none troilus and criseyde by geoffrey chaucer contents: book i. incipit liber primus the double sorwe of troilus to tellen, that was the king priamus sone of troye, in lovinge, how his aventures fellen fro wo to wele, and after out of ioye, my purpos is, er that i parte fro ye. thesiphone, thou help me for tendyte thise woful vers, that wepen as i wryte! to thee clepe i, thou goddesse of torment, thou cruel furie, sorwing ever in peyne; help me, that am the sorwful instrument that helpeth lovers, as i can, to pleyne! for wel sit it, the sothe for to seyne, a woful wight to han a drery fere, and, to a sorwful tale, a sory chere. for i, that god of loves servaunts serve, ne dar to love, for myn unlyklinesse, preyen for speed, al sholde i therfor sterve, so fer am i fro his help in derknesse; but nathelees, if this may doon gladnesse to any lover, and his cause avayle, have he my thank, and myn be this travayle! but ye loveres, that bathen in gladnesse, if any drope of pitee in yow be, remembreth yow on passed hevinesse that ye han felt, and on the adversitee of othere folk, and thenketh how that ye han felt that love dorste yow displese; or ye han wonne hym with to greet an ese. and preyeth for hem that ben in the cas of troilus, as ye may after here, that love hem bringe in hevene to solas, and eek for me preyeth to god so dere, that i have might to shewe, in som manere, swich peyne and wo as loves folk endure, in troilus unsely aventure. and biddeth eek for hem that been despeyred in love, that never nil recovered be, and eek for hem that falsly been apeyred thorugh wikked tonges, be it he or she; thus biddeth god, for his benignitee, so graunte hem sone out of this world to pace, that been despeyred out of loves grace. and biddeth eek for hem that been at ese, that god hem graunte ay good perseveraunce, and sende hem might hir ladies so to plese, that it to love be worship and plesaunce. for so hope i my soule best avaunce, to preye for hem that loves servaunts be, and wryte hir wo, and live in charitee. and for to have of hem compassioun as though i were hir owene brother dere. now herkeneth with a gode entencioun, for now wol i gon streight to my matere, in whiche ye may the double sorwes here of troilus, in loving of criseyde, and how that she forsook him er she deyde. it is wel wist, how that the grekes stronge in armes with a thousand shippes wente to troyewardes, and the citee longe assegeden neigh ten yeer er they stente, and, in diverse wyse and oon entente, the ravisshing to wreken of eleyne, by paris doon, they wroughten al hir peyne. now fil it so, that in the toun ther was dwellinge a lord of greet auctoritee, a gret devyn that cleped was calkas, that in science so expert was, that he knew wel that troye sholde destroyed be, by answere of his god, that highte thus, daun phebus or apollo delphicus. so whan this calkas knew by calculinge, and eek by answere of this appollo, that grekes sholden swich a peple bringe, thorugh which that troye moste been for-do, he caste anoon out of the toun to go; for wel wiste he, by sort, that troye sholde destroyed ben, ye, wolde who-so nolde. for which, for to departen softely took purpos ful this forknowinge wyse, and to the grekes ost ful prively he stal anoon; and they, in curteys wyse, hym deden bothe worship and servyse, in trust that he hath conning hem to rede in every peril which that is to drede. the noyse up roos, whan it was first aspyed, thorugh al the toun, and generally was spoken, that calkas traytor fled was, and allyed with hem of grece; and casten to ben wroken on him that falsly hadde his feith so broken; and seyden, he and al his kin at ones ben worthy for to brennen, fel and bones. now hadde calkas left, in this meschaunce, al unwist of this false and wikked dede, his doughter, which that was in gret penaunce, for of hir lyf she was ful sore in drede, as she that niste what was best to rede; for bothe a widowe was she, and allone of any freend to whom she dorste hir mone. criseyde