[208]. Cipryde, i.e. Cypris, or Venus; see note to Parl. Foules, 277.
[212]. The -ie in furie is rapidly slurred over. Ixion is accented on the first syllable. Ixion was bound, in hell, to an ever-revolving wheel; Georg. iii. 38; Æn. vi. 601.
[249]. as mete, as (for instance) dream; see l. 251.
[283]. 'Although he had sworn (to do so) on forfeit of his head.'
[304]. pálestrál, i.e. games consisting of wrestling-matches and similar contests; from Lat. palaestra; see Verg. Æn. iii. 280, 281; and G. Douglas, ed. Small, vol. iii. p. 52, l. 24. There is a description of such games, held at a funeral, in Statius, Theb. vi., which is imitated by Chaucer in the Knightes Tale; see note to A 2863. Vigile (l. 305) is the same as Chaucer's liche-wake; see note to A 2958.
[306]. He means that his steed, sword, and helm are to be offered up to Mars, and his shield to Pallas, at his funeral; cf. Kn. Ta. A 2889-2894.
[319]. Ascaphilo, a transposed form of Ascalaphus, whom Proserpine changed into an owl; Ovid, Met. v. 539. So also Adriane for Ariadne. Bell's note, that the form of Ascaphilo is Italian, and helps to prove that Chaucer here follows Boccaccio is misleading; for Boccaccio does not mention Ascalaphus.
[321]. Mercury was supposed to convey men's souls to Hades. See l. 1827 below, and note.
[332]. paramours, passionately; an adverb, as usual; cf. l. 158.
[345]. By freendes might, by constraint of their relatives.