FullReads

56. AGED TITHONES, son of Laomedon, King of Troy. Aurora conferred upon him immortality without youth, hence the epithet “aged.”

58. TITAN, the sun-god in the Roman myths.

85. PROTEUS, a sea-god who was endowed with the power of prophecy. He could change himself into any shape in order to avoid having to prophesy. See Homer, Odyssey, iv, 366 seq., and Vergil, Georgics, iv, 387.

90. HERBES. In the sixteenth century the belief in potions, magic formulas, etc., was still strongly rooted in the popular mind. The Spanish court and the priests were supposed to employ supernatural agencies against the Protestants.

105. A FAITHLESS SARAZIN. Spenser uses the word Saracen in the general sense of pagan. During the Middle Ages the Saracen power was a menace to Europe, and the stronghold of infidelity. The names of the three Paynim brethren, Sansfoy, Sansjoy, and Sansloy,–faithless, joyless, and lawless,–suggest the point of view of Spenser’s age.

109. A FAIRE COMPANION, the enchantress Duessa, or Falsehood, who calls herself Fidessa. In the allegory Spenser intended her to represent the Romish church and Mary Queen of Scots. Her character and appearance were suggested by the woman of Babylon, in Revelation, viii, 4, Ariosto’s Alcina, and Tasso’s Armida.

136. AS WHEN TWO RAMS. This figure is found in Vergil, Apollonius, Malory, Tasso, Dante, and other poets and romancers.

141. THE HANGING VICTORY, the victory which hung doubtful in the balance.

144. THE BROKEN RELIQUES, the shattered lances.

148. EACH OTHERS EQUALL PUISSAUNCE ENVIES, each envies the equal prowess of the other.

149. THROUGH THEIR IRON SIDES, etc., through their armored sides with cruel glances, etc.

155. THE BITTER FIT, the bitterness of death.

158. ASSURED SITT, etc., sit firm (in the saddle), and hide (cover) thy head (with thy shield).

160. WITH RIGOUR SO OUTRAGEOUS, with force so violent.

161. THAT A LARGE SHARE, etc., that a large piece it (the sword) hewed, etc.

162. FROM BLAME HIM FAIRLY BLEST. 1, fairly preserved him from hurt; 2, fairly acquitted him of blame. Him in (1) refers to the knight, in (2) to the Saracen. (1) is the better interpretation.

169. GRUDGING. Because reluctant to part from the flesh.

196. DAUGHTER OF AN EMPEROUR. Duessa represents the Pope, who exercised imperial authority in Rome, though the seat of the empire had been transferred to Constantinople in 476.

200. THE ONLY HAIRE. The dauphin of France, the first husband of Mary Queen of Scots, afterwards King Francis II, son of Henry II. Duessa’s story is full of falsehoods.

244. SO DAINTY THEY SAY MAKETH DERTH, coyness makes desire. The knight is allured on by Duessa’s assumed shyness.

251. NE WONT THERE SOUND, nor was accustomed to sound there.

254. COOL SHADE. The Reformed Church, weakened by Falsehood, is enticed by doubt and skepticism.

262. FAIRE SEEMLY PLEASAUNCE, pleasant courtesies.

263. WITH GOODLY PURPOSES, with polite conversation. This whole stanza refers to Mary’s candidacy for the English throne and its dangers to Protestantism.

269. HE PLUCKT A BOUGH. In this incident Spenser imitates Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, vi, 26, in which Ruggiero addresses a myrtle which bleeds and cries out with pain. The conception of men turned into trees occurs also in Ovid, Vergil, Tasso, and Dante.

272. O SPARE WITH GUILTY HANDS, etc. Cf Vergil’s account of Polydorus in Aeneid, iii, 41, in which a myrtle exclaims, Parce pias scelerare manus, etc.

284. FROM LIMBO LAKE, here, the abode of the lost. With the Schoolmen, Limbo was a border region of hell where dwelt the souls of Old Testament saints, pious heathen, lunatics, and unbaptized infants. Cf. Milton’s Paradise of Fools, Paradise Lost, iii, 495.

291. FRADUBIO, as it were “Brother Doubtful,” one who hesitates between false religion and pagan religion, Duessa and Fraelissa (Morley). Fraelissa is fair but frail, and will not do to lean upon.

342. FAIRE IN PLACE, fair in that place.

351. TO TREEN MOULD, to the form of a tree. Treen is an adj. like wooden.

354. THE SAME. Supply “as she appeared to be,” i.e. fair and true.

357. PROPER HEW. Witches had to appear in their “proper hew” one day in spring and undergo a purifying bath. The old romances make frequent mention of the enchanted herb bath.

370. BY CHAUNGES OF MY CHEARE, by my changed countenance or expression.

371. DROWND IN SLEEPIE NIGHT. The phrase modifies “body,” or is equivalent to “while I was drowned in sleep.”

382. IN A LIVING WELL, in a well of running water. This well signifies the healing power of Christianity. John, iv, 14. In Spenser’s story this well is never found, and the wretched couple are never restored to human shape.

404. ALL PASSED FEARE, all fear having passed.

QUESTIONS AND TOPICS

(Canto II)

1. How does the knight feel and act while under Archimago’s spell? 2. What becomes of Una? 3. How does Archimago plan to deceive her? 4. Tell the story of the lovers turned into trees. 5. Who was Sansfoy? 6. Describe the appearance and character of Duessa. 7. What did she have to do with Fradubio and Fraelissa? 8. What was the old belief about the penance of witches? 9. How only could the lovers be restored to their human shape? Was it done? 10. Who were St. George, Phoebus, Titan, Tithonius? 11. Explain the reference to Chaunticlere in l. 6.

12. Find examples of alliteration in xix; of balance in xxxvii; and of Latinizing in xix; xxxvi; xxxviii, and xl.

13. Paraphrase in your own words ll. 111, 134-135, 162 (giving two interpretations); 335, 386-387.

14. What figure of speech is used in xiii, xvi, and xx?

15. Study the rich word-painting in the description of sunrise in vii. Find other examples of this poet’s use of “costly” epithets.

16. Scan the following passages: 148, 174, 178, 193, and 299.

17. Find example of tmesis (separation of prep. from ob.) in xlv.

18. What is the difference between the two wells in xliii?

19. To whom do the pronouns in ll. 174, 175 refer?

20. What is the case of heavens in l. 193? of Sarazin in l. 217?

21. What words are omitted in ll. 188, 313, 398?