несколько наблюдений (замеченных при поверхностном просмотре, в книжке более тысячи страниц) из книжки Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, The reader's handbook of allusions, references, plots and stories: with two appendices, 1881, Philadelphia.
http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/brewer/the-readers-handbook-of-allusions-references-plots-and-stories-with-two-appe-hci.shtml
текст-файл 5,3 МБ, b/w pdf (original scan) 93 МБ

Preface
...Another striking and interesting feature of the book is the revelation of the source from which dramatists and romancers have derived their stories, and the strange repetitions of historic incidents. Compare, for example, the stratagem of the wooden horse by which Troy was taken, with those of Abu Obeidah in the siege of Arrestan, and that of the capture of Sark from the French, p. 454. Compare, again, Dido's cutting the hide into strips, with the story about the Yakutsks, p. 164; that of Romulus and Remus, with the story of Tyro, p. 843; the Shibboleth of Scripture story, with those of the. "Sicilian Vespers," and of the Danes on St. Bryce's Day, p. 901; the story of Pisistratos and his two sons, with that of Cosmo de Medici and his two grandsons, p. 771; the death of Marcus Licinius Crassus, with that of Manlius Nepos Aquilius, p. 392; and the famous "Douglas larder," with the larder of Wallace at Ardrossan, p. 269. Witness the numerous tales resembling that of William Tell and the apple, p. 980; of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, p. 766; of Llewellyn and his dog Gelert, p. 369; of bishop Hatto and the rats, p. 429; of Ulysses and Polyphemos, p. 1050; and of lord Lovel's bride, p. 571. Witness, again, the parallelisms of David in his flight from Saul, and that of Mahomet from the Koreishites, p. 937; of Jephtha and his daughter, and the tale of Idomeneus of Crete, or that of Agamemnon and Iphigenia, p. 49; of Paris and Sextus, p. 895; Salome and Fulvia, p. 864; St. Patrick preaching to king O'Neil, and St. Areed before the king of Abyssinia, p. 738; with scores of others mentioned in this Handbook.

стр. 165, тж. 1122
Carthage (2 syl.). When Dido came to Africa she bought of the natives "as much land as could be encompassed with a bull's hide." The agreement being made, Dido cut the hide into thongs, so as to enclose a space sufficiently large for a citadel, which she called Bursa "the hide." (Greek, bursa, "a bull's hide.")
The following is a similar story in Russian history: The Yakutsks granted to the Russian explorers as much land as they could encompass with a cow's hide; but the Russians, cutting the hide into strips, obtained land enough for the town and fort which they called Yakutsk.

про основание Якутска та же история, что и про основание Карфагена :-)

Gold Poured down the Throat. Marcus Licinius Crassus, surnamed "The Rich," one of the first Roman triumvirate, tried to make himself master of Parthia, but being defeated and brought captive to Orodes king of Parthia, he was put to death by having molten gold poured down his throat. "Sate thy greed with this," said Orodes.
Manlius Nepos Aquilius tried to restore the kings of Bithynia and Cappadocia, dethroned by Mithridates, but being unsuccessful and made prisoner, he was put to death by Mithridates by molten gold poured down his throat.
In hell, the avaricious are punished in the same way, according to the Shephearde's Calendar.
And ladles full of melted gold
Were poured adown their throats.
The Dead Man's Song (1579).

Аквилиус повторил судьбу Красса-богача, но похожей историей закончил и Кир в войне с Томирис, например, по описанию Геродота.

стр. 282
Dying Sayings (real or traditional):
...Charlemagne. Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit!
Charles V. Ah! Jesus.
Columbus. Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit!
Gregory VII. I have loved justice and hated iniquity, therefore I die in exile.
Grey (Lady Jane). Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit!

Шарлемань, Колумб и Грей повторили последние слова Иисуса.