was this lady name a-right; as to my dome, in al troyes citee nas noon so fair, for passing every wight so aungellyk was hir natyf beautee, that lyk a thing immortal semed she, as doth an hevenish parfit creature, that doun were sent in scorning of nature. this lady, which that al-day herde at ere hir fadres shame, his falsnesse and tresoun, wel nigh out of hir wit for sorwe and fere, in widewes habit large of samit broun, on knees she fil biforn ector a-doun; with pitous voys, and tendrely wepinge, his mercy bad, hir-selven excusinge. now was this ector pitous of nature, and saw that she was sorwfully bigoon, and that she was so fair a creature; of his goodnesse he gladed hir anoon, and seyde, `lat your fadres treson goon forth with mischaunce, and ye your-self, in ioye, dwelleth with us, whyl you good list, in troye. `and al thonour that men may doon yow have, as ferforth as your fader dwelled here, ye shul han, and your body shal men save, as fer as i may ought enquere or here.' and she him thonked with ful humble chere, and ofter wolde, and it hadde ben his wille, and took hir leve, and hoom, and held hir stille. and in hir hous she abood with swich meynee as to hir honour nede was to holde; and whyl she was dwellinge in that citee, kepte hir estat, and bothe of yonge and olde ful wel beloved, and wel men of hir tolde. but whether that she children hadde or noon, i rede it naught; therfore i late it goon. the thinges fellen, as they doon of werre, bitwixen hem of troye and grekes ofte; for som day boughten they of troye it derre, and eft the grekes founden no thing softe the folk of troye; and thus fortune on-lofte, and under eft, gan hem to wheelen bothe after hir cours, ay whyl they were wrothe. but how this toun com to destruccioun ne falleth nought to purpos me to telle; for it were a long digressioun fro my matere, and yow to longe dwelle. but the troyane gestes, as they felle, in omer, or in dares, or in dyte, who-so that can, may rede hem as they wryte. but though that grekes hem of troye shetten, and hir citee bisegede al a-boute, hir olde usage wolde they not letten, as for to honoure hir goddes ful devoute; but aldermost in honour, out of doute, they hadde a relik hight palladion, that was hir trist a-boven everichon. and so bifel, whan comen was the tyme of aperil, whan clothed is the mede with newe grene, of lusty ver the pryme, and swote smellen floures whyte and rede, in sondry wyses shewed, as i rede, the folk of troye hir observaunces olde, palladiones feste for to holde. and to the temple, in al hir beste wyse, in general, ther wente many a wight, to herknen of palladion servyse; and namely, so many a lusty knight, so many a lady fresh and mayden bright, ful wel arayed, bothe moste and leste, ye, bothe for the seson and the feste. among thise othere folk was criseyda, in widewes habite blak; but nathelees, right as our firste lettre is now an a, in beautee first so stood she, makelees; hir godly looking gladede al the prees. nas never seyn thing to ben preysed derre, nor under cloude blak so bright a sterre as was criseyde, as folk seyde everichoon that hir behelden in hir blake wede; and yet she stood ful lowe and stille alloon, bihinden othere folk, in litel brede, and neigh the dore, ay under shames drede, simple of a-tyr, and debonaire of chere, with ful assured loking and manere. this troilus, as he was wont to gyde his yonge knightes, ladde hem up and doun in thilke large temple on every syde, biholding ay the ladyes of the toun, now here, now there, for no devocioun hadde he to noon, to reven him his reste, but gan to preyse and lakken whom him leste. and in his walk ful fast he gan to wayten if knight or squyer of his companye gan for to syke, or lete his eyen bayten on any woman that he coude aspye; he wolde smyle, and holden it folye, and seye him thus, `god wot, she slepeth softe for love of thee, whan thou tornest ful ofte! `i have herd told, pardieux, of your livinge, ye lovers, and your lewede observaunces, and