Lines 1455-1548 Summary

The narrator sits down to rest beneath a pine, which is the tallest tree in the garden, beside a fountain. He reads an inscription beside the fountain that warns him that this is the well where Narcissus died. The narrator then recounts the myth of Narcissus where Narcissus is a beautiful youth. A nymph named Echo pines away and dies of unrequited love for this youth. Narcissus himself also dies by pining away from unrequited love. He sees his own reflection in a fountain and falls hopelessly in love with it. This tale ends with a plea to the ladies in the audience not to be cruel and "daungerous" towards their lovers.

Lines 1455-1548 Analysis

The tale of Narcissus is taken directly from Classical mythology and would have been very familiar to a Medieval audience. However, it is not likely that...