6,999 Matching Annotations
  1. Jul 2019
    1. Fortune,

      I feel that fortune is personified here- like they are trying to blame a actual person. Again we see the “wheel of fortune” appear again.

    2. Lyonesse

      We see both female and male lions protect others.

    3. sweld,

      He’s holding her captive and she is pregnant.

    4. reed

      Notice

    5. Syluanus

      A spirit of nature.

    6. LO I the man, whose Muse whilome did maske, As time her taught, in lowly Shepheards weeds, Am now enforst a far vnfitter taske, For trumpets sterne to chaunge mine Oaten reeds,

      The First Book, entitled The Legend of the Knight of the Red Cross, or of Holiness, are introduced by the following invocation to Clio, Cupid, Venus, Mars, and Queen Elizabeth, and then commences the story.

    7. Geaunt

      Pun: a "geaunt" or giant is made of earth, "gaia" in Greek

    8. Arthure: whom I conceive, after his long education by Timon (to whom he was by Merlin delivered to be brought up, so soone as he was borne of the Lady Igrayne) to have seen in a dreame or vision the Faerie Queene

      Arthur and the Fairy Queen by Johann Heinrich Füssli, c. 1788

    9. ardimen

      Blodness

    10. Eftsoones

      without delay

    11. Homer

      Homer is the legendary author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems that are the central works of ancient Greek literature.

    12. .

      Okay, after 8 hours of reading, I have finally finished this story. And man, was it equally awesome and confusing. Three days of work, and this is what I remember of the story. Girl and knight go on trip, camp out in hotel, have sex, keep walking, knight dies from snake lady, girl runs away, girl finds new knight, that knight kills a chimera and lets a with go, 5 horse guys and girl go to destroy witch, she gets killed, second knight is killed, third knight finds lady sad, he comforts her, knight enters dungeon, tries to kill dragon, fails, knight gets sick, girl takes knight to holy hospital, he heals, battles dragon, kills dragon in front of kingdom, he becomes the new ruler of the kingdom, girl and knight live happily ever after. I wish I could have remembered more, but this story is so gosh darn long. I made it pretty not enjoyable actually. I think this story tells the moral of persistence. To keep walking towards your objective and never give up. It made my mind wander to Disney, dungeons and dragons, and Minecraft. I really enjoyed the story overall, and wish I could of had more time to understand the story in more detail.

    13. Patience.

      I hope somebody can answer this question.

      This seems like to me the other story we read about a man going on the journey to death, and confronting his different parts along the way. Does anybody know the name of the story I am trying to think of?

    14.   For in his speeches and behauiour hee   Did labour liuely to expresse the same, And gladly did them guide, till to the Hall they came.

      I forget what they are called, but this character seems like one of those public speakers that use to spread news and ideas.

    15. Then tooke the angrie witch her golden cup,

      Many readings, including this one, have shown that the holy grail has miraculous healing powers as show in this paragraph.

    16. palfrey

      a lady's horse

    17.  Her shrill outcryes and shriekes so loud did bray,   That all the woodes and forestes did resownd;

      A very powerful description. That she screamed and cried so loud that the entire woods and forest could hear her,

    18. assayle

      To begin to launch a military operation. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/assailen

    19. her wrack for to bewaile,

      The ship is personified into a women.

    20. For her he hated as the hissing snake

      He really hated this woman and sounds like a comparison to as much as he also hates snakes.

    21. yblent

      The choice of words throughout the text is interestingly difficult lol. Does anyone know what this would mean?

    22. wights

      I learned through a google search that wights are defined as a creature or living sentient being. In its original usage the word wight described a living human being, but later came to be used within the fantasy genre of literature to describe certain undead.

    23. But on his brest a bloudie Crosse he bore,

      A cross necklace was worn by him or perhaps engraved in his armor on his chest. Signifying he must be a christian I suppose.

    24. pricking

      Defined as making a small hole in (something) with a sharp point; pierce slightly.

    25. Great Romulus the Grandsyre of them all, Proud Tarquin, and too lordly Lentulus, Stout Scipio, and stubborne Hanniball, Ambitious Sylla, and sterne Marius, High Cæsar, great Pompey, and fierce Antonius

      Kings of Rome.

    26. importuned his desire

      Proceeded to ask for what he wanted

    27. His cursed hand gainst God

      I think it's interesting that they give a very descriptive story of Greek gods, then literally two stanzas later they mention the traditional Christian God.

