now only be used with
reference to more than two objects; _each_ may refer to two or more.

20. ~by lot~, etc. When Saturn (Kronos) was dethroned, his empire of the
universe was distributed amongst his three sons, Jupiter ('high' Jove),
Neptune (the god of the Sea), and Pluto ('nether' or Stygian Jove). In
_Iliad_ xv. Neptune (Poseidon) says: "For three brethren are we, and
sons of Kronos, whom Rhea bare ... And in three lots are all things
divided, and each drew a domain of his own, and to me fell the hoary
sea, to be my habitation for ever, when we shook the lots." ~nether~,
lower: comp. the phrase 'the upper and the nether lip,' and the name
Netherlands. Hell, the abode of Pluto, is called by Milton 'the nether
empire' (_Par. Lost_, ii. 295). The form _nethermost_ (_Par. Lost_, ii.
955) is, like _aftermost_ and _foremost_, a double superlative.

21. ~sea-girt isles~. Ben Jonson calls Britain a 'sea-girt isle': comp. l.
27. _Isle_ is the M.E. _ile_, in which form the _s_ has been dropped: it
is from O.F. _isle_, Lat. _insula_. It is therefore distinct from
_island_, where an _s_ has, by confusion, been inserted. Island = M.E.
_iland_, A.S. _igland_ (_ig_ = island: _land_ = land). In line 50 Milton
wrote 'iland.'

22. ~like to rich and various gems~, etc. Shakespeare describes England as
a 'precious stone set in the silver sea,' _Richard II._ ii. 1. 46: he
also speaks of Heaven as being _inlayed_ with stars, _Cym._ v. 5. 352;
_M. of V._ v. 1. 59, "Look how the floor of heaven Is thick _inlaid_
with patines of bright gold." Compare also _Par. Lost_, iv. 700, where
Milton refers to the ground as having a rich _inlay_ of flowers. But for
its inlay of islands the sea would be bare or unadorned. ~like~: here
followed by the preposition _to_, and having its proper force as an
adjective: comp. _Il Pens._ 9. Whether _like_ is used as an adjective
or an adverb, the preposition is now usually omitted: comp. l. 57.

24. ~to grace~, _i.e._ to show favour to: a clause of purpose.

25. ~By course commits~, etc., _i.e._ "In regular distribution he commits
to each his distinct government." ~several~: separate or distinct.
Radically _several_ is from the verb _sever_: it is now used only with
plural nouns.

26. ~sapphire~. This colour is again associated with the sea in line 29:
see note there.

27. ~little tridents~, in contrast with that of Neptune, who, "with his
trident touched the stars" (_Neptune's Triumph, Proteus' Song_