Spenser here follows closely the
description
of
the shield of the magician Atlante in Ariosto's _Orlando Furioso_, ii, 55.
the shield of the magician Atlante in Ariosto's _Orlando Furioso_, ii, 55.
Spenser - Faerie Queene - 1
Arthur is the beau ideal
of knighthood, and upon him the poet lavishes his richest descriptive
powers. His armor, his shield Pridwen, his lance Roan, and sword Exculibur,
were made by the great enchanter Merlin in the isle of Avallon.
259. SHAPT LIKE A LADIES HEAD, an effigy of Queen Elizabeth, the Faerie
Queene.
260. LIKE HESPERUS, the evening star. Cf. Phosphorus, the morning star.
268. The dragon couchant was also the crest of Arthur's father, Uther,
surnamed on this account Pen-dragon. The description in this stanza is
imitated from Tasso's description of the helmet of the Sultan in _Jerusalem
Delivered_, ix, 25, which in turn follows Vergil's _AEneid_, vii, 785 _seq. _
280. GREENE SELINIS, a town in Sicily.
284. HIS WARLIKE SHIELD.
Spenser here follows closely the description of
the shield of the magician Atlante in Ariosto's _Orlando Furioso_, ii, 55.
300. SILVER CYNTHIA, the moon. It was popularly supposed that magicians and
witches had power to cause eclipses of the moon.
304. All falsehood and deception. Truth and Wisdom are symbolized (Upton).
306. WHEN HIM LIST, when it pleased him. _Him_ is dative.
314. IT MERLIN WAS. Ambrose Merlin, the prince of enchanters, son of the
nun Matilda, and an incubus, "half-angel and half-man. " He made, in
addition to Prince Arthur's armor and weapons, the Round Table for one
hundred and fifty knights at Carduel, the magic fountain of love, and built
Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. He died spellbound by the sorceress Vivien
in a hollow oak. See Tennyson's _Idylls of the King_.
of knighthood, and upon him the poet lavishes his richest descriptive
powers. His armor, his shield Pridwen, his lance Roan, and sword Exculibur,
were made by the great enchanter Merlin in the isle of Avallon.
259. SHAPT LIKE A LADIES HEAD, an effigy of Queen Elizabeth, the Faerie
Queene.
260. LIKE HESPERUS, the evening star. Cf. Phosphorus, the morning star.
268. The dragon couchant was also the crest of Arthur's father, Uther,
surnamed on this account Pen-dragon. The description in this stanza is
imitated from Tasso's description of the helmet of the Sultan in _Jerusalem
Delivered_, ix, 25, which in turn follows Vergil's _AEneid_, vii, 785 _seq. _
280. GREENE SELINIS, a town in Sicily.
284. HIS WARLIKE SHIELD.
Spenser here follows closely the description of
the shield of the magician Atlante in Ariosto's _Orlando Furioso_, ii, 55.
300. SILVER CYNTHIA, the moon. It was popularly supposed that magicians and
witches had power to cause eclipses of the moon.
304. All falsehood and deception. Truth and Wisdom are symbolized (Upton).
306. WHEN HIM LIST, when it pleased him. _Him_ is dative.
314. IT MERLIN WAS. Ambrose Merlin, the prince of enchanters, son of the
nun Matilda, and an incubus, "half-angel and half-man. " He made, in
addition to Prince Arthur's armor and weapons, the Round Table for one
hundred and fifty knights at Carduel, the magic fountain of love, and built
Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain. He died spellbound by the sorceress Vivien
in a hollow oak. See Tennyson's _Idylls of the King_.