    28. Sea-god

      =Poseidon

    29. Cerberus His three deformed heads did lay along, Curled w

      A three-headed dog who in Greek mythology guarded the entrance to the underworld.

    30. a vertuous man

      I see this is spelled as "Vertuous" although is it possibly meaning Virtuous? Virtuous would be defined as "having or showing high moral standards" which fits into context in this line.

    31. Then to her yron wagon she betake

      She's departing from Redcross again.

    32. Soone as the Faerie heard his Ladie speake, Out of his swowning dreame he gan awake,

      Every time he hears a sound from the lady, he then is always filled with a new strength (also seen in Canto 1). Almost like her voice reminds him of his love for her.

    33. The cruell steele so greedily doth bight In tender flesh,

      I love the sentences that Spencer creates, this is a much better way of saying they inflicted wounds to each others.

    34. A shrilling trompet sownded from on hye, And vnto battaill bad them selues addresse: Their shining shieldes about their wrestes they tye, And burning blades about their heads do blesse, The instruments of wrath and heauinesse: With greedy force each other doth assayle, And strike so fiercely, that they do impresse Deepe dinted furrowes in the battred mayle; The yron walles to ward their blowes are weake & fraile.

      Spencer always makes a point to provide a lot of details before battles, this is also seen with the serpent in canto 1 and hos he describes her tail.

    35. Bardes

      Horse armor, or a very long saddle. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/barde

    36. Can neuer rest

      Can never rest. What i'm noticing about this story is that the night is constantly on a adventure.

    37. Whom broad awake she finds, in troublous fit, Forecasting

      Again, the dreams seemed to predict the future.

    38. darrayne

      To defend, prove, or settle. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/darrayne

    39. His eyes did hurle forth sparkles fiery red,

      A very powerful image.

    40. Snake

      We see the re-occurance of another snake. The first monster was a serpent like form. Did snakes represent evil or represented a bibical reference?

    41.  Flora

      Flora= Flowers, like new flowers https://www.florahealth.com/us/

    42. e prancke
    43. Some prancke their ruffes, and others trimly dight Their gay attire:

      The seem to be trying to show off.

    44. Lucifera

      Is this a reference to a female lucifer?

    45. Dragon

      Is this the next adventure?

    46. Porter hight Cald Maluenœ, who entrance none denide:

      The porter was always granted access to the palace- he must of had s very high reputation or done something to deserve this.

    47. beggerie
    48. that true loue hath no powre To looken backe

      True love doesn't focus on someones past or hold grudges on someone. True love is evolving and continuous.

    49. To thinke that knighthood I so much should shame, As you to leaue, that haue me loued still,

      He believes that he has brought shame to the code of knights.

    50. And next her wrinkled skin rough sackcloth wore

      She is a older woman , I always imagined her as very young.

    51. With pittie calmd

      The lions mood reflects the sad mood of the lady.

    52. Thensforth from her most beastly companie I gan refraine, in

      We don't really see love but just attraction based on physical beauty.

    53. that did then shine as the Morning starre:

      simile.

    54. .

      He is now consumed with guilt.

    55. With bloudy mouth his mother earth did kis,

      He "kissed the earth:, a beautiful way of saying he fell down on the ground.

    56. rams

      Again we see the reference of animals.

    57. nd cared not for God or man a point.

      He doesn't care about God, and he loses his religious aspect. He also doesn't care about men- he seems to have lost all of his beliefs that he held by knighthood.

    58. Tithones
    59. false couple were full closely ment In wanton lust and lewd embracement:

      Does he think that he sees them together and being intimate, but really nothing has happened?

    60. Phoebus

      Also known as Apollo, the God of the Sun. The sun is coming up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoebus_(disambiguation)

    61. .

      This reminds me of a lot of Greek stories, where dreams seem to predict the future or have a huge significance.

    62. the daughter of a king

      A princess

    63. Gorgon, Prince of darknesse and dead night, At which Cocytus quakes, and Styx is put to flight.

      More Greek character references.

    64. Your first aduenture: many such I pray,

      His first adventure was actually quite short.

    65. strooke at her with more then manly force,

      We see the idea occur that knights have some kind of superhuman strength, that someone else may not have (or deserve).

    66. he lept As Lyon fierce vpon the flying pray,

      Simile between the knight and a lion.

    67. suddain all were gone

      Is this foreshadowing that the mother and her children will die due to sunlight.

