[437-7] Iris was the fleet messenger of the Greek gods. She had beautiful golden wings, and as she flew across the heavens, she left the many-colored rainbow as her trail. [437-8] Ceres was the Greek goddess of the earth, who especially watched over the growth of grain and fruits. She it is who brings rich harvests, or when her attention is called away, permits drought to kill the vegetation. [438-9] _Stover_ is fodder. A mead thatched with stover is a meadow covered with rich grass and hay. [438-10] The common marsh-marigold was called _peony_ in some localities. [438-11] Reeds were called _twills_ in some localities. [438-12] The frequent rains of April make the ground like a water-soaked sponge. [438-13] This passage means: "Thy banks with edges bordered with marsh-marigolds and reeds which rainy April trims to make cold crowns for chaste nymphs." [438-14] _Lass-lorn_ means _forsaken by his lass_. [438-15] The poles in a vineyard are _clipt_ or _embraced_ by the vines. [438-16] Juno was Queen of the sky and Iris was her special messenger. [438-17] Rainbow. [438-18] Peacocks were sacred to Juno and are represented as accompanying her. [438-19] Jupiter was the chief god of the ancient Greeks, and Juno was his wife. [440-20] _Bosky_ means _wooded_. [440-21] _Unshrubbed downs_ are tracts of land on which no bushes grow. [440-22] Venus was the Greek goddess of love and beauty. [440-23] _Dis_ is another name for Pluto, who according to the Greek mythology ruled in the dismal lower world. [440-24] By the aid of Venus, Pluto stole Proserpina, the daughter of Ceres and Jupiter, and carried her away to be his queen in Hades. [440-25] Her _blind boy_ is Cupid, the mischievous little god of love. [440-26] Paphos was a city in Cyprus, where Venus loved to live. [440-27] Juno's walk was very stately and dignified. [440-28] Juno was a large, noble, motherly-looking woman, who is represented in art as attended by the nymphs and the hours, as well as by Iris. The goose and the cuckoo were as much Juno's birds as the peacock. She was the protectress of young married people and infants, and so was worshipped especially by women. [441-29] _Foison_ and _plenty_ mean about the same thing. The phrase might be read, _overflowing plenty_, a great plenty. [441-30] This means, may a new spring come as soon as you have gathered the harvest of the old one. May there be no winter in your lives. [441-31] Ferdinand is still amazed, and inquires if they are really spirits that he sees. [442-32] _So rare a wonder'd father_ means, _so rarely wonderful a father_. [442-33] _Crisp_ means _curled_, alluding to the wavelets that the breezes make on the surface of the water. [442-34] The _sicklemen_ are reapers called from the harvest fields to make merry. [443-35] _Avoid_ means _begone_. [443-36] The thin fleecy clouds, highest in the sky, were called _rack_. [443-37] _On_ is here used for _of_. [443-38] We would say _rounded off_ or _finished_.