Emongst the pumy1 stones, and made a sowne, To lull him soft asleepe that by it lay: The wearie traveiler, wandring that way, Therein did often quench his thristy 2 heat, And then by it his wearie limbes display, (Whiles creeping slomber made him to forget His former payne,) and wypt away his toilsom sweat. XXXI. And on the other syde a pleasaunt grove And made emongst themselves a sweet consórt, XXXII. There he him found all carelesly displaid, 1 Pumy, porous. ornaments. 2 Thristy, thirsty. XXXI. 1.- And on the other syde, &c.] The tree dedicated to Jove is the oak; that to Hercules, is the poplar. XXXI. 5. — In Nemea, &c.] It was in Nemea that Hercules slew a lion. XXXIII. And every of them strove with most1 delights The sugred licour through his melting lips : XXXIV. He, like an adder lurking in the weedes, His wandring thought in deepe desire does steepe, XXXV. Atin, arriving there, when him he spyde 66 Cymochles; oh! no, but Cymochles shade, In which that manly person late did fade 4! 1 Most, greatest. 2 Aggrate, please. 3 Close, secret. 4 Fade, disappear. XXXIV. 8.- So' he them deceives, &c.] The meaning of this line seems to be, he deceives them because they believe him to be asleep; but in so doing, he deceives himself in not perceiving his base subjection to sensual passion. What is become of great Acrates sonne? Or where hath he hong up his mortall blade, That hath so many haughty conquests wonne? Is all his force forlorne,1 and all his glory donne?" XXXVI. Then, pricking him with his sharp-pointed dart, Through many a stroke and many a streaming wound, Calling thy help in vaine, that here in ioyes art dround." XXXVII. Suddeinly out of his delightfull dreame 3 The Man awoke, and would have questioned more 3; He then uprose, inflamd with fell despight, And called for his armes; for he would algates 5 fight: XXXVIII. They bene ybrought; he quickly does him dight, 1 Forlorne, lost. 6 4 Implore, entreaty. XXXVI. 7.- His utmost grudging spright.] His last indignant breath. XXXVII. 3.—But he.] Atin. And lightly mounted passeth on his way; And Atin ay him pricks with spurs of shame and wrong. 1 Dismay, subdue. CANTO VI. Guyon is of immodest Merth Led into loose desyre; Fights with Cymochles, whiles his bro- I. A HARDER lesson to learne continence II. Whom bold Cymochles traveiling to finde, 1 Uneathes, scarcely. 2 Maysteries, superiority. II. 4.- ·Came to a river, &c.] The Bower of Bliss is described as situated upon an island floating in a lake or gulf. Atin finds Cymochles there, and induces him to leave in order to avenge his brother's death. He comes to a river, that is, to the shore of the island, and finds there Phædria, (who represents immodest mirth,) who carries him in her boat to another island in this gulf or lake, similar in its temptations and dangers to that on which the Bower of Bliss is situated. |