4156. For omission of relative cp. l. 4205 and note on i. 10.
4175 ff. The story here is only summarized by Ovid, Metam. vii. 394-401. Gower of course knew it from other sources.
4219. ‘intrat Palladias arces,’ Metam. vii. 398. This means Athens, but it is misunderstood by Gower.
4251. Philen, i. e. Nephele. Hyginus tells this story much as it is told here (except that it was the mother of the children who provided the ram), but he gives the name in its Latin form, as ‘Nebula.’ Note the mistake as to this name in the margin, appearing in all MSS. except SΔΛ.
4299 ff. Note the confused construction of the sentence: cp. note on i. 98.
4391. The metaphor of hunting is still kept up: the gain which they pursue is started like a hare and driven into the net.
4399. Outward, that is, when he gives things out, cp. ‘withinne’ below.
4452. I were a goddeshalf. This seems to mean, ‘I should be content,’ that is, I should be ready to say ‘In God’s name let it be so.’ For the expression cp. l. 5016, ‘Thanne a goddes half The thridde time assaie I schal.’ In the New Engl. Dict. (‘half’) it is said to be used ‘to add emphasis to a petition, command, or expression of consent or resignation’: cp. Chaucer, Book of the Duchess, 370, 757.
4455. I biede nevere ... Bot, ‘I demand only.’ In this expression ‘biede’ and ‘bidde’ have been confused, as often. Thus we have ‘I bidde nevere a betre taxe,’ i. 1556, ‘That I ne bede nevere awake,’ iv. 2905, in the latter of which ‘bede’ may be either pret. subj. of ‘bidde,’ or pres. ind. equivalent to ‘biede,’ and vi. 1356, ‘He bede nevere fare bet’ where ‘bede’ is apparently pret. subj. of bidde; while in the English Rom. of the Rose, 791, we have ‘Ne bode I nevere thennes go,’ in which ‘bode’ must be pret. subj. of ‘biede.’
4465. lete: see note on i. 3365.