453 betokened Wrack signified shipwreck
456 flaws squalls of wind
457 presage omen
advisedly attentively, warily
marketh observes, notes
459 grin bare his teeth
462 ere before
463 flatly prostrate/without hesitation
465 recures cures, heals
466 love some editors emend to "loss"
thriveth prospers
469 late intent recent intention
471 cunning skillful/crafty
wittily ingeniously
472 Fair fall may fair befall, good luck to (playing on Venus' literal "fall") 475 wrings pinches
480 so ... still as long as he continues to kiss her (still may play on sense of "motionless") 482 blue windows blue-veined eyelids/eyes (though these were gray in line 140) 490 repine discontent
494 drenched immersed/drowned
495 Or either
497 death's annoy i.e. as distressing as death 500 shrewd severe, harsh
503 leaders military captains (who serve the queen)/guides 504 But were it not
piteous merciful, compassionate
506 liveries uniforms worn by a particular nobleman's servants wear wear out
507 verdure freshness/taste
509 star-gazers astrologers
510 plague in 1593, the year of the poem's publication, the plague was particularly virulent in London 511 seals ... imprinted stamps that have left their authoritative impression in my lips, as if in wax 513 sell myself connotations of prostitution
514 So provided that
use good dealing trade fairly/have good sex
515 slips errors/counterfeit coins/sexual lapses
516 seal-manual signature/personal seal on a ring
519 touches kisses
520 told counted
523 queen may pun on "quean," i.e. prostitute
owe bear, have for
524 Measure ... with i.e. attribute my aloofness to 525 know plays on sense of "have sex with"
526 fry very young fish
forbears spares
527 mellow ripe
529 world's comforter i.e. sun
531 owl ... shrieks the owl was considered a bird of ill omen, its cry thought to herald death 532 fold the pen, enclosure
538 tendered paid (in settlement of a debt)
540 Incorp'rate united in one body
541 disjoined broke off
544 surfeit drink to excess
on drouth of drought
545 plenty abundance (of desire/flesh/ kisses)
pressed overwhelmed/pressed literally
dearth famine
550 insulter (victorious) attacker
551 vulture i.e. ravenous desire, predatory imagination pitch fix, set (may play on one sense of the noun: "highest point to which a bird of prey soars before swooping on its victim") 553 spoil booty, goods acquired by plunder
554 forage plunder, pillage/glut oneself like a wild beast reek smoke with heat
555 reek and smoke sweat
556 careless reckless
557 oblivion generating heedlessness
558 wrack destruction
561 roe species of small deer
chasing being hunted
562 froward refractory, fretful
dandling rocked or joggled up and down
564 listeth desires
565 so is so
temp'ring heating
567 out of hope (that seem) hopeless
compassed achieved
vent'ring taking risks
568 whose ... commission who has license to go further than his orders 570 choice object of choice
571 gave over given up
573 Foul harsh, unkind
574 rose ... plucked like lock-picking, a standard image of (female) virginity loss 575 fast safe, secure
580 look well to take good care of
581 Cupid the Roman god of love was Venus' son; he caused people to fall in love by firing arrows at them protest declare
583 waste spend
584 watch remain awake
586 make the match agree to the assignation, appoint a rendezvous (match plays on sense of "sexual encounter") 590 lawn fine white linen/alternative name for the plant "hound's tongue" or "Venus' navelwort"
592 yoking fastening around the neck/subduing
595 lists official enclosure in which tournaments were held (possibly plays on sense of "list" as "pleasure/appetite") 596 champion opponent/one who fights on her behalf
mounted on horseback, i.e. on top of her
hot encounter spirited fight/lustful sexual encounter
597 prove discover
598 manage take a horse through a series of exercises/handle sexually, "ride"
599 That so that
Tantalus in Greek mythology, a king who stole from the gods and was condemned to stand in a pool below a fruit tree that remained just out of his reach 600 clip embrace
Elysium the heaven of classical mythology
601 painted grapes refers to Pliny's account of Zeuxis the painter, apparently so skillful that birds mistook his painted grapes for real ones 602 pine the maw starve the stomach
603 mishaps misfortunes
604 helpless useless
605 warm effects sexual feelings and arousal
608 assayed attempted
proved demonstrated, achieved
611 Fie expression of impatience or disgust
613 hadst would have
615 advised warned
616 churlish rough, violent
617 tushes tusks
whetteth still sharpens continually
618 mortal death-dealing
bent determined (referring to the butcher)/curved (referring to the tusks) 619 bow-back arched back
battle battalion in full array
620 pikes spines (maintains the image of armed troops by playing on sense of "long-handled weapons with pointed steel heads") 621 fret rage
622 sepulchres tombs
623 moved angered/forced to leave his lair (hunting term) 625 brawny covered with hardened skin, unfeeling
626 proof armor
628 ireful angry
venture dare to attack
632 tributary i.e. submissive (a tributary pays homage to his conqueror) 633 eyne eyes
635 vantage his advantage