which a labour folk han in winninge of love, and, in the keping, which doutaunces; and whan your preye is lost, wo and penaunces; o verrey foles! nyce and blinde be ye; ther nis not oon can war by other be.' and with that word he gan cast up the browe, ascaunces, `lo! is this nought wysly spoken?' at which the god of love gan loken rowe right for despyt, and shoop for to ben wroken; he kidde anoon his bowe nas not broken; for sodeynly he hit him at the fulle; and yet as proud a pekok can he pulle. o blinde world, o blinde entencioun! how ofte falleth al theffect contraire of surquidrye and foul presumpcioun; for caught is proud, and caught is debonaire. this troilus is clomben on the staire, and litel weneth that he moot descenden. but al-day falleth thing that foles ne wenden. as proude bayard ginneth for to skippe out of the wey, so priketh him his corn, til he a lash have of the longe whippe, than thenketh he, `though i praunce al biforn first in the trays, ful fat and newe shorn, yet am i but an hors, and horses lawe i moot endure, and with my feres drawe.' so ferde it by this fers and proude knight; though he a worthy kinges sone were, and wende nothing hadde had swiche might ayens his wil that sholde his herte stere, yet with a look his herte wex a-fere, that he, that now was most in pryde above, wex sodeynly most subget un-to love. for-thy ensample taketh of this man, ye wyse, proude, and worthy folkes alle, to scornen love, which that so sone can the freedom of your hertes to him thralle; for ever it was, and ever it shal bifalle, that love is he that alle thing may binde; for may no man for-do the lawe of kinde. that this be sooth, hath preved and doth yet; for this trowe i ye knowen, alle or some, men reden not that folk han gretter wit than they that han be most with love y-nome; and strengest folk ben therwith overcome, the worthiest and grettest of degree: this was, and is, and yet men shal it see. and trewelich it sit wel to be so; for alderwysest han ther-with ben plesed; and they that han ben aldermost in wo, with love han ben conforted most and esed; and ofte it hath the cruel herte apesed, and worthy folk maad worthier of name, and causeth most to dreden vyce and shame. now sith it may not goodly be withstonde, and is a thing so vertuous in kinde, refuseth not to love for to be bonde, sin, as him-selven list, he may yow binde. the yerde is bet that bowen wole and winde than that that brest; and therfor i yow rede to folwen him that so wel can yow lede. but for to tellen forth in special as of this kinges sone of which i tolde, and leten other thing collateral, of him thenke i my tale for to holde, both of his ioye, and of his cares colde; and al his werk, as touching this matere, for i it gan, i wol ther-to refere. with-inne the temple he wente him forth pleyinge, this troilus, of every wight aboute, on this lady and now on that lokinge, wher-so she were of toune, or of with-oute: and up-on cas bifel, that thorugh a route his eye perced, and so depe it wente, til on criseyde it smoot, and ther it stente. and sodeynly he wax ther-with astoned, and gan hire bet biholde in thrifty wyse: `o mercy, god!' thoughte he, `wher hastow woned, that art so fair and goodly to devyse?' ther-with his herte gan to sprede and ryse, and softe sighed, lest men mighte him here, and caughte a-yein his firste pleyinge chere. she nas nat with the leste of hir stature, but alle hir limes so wel answeringe weren to womanhode, that creature was neuer lasse mannish in seminge. and eek the pure wyse of here meninge shewede wel, that men might in hir gesse honour, estat, and wommanly noblesse. to troilus right wonder wel with-alle gan for to lyke hir meninge and hir chere, which somdel deynous was, for she leet falle hir look a lite a-side, in swich manere, ascaunces, `what! may i not stonden here?' and after that hir loking gan she lighte, that never thoughte him seen so good a sighte. and of hir look in him ther gan to quiken so greet desir, and swich