9. The Pythoness: the witch, or woman, possesed with a
prophesying spirit; from the Greek, “Pythia.” Chaucer of
course refers to the raising of Samuel’s spirit by the witch of
Endor.
10. Dante and Virgil were both poets who had in fancy visited
Hell.
11. Tholed: suffered, endured; “thole” is still used in Scotland in
the same sense.