216 REVIEWS — THE DANCE OF DEATH. 



While for the " Temple of mighty Mars," the poet fitly selects " the 

 Dance of Death " as its most appropriate decoration. The thoroughly 

 medieval sources from whence alone Chaucer borrowed this latter 

 theme, become the more apparent from their contrast with the classical 

 figures of Narcissus, Medea, Hercules, Circe, Crsesus; and again of 

 Danse, Actseon, Meleager, Atalanta, &c., with which the temples of 

 the Goddesses are adorned ; though " TTiefolie of King Solomon " is 

 not omitted among the reminisences of the amorous goddess. After 

 the description of that of Venus : 



" The noble kerving, and the portreitures, 

 The shape, the countenance of the figures 

 That weren in the oratorie." 



The Knight thus proceeds with his tale : 



Why should I not eke, as well, tell you all 



The portraiture that was upon the wall, 



Within the temple of mighty Mars the red ? 



All painted was the wall in length and bread, 



Like to the estres of the grisly place 



That hyght the great temple of Mars in Thrace, 



In the ilk northern frosty region 



Where as Mars hath his sovereign mansion. 



First on the wall was painted a forest 



In which there dwelleth neither man nor beast ; 



****** 



There saw I first the dark imagining 



Of Felony, and all the compassing ; 



The cruel Ire, red as any gled, 



The PiCKPUESE and eke the pal^ Dread ; 



The Smiler with the knife under the cloak, 



The shipping burning with the blacke smoke. 



The Treason of the murdering in the bed ; 



The open war, with woundes all bebled, 



CoNTEKE with bloody knife and sharp menace : 



All full of chirking was that sorry place. 



The slayer of himself, yet saw I there. 



His heartes blood had bathed all his hair ; 



The nail ydriven in the shode on bight ; 



The cold6 death with mouth gaping upright. 



Amiddes of the temple sat Mischance, 



With di'seomfort and sorry countenance. 



Yet saw I Madness laughing in his rage, 



Armed Complaint, Odtories, and fierce Outrage ; 



