The Faerie Queene (111 page)

14 4
Medina: Latin: medianus, Le. ‘mean between extremes', temperate.

14 9
enterprize: look after.

15 8
tramels: braids.

16 7
gest: deeds.

17 2
Huddibras: Greek: ‘rashness'; source of Samuel Butler's satire Hudibras (1662).

18 1
Sans-loy: see 1.2.35.9 and note. 18 8 tortious: injurious.

20 9
fouldring: flashing like lightning,

22 6
lybicke: Libyan.

22 7
surbet: bruised, aa 9 stint: stop.

23 S
englut: fill.

24 3
disease: trouble.

28 a
gainsaid: contradicted, opposed.

29 a
Erinnys: the Furies, who punished those who had offended the gods. 29 3 brond: sword.

29 6
thrust: thirst

29 8
vaunt: boast.

30 9
iarre: contention.

31 7
Oliue: symbol of peace.

33 3
treague: truce.

34 6
grutch: complain.

34 8
fret: destroy. th'vtter: the outer part. 37 2 mincing mineon: affectedly dainty hussy.

37 4
franion: gallant, playboy.

38 5
forward paire: Perissa and Sansloy.

38 7
froward twaine: Elissa and Huddibras. accourage: encourage.

39 9
lofty siege: high seat, throne.

40 2
that great Queene: Gloriana. 40 4 shene: shining.

42
See notes to Letter to Ralegh, p. 1070.

42 4
Maydenhead: The Faerie analogue to the Order of the Garter, the highest order of English knighthood. See also I.7.46.4 and note.

42 6
make: some editors emend to hold for the sake of rhyme.

43 3
Fay: fairy.

44 1–2
Now… world: i.e., three moons (Phoebe) have passed since Guyon left the court of the Faerie Queene.

44 4
introld: praised by song? a word of uncertain origin.

44 5
hold: shelter.

46 1–2
Night… snake: the constellation of Scorpio (‘the snake') is rising as Orion sets.

46 9
hyes: hastens.

C
ANTO
3

Arg. 1
Braggadocchio: Braggadocchio is a milesgloriosus or ‘braggart soldier', as are Shakespeare's Falstaff in 1 and 2 Henry IV, and Pistol in Henry V.

Arg. 4
Belphcebe: Latin and Greek: ‘beautifully shining'. 1 3 Titan: the sun.

1 9
many-folded shield: i.e., covered with many layers of skins.

2 1
Congi: leave.

2 3
coniure: entreat.

2 5
noriture: nurture, upbringing.

2 8
Ruddy mane: ‘bloody hand'.

4
Guyon's horse is restored in V.3.29 ff.

4 1
losell: scoundrel.

4 2
bountie: virtue, valour.

4 4
kestrell: a hawk (a contemptuous comparison).

4 9
Purloynd: stole.

5 7
portaunce: demeanour.

5 8
gree: social pre-eminence.

6 4
prancke: show ofE

6 7
rancke: violently.

7 9
stay: wait.

8 7
Miser: wretch (Latin: miser, ‘wretched1).

8 9
And deeped him his liege: i.e., called him his master, to… fee: to possess him.

10 1
Trompart: loud boaster and deceiver (French: tromper, ‘to deceive1). Braggadocchio and Trompart have been equated with the Due d'Alenfon and his agent Simier who came to court Elizabeth in 1578. The match was strongly opposed by the English Protestant faction, led by Leicester. See identification of fielphoebe in Letter to Ralegh, and notes, p. 1070.

12 3
sell: saddle.

12 4
wanted: lacked.

12 6–9
See OF 1.26-30.

12 6
forgone: lost.

12 9
to doen: to cause.

13 3
foen: foes. foyle: repulse.

13 7
gin: engine, trick.

14 3
gaged: pawned.

15 3
doon: i.e., do.

15 4
puruay: supply.

16 7
quaile: daunt.

