4 agast > aghast _1590_ 1 So as they travelled, lo they gan espy gan > did 2 An armed knight towards them galloping fast, 3 That seemed from some feared foe to fly, fly > flee 4 Or other grisly thing that him agast. grisly > horrible, fearsome agast > terrified (esp. with fear of the supernatural: cognate with "ghost"; only the past participle of this verb [aghast] remains in current use) 5 Still as he fled, his eye was backward cast, Still > Continually, ever; yet 6 As if his fear still followed him behind; 7 Als flew his steed, as he his bands had burst, Als > Also flew > flew; fled as > [as though] bands > [bridle] 8 And with his winged heels did tread the wind, 9 As he had been a foal of Pegasus his kind. As > [As though] Pegasus his kind > Pegasus's kind (kind = breed. Pegasus is the winged horse, said to have sprung from the blood of Medusa (see _Met._ 4.785-6). In later myth, he is regarded as the horse of the Muses, for it was with a stroke of his hoof that the inspiring fountain Hippocrene, on Mount Helicon, was caused to well forth. In the almost incredible fecundity of his vision, Spenser at this point is surely alive to the image of such a horse (i.e. art, poetry) serving to carry a man away from despair) 109.22 Nigh as he drew, they might perceiue his head 2 To be vnarmd, and curld vncombed heares Vpstaring stiffe, dismayd with vncouth dread; 4 Nor drop of bloud in all his face appeares Nor life in limbe: and to increase his feares, 6 In fowle reproch of knighthoods faire degree, About his neck an hempen rope he weares, 8 That with his glistring armes does ill agree; But he of rope or armes has now no memoree. 1 Nigh as he drew, they might perceive his head might > could 2 To be unarmed, and curled uncombed hairs unarmed > without a helmet 3 Upstaring stiff, dismayed with uncouth dread; Upstaring > Standing erect uncouth > strange, bizarre 4 Nor drop of blood in all his face appears, Nor > Neither 5 Nor life in limb: and, to increase his fears, 6 In foul reproach of knighthood's fair degree, degree > social station 7 About his neck a hempen rope he wears 8 That with his glistering arms does ill agree; arms > {Weapons, shield and armour} ill > (Because hanging was not considered fit punishment for a knight) 9 But he of rope or arms has now no memory. 109.23 The _Redcrosse_ knight toward him crossed fast, 2 To weet, what mister wight was so dismayd: There him he finds all sencelesse and aghast, 4 That of him selfe he seemd to be afrayd; Whom hardly he from flying forward stayd, 6 Till he these wordes to him deliuer might; Sir knight, aread who hath ye thus arayd, 8 And eke from whom make ye this hasty +flight:+ For neuer knight I saw in such misseeming plight. 8 flight: > flight. _1596_ 1 The Redcross Knight toward him crossed fast, 2 To weet what mister wight was so dismayed: