64. Leif, the son of Eric, near the end of the tenth century went from Greenland to Norway and was converted to Christianity. About 1000 he sailed southward and landed at what is perhaps now Newfoundland, then went on to some part of the New England coast and there spent the winter. 61. The coming of Leif Ericson with his brave ship to Vinland was the first happening in the story of America. 61. rune: a character in the ancient alphabet. FLOWERS "Flowers" is another very early poem, but it was included by Lowell in his first volume, "A Year's Life," in 1841. Compare this idea of a poet's duty and opportunity with that of other American writers. 12. Look up Matthew 13: 3-9. 18. Condensed expression; for some of that seed shall surely fall in such ground that it shall bloom forever. THE SHEPHERD OF KING ADMETUS 16. viceroy: ruler in place of the king. 44. Apollo, while he was still young, killed one of the Cyclops of Zeus and Zeus condemned him to serve a mortal Man as a shepherd. He served Admetus, as is here described, and secured many special favors for him from the gods. COMMEMORATION ODE 3. The men who fought for the cause they loved expressed their love in the forming of a squadron instead of a poem, and wrote their praise of battle in fighting-lines instead of tetrameters. 17. guerdon: reward. 36. A creed without defenders is lifeless. When to belief in a cause is added action in its behalf, the creed lives. 60. This is as life would be without live creeds and results that will endure. Compare Whittier's "Raphael." 67. aftermath: a second crop. 79. Baal's: belonging to the local deities of the ancient Semitic race. 105. With this stanza may well be compared "The Present Crisis." 113. dote: have the intellect weakened by age. 146. Plutarch's men. Plutarch wrote the lives of the greatest men of Greece and Rome. THE VISION of SIR LAUNFAL (PRELUDE) 7. auroral: morning. 12. Sinais. Read Exodus, Chapter 19. Why did Moses climb Mount Sinai? What would be the advantage to us if we knew when we climbed a Mount Sinai? 9-20. Wordsworth says: "Heaven lies about us in our infancy! Shades of the prison-house begin to close Upon the growing boy," etc. Lowell does not agree with him, and in these lines he declares that heaven is as near to the aged man as to the child, since the skies, the winds, the wood, and the sea have lessons for us always. 28. bubbles: things as useless and perishable as the child's soap-bubbles. 20-32. The great contrast! What does Lowell mean by Earth? Does he define it? Which does he love better? 79. Notice how details are accumulated to prove the hightide. Are his points definite? 91. sulphurous: so terrible as to suggest the lower world. BIGLOW PAPERS