стр. 305 анахронизмы художников, писателей

стр. 738
Patrick (St.), the tutelar saint of Ireland. Born at Kirk Patrick, near Dumbarton. His baptismal name was "Succeath" ("valour in war"), changed by Milcho, to whom he was sold as a slave, into "Cotharig" (four families or four masters, to whom he had been sold). It was pope Celestine who changed the name to "Patricius," when he sent him to convert the Irish.
Certainly the most marvellous of all the miracles ascribed to the saints is that recorded of St. Patrick. "He swam across the Shannon with his head in his mouth!"
St. Patrick and king O'Neil. One day, the saint set the end of his crozier on the foot of O'Neil king of Ulster, and, leaning heavily on it, hurt the king's foot severely; but the royal convert showed no indication of pain or annoyance whatsoever.
A similar anecdote is told of St. Areed, who went to show the king of Abyssinia a musical instrument he had invented. His majesty rested the head of his spear on the saint's foot, and leaned with both his hands on the spear while he listened to the music. St. Areed, though his great toe was severely pierced, showed no sign of pain, but went on playing as if nothing was the matter.
St. Patrick and the Serpent. St. Patrick cleared Ireland of vermin. One old serpent resisted, but St. Patrick overcame it by cunning. He made a box, and invited the serpent to enter in. The serpent insisted it was too small; and so high the contention grew that the serpent got into the box to prove that he was right, whereupon St. Patrick slammed down the lid, and cast the box into the sea.
This tradition is marvellously like an incident of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments. A fisherman had drawn up a box or vase in his net, and on breaking it open a genius issued therefrom, and threatened the fisherman with immediate destruction because he had been enclosed so long. Said the fisherman to the genius, "I wish to know whether you really were in that vase." "I certainly was," answered the genius. "I cannot believe it," replied the fisherman, "for the vase could not contain even one of your feet." Then the genius, to prove his assertion, changed into smoke, and entered into the vase, saying, "Now, incredulous fisherman, dost thou believe me?" But the fisherman clapped the leaden cover on the vase, and told the genius he was about to throw the box into the sea, and that he would build a house on the spot to warn others not to fish up so wicked a genius. Arabian Nights ("The Fisherman," one of the early tales).
* St. Patrick, I fear, had read the Arabian Nights, and stole a leaf from the fisherman's book.
St. Patrick a Gentleman.
Oh, St. Patrick was a gentleman,
Who came of dacent people. . .
This song was written by Messrs. Bennet and Toleken, of Cork, and first sung by them at a masquerade in 1814. It was afterwards lengthened for Webbe, the comedian, who made it popular.
St. Patrick's Purgatory, lough Derg, in Ireland. At the end of the fifteenth century, the purgatory of lough Derg was destroyed, by order of the pope, on St. Patrick's Day, 1497.
Calderon has a drama entitled The Purgatory of St. Patrick (1600-1681).

но аналогичную историю рассказывают и про Ивана Грозного:

http://www.croquis.ru/2222.html Достоевский Ф. М. -- Дневник писателя. 1877. Декабрь
Смерть Некрасова о том, что сказано было на его могиле
Пушкин, Лермонтов и Некрасов
...Помните ли вы, господа, «раба Шибанова»? Раб Шибанов был раб князя Курбского, русского эмигранта XVI столетия, писавшего все к тому же царю Ивану свои оппозиционные и почти ругательные письма из-за границы, где он безопасно приютился. Написав одно письмо, он призвал раба своего Шибанова и велел ему письмо снести в Москву и отдать царю лично. Так и сделал раб Шибанов. На Кремлевской площади он остановил выходившего из собора царя, окруженного своими приспешниками, и подал ему послание своего господина, князя Курбского. Царь поднял жезл свой с острым наконечником, с размаху вонзил его в ногу Шибанова, оперся на жезл и стал читать послание. Шибанов с проколотой ногою не шевельнулся. А царь, когда стал потом отвечать письмом князю Курбскому, написал, между прочим: «Устыдися раба твоего Шибанова». Это значило, что он сам устыдился раба Шибанова. Этот образ русского «раба», должно быть, поразил душу Лермонтова...