20 3
where… beene: i.e., wherever they are.

20 9
riue: split

21–39
This episode parodies the meeting of Aeneas and Achates with Venus disguised as Diana in Am. 1. 305 ff.

21 7
weed: garments.

23 4
persant: piercing.

24 1
bountie: virtue.

24 8
rubins: rubies.

25 1
Graces: in Greek mythology the Graces are the source of beauty and gradousness. This line is quoted by E. K. in his gloss to Shepheardes Calender, ‘June' 25, suggesting that this part of the poem was written before 1579. See also VI.10.22 and note.

25 3
belgards: loving looks. retrate: picture, portrait.

26 4
Camus: loose dress, chemise. 26 S Purfle4: bordered, decorated. plight: fold, pleat.

26 7
aygulets: French: aiguilktte, ‘aglet', point or metal tag or a lace, i.e., metal points used for decoration.

27 1
ham: thigh.

27 2
embayld: wrapped.

27 3
buskins: boots.
Cordwaine: costly leather, cordovan.

27 4
bard: fastened. bendes: bands. entayld: carved.

27 5
antickes: designs. aumayld: enamelled.

28 7
play: some editors emend to sport for the sake of the rhyme.

28 8
Libbard: leopard

28 9
apace: quickly.

29 5
bauldricke: belt (supporting the quiver).

30 3
inspyre: breathe. 30 4 penon: pennant.

30 6
heedlesse bap: by chance.

31 1
Simile imitated from Aen. I. 498-502. 31 2 Eurotas: a river in Laconia (Sparta). Cynthus: a hill on the island of Delos, the birthplace of Apollo and Diana.

31 3
forlore: forsaken, left.

31 5
Queene: Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons, who is said to have led an attack on Troy (Aen. 1. 490-93). In later versions of the story she is said to have been killed either by Pyrrhus or by his father Achilles.

31 7
Priame: king of Troy.

32 3
doubted: wondered. 32 4 bide: wait, remain.

32 7
Hind: female deer.

33 2–9
Trompart's speech to Belphoebe imitates Aeneas' to Venus (Aen. 1. 327-9). Spenser is contrasting the servility of Braggadocchio with Aeneas' nobility by making Trompart, his subordinate, speak the words of Virgil's Aeneas, while sustaining the dignity of Belphoebe by comparing her to the Virgilian Venus.

34 3
mewed: cooped up like a bird; see 35.6.

36 8
prune: preen.

37 4
transmewed: transmuted. 38 6 wher so: wherever.

38 8
Aboue the Moone: i.e., into the realm of permanence. See introductory note to the ‘Cantos of Mutabilitie'.

38 9
trompe: trumpet.

40 5
eath: easy.

41 1
she: i.e., honour.

46 8
chaufd: chafed, grew hob

CANTO 4

2
The Palmer, as the guide to Guyon, is in the tradition of the old, wise hermits in Malory.

2 3
yeed: go.

2 5
suflred: permitted.

3 4
agree: settle, bring into harmony.

3 5
mad man: Furor, wrath.

4
The wicked hag is Occasion. The Renaissance showed her with hair dangling over her face but entirely bald on the back of her head because she must be seized by the forelock, as she approaches, and once she has passed by she may not be captured. Spenser is allegorizing the commonplace that wrath must find an occasion.

4 4
stay: support.

7 2
gouernance: self-control.

8 4
nathemoe: not ac all.

8 7
haling! dragging.

9 7
vnbrace: unfasten.

11 2
amenage: tame.

12 2
hent: seized. 12 4 stent: cease.

14 2
gainstriuing: striving against.

14 7
hayld: dragged.

15 7
ranck: haughty.

16
Phedon's story imitates the tale of Ariodante and Genevra in OF 4-5. Shakespeare also used this story in Much Ado About Nothing (1600).

17 2
hap: i.e., mishap.

17 5
whelming: engulfing.

18 3
dug: breast.

