nd heaped hills on high,
5 To scale the skies, and put Jove from his right:
6 Her sire Typhoeus was, who, mad through mirth,

sire > father

7 And drunk with blood of men slain by his might,
8 Through incest, her of his own mother, Earth,

of > by
Earth > (Typhoeus was the youngest son of Ge (Earth) and Tartarus,
who was in turn the son of Ge and Aether (Sky))

9 Whilom begot, being but half twin of that birth.

Whilom > Anciently

307.48

For at that berth another Babe she bore,
2 To weet the mighty _Ollyphant_, that wrought
Great wreake to many errant knights of yore,
4 +And many hath to foule+ confusion brought.
These twinnes, men say, (a thing far passing thought)
6 Whiles in their mothers wombe enclosd they were,
Ere they into the lightsome world were brought,
8 In fleshly lust were mingled both yfere,
And in that monstrous wise did to the world appere.

4 And many hath to foule > Till him Chylde _Thopas_ to _1590. The
change distances Ollyphant from Chaucer's tale (see Glossary),
which actually breaks off before Olifaunt is killed; and Spenser
recalls that his Ollyphant features later in the story (311.3
ff.)_

1 "For at that birth another babe she bore,
2 To weet the mighty Ollyphant, that wrought

To weet > To wit
Ollyphant > "Elephant" (based on "Olifaunt", a character in Chaucer's
_Tale of Sir Thopas_ 7.807-9)

3 Great wreak to many errant knights of yore,

wreak > harm, injury, damage
errant > itinerant (a "knight errant" roamed in quest of adventure;
the word-order here also implies the sense of erring, deviating,
etc.)
yore > old

4 And many has to foul confusion brought.

many > a great number (singular)
confusion > discomfiture, ruin

5 These twins, men say (a thing far passing thought),

passing > surpassing

6 While in their mother's womb enclosed they were,
7 Ere they into the lightsome world were brought,

lightsome > bright, luminous

8 In fleshly lust were mingled both yfere,

yfere > together

9 And in that monstrous wise did to the world appear.

wise > fashion

307.49

So liu'd they euer after in like sin,
2 Gainst natures law, and good behauioure:
But greatest shame was to that maiden twin,
4 Who not content so fowly to deuoure
Her natiue flesh, and +staine+ her brothers bowre,
6 Did wallow in all other fleshly myre,
And suffred beasts her body to deflowre: