Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

. (b) JOHN LFDGATE. 377studded with pearls ;and they are conducted to repose by many a stair toa stately tower, after being served with a refection of hypocras fromgolden goblets. The next day they are both espoused to the king's twodaughters, and entertained with tournaments, feasting, revels, andmasques.' A triple alliance being thus formed between Adrastus, Polynices,and Tydeus, the last-mentioned undertakes to deliver a messageto Eteocles, claiming the crown of Thebes for Polynices, The messagebeing met by a refusal, Tydeus denounces war, and makes the best ofhis way out of Thebes. At this point our extract commences. SeeStatins, Thebaidos lib. ii. 467. A translation of Statins into Englishverse, by T[homas] S[tephens], was printed in 1648 ; a translation byLewis will be found in vol. xiv. of Anderson's British Poets.1067. As he that list, like one who chose. List is properly an impersonalverb, but in the fifteenth century it began to be used personally.See 1. 1 1 30.1076. Arge, Argos, then governed by King Adrastus.1079. Kyng, i. e. Eteocles, king of Thebes.108 1. Euel apayd, ill pleased. The first foot in the line consists of thesingle word In.1085. See, seat, throne.1089. The word The seems required at the beginning of the line, bythe sense even more than by the metre. It is not unusual to find linesin which the first foot consists of but 07ie syllable, as in 1. 1081 above.Most of Lydgate's lines scan much better than they appear to do at firstsight, if they be read out loud, witha slow and measured pronunciation,sounding all the lighter syllables fully, and with an even intonation.Much of the difference between his metre and our modern verses is dueto the change of pronunciation and intonation ;many words, more than the spelling has done.for these have altered, in1090. Fast requires a final e, being an adverb, both here and in1. 1074. In both places, read/as/e.1091. Chooce, chosen men; cf. Gk. kitXoyrj.1095. Vp peyn, upon pain; so in Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 1. 7^53- ^Pis used in Old English where a penalty is implied ; see Matzner, Eng.Gram. ii. i. 320.Her hede, their heads.1098, My7i autour, probably Statins; for although Statins does nothere mention the number, he does so in other passages ;iii. 76, 363-Vnwarly, unawares.Tencombre, to encumber, overwhelm by numbers.1 102. Geyn, convenient, short.Thebaidos, lib.