iltlesse bloud pourd oft on ground,
The crowned often slaine, the slayer cround,
6 The sacred Diademe in peeces rent,
And purple robe gored with many a wound;
8 Castles surprizd, great cities sackt and brent:
So mak'st thou kings, and gaynest wrongfull gouernement.
1 "Nor yours be kingdoms, nor the sceptres yours;
2 But realms and rulers you do both confound,
confound > overthrow, subvert
3 And loyal truth to treason do incline;
incline > dispose, direct; _hence:_ pervert
4 Witness the guiltless blood poured oft on ground,
5 The crowned often slain, the slayer crowned,
6 The sacred diadem in pieces rent,
diadem > crown
rent > torn
7 And purple robe gored with many a wound;
purple robe > (Traditionally worn by emperors and kings: Tyrian
purple was a dye obtained in the eastern Mediterranean from the
whelks _Murex trunculus_ and _M. brandaris_ and processed at the
Phoenician city of Tyre, whence it was sold at high price to the
Romans. "Purple" also = "blood-red" (cf. e.g. 206.29:9), thus
adding more meaning to the phrase)
8 Castles surprised, great cities sacked and burnt:
surprised > {Captured using surprise tactics}
9 So make you kings, and gain wrongful government.
So > Thus, in this manner
207.14
Long were to tell the troublous stormes, that tosse
2 The priuate state, and make the life vnsweet:
Who swelling sayles in Caspian sea doth crosse,
4 And in frayle wood on _Adrian_ gulfe doth fleet,
Doth not, I weene, so many euils meet.
6 Then _Mammon_ wexing wroth, And why then, said,
Are mortall men so fond and vndiscreet,
8 So euill thing to seeke vnto their ayd,
And hauing not complaine, and hauing it vpbraid?
1 "Long were to tell the troublous storms that toss
Long were > [It would take a long time]
tell > describe
2 The private state, and make the life unsweet:
private state > private condition, personal life
3 Who swelling sails in Caspian Sea does cross,
Who > [Whoever, he who]
cross > hoist, set in position
4 And in frail wood on Adrian Gulf does fleet,
Adrian Gulf > (The Adriatic Sea, which, like the Caspian, was
notoriously stormy)
fleet > float; sail
5 Does not, I ween, so many evils meet."
ween > think
6 Then Mammon, waxing wroth, "And why then," said,
waxing > growing, becoming
7 "Are mortal men so fond and undiscreet,
fond > foolish
undisc
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