o the world, bad liuers to torment:
But nought that falles into this direfull deepe,
8 Ne that approcheth nigh the wide descent,
May backe returne, but is condemned to be drent.

1 They, passing by, that grisly mouth did see,

grisly > horrible, fearsome

2 Sucking the seas into its entrails deep,

entrails > bowels, inner parts

3 That seemed more horrible than hell to be,
4 Or that dark dreadful hole of Tartarus steep,

that dark dreadful hole > (Lake Avernus, a volcanic lake near
Naples; near it was the cave of the Cumaean Sibyl, through which
Aeneas descended to the infernal regions)
Tartarus > (The underworld of Roman mythology, the infernal regions;
the lowest part of these; hell)
steep > (Qualifying the hole rather than Tartarus)

5 Through which the damned ghosts do often creep
6 Back to the world, bad livers to torment:

bad livers > [those who live badly]

7 But naught that falls into this direful deep,
8 Nor that approaches nigh the wide descent,
9 May back return, but is condemned to be drenched.

drenched > drowned

212.7

On th'other side, they saw that perilous Rocke,
2 Threatning it selfe on them to ruinate,
On whose sharpe clifts the ribs of vessels broke,
4 And shiuered ships, which had bene wrecked late,
Yet stuck, with carkasses exanimate
6 Of such, as hauing all their substance spent
In wanton ioyes, and lustes intemperate,
8 Did afterwards make shipwracke violent,
Both of their life, and fame for euer fowly blent.

1 On the other side they saw that perilous rock,
2 Threatening itself on them to ruinate,

ruinate > bring destruction

3 On whose sharp cliffs the ribs of vessels broken,

ribs > {Curved frame-timbers, extending from the keel to the top of
the hull}

4 And shivered ships, which had been wrecked late,

shivered > split, shattered
late > lately

5 Yet stuck, with carcases exanimate

exanimate > inanimate; lacking spirits, lacking souls

6 Of such as, having all their substance spent

such > [such people]

7 In wanton joys and lusts intemperate,
8 Did afterwards make shipwreck violent,
9 Both of their life, and fame for ever foully blended.

blended > stirred up; _hence:_ rendered turbid, spoiled, defiled

212.8

For thy, this hight _The Rocke of_ vile _Reproch_,
2 A daungerous and detestable place,
To which nor fish nor fowle did once approch,