стр. 771
Pisistratos of Athens, being asked by his wife to punish with death a young man who had dared to kiss their daughter, replied, "How shall we requite those who wish us evil, if we condemn to death those who love us?" This anecdote is referred to by Dante, in his Purgatory, xv. - Valerius Maximus, Memorable Acts and Sayings, v.
Pisistratos and His Two Sons. The history of Pisistratos and his two sons is repeated in that of Cosmo de Medici of Florence and his two grandsons. It would be difficult to find a more striking parallel, whether we regard the characters or the incidents of the two families.
Pisistratos was a great favourite of the Athenian populace; so was Cosmo de Medici with the populace of Florence. Pisistratos was banished, but, being recalled by the people, was raised to sovereign power in the republic of .Athens; so Cosmo was banished, but, being recalled by the people, was raised to supreme power in the republic of Florence. Pisistratos was just and merciful, a great patron of literature, and spent large sums of money in beautifying Athens with architecture; the same may be said of Cosmo de Medici. To Pisistratos we owe the poems of Homer in a connected form; and to Cosmo we owe the best literature of Europe, for he spent fortunes in the copying of valuable MSS. The two sons of Pisistratos were Hipparchos and Hippias; and the two grandsons of Cosmo were Guiliano and Lorenzo. Two of the most honoured citizens of Athens (Harmodios and Aristogiton) conspired against the sons of Pisistratos - Hipparchos was assassinated, but Hippias escaped; so Francesco Pazzi and the archbishop of Pisa conspired against the grandsons of Cosmo - Guiliano was assassinated, but Lorenzo escaped. In both cases it was the elder brother who fell, and the younger which escaped. Hippias quelled the tumult, and succeeded in placing himself at the head of Athens; so did Lorenzo in Florence.

Писистрат и Козимо Медичи - случайны ли совпадения? Писистрат кстати был сыном Гиппократа (не того, который врач известный, якобы, но имя совпадает). По ФиН, Писистрат дублируется с Тарквинием Гордым http://chronologia.org/xpon2/03.html

стр. 864
Salome and the Baptist. When Salome delivered the head of John the Baptist to her mother, Herodias pulled out the tongue and stabbed it with her bodkin.
When the head of Cicero was delivered to Marc Antony, his wife Fulvia pulled out the tongue and stabbed it repeatedly with her bodkin.

все верно, Цицерон - отражение Иоанна Крестителя

стр. 894
Seven Years.
Barbarossa changes his position in his sleep every seven years.
Charlemagne starts in his chair from sleep every seven years.
Ogier the Dane stamps his iron mace on the floor every seven years.
Olaf Redbeard of Sweden uncloses his eyes every seven years.

стр. 904
Shibboleth, the test pass-word of a secret society. When the Ephraimites tried to pass the Jordan after their defeat by Jephthah, the guard tested whether they were Ephraimites or not by asking them to say the word "Shibboleth," which the Ephraimites pronounced "Sibboleth" (Judges xii. 1-6).
In the Sicilian Vespers, a word was given as a test of nationality. Some dried peas (ciceri) were shown to a suspect: if he called them cheecharee, he was a Sicilian, and allowed to pass; but if siseri, he was a Frenchman, and was put to death.
In the great Danish slaughter on St. Bryce's Day (November 13), 1002, according to tradition, a similar test was made with the words "Chichester Church," which, being pronounced hard or soft, decided whether the speaker were Dane or Saxon.

стр. 937
Spider's Net. When Mahomet fled from Mecca, he hid in a cave, and a spider wove its net over the entrance. When the Koreishites came thither, they passed on, being fully persuaded that no one had entered the cave, because the cobweb was not broken.
In the Talmud, we are told that David, in his flight, hid himself in the cave of Adullam, and a spider spun its net over the opening. When Saul came up and saw the cobweb, he passed on, under the same persuasion.