20 1
Philemon: Greek: ‘love of self'. The name was common in romances.

20 1–2
partake, Of: i.e., make a confidant in.

20 2
priuitie: secrets.

24 1
boorded: approached.

24 2
boulted: sifted.

24 8
nearer moue: affect more deeply.

26 3
blent: dimmed, spoiled.

28 8
Me liefer were: i.e., I would prefer, priefe: trial.

28 9
repriefe: disgrace.

32 7
chauffed: angry.

33 1
me doen to dye: i.e., tried to kill me.

34 2
bridle: conventional symbol of temperance.

37 2
varlet. Atdn (Greek:' strife'), first named in 42, the servant of Pyrochles. See notes to 41-2.

37 8
bashed: dismayed, daunted.

38 1–6
shield: shield of Pyrochles, who is introduced in 41.

38 7
flit: swift.

39 3
forestalled: bespoken (i.e., already occupied by Furor and Occasion).

40 4
minds his chaunce t'abye: i.e., intends to confront the possibility of harm. See lines 4-S of the preceding stanza.

41–2
Pyrochles (Greek: ‘one of fiery disposition') and Cymochles (Greek: ‘one who constantly fluctuates', i.e., a wave) are allegorical representations of the irascible and concupiscible passions, wrath and desire, the two subsidiary parts of the human soul (Republic 9.7). Spenser makes them children of Aerates (Greek: ‘without control') and Despite. Aerates is the son of Phlegethon, the river of fire in hell, and Jar (Discord). The ancestors of Phlegethon are the ancient malignant gods who ruled before Jove took control of the heavens, ultimately derived from
mythographers like Boccaccio. Aerates is related etymologically to Acrasia. 42 3 derring do: might, desperate deeds.

45 3
vpbray: bring reproach on.

46 1
thrillant: piercing.

46 5
empight: emplanted itself.

46 8
forckhead: arrow.

C
ANTO
5

1 6
stayed: constant.

2 3
embatteiled: armed for battle.

3 2
chaffar words: bandy words.

3 5
nigh… choke: i.e., nearly able to choke.

4 8
sell: saddle.

4 9
fowly dight: i.e., besmear.

5 3
Disleall: disloyal.

5 7
blent: smirched.

6 2
marge: margin.

6 S
were not his targe: i.e., if it were not for his shield.

6 9
beuer: faceguard of helmet.

8 5
molt: melted.

8 7
gyre: Greek: ‘circle'.

9 1
foynd: lunged, thrust his weapon. 9 6 closely: i.e., with restraint.

9 7
rife: strongly.

98a
thwart: from the side.

11 I
slight: trick. faild: deceived.

11 4
queint: quenched.

11 7
Saint: i.e., Gloriana, the Faerie Queene.

13 7
trow: know, believe.

14 9
wondered: marvelled at, 17 2 tort: injury.

19 2
assoyled: released.

19 8
enlargd: set free.

20 6
wex as wood: grow angry to the point of irrationality.

21 3
wroke: revenged.

22 7
Stygian: of the river Styx in Hades. 27 8 mewes: cages.

27 9
Titan: the sun.

28 6
delices: delights.

29 4
Eglantine: sweet-briar.

29 8
Zephyrus: the west wind.

30 1
fast beside: immediately next to it.

30 3
pumy: pumice.

31 2
stately tree: oak.

31 4–5
Abides: as the first of his twelve labours Hercules killed the Nemean lion.

32 8
habiliments: dress.

33 2
aggrate: gratify, please.

33 5
embrew: pour into. OED cites this line.

33 9
for tryall: i.e., as proof.

34 3
spoyle: loot.

34 6
conceipt: conceit, idea.

35 2
waues of deepe delight: Spenser is probably calling attention to the etymology of Cymochles' name (see note to II. 4.41-2).

37 3
theame: subject.

37 4
For to dilate at large: i.e., to be expanded upon.