636 root dig up, destroy
mead meadow
637 cabin lair
638 foul wicked
639 will wish, intention
641 not to dissemble I won't lie
645 downright straight down/straightaway
647 boding foreboding, fearful
649 jealousy anxious care for another's safety
650 sentinel guard, lookout
651 suggesteth incites
653 Distemp'ring disturbing the natural constitution of/diluting with water 654 abate put out
655 bate-breeding strife-producing
656 canker parasitic grub that destroys plants
tender spring youthful growth
657 carry-tale rumormonger, telltale
dissentious quarrelsome
661 so that
663 his i.e. Adonis'
667 indeed in reality
668 That I who
670 divination prophetic insight
673 needs wilt must
674 Uncouple release your dogs
flying fleeing
675 subtlety cunning
676 roe species of small timid deer
encounter fight
678 well-breathed fit, not out of breath
679 on foot in pursuit
purblind dimly sighted (which hares were thought to be)
680 overshoot outstrip, overtake
682 cranks and crosses twists and turns about and crosses backward and forward doubles sharp turns
683 musets gaps in hedges and fences/hares' lairs
684 amaze confuse
686 cunning well-traine
d/crafty
687 earth-delving conies burrowing rabbits
keep live
689 sorteth mixes
690 shifts stratagems
waits on attends
694 ado fuss, difficulty
cold fault point at which they lost the scent
695 spend their mouths bark loudly
echo in Greek mythology, Echo was the nymph who loved self-obsessed Narcissus and pined away on his account until only her voice was left 697 Wat common name for a hare
700 alarums sounds of their approach
702 sore grievously
passing-bell bell tolling for the souls of the dead
703 dew-bedabbled made wet by the dew
704 return turn again/turn back
indenting zigzagging
705 envious malicious
708 relieved helped
712 Unlike myself i.e. contrary to my usual behavior as the goddess of love moralize explain the moral meaning
715 leave break off
716 aptly promptly, readily
718 of by
724 true honest
725 modest Dian i.e. Diana, Roman goddess of chastity (modesty), the moon, and hunting 726 forsworn having broken her vow (of chastity)
727 of ... reason I see the reason for the darkness of the night 728 Cynthia the Greek name for Diana
729 forging counterfeiting
731 framed created, shaped
high heaven's despite defiance of heaven
733 destinies in Greek mythology, the three Fates were also known as "Destinies": one spun the thread of a man's life, another measured it, and the third cut it 734 cross thwart, oppose
curious ingenious, beautifully fashioned
736 defeature disfigurement
738 mischances misfortunes, disasters
739 agues acute fevers
740 pestilence plague
wood mad
741 marrow-eating sickness syphilis (which corrodes the bones) attaint infection
742 Disorder disturbance of bodily balance/(sexual) misdemeanors blood sexual desire
743 Surfeits digestive disorders resulting from excessive eating or drinking impostumes abscesses
747 favour facial features
savour sweet scent
hue complexion
751 fruitless childless/ useless
752 vestals virgins (specifically the priestesses who guarded the sacred fire of the temple of Vesta in Rome) self-loving i.e. not giving their love to a man/selfish because producing no children 754 dearth famine
755 prodigal extravagant
756 oil with connotations of semen (burns then refers to sexual heat) 760 destroy ... obscurity also alludes to masturbation 762 Sith since
pride arrogance, self-love/state of (masturbatory) phallic erection slain picking up on the sexual sense of "to die" ("to orgasm") 763 made away murdered
764 mischief calamity/evildoing
765 whose ... slay who commit suicide (but continues the play on masturbation) desperate spiritually hopeless (the state that preceded suicide) 766 butcher-sire murdering father
reaves deprives
767 Foul-cank'ring discoloring and corroding
treasure plays on sense of "semen"
frets erodes, decays
768 put to use loaned out with interest/employed sexually 769 fall return (plays on the notion of Venus' literal fall and on sense of sexual succumbing) 770 over-handled too commonly treated (with sexual connotations) 773 foul wicked, immoral/dirty, black
774 treatise tale, talk
776 moving persuasive (also suggests busy literal motion) 777 wanton lustful
781 Lest in case
782 closure enclosure
783 undone ruined
787 reprove reject, condemn
789 device tricks, wily ingenuity
792 bawd pimp
795 semblance appearance
796 blotting tarnishing, staining
797 Which refers to beauty
hot tyrant i.e. lust
stains sexually defiles
bereaves robs, plunders
806 text theme on which one speaks
green young, inexperienced
808 teen sorrow, affliction
813 laund glade, open space in a wood
apace swiftly
816 eye sight
818 late-embarked recently departed on a ship
friend could also mean "lover"
820 ridges crests
contend strive in conflict
821 pitchy intensely black ("pitch" is a tarlike substance) 822 Fold in enfold, envelop
824 flood sea
825 stonished astonished/bewildered/dismayed
827 confounded confused/defeated
828 fair ... way i.e. Adonis, whose presence illuminated the path 830 neighbour neighboring
831 Make ... of echo
832 Passion lament
deeply solemnly/loudly
836 extemporally spontaneously, improvised
