so Amadis is the central figure of
Spanish and Portuguese romance; but there is this difference--the tale
of Amadis is a connected whole, terminating with his marriage with
Oria'na, the intervening parts being only the obstacles he encountered
and overcame in obtaining this consummation. In the Arthurian
romances, and those of the Charlemagne series, we have a number of
adventures of different heroes, but there is no unity of purpose; each
set of adventures is complete in itself.

AMA'DIS OF GREECE, a supplemental part of _Amadis of Gaul_, by
Felicia'no de Silva. There are also several other Amadises--as Amadis
of Colchis, Amadis of Trebisond, Amadis of Cathay, but all these are
very inferior to the original _Amadis of Gaul_.

The ancient fables, whose relickes doe yet remain, namely, _Lancelot
of the Lake, Pierceforest, Tristram, Giron the Courteous_, etc., doe
beare witnesse of this odde vanitie. Herewith were men fed for the
space of 500 yeeres, untill our language growing more polished, and
our minds more ticklish, they were driven to invent some novelties
wherewith to delight us. Thus came ye bookes of Amadis into light
among us in this last age.--Francis de la Noue, _Discourses_, 87
(1587).

AMAI'MON (3 _syl_.), one of the principal devils. Asmode'us is one of
his lieutenants. Shakespeare twice refers to him, in 1 _Henry IV._ act
ii. sc. 4, and in _The Merry Wives of Windsor_, act ii. sc. 2.

AMAL'AHTA, son of Erill'yab the deposed queen of the Hoamen (2
_syl_.), an Indian tribe settled on the south of the Missouri. He is
described as a brutal savage, wily, deceitful, and cruel. Amalahta
wished to marry the princess Goer'vyl, Madoc's sister, and even seized
her by force, but was killed in his flight.--Southey, _Madoc_, ii. 16
(1805).

AMALTHAE'A, the sibyl who offered to sell to Tarquin nine books
of prophetic oracles. When the king refused to give her the price
demanded, she went away, burnt three of them, and returning to the
king, demanded the same price for the remaining six. Again the king
declined the purchase. The sibyl, after burning three more of the
volumes, demanded the original sum for the remaining three. Tarquin
paid the money, and Amalthaea was never more seen. Aulus Gellius says
that Amalthaea burnt the books in the king's presence. Pliny affirms
that the original number of volumes was only three, two of which the
sibyl burnt, and the third was purchased by king Tarquin.

AMALTHE'A, a