Soone after that into a golden showre
2 Him selfe he chaung'd faire Dana{e"} to vew,
And through the roofe of her strong brasen towre
4 Did raine into her lap an hony dew,
The whiles her foolish garde, that little knew
6 Of such deceipt, kept th'yron dore fast bard,
And watcht, that none should enter nor issew;
8 Vaine was the watch, and bootlesse all the ward,
Whenas the God to golden hew him selfe transfard.
1 Soon after that into a golden shower
Soon > Immediately after that > [in the next panel]
2 Himself he changed, fair Dana{e"} to view,
Dana{e"} > (Daughter of Acrisius, the king of Argos, who confined her in a brazen tower because an oracle had foretold that she would give birth to a son who would kill his grandfather. Transformed into a golden shower, Jupiter came down through the roof and fathered Perseus, who did indeed eventually kill Acrisius, by means of an accident in the public games at Larissa)
3 And through the roof of her strong brazen tower 4 Did rain into her lap a honey-dew,
honey-dew > {Ideally sweet or luscious substance}
5 While her foolish guard, that little knew 6 Of such deceit, kept the iron door fast barred,
fast > firmly; closely
7 And watched that none should enter nor issue; 8 Vain was the watch, and bootless all the ward,