837 thrall captive
dote infatuatedly fond/foolish
839 heavy sad
anthem song in which two voices sing in response to each other 845 copious abundant, verbally elaborate
847 withal with
848 parasites flatterers
849 tapsters innkeepers
850 humour mood, whim
fantastic wits young men with fanciful ideas and wild notions 854 moist cabinet dewy dwelling (lark's nest on the ground) 860 clear shining
862 influence flow of power thought to emit from stars and planets 863 a son i.e. Adonis, mortal but brighter than the sun (on which "son" puns) 864 May who may
865 myrtle the evergreen shrub or small tree was sacred to Venus 866 o'erworn gone by
868 hearkens listens
870 coasteth approaches/pursues at a distance (hunting term) cry yelping of hounds
875 milch doe lactating female deer
dugs teats, udder
876 brake thicket
877 are ... bay have cornered the prey, forcing it to turn to defend itself 879 folds coils
882 Appals dismays, terrifies
confounds overcomes
883 chase animal that is hunted
887 curst fierce, savage
888 strain court'sy are excessively polite regarding (i.e. hang back) cope encounter, fight
889 dismal ominous
890 surprise ambush
894 basely fly run away in a cowardly manner
stay the field remain on the battlefield
895 ecstasy frenzy (of anxiety)
899 Bids commands
901 frothy foaming
903 sinews nerves
906 rate berate, angrily reprove
murther murder/(being) a murderer
907 spleens impulses
909 mated checked, thwarted
911 respects considerations/intentions
naught ... respecting heeding nothing at all/incapable of proper thinking 912 In hand preoccupied
914 caitiff wretch
916 sovereign plaster sure remedy (i.e. licking) 919 ill-resounding harshly echoing
920 flap-mouthed a mouth with broad, hanging lips
921 welkin sky
volleys ... voice i.e. barks repeatedly
923 Clapping pressing down, fixing
926 prodigies extraordinary events, regarded as omens 928 Infusing imbuing, filling
dreadful terrifying
929 up in
930 exclaims on cried out on, loudly accuses
931 Hard-favoured harsh-featured
932 divorce separator
933 earth's worm i.e. creature that feeds on dead bodies 939 no eyes Death's face is traditionally represented as a skull with empty eye sockets 941 mark target
dart arrow
942 cleaves splits
943 he had Adonis would have
947 golden arrow i.e. that causing love (as opposed to Cupid's lead arrow, which provoked loathing) fled ha
stened
948 ebon ebony (wood)/black
950 heavy sorrowful
953 mortal vigour deadly strength (an oxymoron, as vigor refers to the strength or attributes of living things) 954 rigour harshness, pitilessness
956 vailed lowered in defeat
who which
sluices dams, floodgates
957 crystal tide i.e. flow of tears
960 course flow, current
961 lend and borrow reflect one another
963 crystals mirrors (or possibly "magic crystals")
967 Variable changeable, fluctuating
passions strong emotions/sorrow/means of expressing suffering throng crowd around and press upon
968 become befit, suit
969 entertained received, given hearing
labours so makes such efforts (to be supreme)
972 consulting for conferring about/planning
973 this this time, now
hollo huntsman's call to his hounds
975 imagination image, train of thought
981 orient lustrous, shining (used of pearls) 983 foul dirty
sluttish grimy/immoral, whorish (as all men tread on it)
985 hard-believing incredulous, skeptical
987 weal happiness, well-being
991 wrought made
993 called ... naught claimed Death was worthless
995 clepes calls
996 Imperious supreme imperial ruler
999 Whenas when
1000 still severe always rigorous in punishment
1001 shadow dark presence/ghost
1002 railed on loudly abused
1004 wreaked revenged
1006 act i.e. utter his words
1010 suspect suspicion
extenuate seek to excuse
1012 insinuate ingratiate herself
1013 trophies memorial monuments erected after wars 1015 Jove supreme Roman god
1018 mutual ... kind i.e. universal destruction, the end of the world 1021 fond foolish/infatuated
1022 hemmed with surrounded by
1024 with false bethinking misguidedly
1026 but late only recently
1027 lure bunch of feathers used by keepers to recall a hawk (i.e. deceptively enticing) 1029 unfortunately ill-fatedly
1038 cabins caves, i.e. eye sockets
1039 office function
1040 disposing direction, management
1041 still always
1043 Who refers to the heart
perplexed confused/ afflicted
1044 suggestion prompting/incitement
1045 tributary subject one who acknowledges subordination and pays homage 1046 wind ... ground thought to be the cause of earthquakes 1048 confound throw into confusion, overwhelm
1049 surprise ambush
1051 threw unwilling light eyes were thought to emit light, which enabled them to see 1052 trenched gouged, dug (but, like flank, the word also had the military sense it does now) 1053 flank fleshy side between ribs and hip
wonted customary
1054 purple blood-red
1056 But stole that did not steal
1059 passions expresses her grief
doteth behaves in a deranged manner (with suggestion of "dotes infatuatedly on him") 1061 bow bend
1062 till now before now (for a lesser cause)
1064 dazzling blurring (with the intensity of her gaze or with tears) 1065 mangling that mutilates, disfigures
1067 several separate
1079 trim pretty
1081 Bonnet hat