Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book I

by Edmund Spenser

"Ille ego, qui quondam gracili modulatus avena

Carmen,...

Gratum opus agricolis, at nunc horrentia Martis."

Referring to his Shepheards Calender (1579) Spenser thus gracefully indicates his change from pastoral to epic poetry.

[5-]9. Knights and Ladies. The poet here imitates the opening of Ariosto's Orlando Furioso.

[10.] O holy virgin chiefe of nine, refers to Clio, the muse of history. Spenser should have invoked Calliope, the muse of poetry.

[14.] Of Faerie knights, the the champions of Gloriana, the queen of Faerieland. fairest Tanaquill, a British princess, daughter of Oberon, king of Faerieland. In the allegory she is Queen Elizabeth.

[15.] that most noble briton prince is Prince Arthur, the perfect knight, who is in love with Gloriana. In the allegory the Earl of Leicester is probably meant, though by one tradition Sir Philip Sidney is identified with Prince Arthur.

[19.] impe of highest jove, Cupid, the god of love, and son of Jupiter and Venus. He is represented as armed with an ebony bow (l. 23).

[25.] triumphant mart, Mars, the god of war. The spelling is that of the Italians and Chaucer.