The breastplate is an obsolete word, the interpretation of which often causes difficulties. Moreover, it has several interpretations. Details that this is a “confidante” will be discussed in the article about its origin.
Many interpretations
If you look at the dictionaries, then you can find several meanings of "breastplate". These include the following.
- The ruler or dignitary has a confidant, a favorite, a sincere friend who enjoys special favor.
- A tube for storing writing pens.
- In dramatic works dating back to the era of classicism, this is a close friend, confidant of the protagonist.
However, the interpretations of the word under study do not end there.
Other values
Among them you can find such as:
- A special term for a part of a horse harness. It is a belt crossing in the chest. One of them goes down to the girth, passing between the front legs.
- Pectoral - a quadrangular bib belonging to the vestments of the high priest. It houses twelve different gems. They form four rows, in each of which - three stones. On them is an engraving in the form of the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The breastplate was attached to the ephod by means of gold chains and a blue cord. The ephod is the part of the garment covering the chest and back.
To understand that this is a “confidante”, examples of the use of this word should be given.
Examples of offers
Here is some of them.
- In the novel by R. L. Stevenson, entitled “Suicide Club”, it is said about a young officer who was with the person of the prince and was his constant confidant. He was distinguished by unprecedented courage, which bordered on recklessness.
- An amethyst is that gem that takes third place in the third row in the breastplate of the high priest of Judea.
- Analyzing the poems of Apollo Maykov, Belinsky wrote that the poet is the creature most strongly affected by the direct effects of natural phenomena: he is her favorite, and her son, and breastplate of her secrets.
- Oprichniki, serving in the service of Ivan the Terrible, were simultaneously on the roles of bodyguards, friends, advisers and confidants of the tsar.
- In one poem, Alexander Pushkin called his friend Delvig “the breastplate of the gods.”
- This worthy man, combining the advantages of charm, kindness and pleasant manners, was a reliable support for the poor and a sincere confidant of the rich.
- Saint Ignatius wrote of Pharaoh, who expressed a desire for his confidant to march into the land of Canaan, accompanied by proper splendor.
- A rich man always has something to take advantage of, and therefore there are those who want to fill him with his mistresses, friends and confidants.
Etymology
Understanding that this is a “confidante” will help knowledge of the origin of the studied token. This word comes from the now obsolete noun "Persian", meaning "chest."
It originates in the Old Slavonic language, where there is the word "feast", and in Old Slavonic, where the word "feast" is present. Both of them date back to the Proto-Slavic language and are related to the Lithuanian piršys, which means “ horse ’s chest ”, and also to the ancient Indian fars - “side”, “rib”, “side”.
In the Russian language, the noun “confidante” came as a tracing-paper of the Greek epistethios, formed from epi (na) and stethos (chest). Thus, this word literally means what is on the chest. Hence the name of the items that are worn in this area. For example, a pectoral cross. The same tube for writing pens, part of the harness, and the breastplate of the Israeli high priest pectoral, which were mentioned above.
The question arises: why is they called a confidante and friend, and adviser, and proxy? According to researchers, most likely, there is an association with a person who is loved, caressed, nurtured, pressed to the chest, like a baby. That is, there is the same connection with the word "Persian."