    68. Of her there bred A thousand yong ones, which she dayly fed,

      She's a mother- perhaps easily angered because of the safety of her children.

    69. torment

      extreme suffering, usually mental suffering

    70. viz.

      abbreviation for videlicet, meaning "namely"

    71. importuned

      If someone importunes another person, they ask them for something or ask them to do something, in an annoying way.

    72. exquisite

      extremely beautiful or pleasant

    73. darke conceit

      As a conceit can be defined as an elaborate metaphor, and Spenser claimed "dark conceit" to be a synonym of "continued allegory," he uses the term to define the nature of his book as an allegory.

    74. pourtraict

      an archaic spelling of portrait

    75. dissevered

      to divide up into parts

    76. ensample

      an archaic word for example

    77. historicall

      generall... historicall... why is it always having one more l?

    78. What more? the Redcrosse knight was slaine with Paynim knife.

      Man, this women is having a series of unfortunate events with both her knights being murdered.

    79. Their backward bent knees teach her humbly to obay.

      This women's power to control creatures with her good looks has saved her multiple times.

    80.  A Lyon spyes fast running towards him,

      Yay! the lion saves the day again.

    81. Who after Archimagoes fowle defeat,   Led her away into a forrest wilde,   And turning wrathfull fire to lustfull heat,   With beastly sin thought her to haue defilde,   And made the vassall of his pleasures vilde.   Yet first he cast by treatie, and by traynes,   Her to perswade, that stubborne fort to yilde:   For greater conquest of hard loue he gaynes, That workes it to his will, then he that it constraines.

      Is this a longer period of time than it is? it seems that they are doing a montage of the girl trying to find something? This story is so long and confusing, I have lost all points in the story line by now.

    82. For to the highest she did still aspyre, Or if ought higher were then that, did it desyre.

      Maybe the villain has the flaw that they can never accept anything. That "the highest she did still aspyre." The character can never be proud of anything they do.

    83. So proud she shyned in her Princely state, Looking to heauen; for earth she did disdayne, And sitting high; for lowly she did hate:

      To me, this shows a little bit of the character being too high of themselves. I can't think of the wording. Just them saying "And sitting high; for lowly she did hate;" seems like the character wouldn't be okay with sitting at a low level. They don't want to be at the level of the peasants.

    84. The Lyon would not leaue her desolate, But with her went along, as a strong gard Of her chast person, and a faithfull mate Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard:

      Holy frick! it is Wizard of Oz!

    85. guilefull

      Guilefull - insidiously cunning; artfully deceptive; wily.

    86. By which he saw the vgly monster plaine, Halfe like a serpent horribly displaide, But th’other halfe did womans shape retaine, Most lothsom, filthie, foule, and full of vile disdaine.

      The monster kind of reminds me of medusa.

    87. SIR WALTER RALEIGH, KNIGHT

      Sir Walter Raleigh was an English landed gentleman, writer, poet, soldier, politician, courtier, spy and explorer. He was cousin to Sir Richard Grenville and younger half-brother of Sir Humphrey Gilbert. He is also well known for popularizing tobacco in England. Raleigh was one of the most notable figures of the Elizabethan era.

    88. They cannot finde that path, which first was showne,

      The first challenge was to find the path, but they couldn't succeed.

    89. Edmund Spencer

    90. she had this Knight from far co[m]peld.

      Interesting word use: Compelled. I'm sure a lot of knights would have happily helped her.

    91. more white then snow, Yet she much white

      This reminds me of Lanval- they also described his lover like a white lily.

    92. Yet nothing did he dread, but euer was ydrad.

      I'm not sure if he's truly sad or if he's just missing his sense of purpose that could give him happiness?

    93. Yet armes till that time did he neuer wield:

      Does the knight not use his armour because he's inexperienced or because he's so good in battle that he's doesn't need to be defensive.

    94. e Venus 

      Venus= the God of love and beauty.

    95. welve severall dayes

      The number 12 reoccurs a lot.

    96. being by Merlin armed, and by Timon throughly instructed

      Well- Think it's somewhat worth praising that Arthur is seeking advice and listening to others.

    97. Arthure, before he was king

      Does this mean we will see Arthur face more struggles or make mistakes he might not make as a king.

    98. jealous opinions and misconstructions,

      He's writing this story how he desires, not for what he thinks the popular opinion will like best.