affeccioun, that in his herte botme gan to stiken of hir his fixe and depe impressioun: and though he erst hadde poured up and doun, he was tho glad his hornes in to shrinke; unnethes wiste he how to loke or winke. lo, he that leet him-selven so konninge, and scorned hem that loves peynes dryen, was ful unwar that love hadde his dwellinge with-inne the subtile stremes of hir yen; that sodeynly him thoughte he felte dyen, right with hir look, the spirit in his herte; blissed be love, that thus can folk converte! she, this in blak, likinge to troylus, over alle thyng, he stood for to biholde; ne his desir, ne wherfor he stood thus, he neither chere made, ne worde tolde; but from a-fer, his maner for to holde, on other thing his look som-tyme he caste, and eft on hir, whyl that servyse laste. and after this, not fulliche al awhaped, out of the temple al esiliche he wente, repentinge him that he hadde ever y-iaped of loves folk, lest fully the descente of scorn fille on him-self; but, what he mente, lest it were wist on any maner syde, his wo he gan dissimulen and hyde. whan he was fro the temple thus departed, he streyght anoon un-to his paleys torneth, right with hir look thurgh-shoten and thurgh-darted, al feyneth he in lust that he soiorneth; and al his chere and speche also he borneth; and ay, of loves servants every whyle, him-self to wrye, at hem he gan to smyle. and seyde, `lord, so ye live al in lest, ye loveres! for the conningest of yow, that serveth most ententiflich and best, him tit as often harm ther-of as prow; your hyre is quit ayein, ye, god wot how! nought wel for wel, but scorn for good servyse; in feith, your ordre is ruled in good wyse! `in noun-certeyn ben alle your observaunces, but it a sely fewe poyntes be; ne no-thing asketh so grete attendaunces as doth youre lay, and that knowe alle ye; but that is not the worste, as mote i thee; but, tolde i yow the worste poynt, i leve, al seyde i sooth, ye wolden at me greve! `but tak this, that ye loveres ofte eschuwe, or elles doon of good entencioun, ful ofte thy lady wole it misconstrue, and deme it harm in hir opinioun; and yet if she, for other enchesoun, be wrooth, than shalt thou han a groyn anoon: lord! wel is him that may be of yow oon!' but for al this, whan that he say his tyme, he held his pees, non other bote him gayned; for love bigan his fetheres so to lyme, that wel unnethe un-to his folk he fayned that othere besye nedes him destrayned; for wo was him, that what to doon he niste, but bad his folk to goon wher that hem liste. and whan that he in chaumbre was allone, he doun up-on his beddes feet him sette, and first be gan to syke, and eft to grone, and thoughte ay on hir so, with-outen lette, that, as he sat and wook, his spirit mette that he hir saw a temple, and al the wyse right of hir loke, and gan it newe avyse. thus gan he make a mirour of his minde, in which he saugh al hoolly hir figure; and that he wel coude in his herte finde, it was to him a right good aventure to love swich oon, and if he dide his cure to serven hir, yet mighte he falle in grace, or elles, for oon of hir servaunts pace. imagininge that travaille nor grame ne mighte, for so goodly oon, be lorn as she, ne him for his desir ne shame, al were it wist, but in prys and up-born of alle lovers wel more than biforn; thus argumented he in his ginninge, ful unavysed of his wo cominge. thus took he purpos loves craft to suwe, and thoughte he wolde werken prively, first, to hyden his desir in muwe from every wight y-born, al-outrely, but he mighte ought recovered be therby; remembring him, that love to wyde y-blowe yelt bittre fruyt, though swete seed be sowe. and over al this, yet muchel more he thoughte what for to speke, and what to holden inne, and what to arten hir to love he soughte, and on a song anoon-right to biginne, and gan loude on his sorwe for to winne; for with good hope he gan fully assente criseyde for to love, and nought repente. and of his song nought only the sentence, as writ myn