CANTO V

Pyrochles does with Guyon fight,
2 And Furors chayne +vnbinds+
Of whom sore hurt, for his reuenge
4 Atin Cymochles finds.

2 vnbinds > vntyes, 1590; vnbinds: 1609 3 Of whom sore hurt, for his reuenge > Who him sore wounds: whiles Atin to 1590 4 Atin Cymochles finds. > Gymochles for ayd flyes. 1590; Attin Gymochles finds. 1596

1 Pyrochles does with Guyon fight, 2 And Furor's chain unbinds; 3 Of whom sore hurt, for his revenge

Of > By for his revenge > [to avenge Pyrochles]

4 Atin Cymochles finds.

205.1

WHo euer doth to temperaunce apply
2 His stedfast life, and all his actions frame,
Trust me, shall find no greater enimy,
4 Then stubborne perturbation, to the same;
To which right well the wise do giue that name,
6 For it the goodly peace of stayed mindes
Does ouerthrow, and troublous warre proclame:
8 His owne woes authour, who so bound it findes,
As did Pyrochles, and it wilfully vnbindes.

1 Whoever does to temperance apply 2 His steadfast life, and all his actions frame,

frame > direct

3 Trust me, shall find no greater enemy 4 Than stubborn perturbation, to the same;

stubborn > hard; unyielding

5 To which right well the wise do give that name,

right well > very well; hence: most appropriately that name > (I.e. "perturbation", derived from the Latin perturbationem: disorder, disquiet, confusion, passion, emotion, derangement)

6 For it the goodly peace of staid minds

staid > steady, sober, well regulated (without the pejorative modern sense)

7 Does overthrow, and troublous war proclaim: 8 His own woes' author, whoso bound it finds,

His > [He is his] whoso > whoever it > [perturbation, personified by Furor]

9 As did Pyrochles, and it wilfully unbinds.

205.2

After that varlets flight, it was not long,
2 Ere on the plaine fast pricking Guyon spide
One in bright armes embatteiled full strong,
4 That as the Sunny beames do glaunce and glide
Vpon the trembling waue, so shined bright,
6 And round about him threw forth sparkling fire,
That seemd him to enflame on euery side:
8 His steed was bloudy red, and fomed ire,
When with the maistring spur he did him roughly stire.

1 After that varlet's flight, it was not long

varlet > attendant (esp. of a knight); menial [Atin]

2 Ere on the plain, fast pricking, Guyon spied

pricking > spurring his horse, riding

3 One in bright arms embattled full strong,

arms > {Arms and armour} embattled > armed for battle (SUFQ) full > very, exceedingly

4 That, as the sunny beams do glance and glide 5 Upon the trembling wave, so shone bright,

shone > [he shone; they shone]

6 And round about him threw forth sparkling fire, 7 That seemed him to inflame on every side:

inflame > {Light up or redden as if with flame; envelop in flame}

8 His steed was bloody red, and foamed ire, 9 When with the mastering spur he did him roughly stir.

205.3

Approching nigh, he neuer stayd to greete,
2 Ne +chaffar+ words, prowd courage to prouoke,
But prickt so fiers, that vnderneath his feete
4 The smouldring dust did round about him smoke,
Both horse and man nigh able for to choke;
6 And fairly couching his steele-headed speare,
Him first saluted with a sturdy stroke;
8 It booted nought Sir Guyon comming neare
To thinke, such hideous puissaunce on foot to beare.

2 chaffar > chaffer 1609

1 Approaching nigh, he never stayed to greet, 2 Nor chaffer words, proud courage to provoke,

chaffer > barter, exchange

3 But pricked so fierce that underneath his feet

pricked > spurred, rode

4 The smouldering dust did round about him smoke,

smouldering > smothering, choking

5 Both horse and man nigh able to choke;

able > liable

6 And fairly couching his steel-headed spear,

fairly > expertly couching > {Lowering and placing in its rest}

7 Him first saluted with a sturdy stroke;

sturdy > recklessly violent

8 It booted naught, Sir Guyon coming near,

booted > availed

9 To think, such hideous puissance on foot to bear.

hideous > terrific; immense; odious puissance > force, power

205.4

But lightly shunned it, and passing by,
2 With his bright blade did smite at him so fell,
That the sharpe steele arriuing forcibly
4 On his +broad+ shield, bit not, but glauncing fell
On his horse necke before the quilted +sell+
6 And from the head the body sundred quight.
So him dismounted low, he did compell
8 On foot with him to matchen equall fight;
The truncked beast fast bleeding, did him fowly dight.

