Words Weird and Wonderful: Clark Ashton Smith’s Averoigne by Bill Ward In a recent jaunt through Averoigne I was struck again by Clark Ashton Smith’s extraordinary vocabulary. He was clearly a collector of words and, reportedly, as a precocious young genius with an eidetic memory he read Webster’s 13th unabridged dictionary cover-to-cover – but more importantly he studied it. From the odd to the uncommon, from the archaic to the foreign to the just plain forgotten, Smith seemed to have a supply of wonderful words equal to that of his own wondrous imagination. Here are just a few of them. From “The Colossus of Ylourgne” Energumen, n. a person possessed by an evil spirit, a fanatic. Late Greek, “energoumenos” worked on, to be the object of an action “…the giant strode without pause, like an energumen possessed by some implacable fiend of mischief and murder, leaving behind him, as a reaper leaves his swath, an ever-lengthening zone of havoc, of rapine and carnage.” Horripilation, n. bristling of the hair from fright, goosebumps. Late Latin “horripilatio” bristling of hair, “horripilare” to shudder “His blood curdled, he felt an actual horripilation, as he realized the purpose for which the wall had been demolished.” Immurement, n. to be completely sealed in, generally a form of imprisonment until death. Latin, “im” (in) + “murus” (wall) “It was evident that a whole day and part of another night had gone by since his immurement…” Murrain, n. a pestilence of livestock, usually cattle. Middle English “moreyne” from Latin “mori” death “A murrain, such as would come from the working of wizard spells, was abroad among the cattle.” From “The Enchantress of Sylaire” Cromlech, n. megalithic construction, dolmen, stone circle, portal tomb. Welsh “crom” (arched) + “llech” (stone) “Almost at its center, there towered a massive cromlech, consisting of two upright slabs that supported a third like the lintel of a door.” Eremite, n. hermit, usually religious. Middle English, Greek “eremos” desolate “Anselme had quite forgotten his eremitic resolves.” From “The Maker of Gargoyles” Aspergillum, n. a holy water sprinkler. New Latin, “asperges” rite of blessing with holy water “Armed with holy water and aspergillum, and accompanied by many of the towns-people carrying torches, staves and halberds, the priest was led by Maspier to the place of the horror…” Catafalque, n. raised platform or bier upon...