1408. al the strengthe of herbes: a poem De Viribus Herbarum passed in the Middle Ages under the name of Macer.
1422. The mention of ‘nedle and ston’ in this connexion is a rather daring anachronism, for which of course Gower is responsible.
1424. Cilly. Benoît says ‘les isles d’Oloi,’ and Guido ‘in Eolidem insulam,’ but Sicily has been mentioned shortly before.
1438 f. Cp. Rom. de Troie, 28594 ff. Guido does not mention it.
1441. ‘S’el sot des arz, il en sot plus,’ Rom. de Troie, 28641.
1445 ff. Benoît says nothing of this, but the story of the adventures of Ulysses was to some extent matter of common knowledge in the Middle Ages. Gower may have had it from Ovid, Metam. xiv. 277 ff. Guido says in a general way that Circe was in the habit of transforming those who resisted her power into beasts.
1457. into such a rote, that is, ‘into such a habit’ (or ‘condition’): see note on l. 1312.
1467. toswolle bothe sides, ‘with both her sides swollen’: cp. Rom. de Troie, 28660 f.,
‘Et si li lesse les costez
Toz pleins, ço quit, de vif enfant.’