The Rape of the Lock and Other Poems Part 15

ta.s.sels worn at the hilts of swords. In Pope's day every gentleman carried a sword, and these sword-knots were often very gay.

'105 who thy protection claim':

what is the exact meaning of his phrase?

'108 thy ruling Star':

the star that controls thy destinies, a reference to the old belief in astrology.

'115 Shock':

Belinda's pet dog. His name would seem to show that he was a rough-haired terrier.

'118'

Does this line mean that Belinda had never seen a billet-doux before?

'119 Wounds, Charms, and Ardors':

the usual language of a love-letter at this time.

'124 the Cosmetic pow'rs':

the deities that preside over a lady's toilet. Note the playful satire with which Pope describes Belinda's toilet as if it were a religious ceremony. Who is "th' inferior priestess" in l. 127?

'131 nicely':

carefully.

'134 Arabia':

famous for its perfumes.

'145 set the head':

arrange the head-dress.

'147 Betty':

Belinda's maid.

CANTO II

'4 Launch'd':

embarked.

'25 springes':

snares.

'26 the finny prey':

a characteristic instance of Pope's preference or circ.u.mlocution to a direct phrase.

'35-36'

A regular formula in cla.s.sical epics. In Virgil (XI, 794-795) Phoebus grants part of the prayer of Arruns; the other part he scatters to the light winds.

'38 vast French Romances':

these romances were the customary reading of society in Pope's day when there were as yet no English novels. Some of them were of enormous length. Addison found several of them in a typical lady's library, great folio volumes, finely bound in gilt ('Spectator', 37).

'58 All but the Sylph':

so in Homer (1-25), while all the rest of the army is sleeping Agamemnon is disturbed by fear of the doom impending over the Greeks at the hands of Hector.

'60 Waft':

wave, or flutter.

'70 Superior by the head':

so in Homer ('Iliad', III, 225-227) Ajax is described as towering over the other Greeks by head and shoulders.

'73 sylphids':

a feminine form of "sylphs."