958. ~Back, shepherds, back!~ On the rising of the curtain, the stage is
occupied by peasants engaged in a merry dance. Soon after the attendant
Spirit enters with the above words. ~Enough your play~, _i.e._ we have had
enough of your dancing, which must now give way to 'other trippings.'
959. ~sunshine holiday~. Comp. _L'Alleg._ 98, where the same expression is
used. There is a close resemblance between the language of this song and
lines 91-99 of _L'Allegro_. Milton's own spelling of 'holiday' is
'holyday,' which shows the origin of the word. The accent in such
compounds (comp. blue-bell, blackbird, etc.) falls on the adjective: it
is only in this way that the ear can tell whether the compound forms
(_e.g._ hóliday) or the separate words (_e.g._ hóly dáy) are being used.
960. ~Here be~: see note, l. 12. ~without duck or nod~: words used to
describe the ungraceful dancing and awkward courtesy of the country
people.
961. ~trippings ... lighter toes ... court guise~: words used to describe
the graceful movements of the Lady and her brothers: comp. _L'Alleg._
33: "trip it, as you go, On the light fantastic toe." _Trod_ (or
trodden), past participle of _tread_: 'to tread a measure' is a common
expression, meaning 'to dance.' 'Court guise,' _i.e._ courtly mien;
_guise_ is a doublet of _wise_ = way, _e.g._ 'in this wise,'
'like_wise_,' 'other_wise_.' In such pairs of words as _guise_ and
_wise_, _guard_ and _ward_, _guile_ and _wile_, the forms in _gu_ have
come into English through the French.
963. ~Mercury~ (the Greek Hermes) was the herald of the gods, and as
such was represented as having winged ankles (Gk. +ptênopedilos+): his
name is here used as a synonym both for agility and refinement.
964. ~mincing Dryades~. The Dryades are wood-nymphs (Gk. +drys+, a
tree), here represented as mincing, _i.e._ tripping with short steps,
unlike the clumsy striding of the country people. Comp. _Merch. of V._
iii. 4. 67: "turn two _mincing_ steps Into a manly stride." Applied to a
person's gait (or speech), the word now implies affectation.