⁸Thisbe
at their meeting place Pyramus discovered his lover Thisbe’s cloak, dropped in fright at the sight of a lion; his mistaken belief that she had been killed led to both their suicides
o’ertrip
skip over

⁹ere himself
before the lion itself

¹²Dido
Queen of
Carthage
who fell in love with, and was abandoned by, Aeneas
willow
willow leaves; symbol of grief for lost love

¹³wild
unruly/cruel
waft
wafted (i.e. beckoned)

¹⁶Medea
lover of Jason; she helped him gain the golden fleece and restored the health of his father,
Aeson

¹⁷renew
rejuvenate/revive

¹⁹steal
run stealthily from/rob

²⁰unthrift
extravagant

²⁷shrew
troublemaker, ill-tempered woman

²⁸love
lover

²⁹out-night you
i.e. outdo you in our game of references to the night
did
if

³⁰footing
footfall

³⁶doth stray about
is distracted by

³⁷holy crosses
shrines by the road

⁴⁶Sola
imitation of the sound of a messenger’s horn/a hunting cry
Wo ha, ho!
falconer’s call to the hawk

⁵⁰hollowing
shouting/urging on of dogs in the hunt

⁵³post
messenger

⁵⁴horn
messenger’s instrument/cornucopia, i.e. plentiful supply

⁵⁶in
go in
expect
await

⁵⁸signify
make known

⁶⁰music
i.e. musicians
air
plays on sense of “melody”

⁶⁴Become
suit
touches
skillful playing (by plucking or fingering instruments)

⁶⁵floor of heaven
i.e. sky

⁶⁶patens
shallow, circular dishes (on which communion bread is placed)

⁶⁷orb
heavenly body (planet, star)

⁶⁸motion
movement (heavenly bodies were thought to be surrounded by hollow spheres; as they rotated they produced beautiful music)

⁶⁹Still choiring
continually singing in chorus
young-eyed
with eternally clear sight
cherubins
cherubim, angels

⁷¹muddy … decay
i.e. clay-like mortal clothing (flesh)

⁷²grossly
physically, coarsely
close it in
i.e. enclose the soul

⁷³Diana
Roman goddess of the moon

⁷⁷spirits
mental faculties/feelings
attentive
i.e. preoccupied

⁷⁸wanton
unrestrained, wild, boisterous

⁷⁹race
company/herd
unhandled
untamed

⁸⁰Fetching
performing
bounds
leaps

⁸¹hot condition
passionate nature
blood
spirit

⁸²but
only
perchance
by chance/perhaps

⁸³air
melody

⁸⁴mutual stand
general pause

⁸⁶the poet
i.e. Ovid

⁸⁷feign
depict/invent
Orpheus
legendary Greek poet and musician who could charm all of nature with his music
drew
drew in, attracted
floods
rivers

⁸⁸stockish
unfeeling/ stupid

⁹²stratagems
schemes/bloody acts
spoils
destruction, pillaging

⁹³motions
inner promptings
dull
dark/lifeless

⁹⁴affections
feelings/disposition
Erebus
place of darkness between earth and the classical underworld

⁹⁸naughty
wicked

¹⁰²by
nearby
his
i.e. the substitute’s
state
dignity/sovereignty

¹⁰⁴main of waters
sea

¹⁰⁶respect
consideration of circumstance

¹¹⁰attended
paid attention to/heard

¹¹⁴season
occasion
seasoned
improved/flavored

¹¹⁶Endymion
shepherd with whom the moon goddess fell in love; she granted him eternal sleep so she could visit him

¹²⁴speed
succeed/hasten
words
i.e. prayers