стр. 973
Tamburlaine the Great (or Timour Leng), the Tartar conqueror. In history called Tamerlane. He had only one hand and was lame (1336-1405). The hero and title of a tragedy by C. Marlow (1587). Shakespeare (2 Henry IV. act ii. sc. 4) makes Pistol quote a part of this turgid play.
Holla, ye pampered jades of Asia.
What, can ye draw but twenty miles a day.
And have so proud a chariot at your heels.
And such a coachman as great Tamburlaine?
(In the stage direction :
Enter Tamburlaine, drawn in his chariot by Trebizon and Soria, with bits In their mouths, reins in his left hand, in his right a whip with which be scourgeth them.)
N. Rowe has a tragedy entitled Tamerlane (q.v.).

Tamerlane, emperor of Tartary, in Rowe's tragedy so called, is a noble, generous, high-minded prince, the very glass and fashion of all conquerors, in his forgiveness of wrongs, and from whose example Christians may be taught their moral code. Tamerlane treats Bajazet, his captive, with truly godlike clemency, till the fierce sultan plots his assassination. Then longer forbearance would have been folly, and the Tartar had his untamed captive chained in a cage, like a wild beast. N. Rowe, Tamerlane (1702).
It is said that Louis XIV was Rowe's "Bajazet," and William III his "Tamerlane."
* Tamerlane is a corruption of Timour Lengh ("Timour the lame"). He was one-handed and lame also. His name was used by the Persians in terrorem. (See Tamburlaine the Great.)

оказывается, были трагедии, где Тамерлан изображался не ужасным и жестоким варваром, а совсем даже наоборот. Возможно, этот образ ближе к истине?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Rowe_(writer)

стр. 976, 341, 503, 712
Tarquin, a name of terror in Roman nurseries.
The nurse, to still her child, will tell my story,
And fright her crying babe with Tarquin's name.
Shakespeare, Rape of Lucrece (1594).

Tarquinius (Sextus) having violated Lucretia, wife of Tarquinius Collatinus, caused an insurrection in Rome, whereby the magistracy of kings was changed for that of consuls.
* A parallel case is given in Spanish history: Roderick the Goth, king of Spain, having violated Florinda daughter of count Julian, was the cause of Julian's inviting over the Moors, who invaded Spain, drove Roderick from the throne, and the Gothic dynasty was set aside for ever.

стр. 1022
Trajan (The Second), Marcus Aurelius Claudius, surnamed Gothicus, noted for his valour, justice, and goodness (215, 268-270).
Trajan and St. Gregory. It is said that Trajan, although unbaptized, was delivered from hell in answer to the prayers of St. Gregory.
There was storied on the rock
The exalted glory of the Roman prince,
Whose mighty worth moved Gregory to earn
His mighty conquest - Trajan the emperor.
Dante, Purgatory, xi. (1308).
Trajan and the Importunate Widow. One day, a mother appeared before the emperor Trajan, and cried, "Grant vengeance, sire! My son is murdered." The emperor replied, "I cannot stop now; wait till I return." "But, sire," pleaded the widow, "if you do not return, who will grant me justice?" "My successor," said Trajan. "And can Trajan leave to another the duty that he himself is appointed to perform?" On hearing this, the emperor stopped his cavalcade, heard the woman's cause, and granted her suit. Dante tells this tale in his Purgatory, xi. - John of Salisbury, Polycraticus de Curialium Nugis, v. 8 (twelfth century).
Dion Cassius (Roman Historia, Ixix.) tells the same story of Hadrian. When a woman appeared before him with a suit as he was starting on a journey, the emperor put her off, saying, "I have no leisure now." She replied, "If Hadrian has no leisure to perform his duties, let him cease to reign!" On hearing this reproof, he dismounted from his horse, and gave ear to the woman's cause.
A woman once made her appeal to Philip of Macedon, who, being busy at the time, petulantly exclaimed, "Woman, I have no time now for such matters." "If Philip has no time to render justice," said the woman, "then is it high time for Philip to resign!" The king felt the rebuke, heard the cause patiently, and decided it justly.

сходная история про Траяна, Адриана и Филиппа Македонского.