4 broad > braod 1596 5 sell > sell, 1609

1 But lightly shunned it and, passing by,

lightly > easily

2 With his bright blade did smite at him so fell

fell > terribly, fiercely

3 That the sharp steel, arriving forcibly 4 On his broad shield, bit not, but glancing fell 5 On his horse's neck, before the quilted sell,

before > in front of sell > saddle

6 And from the head the body sundered quite. 7 So him dismounted low, he did compel

him > (Probably Pyrochles) he > [Guyon]

8 On foot with him to match equal fight; 9 The trunked beast, fast bleeding, did him foully dight.

trunked > mutilated, cut short (Latin truncus; cf. 108.10:8); hence: decapitated fast > rapidly; also, perhaps: close by, in close proximity [to Guyon] dight > deck, prepare; hence: sully, befoul

205.5

Sore bruzed with the fall, he slow vprose,
2 And all enraged, thus him loudly shent;
Disleall knight, whose coward courage chose
4 To wreake it selfe on beast all innocent,
And shund the marke, at which it should be ment,
6 Thereby thine armes seeme strong, but manhood +fraile;+
So hast thou oft with guile thine honour blent;
8 But litle may such guile thee now +auaile+,
If wonted force and fortune +do not much me faile+.

6 fraile; > frayl: 1590 8 auaile > auayl 1590 9 do not much me faile > doe me not much fayl 1590

1 Sore bruised with the fall, he slow uprose

Sore > Grievously

2 And, all enraged, thus him loudly shent:

shent > reviled

3 "Disleal knight, whose coward courage chose

Disleal > Disloyal, perfidious (Italian disleale: WU) courage > spirit

4 To wreak itself on beast all innocent,

wreak > give expression to

5 And shunned the mark at which it should be meant,

meant > intended

6 Thereby your arms seem strong, but manhood frail;

frail > weak; morally weak

7 So have you oft with guile your honour blended;

blended > blended, mingled, stirred up; hence: rendered turbid, spoiled

8 But little may such guile you now avail, 9 If wonted force and fortune do not much me fail."

wonted > accustomed, customary

205.6

With that he drew his flaming sword, and strooke
2 At him so fiercely, that the vpper marge
Of his seuenfolded shield away it tooke,
4 And glauncing on his helmet, made a large
And open gash therein: were not his targe,
6 That broke the violence of his intent,
The weary soule from thence it would discharge;
8 Nathelesse so sore a buff to him it lent,
That made him reele, and to his brest his beuer bent.

1 With that he drew his flaming sword, and struck 2 At him so fiercely that the upper marge

marge > margin

3 Of his sevenfold shield away it took,

sevenfold > seven-layered (cf. 203.1:9)

4 And, glancing on his helmet, made a large 5 And open gash therein: were not his targe

were > [were it] targe > shield

6 That broke the violence of his intent, 7 The weary soul from thence it would discharge;

it > ["his flaming sword">[

8 Natheless so sore a buff to him it lent,

Natheless > Nevertheless sore > grievous buff > blow, buffet lent > dealt

9 That made him reel, and to his breast his beaver bent.

That > [That it] beaver > {Lower part of face-guard of helmet}

205.7

Exceeding wroth was Guyon at that blow,
2 And much ashamd, that stroke of liuing arme
Should him dismay, and make him stoup so low,
4 Though otherwise it did him litle harme:
Tho hurling high his yron braced arme,
6 He smote so manly on his shoulder plate,
That all his left side it did quite disarme;
8 Yet there the steele stayd not, but inly bate
Deepe in his flesh, and opened wide a red floodgate.

1 Exceeding wroth was Guyon at that blow, 2 And much ashamed that stroke of living arm

stroke >

3 Should him dismay, and make him stoop so low,

dismay > overcome

4 Though otherwise it did him little harm: 5 Tho, hurling high his iron-braced arm,

Tho > Then hurling > whirling; brandishing

6 He smote so manly on his shoulder-plate 7 That all his left side it did quite disarm;

disarm > strip of armour

8 Yet there the steel stayed not, but inly bit

inly > inwardly; thoroughly, extremely

9 Deep in his flesh, and opened wide a red floodgate.

205.8