autour called lollius, but pleynly, save our tonges difference, i dar wel sayn, in al that troilus seyde in his song, lo! every word right thus as i shal seyn; and who-so list it here, lo! next this vers, he may it finden here. cantus troili. `if no love is, o god, what fele i so? and if love is, what thing and whiche is he! if love be good, from whennes comth my wo? if it be wikke, a wonder thinketh me, whenne every torment and adversitee that cometh of him, may to me savory thinke; for ay thurst i, the more that i it drinke. `and if that at myn owene lust i brenne, fro whennes cometh my wailing and my pleynte? if harme agree me, wher-to pleyne i thenne? i noot, ne why unwery that i feynte. o quike deeth, o swete harm so queynte, how may of thee in me swich quantitee, but-if that i consente that it be? `and if that i consente, i wrongfully compleyne, y-wis; thus possed to and fro, al sterelees with inne a boot am i a-mid the see, by-twixen windes two, that in contrarie stonden ever-mo. allas! what is this wonder maladye? for hete of cold, for cold of hete, i deye.' and to the god of love thus seyde he with pitous voys, `o lord, now youres is my spirit, which that oughte youres be. yow thanke i, lord, that han me brought to this; but whether goddesse or womman, y-wis, she be, i noot, which that ye do me serve; but as hir man i wole ay live and sterve. `ye stonden in hire eyen mightily, as in a place un-to youre vertu digne; wherfore, lord, if my servyse or i may lyke yow, so beth to me benigne; for myn estat royal here i resigne in-to hir hond, and with ful humble chere bicome hir man, as to my lady dere.' in him ne deyned sparen blood royal the fyr of love, wher-fro god me blesse, ne him forbar in no degree, for al his vertu or his excellent prowesse; but held him as his thral lowe in distresse, and brende him so in sondry wyse ay newe, that sixty tyme a day he loste his hewe. so muche, day by day, his owene thought, for lust to hir, gan quiken and encrese, that every other charge he sette at nought; for-thy ful ofte, his hote fyr to cese, to seen hir goodly look he gan to prese; for ther-by to ben esed wel he wende, and ay the ner he was, the more he brende. for ay the ner the fyr, the hotter is, this, trowe i, knoweth al this companye. but were he fer or neer, i dar seye this, by night or day, for wisdom or folye, his herte, which that is his brestes ye, was ay on hir, that fairer was to sene than ever were eleyne or polixene. eek of the day ther passed nought an houre that to him-self a thousand tyme he seyde, `good goodly, to whom serve i and laboure, as i best can, now wolde god, criseyde, ye wolden on me rewe er that i deyde! my dere herte, allas! myn hele and hewe and lyf is lost, but ye wole on me rewe.' alle othere dredes weren from him fledde, both of the assege and his savacioun; ne in him desyr noon othere fownes bredde but argumentes to his conclusioun, that she on him wolde han compassioun, and he to be hir man, whyl he may dure; lo, here his lyf, and from the deeth his cure! the sharpe shoures felle of armes preve, that ector or his othere bretheren diden, ne made him only ther-fore ones meve; and yet was he, wher-so men wente or riden, founde oon the beste, and lengest tyme abiden ther peril was, and dide eek such travayle in armes, that to thenke it was mervayle. but for non hate he to the grekes hadde, ne also for the rescous of the toun, ne made him thus in armes for to madde, but only, lo, for this conclusioun, to lyken hir the bet for his renoun; fro day to day in armes so he spedde, that alle the grekes as the deeth him dredde. and fro this forth tho refte him love his sleep, and made his mete his foo; and eek his sorwe gan multiplye, that, who-so toke keep, it shewed in his hewe, bothe eve and morwe; therfor a title he gan him for to borwe of other syknesse, lest of him men wende that the hote fyr of love him brende, and seyde, he hadde a fever and ferde amis; but how it was, certayn, can i not seye, if that his lady understood