a. and sb. [f. L. Lȳdi-us, Gr. Λύδι-ος + -AN.]
A. adj.
1. Pertaining to the Lydians, a people of Asia Minor, or to their country, Lydia. Sometimes with allusion to the wealth of Crœsus king of Lydia.
1584. Lyly, Sapho & Phao, V. i. This shaft is headed with Lidian steel.
c. 1620. T. Robinson, Mary Magd., 12. To whome the Lydian wealth … is brought in lauish measure.
1626. Massinger, Rom. Actor, I. iii. We show no arts of Lidian Pandarisme.
1844. O. Cockayne in Proc. Philol. Soc. (1854), I. 275. The Lydian Hercules.
1901. Edin. Rev., July, 29. The earlier Lydian civilization was Asiatic rather than European.
2. spec. in Music. a. The designation of one of the modes in ancient Greek music, characterized as soft and effeminate. b. The third of the authentic ecclesiastical modes, having F for its ‘final,’ and C for its ‘dominant.’
1579. E. K., Gloss. to Spenser’s Sheph. Cal., Oct., 27. The Lydian and Ionique harmony.
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., 50. He regarded not the dainety Lydian, Ionian, or Æolian Melody.
1632. Milton, L’Allegro, 136. Lap me in soft Lydian aires, Married to immortal verse.
1636. C. Butler, Princ. Mus., I. i. 1. Ðe Lydian Mood‘ is a grav‘, ful, solemn Musik in Discant, for ðe most‘ part‘, of slow tim‘.
1697. Dryden, Alexander’s Feast, 97. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures.
1807. Robinson, Archæol. Græca, V. xxiii. 552. [In music] There were four principal νόμοι or modes; the Phrygian, the Lydian, the Doric, and the Ionic…. The Phrygian mode was religious; the Lydian plaintive.
1867. Macfarren, Harmony, i. 13. The Lydian is the third mode of Ambrose’s selection.
fig. 1664. Butler, Hud., II. I. 850. As skilful coopers hoop their tubs With Lydian and with Phrygian dubs.
3. Lydian-stone. Min. A black variety of jasper (basanite) used by jewellers as a touchstone for testing gold.
1720. Strype, Stow’s Surv., II. VI. i. 11/1. Within the Rails before the High Altar, is a curious in-laid Floor … where … there are set these several sorts of Stones, the Jasper,… Lydian,… and Serpentine.
1746–74. Hill, Theophr. Stones, 25. Others serve for the Trial of Metals, as that called the Heraclian or Lydian Stone.
1836. Macgillivray, trans. Humboldt’s Trav., ii. 133. It did not exhibit the little veins of quartz so common in Lydian stone.
1879. Rutley, Study Rocks, xiv. 293. Lydian-stone (basanite, touch-stone, kieselschiefer) is … an altered sandy slate.
B. sb. An inhabitant of Lydia. Also, the language of the Lydians.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., I. (Arb.), 40. Yet after by the meane of one Pactyas a verye headie manne amonges the Lydians they rebelled agaynste Cyrus agayne.
1696. Phillips, s.v. Lydia, It falling to Tyrrhenus his lot, he went out with a great multitude of Lydians.
1735. Bolingbroke, Study & Use Hist., iii. (1752), I. 76. Herodotus … proposed to publish all he could learn of the antiquities of the Ionians, Lydians,… Medes, and Persians.
1886. Sheldon, trans. Flaubert’s Salammbô, 3. Some Lydians feasted arrayed in the robes … of women.
