The Gods Are Athirst

maenad ménade

Ecstatic female follower of Dionysus. References XXV.39.

maximum maximum

Legal ceiling on prices, here distinguished from rationing. References VI.2.

mirliton mirliton

Small tube-like musical or decorative object evoked by the hat’s ribbons. References VII.3.

morocco maroquin

Fine leather used in bookbinding. References VI.57.

muscadin muscadin

Fashionable anti-Jacobin young man. References XXIX.14.

nankeen nankin

Yellowish cotton cloth, here used for breeches. References III.42, XXVI.7.

outlawry mise hors la loi

Formal exclusion from legal protection, here exposing the proscribed to execution without trial. References XXVII.38.

Parlement Parlement

A sovereign court of the ancien régime, not a modern legislature. References IX.13.

parlement member parlementaire

Member of an old-regime sovereign court. References XXIV.2.

patent to wash away common birth savonnette à vilain

Derisive expression for a purchased ennobling office. References II.8.

paying quarters pistole

Improved prison accommodation obtained for payment. References XIX.6.

permanent sittings permanence

The sections’ continued or permanent assembly, as distinct from scheduled meetings. References VII.35.

pistole pistole

Historic monetary term retained without a modern-value conversion. References VI.39.

pleasures plaisirs

Name for thin wafers sold by an itinerant vendor. References IV.5.

pomegranate blossom fleur de grenadier

A flower of the pomegranate tree, misidentified as a carnation in Maubel’s file. References XVI.61a.

price controls taxe

Official fixing of a commodity’s price, not a levy on it. References II.27.

publican publicain

Tax collector or tax contractor; enables the allusion to Saint Matthew. References VI.40.

Punchinello polichinelle

Comic puppet type; here the toys Brotteaux manufactures. References XVII.11a.

quarter-pound quarteron

A quarter of a livre as a unit of weight; no modern conversion implied. References VI.26.

quenouille quenouille

A distaff, or by analogy a tree pruned into a tapering form. References X.47.

regular clergy réguliers

Members of religious orders bound by a rule. References XIX.10.

requisition réquisition

Compulsory mobilisation of people or resources for public purposes. References XV.7.

revolutionary rebirth palingénésie révolutionnaire

The imagined inward regeneration of people through the Revolution. References IX.6.

savorados savorados

Regional term for a marrowbone, recalled from Rabelais. References V.47.

Section section

A neighbourhood unit of Parisian political and municipal organisation. References I.1.

seller of refreshments limonadier

Proprietor serving drinks and refreshments, not limited to lemonade. References IV.3.

sequence of three to the king tierce au roi

Three-card run whose highest card is the king. References VIII.31.

sheep mouton

Prison informer disguised as a fellow inmate. References XIX.28.

stipple engraving gravure au pointillé

An engraved image modelled in dots. References XXIX.2.

superior general général de l’ordre

The head of a religious order. References XIV.15.

Surveillance Committee Comité de surveillance

A local committee concerned with political supervision; distinct from the national committees of the Convention. References I.2.

tally board planchette

Small wooden board notched to keep account of deliveries. References XIII.6.

tax-gatherer publicain

A tax collector, here with biblical associations and self-mockery. References XII.11.

temporal safety salut temporel

Preservation of worldly life, distinguished from eternal salvation. References XIV.60.

thyrsus thyrse

Bacchic staff or wand carried as a ritual attribute. References III.7.

trictrac trictrac

Dice-and-counter board game in the backgammon family. References XXI.5.

turnkey porte-clefs

A prison warder or gaoler. References XVI.63.

withdrawal récusation

Stepping aside from judging a case because of a possible disqualifying connection. References XXII.14.