not this, or feyned hir she niste, oon of the tweye; but wel i rede that, by no maner weye, ne semed it as that she of him roughte, nor of his peyne, or what-so-ever he thoughte. but than fel to this troylus such wo, that he was wel neigh wood; for ay his drede was this, that she som wight had loved so, that never of him she wolde have taken hede; for whiche him thoughte he felte his herte blede. ne of his wo ne dorste he not biginne to tellen it, for al this world to winne. but whanne he hadde a space fro his care, thus to him-self ful ofte he gan to pleyne; he sayde, `o fool, now art thou in the snare, that whilom iapedest at loves peyne; now artow hent, now gnaw thyn owene cheyne; thou were ay wont eche lovere reprehende of thing fro which thou canst thee nat defende. `what wol now every lover seyn of thee, if this be wist, but ever in thyn absence laughen in scorn, and seyn, `lo, ther gooth he, that is the man of so gret sapience, that held us lovers leest in reverence! now, thonked be god, he may goon in the daunce of hem that love list febly for to avaunce!' `but, o thou woful troilus, god wolde, sin thou most loven thurgh thi destinee, that thow beset were on swich oon that sholde knowe al thy wo, al lakkede hir pitee: but al so cold in love, towardes thee, thy lady is, as frost in winter mone, and thou fordoon, as snow in fyr is sone.' `god wolde i were aryved in the port of deth, to which my sorwe wil me lede! a, lord, to me it were a gret comfort; than were i quit of languisshing in drede. for by myn hidde sorwe y-blowe on brede i shal bi-iaped been a thousand tyme more than that fool of whos folye men ryme. `but now help god, and ye, swete, for whom i pleyne, y-caught, ye, never wight so faste! o mercy, dere herte, and help me from the deeth, for i, whyl that my lyf may laste, more than my-self wol love yow to my laste. and with som freendly look gladeth me, swete, though never more thing ye me bi-hete!' this wordes and ful manye an-other to he spak, and called ever in his compleynte hir name, for to tellen hir his wo, til neigh that he in salte teres dreynte. al was for nought, she herde nought his pleynte; and whan that he bithoughte on that folye, a thousand fold his wo gan multiplye. bi-wayling in his chambre thus allone, a freend of his, that called was pandare, com ones in unwar, and herde him grone, and say his freend in swich distresse and care: `allas!' quod he, `who causeth al this fare? o mercy, god! what unhap may this mene? han now thus sone grekes maad yow lene? `or hastow som remors of conscience, and art now falle in som devocioun, and waylest for thy sinne and thyn offence, and hast for ferde caught attricioun? god save hem that bi-seged han our toun, and so can leye our iolyte on presse, and bring our lusty folk to holinesse!' these wordes seyde he for the nones alle, that with swich thing he mighte him angry maken, and with an angre don his sorwe falle, as for the tyme, and his corage awaken; but wel he wist, as fer as tonges spaken, ther nas a man of gretter hardinesse than he, ne more desired worthinesse. `what cas,' quod troilus, `or what aventure hath gyded thee to see my languisshinge, that am refus of euery creature? but for the love of god, at my preyinge, go henne a-way, for certes, my deyinge wol thee disese, and i mot nedes deye; ther-for go wey, ther is no more to seye. `but if thou wene i be thus sik for drede, it is not so, and ther-for scorne nought; ther is a-nother thing i take of hede wel more than ought the grekes han y-wrought, which cause is of my deeth, for sorwe and thought. but though that i now telle thee it ne leste, be thou nought wrooth; i hyde it for the beste.' this pandare, that neigh malt for wo and routhe, ful often seyde, `allas! what may this be? now freend,' quod he, `if ever love or trouthe hath been, or is, bi-twixen thee and me, ne do thou never swiche a crueltee to hyde fro thy freend so greet a care; wostow nought wel that it am i, pandare? `i wole parten with thee al thy