    99. voyding

      avoiding

    100. t.

      so in the end redcrosse kills the dragon, saves Unas parents and the town comes out of hiding and they all celebrate and insist on Una and Redcrosse to be engaged and get married once he has fufilled his duties to the Faerie Queen

    101. origane and thyme

      oregano and thyme

      Basically just herbs

    102. Phoebus

      An Elizabethan town.

    103. that did you molest:

      Wait, I'm confused. I thought she had con-sexual sex?

    104. She turning backe with ruefull countenaunce, Cride, Mercy mercy Sir vouchsafe to show On silly Dame

      Man! that is just cruel! She sees the knight getting killed, and instead of standing up for herself, she says "Don't kill me! I'm just a dame!"

    105. palfrey

      Palfrey - a saddle horse particularly suitable for a woman.

    106. Hesperus

      Hesperus - the Evening Star, the planet Venus in the evening. He is the son of the dawn goddess Eos (Roman Aurora) and is the half-brother of her other son, Phosphorus (also called Eosphorus; the "Morning Star").

    107. youth.

      There can't be British Literature without a little bit of sexual fun.

    108. Hermitage

      Hermitage - any secluded place of residence or habitation; retreat; hideaway.

    109. Sire

      Sire - a person of importance or in a position of authority, as a lord.

    110. By which he saw the vgly monster plaine, Halfe like a serpent horribly displaide, But th’other halfe did womans shape retaine,

      This reminds me of Medusa. Half snake and half women sounds like it to me. There is ancient history of a creature called Naga that sounds like her to me

    111. gaue.

      gave

      I can't tell if this poet can't spell, or the words have just evolved over time to what we have today? But to me, it seems like they just can't spell.

    112. The day with cloudes was suddeine ouercast, And angry Ioue an hideous storme of raine Did poure into his Lemans lap so fast,

      This seems like a sudden story conflict that is taking us from the exposition to the rising action.

    113. Behind her farre away a Dwarfe did lag,

      This reminds me of the hireling from Munchkin

    114. Yet she much whiter

      It is interesting to say the women was whiter. It maybe was thought as a sign of beauty for a women to have such white skin. But now a days, it is thought that you either don't go outside much, or you have very European genetics.

    115. boone

      Does anybody know what this means?

    116. Faerie Queene

      This is what the cover of the book looks like for reference

    117. Xenophon

      Xenophon - Greek historian and essayist.

    1. for then the master shall have good occasion to say unto him,

      The instructors will have absolute positive feedback for the young learners. Although perhaps if they have learned to lose or learned from their mistakes, they will also be able to handle constructive criticism quite well.

    2. a child shall take more profit of two faults gently warned of than of four things rightly hit;

      What I am understanding here is a child would benefit a whole lot more by making mistakes and learning from those experiences as opposed to getting everything right the first time around and expecting it to always be that way when it comes to anything in life. If that is the case I think it is a very interesting line and could definitely see why that is.

    3. First, let him teach the child chearfully and plainly the cause and matter of the letter ; then, let him construe k into English, so oft as the child may easily carry away the understanding of it ;

      I believe it is being suggested that teaching children should be in an enjoyable manner to them as it helps them actually learn the information they are being taught as opposed to just shoving them with it which would cause them to not like it so much and would probably have a difficult time understanding the material.

    4. Yea, I say farther, those books tend not so much to corrupt honest living as they do to subvert true religion.

      He writes in a friendly and witty tone that makes you hard to disagree with what he says.

    5. Papists

      Some Protestants refer to Catholics as Papists.

    6. Papistry

      Some Protestants refer to Catholics as Papists.

    7. sermon

      A sermon is a talk on a religious or moral subject that is given by a member of the clergy as part of a church service.

    8. Inglese Italianato e un didbolo inoarnato

      an Italianate Englishman is a devil incarnate

    9. personages

      personality

    10. vanities

      If you refer to someone's vanity, you are critical of them because they take great pride in their appearance or abilities.

    11. meddle

      If you say that someone meddles in something, you are criticizing the fact that they try to influence or change it without being asked.

    12. Italianate

      Italian in style or character

    13. as Sir Launcelot with the wife of King Arthur, his master ; Sir Tristram with the wife of King Mark, his uncle ; Sir Lamerock with the wife of King Lote, that was his own aunt

      Sounds like lots of complex relationships here lol

    14. bawdry

      obscene talk or language

    15. forefathers

      ancestors

    16. These be the enchantments of Circe, brought out of Italy to mar men’s manners in England; much by example of ill life, but more by precepts of fond books of late translated out of Italian into English, sold in every shop in London

      He is saying some of worst books in Italy are now translated into English and are sold everywhere in London, but the authority pays no attention.

