52 208. mastless oak. Oak leaves without acorns, i.e., without the fruit, hence an appropriate garland for a maid. 52 212. Statius. A Latin author who died 96 A.D. Among his works was an heroic poem in twelve books, embodying the legends touching the expedition of the Seven against Thebes. 52 231. Niobe. She was the mother of seven sons and seven daughters, and so thought herself superior to Latona, who had given birth to only two, Apollo and Diana. To avenge their mother, they slew all of Niobe's children with their darts. Hence the "devoted" children, i.e., devoted to death. 53 231. gust. The sense or pleasure of tasting, hence relish; more common form, gusto. 53 232. thy triple shape. Diana is often confused with Hecate, a most mysterious divinity. Hecate is represented with three heads and three bodies, and possessed the attributes of Luna in heaven, of Diana on earth, and of Proserpina in the lower world. 53 238. frowning stars. If the stars at her birth were such and so placed that they boded ill, they might be said to frown. 53 250-260. The omen foretells the event. One altar seems extinguished and then relights when the other goes out entirely. So Palamon seems to fail, but eventually wins Emilia after the death of Arcite. 54 290. planetary hour. This was the fourth hour of the day. 54 291. heptarchy. A rule by seven. It refers here to the seven great gods, Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Mars, Vulcan, Apollo, Mercury. 55 297. Hyperborean. Beyond the North. Applied originally to a blessed people who dwelt beyond the north wind. 55 320. Vulcan had thee in his net enthralled. Vulcan, the husband of Venus, once discovered improper relations between her and Mars, and he entrapped the guilty pair in the meshes of an invisible net and exposed them to the laughter of the gods. This passage would appeal to the taste of Dryden's Restoration readers, and is developed with a light grace, characteristic of the period. 55 325-332. In these verses the poet brings out the character of Arcite, a more mannish man than Palamon. 56 355, 356. Arcite prays for victory; nothing else will satisfy. He obtains his prayer, but loses Emily. 57 389. trined. An astrological term, meaning that the planets Saturn and Venus were distant from each other 120°, or one-third of the zodiac, a benign aspect. 57 390. with stern Mars in Capricorn was joined. Both Mars and Saturn were in the sign of the zodiac, Capricorn. 58 401. watery sign. The so-called watery signs of the zodiac were Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. When Saturn is in one of these signs, look out for shipwreck. 58 402. earthy. The so-called earthy signs were Taurus, Virgo, and Capricornus. When Saturn is in one of these signs, look out for the dungeon. 58 408, 409. Though these verses are taken from Chaucer, they fitted Dryden's times and sentiment; for he had seen his own king, James II., ousted from his throne and supplanted by William and Mary. He was not in sympathy with the Revolution.