souls were not the same.  The light of heaven was in the bosom of Cathmor.  His towers rose on the banks of Atha; seven paths led to his halls; seven chiefs stood on the paths and called strangers to the feast.  But Cathmor dwelt in the wood, to shun the voice of praise.—­Ossian, Temora, i.