peyne, if it be so i do thee no comfort, as it is freendes right, sooth for to seyne, to entreparten wo, as glad desport. i have, and shal, for trewe or fals report, in wrong and right y-loved thee al my lyve; hyd not thy wo fro me, but telle it blyve.' than gan this sorwful troilus to syke, and seyde him thus, "god leve it be my beste to telle it thee; for sith it may thee lyke, yet wole i telle it, though myn herte breste; and wel wot i thou mayst do me no reste. but lest thow deme i truste not to thee, now herkne, freend, for thus it stant with me. `love, a-yeins the which who-so defendeth him-selven most, him alder-lest avayleth, with disespeir so sorwfully me offendeth, that streyght un-to the deeth myn herte sayleth. ther-to desyr so brenningly me assaylleth, that to ben slayn it were a gretter ioye to me than king of grece been and troye! `suffiseth this, my fulle freend pandare, that i have seyd, for now wostow my wo; and for the love of god, my colde care so hyd it wel, i telle it never to mo; for harmes mighte folwen, mo than two, if it were wist; but be thou in gladnesse, and lat me sterve, unknowe, of my distresse.' `how hastow thus unkindely and longe hid this fro me, thou fool?' quod pandarus; `paraunter thou might after swich oon longe, that myn avys anoon may helpen us.' `this were a wonder thing,' quod troylus, `thou coudest never in love thy-selven wisse; how devel maystow bringen me to blisse?' `ye, troilus, now herke,' quod pandare, `though i be nyce; it happeth ofte so, that oon that exces doth ful yvele fare, by good counseyl can kepe his freend ther-fro. i have my-self eek seyn a blind man go ther-as he fel that coude loke wyde; a fool may eek a wys man ofte gyde. `a whetston is no kerving instrument, and yet it maketh sharpe kerving-tolis. and ther thou woost that i have ought miswent, eschewe thou that, for swich thing to thee scole is; thus ofte wyse men ben war by folis. if thou do so, thy wit is wel biwared; by his contrarie is every thing declared. `for how might ever sweetnesse have be knowe to him that never tasted bitternesse? ne no man may be inly glad, i trowe, that never was in sorwe or som distresse; eek whyt by blak, by shame eek worthinesse, ech set by other, more for other semeth; as men may see; and so the wyse it demeth. `sith thus of two contraries is a lore, i, that have in love so ofte assayed grevaunces, oughte conne, and wel the more counsayllen thee of that thou art amayed. eek thee ne oughte nat ben yvel apayed, though i desyre with thee for to bere thyn hevy charge; it shal the lasse dere. `i woot wel that it fareth thus by me as to thy brother parys an herdesse, which that y-cleped was oenone, wrot in a compleynte of hir hevinesse: ye say the lettre that she wroot, y gesse?' `nay, never yet, y-wis,' quod troilus. `now,' quod pandare, `herkneth, it was thus. -- "phebus, that first fond art of medicyne,' quod she, `and coude in every wightes care remede and reed, by herbes he knew fyne, yet to him-self his conning was ful bare; for love hadde him so bounden in a snare, al for the doughter of the kinge admete, that al his craft ne coude his sorwe bete." -- `right so fare i, unhappily for me; i love oon best, and that me smerteth sore; and yet, paraunter, can i rede thee, and not my-self; repreve me no more. i have no cause, i woot wel, for to sore as doth an hauk that listeth for to pleye, but to thyn help yet somwhat can i seye. `and of o thing right siker maystow be, that certayn, for to deyen in the peyne, that i shal never-mo discoveren thee; ne, by my trouthe, i kepe nat restreyne thee fro thy love, thogh that it were eleyne, that is thy brotheres wif, if ich it wiste; be what she be, and love hir as thee liste. `therfore, as freend fullich in me assure, and tel me plat what is thyn enchesoun, and final cause of wo that ye endure; for douteth no-thing, myn entencioun nis nought to yow of reprehencioun, to speke as now, for no wight may bireve a man to love, til that him list to leve. `and witeth