ui quondam gracili modulatus avena
Carmen,...
Gratum opus agricolis, at nunc horrentia Martis."

Referring to his _Shepheards Calender_ (1579) Spenser thus gracefully
indicates his change from pastoral to epic poetry.

5-9. KNIGHTS AND LADIES. The poet here imitates the opening of Ariosto's
_Orlando Furioso_.

10. O HOLY VIRGIN CHIEFE OF NINE, refers to Clio, the muse of history.
Spenser should have invoked Calliope, the muse of poetry.

14. OF FAERIE KNIGHTS, the the champions of Gloriana, the queen of
Faerieland. FAIREST TANAQUILL, a British princess, daughter of Oberon, king
of Faerieland. In the allegory she is Queen Elizabeth.

15. THAT MOST NOBLE BRITON PRINCE is Prince Arthur, the perfect knight, who
is in love with Gloriana. In the allegory the Earl of Leicester is probably
meant, though by one tradition Sir Philip Sidney is identified with Prince
Arthur.

19. IMPE OF HIGHEST JOVE, Cupid, the god of love, and son of Jupiter and
Venus. He is represented as armed with an ebony bow (l. 23).

25. TRIUMPHANT MART, Mars, the god of war. The spelling is that of the
Italians and Chaucer.

28. O GODDESSE HEAVENLY BRIGHT, Queen Elizabeth (aged 56), who was fond of
such extravagant flattery, and expected it of all her courtiers.

31. PHOEBUS LAMPE, Apollo, the sun-god.

34. GLORIOUS TYPE OF THINE, the Lady Una, who stands for Truth in the
allegory.

35. THE ARGUMENT OF MINE AFFLICTED STILE, the subject of my humble pen.
"_Afflicted_" has the original Latin sense of "cast down."

36. O DEAREST DRED, O beloved object of reverence; a common salutation of
royalty.

CANTO I

I. _The Plot:_ At the bidding of Gloriana, the Redcross Knight undertakes
to deliver Una's parents from a dragon who holds them captive. He sets out
upon his quest attended by a dwarf and guided by Una, mounted on an ass and
leading a lamb. They are driven by a storm into a forest, where they
discover the cave of Error, who is slain by the Knight. They are then
beguiled into the house of Archimago, an old enchanter. By his magic he
leads the Knight in a dream to believe that Una is false to him, and thus
separates them.

II. _The Allegory:_ 1. Holiness, the love of God, united with Truth, the
knowledge of God, is to deliver man from the thraldom of the Devil.
Together they are able to overthrow Error; but Hypocrisy deceitfully
alienates Holiness from Truth by making the latter appear unworthy of love.

2. There is a hint of the intr