ers of Hesperus. In _Comus_ 402-6, the
Hesperides are made the nieces of Atlas)

6 Got from great Atlas' daughters hence began,

Atlas > (A semi-divine giant said to support on his shoulders the
pillars of the universe; Hercules took over this burden while
Atlas went to fetch the golden apples on his behalf)
hence began > [originated from here]

7 And planted there, did bring forth fruit of gold:

there > [in the garden of the Hesperides]

8 And those with which the Euboean young man won

the Euboean young man > (Melanion; in Ovid and subsequent accounts
he is called Hippomenes)

9 Swift Atalanta, when through craft he her outran.

Atalanta > (A beautiful maiden whose suitors had to race her for her
hand in marriage. Those who lost the race were condemned to
death; Hippomenes only succeeded because Venus gave him three
golden apples which he threw on the ground, making Atalanta
delay to stop and pick them up. See _Met._ 10.560-704,
_Amoretti_ 77)

207.55

Here also sprong that goodly golden fruit,
2 With which _Acontius_ got his louer trew,
Whom he had long time sought with fruitlesse suit:
4 Here eke that famous golden Apple grew,
The which emongst the gods false _Ate_ threw;
6 For which th'_Id{ae}an_ Ladies disagreed,
Till partiall _Paris_ dempt it _Venus_ dew,
8 And had of her, faire _Helen_ for his meed,
That many noble _Greekes_ and _Troians_ made to bleed.

1 Here also sprang that goodly golden fruit

goodly > beautiful

2 With which Acontius got his lover true,

Acontius > (Who won Cydippe by means of a golden fruit: see Ovid,
_Heroides_ 20-1)

3 Whom he had long time sought with fruitless suit:

fruitless > (Even after four centuries this pun still raises a groan
of protest)

4 Here eke that famous golden apple grew,

eke > also

5 Which amongst the gods false Ate threw;

Ate > (Goddess of discord, also called Eris. She threw a golden
apple inscribed "To the fairest" among the guests at the wedding
of Thetis and Peleus. A contest, held on Mount Ida, ensued
between Minerva, Juno and Venus; Paris awarded the apple to
Venus, who gave him Helen, and this led to the Trojan War. See
Hyginus, _Fabulae_ 42)

6 For which the Idaean ladies disagreed,

disagreed > quarrelled (cf. _PL_ 2.497)

7 Till partial Paris deemed it Venus' due,
8 And had of her fair Helen for his meed,

of > from
meed > reward

9 That ma