    17. subvert

      destroy; overturn

    18. .

      I think the first part of these excerpts about his method of teaching Latin is way easier to understand than the second part about his trip in Italy as the latter requires us to have some historical and literature background to understand what the author really wants to tell his reader. I do agree with him that corporal punishment in schools (and in families, too) is really awful to the physical and psychological development of a child. We should avoid at all costs.

    19. .

      The first part of the reading was amazing, everything is still implemented and encouraged every day in schools and in life situations with children. I appreciate the relatable aspects of this reading. The second part of the reading, took a turn. Seemed more harsh and demanding, seemed more of an adult teaching method. The end did confuse me a bit.

    20. should carry at once in one body the belly of a swine, the head of an ass, the brain of a fox, the womb of a wolf.

      Animal comparisons can't be too far behind in these readings

    21. scholar be never afraid to ask you any doubt,

      YES! I feel like a lot of these points about teaching are things we still try to get across. Why is it that these things aren't a norm by now? Like we still have to constantly be reminded of these things all the time even if its been applied and talked about for decades on.

    22. a child shall take more profit of two faults gently warned of than of four things rightly hit;

      You learn more from your mistakes than your achievements.

    23. parse

      Analyze (a sentence) into its parts and describe their syntactic roles. Analyze (a string or text) into logical syntactic components, Typically in order to test conformability to a logical grammar. examine or analyze minutely.

    24. construe

      interpret (a word or action) in a particular way. analyze the syntax of (a text, sentence, or word). translate (a passage or author) word for word, typically aloud.

    25. child may easily carry away the understanding of it

      Early child development! It is a real thing, the knowledge of it has existed for so many years but now it is finally being pushed on, thats sad that it took this long. The original book was published in 16th century

    26. Morte Arthur,

      The Stanzaic Morte Arthur is an anonymous 14th-century Middle English poem in 3,969 lines, about the adulterous affair between Lancelot and Guinevere, and Lancelot's tragic dissension with King Arthur.

    27. concordances

      an alphabetical list of the words (especially the important ones) present in a text, usually with citations of the passages concerned.

    28. .

      My reflection: This was a little hard to understand towards the end of the reading, but i loved the beginning when it was talking about how we should teach and learn. I looked this story up on Google and it said that the author was the first tutor of Princess Elizabeth (now Queen) and Queen Mary. This story is "based on his experience as a teacher". Very interesting!

    29. This is a lively and perfect way of teaching of rules

      I didn't know "learning through play" was introduced as early as 16th century!

    30. This is good stuff for wise men to laugh at or honest men to take pleasure at! Yet I know when God’s Bible was banished

      People prefer to read other stuff because it is fun to read rather than to read of the Bible.

    31. And now choose you, you Italian Englishmen, whether you will be angry with us for calling you monsters, or with the Italians for calling you devils, or else with your own selves that take so much pains and go so far to make yourselves both.

      Now I am confused. Why are people being judged in such a harsh way?

    32. let him translate into English his former lesson. Then shewing it to his master, let the master take from him his Latin book, and pausing an hour at the least, then let the child translate his own English into Latin again in another paper book.

      I think his method combines practice with theory, and is an effective way to teach kids languages.

    33. e amiss and write too sore against you, hear what the Italian saith of the Englishman, what the master

      Amiss means not quite right; inappropriate or out of place. So they judge you by writing of you and how you basically don't fit in?

    34. there is no such whetstone to sharpen a good wit, and encourage a will to learning, as is praise.

      There is nothing like a sharpening stone to help good knowledge and a wish to learn more, as is praise.

    35. This is not the opinion of one for some private spite, but the judg ment of all in a common proverb,

      Saying that this opinion isn't really an opinion at all, it is a fact. And is not as radical as it sounds as many others believe the same.

    36. let the master praise him,

      He thinks encouragement is so important to the kids.

    37. After this, the child must take a paper book, and sitting in some place, where no man shall prompt him, by himself

      Children should take the initiative to learn.

    38. parse

      If you parse a sentence, you examine each word and clause in order to work out what grammatical type each one is.

    39. construe

      If something is construed in a particular way, its nature or meaning is interpreted in that way.

