爱德蒙‧斯宾塞(Edmund Spenser , 1552-1599)
The Faerie Queene
Qanto 1 (Excerpt)
1
A Gentle Knight was pricking on the plaine ,
Ycladd in mightie armes and silver shielde ,
Wherein old dints of deepe wounds did remaine ,
The curell markes of many a bloudy fielde ;
Yet armes till that time did he never wield :
His angry steede did chide his foming bitt ,
As much disdayning to the curbe to yield :
Full jolly knight he seemd , and faire did sitt ,
As one for knightly giusts and fierce encounters fitt . 仙后
第一卷（节选）
1
高贵的骑士在平原上策马驰骋，
挎著锋利的刀枪和银光闪烁的盾牌，
盾上深深的刀痕是历史的见证，
永不让人忘记多次浴血沙场的残酷历程；
但骑士却是第一次披甲挂帅。
他的烈马愤怒地责怪著韁绳，
像是说决不屈从於羁绊的窒碍。
快乐的骑士在马上英姿飒爽，
善於比武，也能在战场与敌人激烈交锋。 例诗第一节格律分析如下：
A Gen│tle Knight│ was prick│ing on│ the plaine ,│
Ycladd│ in│ might│tie armes│ and sil│ver shielde ,│
Wherein │old dints │of deepe │wounds did │remaine ,│
The curell│ markes of│ many│ a bloud│y fielde ;│
Yet armes │till that │time did│ he nev│er wield :│
His an│gry steede │did chide│ his fo│ming bitt ,│
As much │disday│ning to │the curbe │to yield :│
Full jol│ly knight│ he seemd , │and faire│ did sitt ,│
As one │for knight│ly giusts │and fierce │encoun│ters fitt .│
例诗每节9行，前8行的韵律是抑扬格五音步，最後一行是抑扬格六音步，韵式为ababbcbcc。一些节奏的微妙变化也与诗意互有默契。如第一行第四音步是抑抑格，与後面的抑扬格相连，连续出现三个轻音节，故读得轻、快，与战马驰骋的文意相符。第五行第三音步和第八行第一音步都是扬扬格，前者强调这次是骑士首次出征，後者强调骑士愉快大方的外貌。第四行中间的扬抑格，表现惊奇和揄扬。