стр. 1040
Turk Gregory, Gregory VII. (Hildebrand); so called for his furious raid upon royal prerogatives, especially his contest with the emperor on the subject of investiture. In 1075 he summoned the emperor Henry IV. to Rome; the emperor refused to obey the summons, the pope excommunicated him, and absolved all his subjects from their allegiance; he next declared Henry dethroned, and elected a new kaiser, but Henry, finding resistance in vain, begged to be reconciled to the pope. He was now commanded, in the midst of a severe winter, to present himself, with Bertha his wife, and their infant son, at the castle of Canossa, in Lombardy; and here they had to stand three days in the piercing cold before the pope would condescend to see him, but at last the proud prelate removed the excommunication, and Henry was restored to his throne.

папу Григория VII называли турком, например, у Шекспира
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/1kh4_5_3.html Shakespeare's King Henry IV 5.3

стр. 1050
Ulysses and Polyphemos.
...* An extraordinary parallel to this tale is told in the third voyage of Sindbad the sailor.
...Another similar tale occurs in the Basque legends, in which the giant's name is Tartaro...

похожие чем-то великаны Тартаро, Полифем, Талос, Какус..

стр. 1115
Women of Abandoned Morals.
Barbara of Cilley, second wife of the emperor Sigismund, called "The Messallna of Germany."
Berry (Madame de), wife of the duc de Berry (youngest grandson of Louis XIV.).
Catherine II, of Russia, called "The Modern Messalina" (1729-1796).
Giovanna or Jean of Naples. Her first love was James count of March, who was beheaded. Her second was Camecioli, whom she put to death. Her next was Alfonso of Aragon. Her fourth was Louis d'Anjou, who died. Her fifth was Rene, the brother of Louis.
Isabelle of Bavaria, wife of Charles VI., and mistress of the duke of Burgundy.
Isabelle of France, wife of Edward II., and mistress of Mortimer.
Julia, daughter of the emperor Augustus.
Marozia, the daughter of Theodora, and mother of pope John XI. The infamous daughter of an infamous mother (ninth century).
Messalina, wife of Claudius the Roman emperor.

стоит отметить, что "германская Мессалина" по параллелизмам накладывается как раз на период античной Мессалины

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_of_Cilli

стр. 1117, тж. 454-455
Wooden Horse (The). Virgil tells us that Ulysses had a monster wooden horse made by Epeos after the death of Hector, and gave out that it was an offering to the gods to secure a prosperous voyage back to Greece. By the advice of Sinon, the Trojans dragged the horse into Troy for a palladium; but at night the Grecian soldiers concealed therein were released by Sinon from their concealment, slew the Trojan guards, opened the city gates, and set fire to Troy. Arctinos of Miletus, in his poem called The Destruction of Troy, furnished Virgil with the tale of "the Wooden Horse" and "the burning of Troy" (fl. B.C. 776).
A remarkable parallel occurred in Saracenic history. Arrestan, in Syria, was taken in the seventh century by Abu Obeidah by a similar stratagem. He obtained leave of the governor to deposit in the citadel some old lumber which impeded his march. Twenty large boxes filled with men were carried into the castle. Abu marched off; and while the Christians were returning thanks for the departure of the enemy, the soldiers removed the sliding bottoms of the boxes and made their way out, overpowered the sentries, surprised the great church, opened the city gates, and Abu, entering with his army, took the city without further opposition. - Ockley, History of the Saracens, i. 185 (1718).
The capture of Sark affords another parallel. Sark was in the hands of the French. A Netherlander, with one ship, asked permission to bury one of his crew in the chapel. The French consented, provided the crew came on shore wholly unarmed. This was agreed to, but the coffin was full of arms, and the crew soon equipped themselves, overpowered the French, and took the island. Percy, Anecdotes, 249.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctinus_of_Miletus
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Эфиопида
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Obaida_bin_al-Jarrah

сподвижник Магомета в 7 веке применяет хитрость, аналогичную Троянскому коню