    40. Inglese Italianato e un didbolo inoarnato,” that is to say, you remain men in shape and fashion, but become devils in life and condition.

      There's a movie called True Romance that this line reminded me of. There's a scene where the antagonist who is Italian kills a man who insults his Italian ancestors and mentions somewhere that Italians were in some way related to Africans, which offends the antagonist and which is why he kills the man. I'm not sure how historically accurate that i, if it is at all. The only thing I can think of is the Arab conquest where Arab was more of a blanket term for many different races that could have included Africans. But its interesting to see how in both this story and the movie Italians are being ridiculed in such a ridiculous way.

    41. First, let him teach the child chearfully and plainly the cause and matter of the letter ; then, let him construe k into English, so oft as the child may easily carry away the understanding of it

      He stresses the importance of early education.

    42. scholar be never afraid to ask you any doubt

      I support this 100 percent! Do your job where students aren't afraid of asking for help. I am one of those people that is too afraid to ask for help sometimes.

    43. This is a lively and perfect way of teaching of rules ; where the common way used in common scholes, to read the grammar alone by itself, is tedious for the master, hard for the scholar, cold and uncomfortable for them both.

      Love this! Actually teach students, don't make them memorize things for a while. It makes the job hard for teachers and students.

    44. I, though not admitted one of their fellowship, yet having been many years a prentice to God’s true religion, and trust to continue a poor journeyman therein all days of my life, for the duty I owe and the love I bear both to true doctrine and honest living, though I have no authority to amend the sore myself, yet I will declare my good- will to discover the sore to others.

      This seems to be the case for a lot of people who have religious awakenings. They come to find God and even though they are not a part of a specific church, the excitement of finding faith encourages them to heal themselves and spread the word to others that may be struggling to find faith themselves.

    45. master shall have good occasion to say unto him,

      Because the student is doing so good and is learning well, the teacher will say nothing but good about the student.

    46. chusing

      Is this also an old fashioned was of spelling the word "choose"?

    47. Roger Ascham

      Roger Ascham was an English scholar and didactic writer, famous for his prose style, his promotion of the vernacular, and his theories of education. He acted as Princess Elizabeth's tutor in Greek and Latin between 1548 and 1550, and served in the administrations of Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I.

    48. Roger Ascham

    49. both construe and parse it

      It will be easier for them to learn? I'm not so sure what this means?

    50. child may easily carry away the understanding of it

      If you make teaching interesting and fun, then it will be easier for kids to learn and understand things better.

    51. what tongue soever he doth use

      Sounds like it was easy book to read / understand.

    52. butcherly

      Is butchery the same things as butcherly? If so, it means the work of slaughtering animals and preparing them for sale as meat.

    1. I do not deny but we are more ingenious than they are

      Ingenious is defined as clever, original, and inventive. So you can see what they mean by "we are more"

    2. virtues

      Virtue is defined as: behavior showing high moral standards. Henry VII was considered an attractive, educated and accomplished king in his time. This line adds to that by suggesting he was "adorned with all the virtues."

    3. .

      Interesting read, not my favorite. Creating a great image of the Utopia cities, talked about all the points and factors that we see now too such as career, religion, nation, systems, and all the in between. Different from our medieval readings, but a nice transition to modern relatable material. I feel like this reading would be relatable every parts of the world at any time period.

    4. Agriculture is that which is so universally understood among them that no person, either man or woman, is ignorant of it

      That is right on! Million reasons why that is so true, never really thought about it till now but wow all facts!

    5. In this bay there is no great current; the whole coast is, as it were, one continued harbour, which gives all that live in the island great convenience for mutual commerce.  But the entry into the bay, occasioned by rocks on the one hand and shallows on the other, is very dangerous.  In the middle of it there is one single rock which appears above water, and may, therefore, easily be avoided; and on the top of it there is a tower, in which a garrison is kept; the other rocks lie under water, and are very dangerous. 

      Wow I could just picture this perfectly, author really painted the picture out for the audience.

    6. New Castile

      It roughly corresponds to the historic Moorish Taifa of Toledo, taken during the Reconquista of the peninsula by Christians and thus becoming the southern part of Castile.

    7. not ignorant of the Latin tongue

      Interesting way to phrase that. I had to read that twice to make sure he was saying that he was ignorant or that he wasnt

    8. eminently

      to a notable degree; very.

    9. the flower of his age

      What a beautiful and kind way to say something about age. Everyone always fears the age talk but this makes it sound not as bad.

