English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700; Knights and knighthood -- Poetry; Virtues -- Poetry
So th'one for wrong, the other striues for right,
2 And each to deadly shame would driue his foe:
The cruell steele so greedily doth bight
4 In tender flesh, that streames of bloud down flow,
With which the armes, that earst so bright did show
6 Into a pure vermillion now are dyde:
Great ruth in all the gazers harts did grow,
8 Seeing the gored woundes to gape so wyde,
That victory they dare not wish to either side.
1 So the one for wrong, the other strives for right,
2 And each to deadly shame would drive his foe:
3 The cruel steel so greedily does bite
4 In tender flesh, that streams of blood down flow,
5 With which the arms, that erst so bright did show,
the arms > [the armour]
erst > at first
6 Into a pure vermilion now are dyed:
7 Great ruth in all the gazers' hearts did grow,
ruth > pity
8 Seeing the gored wounds to gape so wide,
9 That victory they dare not wish to either side.
105.10
At last the Paynim chaunst to cast his eye,
2 His suddein eye, flaming with wrathfull fyre,
Vpon his brothers shield, which hong thereby:
4 Therewith redoubled was his raging yre,
And said, Ah wretched sonne of wofull syre,
6 Doest thou sit wayling by black _Stygian_ lake,
Whilest here thy shield is hangd for victors hyre,
8 And sluggish german doest thy forces slake,
To after-send his foe, that him may ouertake?
1 At last the paynim chanced to cast his eye,
paynim > pagan, heathen
2 His sudden eye, flaming with wrathful fire,
3 Upon his brother's shield, which hung thereby:
thereby > near by
4 Therewith redoubled was his raging ire,
Therewith > With that; thereupon
5 And said, "Ah wretched son of woeful sire,
sire > father
6 Do you sit wailing by black Stygian lake,
Stygian lake > (The River Styx, the river across which dead souls
must pass)
7 Whilst here your shield is hung for victor's hire?
hire > wages
8 And, sluggish german, do your forces slake,
german > brother (now addressing himself rather than the soul of
Sansfoy)
slake > abate
9 To after-send his foe, that him may overtake?
105.11
Goe caytiue Elfe, him quickly ouertake,
2 And soone redeeme from his long wandring woe;
Goe guiltie ghost, to him my message make,
4 That I his shield haue quit from dying foe.
Therewith vpon his crest he stroke him so,
6 That twise he reeled, readie twise to fall;
End of the doubtfull battell deemed tho
8 The lookers on, and lowd to him gan call
The false _Duessa_, Thine the shield, and I, and all.
1 "Go, caitiff Elf, him quickly overtake,
caitiff > despicable, servile
2 And soon redeem from his long wandering woe;
3 Go, guilty ghost, to him my message make,
ghost > soul, spirit
make > represent, personify, frame (by virtue of your presence)
4 That I his shield have quit from dying foe."
quit > recovered, freed
5 Therewith upon his crest he struck him so,
Therewith > With that
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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