suffered lust his safety to betray;
suffered > permitted
9 So goodly did beguile the guiler of the prey.
goodly > easily; gracefully; excellently
beguile > deprive
guiler > beguiler, deceiver
207.65
And now he has so long remained there,
2 That vitall powres gan wexe both weake and wan,
For want of food, and sleepe, which two vpbeare,
4 Like mightie pillours, this fraile life of man,
That none without the same enduren can.
6 For now three dayes of men were full outwrought,
Since he this hardie enterprize began:
8 For thy great _Mammon_ fairely he besought,
Into the world to guide him backe, as he him brought.
1 And now he has so long remained there
2 That vital powers gan wax both weak and wan,
gan > did; began to
wax > grow, become
3 For want of food, and sleep (which two upbear,
upbear > support
4 Like mighty pillars, this frail life of man),
5 That none without the same endure can.
6 For now three days of men were full outwrought,
outwrought > worked out, completed
7 Since he this hardy enterprise began:
hardy > audacious
8 For-thy great Mammon fairly he besought
For-thy > Therefore, for this reason
fairly > courteously
9 Into the world to guide him back, as he him brought.
brought > [had brought]
207.66
The God, though loth, yet was constraind t'obay,
2 For lenger time, then that, no liuing wight
Below the earth, might suffred be to stay:
4 So backe againe, him brought to liuing light.
But all so soone as his enfeebled spright
6 Gan sucke this vitall aire into his brest,
As ouercome with too exceeding might,
8 The life did flit away out of her nest,
And all his senses were with deadly fit opprest.
1 The god, though loath, yet was constrained to obey,
yet > (Pleonastic)
2 For longer time than that no living wight
that > ["three dayes of men"]
wight > creature, person, man
3 Below the earth might suffered be to stay:
suffered > allowed (cf. _Matt._ 12.40)
4 So back again him brought to living light.
5 But all so soon as his enfeebled spirit
6 Gan suck this vital air into his breast,
Gan > Did
7 As overcome with too exceeding might
As > [As though]
8 The life did flit away out of her nest,
9 And all his senses were with deadly fit oppressed.
deadly > death-like
oppressed > overwhelmed; taken by surprise
CANTO VIII
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