Spenser’s September
September 2, 2007 by fosco
Edmund Spenser, month by month.
Spenser’s Two Cantos of Mutabilitie come at the end of The Faerie Queen, and feature a parade of, among others, figures from classical mythology and the personified seasons and months. September makes his appearance, wielding the symbols of harvest and bounty. The scales also serve as an allusion to Libra, September’s zodiacal sign.
Next him, September marched eeke on foote;
Yet was he heavy laden with the spoyle
Of harvests riches, which he made his boot,
And him enricht with bounty of the soyle:
In his one hand, as fit for harvests toyle,
He held a knife-hook; and in th’other hand
A paire of waights, with which he did assoyle
Both more and lesse, where it in doubt did stand,
And equall gave to each as Iustice duly scann’d.
Astronomical events for the month of September can be found here. Among other things, we can look forward to the Autumnal Equinox on the 23rd.
For the students of our little academy, today marks the first day of the school year. We find ourselves back at work or study after the last bit of traveling and vacationing of this summer.
