Elvira, a noble lady who gives up everything to become the mistress of Pizarro.  She tries to soften his rude and cruel nature, and to lead him into more generous ways.  Her love being changed to hate, she engages Rollo to slay Pizarro in his tent; but the noble Peruvian spares his enemy, and makes him a friend.  Ultimately, Pizarro is slain in fight with Alonzo, and Elvira retires to a convent.—­Sheridan, Pizarro (altered from Kotzebue, 1799).

Elvira (Donna), a lady deceived by Don Giovanni, who basely deluded her into an amour with his valet Leporello.—­Mozart’s opera, Don Giovanni (1787).

Elvira “the puritan,” daughter of Lord Walton, betrothed to Arturo (Lord Arthur Talbot), a calvalier.  On the day of espousals the young man aids Enrichetta (Henrietta, widow of Charles I.) to escape, and Elvira, thinking he had eloped with a rival, temporarily loses her reason.  Cromwell’s soldiers arrest Arturo for treason, but he is subsequently pardoned, and marries Elvira.—­Bellini’s opera, I Puritani (1834).

Elvira, a lady in love with Ernani the robber-captain and head of a league against Don Carlos (afterwards Charles V. of Spain).  Ernani was just on the point of marrying Elvira, when he was summoned to death by Gomez de Silva, and stabbed himself.—­Verdi, Ernani (an opera, 1841).

Elvira, betrothed to Alfonso (son of the Duke d’Arcos).  No sooner is the marriage completed than she learns that Alfonso has seduced Fenella, a dumb girl, sister of Masaniello the fisherman.  Masaniello, to revenge his wrongs, heads an insurrection, and Alfonso with Elvira run for safety to the fisherman’s hut, where they find Fenella, who promises to protect them.  Masaniello, being made chief magistrate of Portici, is killed by the mob; Fenella throws herself into the crater of Vesuvius; and Alfonso is left to live in peace with Elvira.—­Auber, Masaniello (1831).

ELVIRE (2 syl.), the wife of Don Juan, whom he abandons.  She enters a convent, and tries to reclaim her profligate husband, but without success.—­Moliere, Don Juan (1665).

ELY (Bishop of), introduced by Sir W. Scott in the Talisman (time, Richard I.).

EMATHIAN CONQUEROR (The Great), Alexander the Great.  Emathia is Macedonia and Thessaly.  Emathion, a son of Titan and Aurora, reigned in Macedonia.  Pliny tells us that Alexander, when he besieged Thebes, spared the house in which Pindar the poet was born, out of reverence to his great abilities.

EMBLA, the woman Eve of Scandinavian mythology.  Eve or Embla was made of elm, but Ask or Adam was made of ash.

EMELIE or EMELYE, sister-in-law of Duke Theseus (2 syl.), beloved by both Palamon and Arcite (2 syl.), but the former had her to wife.

  Emelie that fairer was to scene
  Than is the lilie on hire stalke grene,
  And fresscher than the May with floures newe.