1 For grief thereof, and devilish despite,

grief > pain
despite > spite, malice

2 From his infernal furnace forth he threw
3 Huge flames that dimmed all the heavens' light,
4 Enrolled in duskish smoke and brimstone blue;

blue > {Burning without redness, as a candle is said to do in the
presence of ghosts, death, or Satan}

5 As burning Etna from its boiling stew

Etna > (The volcano in Sicily, which was very active in the 16th
century; see also _Aen._ 3.571-7)
stew > cauldron

6 Does belch out flames, and rocks in pieces broken,
7 And ragged ribs of mountains molten new,
8 Enwrapped in coal-black clouds and filthy smoke,
9 That all the land with stench, and heaven with horror, choke.

111.45

The heate whereof, and harmefull pestilence
2 So sore him noyd, that forst him to retire
A little backward for his best defence,
4 To saue his bodie from the scorching fire,
Which he from hellish entrailes did expire.
6 It chaunst (eternall God that chaunce did guide)
As he recoyled backward, in the mire
8 His nigh forwearied feeble feet did slide,
And downe he fell, with dread of shame sore terrifide.

1 The heat whereof, and harmful pestilence,

whereof > of which
pestilence > noxiousness

2 So sore him noyed, that forced him to retire

noyed > vexed, harassed; injured
that > [that it]

3 A little backward for his best defence,
4 To save his body from the scorching fire,
5 Which he from hellish entrails did expire.

he > [the dragon]
expire > exhale

6 It chanced (eternal God that chance did guide)
7 As he recoiled backward, in the mire
8 His nigh forwearied feeble feet did slide,

forwearied > exhausted

9 And down he fell, with dread of shame sore terrified.

111.46

There grew a goodly tree him faire beside,
2 Loaden with fruit and apples rosie red,
As they in pure vermilion had beene dide,
4 Whereof great vertues ouer all were red:
For happie life to all, which thereon fed,
6 And life eke euerlasting did befall:
Great God it planted in that blessed sted
8 With his almightie hand, and did it call
+The tree of life+, the crime of our first fathers fall.

9 The tree of life > _The tree of life 1609; cf. 111.29:9_

1 There grew a goodly tree him fair beside,

goodly > fine, beautiful (cf. _Gen._ 2.9, _Rev._ 2.7)
fair > becomingly; favourably, luckily; plainly to be seen