_Emelye_ is not mentioned in Statius. She is the _Emilia_ of the Teseide;
see lib. ii. st. 22 of that poem.
43-6. Cf. Kn. Tale, 14, 15, 169 (A 872-3, 1027).
47. Here we are told that the story is really to begin. Chaucer now returns
from Statius (whom he has nearly done with) to the Teseide, and the next
three stanzas, ll. 50-70, are more or less imitated from that poem, lib.
ii. st. 10-12.
50-6. Boccaccio is giving a sort of summary of the result of the war
described in the Thebaid. His words are:--
'Fra tanto Marte i popoli lernei
Con furioso corso avie commossi
Sopro i Tebani, e miseri trofei
Donati avea de' Principi percossi
Più volte già, e de' greci plebei
Ritenuti tal volta, e tal riscossi
Con asta sanguinosa fieramente,
Trista avea fatta l' una e l' altra gente.'