ductive betrayer of Merlin, and
says she enclosed him "in the four walls of a hollow tower;" but the
_History_ says "Nimue put him under the stone" (pt. i. 60).

=Nino-Thoma=,[TN-36] daughter of Tor-Thoma (chief of one of the
Scandinavian islands). She eloped with Uthal (son of Larthmor, a petty
king of Berrathon, a neighboring island); but Uthal soon tired of her,
and, having fixed his affections on another, confined her in a desert
island. Uthal, who had also dethroned his father, was slain in single
combat by Ossian, who had come to restore the deposed monarch to his
throne. When Nina-Thoma heard of her husband's death, she languished and
died, "for though most cruelly entreated, her love for Uthal was not
abated."--Ossian, _Berrathon_.

=Nine.= "It is by nines that Eastern presents are given, when they would
extend their magificence[TN-37] to the highest degree." Thus, when
Daki[=a]nos wished to ingratiate himself with the shah,

He caused himself to be preceded by nine superb camels. The first
was loaded with nine suits of gold adorned with jewels; the second
bore nine sabres, the hilts and scabbards of which were adorned
with diamonds; upon the third camel were nine suits of armor; the
fourth had nine suits of house furniture; the fifth had nine cases
full of sapphires; the sixth had nine cases full of rubies; the
seventh nine cases full of emeralds; the eighth had nine cases
full of amethysts; and the ninth had nine cases full of
diamonds.--Comte de Caylus, _Oriental Tales_ ("Dakianos and the
Seven Sleepers," 1743).

=Nine Gods= (_The_) of the Etruscans: Juno, Minerva, and Tin'ia (_the
three chief_). The other six were Vulcan, Mars, Saturn, Hercul[^e]s,
Summa'nus, and Vedius. (See NOVENSILES.)

Lars Por's[)e]na of Clusium
By the nine gods he swore
That the great house of Tarquin
Should suffer wrong no more.
By the nine gods he swore it,
And named a trysting day ...
To summon his array.

Lord Macaulay, _Lays of Ancient Rome_ ("Horatius," i., 1842).

=Nine Orders of Angels= (_The_): (1) Seraphim, (2) Cherubim (_in the first
circle_); (3) Thrones, (4) Dominions (_in the second circle_); (5)
Virtues, (6) Powers, (7) Principalities, (8) Archangels, (9) Angels (_in
the third circle_).

In heaven above
The effulgent bands in triple circles move.

Tasso, _Jerusalem Delivered_, xi.