    10. his cloak was hanging carelessly about him

      Such a seamless way to explain the attitude and personality of him. Someone who is unbothered

    11. candour

      the quality of being open and honest in expression; frankness.

    12. eloquent

      fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing. clearly expressing or indicating something.

    13. dexterous

      showing or having skill, especially with the hands.

    14. but rather because his learning and virtues are too great for me to do them justice

      Too jealous to explain them or they are just that great that he's speechless?

    15. both men and women, are taught to spend those hours in which they are not obliged to work in reading; and this they do through the whole progress of life.

      They seem to be very educated people as they never stop learning and taking in information concerning the world around them.

    16. As to their clothes, observe how little work is spent in them; while they are at labour they are clothed with leather and skins, cut carelessly about them, which will last seven years,

      The utopians seem to be people of quality over quantity, which is ideal but does not exist in the real world as often

    17. .

      This reading is long but is totally worth it! We learned how to frame a story in an interesting way; how to write a good story without an actual plot (no story twists, no build-up or climax and even the ending is kind of ambiguous). We also learned how to employ irony in the text in a subtle way... there are really too many things we can learn from this text just by looking at the writing style, and I haven't yet talked about the themes...

    18. The town is compassed with a high and thick wall, in which there are many towers and forts; there is also a broad and deep dry ditch, set thick with thorns, cast round three sides of the town, and the river is instead of a ditch on the fourth side.  The streets are very convenient for all carriage, and are well sheltered from the winds.  Their buildings are good, and are so uniform that a whole side of a street looks like one house.  The streets are twenty feet broad; there lie gardens behind all their houses.  These are large, but enclosed with buildings, that on all hands face the streets, so that every house has both a door to the street and a back door to the garden.  Their doors have all two leaves, which, as they are easily opened, so they shut of their own accord; and, there being no property among them, every man may freely enter into any house whatsoever.  At every ten years’ end they shift their houses by lots. 

      This is such an interesting way to live. The town seems so isolated from the rest because of the combination of forts, towers, and thorns that keep it separated. It is also weird how even though the town is so secluded, the inhabitants don't really have a place to call home. It's as if the land they are on isn't even theirs since anyone can walk into their home at any time and their homes change often.

    19. Raphael was weary

      He definitely is after all this talking...

    20. seemed very absurd

      More thinks that many aspects of Utopia sound very absurd.

    21. When Raphael had thus made an end of speaking

      the narrative now returns to More's

    22. I can have no other notion of all the other governments that I see or know, than that they are a conspiracy of the rich

      Hythloday believes societies other than Utopia are merely conspiracies of the rich.

    23. the seamen understood both astronomy and navigation.

      What is Celestial navigation? Or astronavigation? It is a position fixing technique that helps sailors to know their position when they are deep in the sea. According to Wikipedia Celestial navigation uses "sights" or angular measurements taken between a celestial body (the sun, the moon, a planet or a star, whose coordinates are tabulated in the Nautical Almanac) and the visible horizon.

      In other words, celestial bodies are reference points for sailors helping them to get to their destination.

      Source: Physics of Astrology - Celestial Navigation and Astrology

    24. The first and the last day of the month, and of the year, is a festival

      I like this idea, so you get two consecutive days off!

    25. But after the public has reaped all the advantage of their service, and they come to be oppressed with age, sickness, and want, all their labours and the good they have done is forgotten, and all the recompense given them is that they are left to die in great misery.

      this is a sad truth about many people who work harder labor jobs. they are used, but not treated well for a job that everybody needs

    26. they are persuaded that good men, after death, have these affections;

      After someone dies, they think it's important to recognize all their good qualities.

    27. putting them in mind of the blessing that they have received from God, and of their duties, both to Him and to their neighbours.

      these robes are supposed to be so nice that they represent the blessings priests are given from God

    28. of several birds, laid together with so much art, and so neatly, that the true value of them is far beyond the costliest materials.

      the art of the priests clothing is nicer than it would be just for spending lots of money on stuff

    29. for they do not willingly suffer any war to break in upon their island; and if that should happen, they would only defend themselves by their own people; but would not call for auxiliary troops to their assistance.

      To sum up: Utopians hate war.

    30. truce

      cease fire

    31. governments

      My reflection: This was a difficult reading. Sounds like everything was made up? It is was Utopia means? It has a lot of government involved in everything. Was the author really into government,or he only wrote this for fun?