wel, that bothe two ben vyces, mistrusten alle, or elles alle leve; but wel i woot, the mene of it no vyce is, for to trusten sum wight is a preve of trouthe, and for-thy wolde i fayn remeve thy wrong conseyte, and do thee som wight triste, thy wo to telle; and tel me, if thee liste. `the wyse seyth, "wo him that is allone, for, and he falle, he hath noon help to ryse;" and sith thou hast a felawe, tel thy mone; for this nis not, certeyn, the nexte wyse to winnen love, as techen us the wyse, to walwe and wepe as niobe the quene, whos teres yet in marbel been y-sene. `lat be thy weping and thi drerinesse, and lat us lissen wo with other speche; so may thy woful tyme seme lesse. delyte not in wo thy wo to seche, as doon thise foles that hir sorwes eche with sorwe, whan they han misaventure, and listen nought to seche hem other cure. `men seyn, "to wrecche is consolacioun to have an-other felawe in his peyne;" that oughte wel ben our opinioun, for, bothe thou and i, of love we pleyne; so ful of sorwe am i, soth for to seyne, that certeynly no more harde grace may sitte on me, for-why ther is no space. `if god wole thou art not agast of me, lest i wolde of thy lady thee bigyle, thow wost thy-self whom that i love, pardee, as i best can, gon sithen longe whyle. and sith thou wost i do it for no wyle, and sith i am he that thou tristest most, tel me sumwhat, sin al my wo thou wost.' yet troilus, for al this, no word seyde, but longe he ley as stille as he ded were; and after this with sykinge he abreyde, and to pandarus voys he lente his ere, and up his eyen caste he, that in fere was pandarus, lest that in frenesye he sholde falle, or elles sone dye; and cryde `a-wake' ful wonderly and sharpe; `what? slombrestow as in a lytargye? or artow lyk an asse to the harpe, that hereth soun, whan men the strenges plye, but in his minde of that no melodye may sinken, him to glade, for that he so dul is of his bestialitee?' and with that, pandare of his wordes stente; and troilus yet him no word answerde, for-why to telle nas not his entente to never no man, for whom that he so ferde. for it is seyd, `man maketh ofte a yerde with which the maker is him-self y-beten in sondry maner,' as thise wyse treten, and namely, in his counseyl tellinge that toucheth love that oughte be secree; for of him-self it wolde y-nough out-springe, but-if that it the bet governed be. eek som-tyme it is craft to seme flee fro thing which in effect men hunte faste; al this gan troilus in his herte caste. but nathelees, whan he had herd him crye `awake!' he gan to syke wonder sore, and seyde, `freend, though that i stille lye, i am not deef; now pees, and cry no more; for i have herd thy wordes and thy lore; but suffre me my mischef to biwayle, for thy proverbes may me nought avayle. `nor other cure canstow noon for me. eek i nil not be cured, i wol deye; what knowe i of the quene niobe? lat be thyne olde ensaumples, i thee preye.' `no,' quod tho pandarus, `therfore i seye, swich is delyt of foles to biwepe hir wo, but seken bote they ne kepe. `now knowe i that ther reson in the fayleth. but tel me, if i wiste what she were for whom that thee al this misaunter ayleth? dorstestow that i tolde hir in hir ere thy wo, sith thou darst not thy-self for fere, and hir bisoughte on thee to han som routhe?' `why, nay,' quod he, `by god and by my trouthe!' `what, not as bisily,' quod pandarus, `as though myn owene lyf lay on this nede?' `no, certes, brother,' quod this troilus, `and why?' -- `for that thou sholdest never spede.' `wostow that wel?' -- `ye, that is out of drede,' quod troilus, `for al that ever ye conne, she nil to noon swich wrecche as i be wonne.' quod pandarus, `allas! what may this be, that thou dispeyred art thus causelees? what? liveth not thy lady? benedicite! how wostow so that thou art gracelees? swich yvel is nat alwey botelees. why, put not impossible thus thy cure, sin thing to come is ofte in aventure. `i graunte wel that thou endurest wo as sharp as doth he, ticius, in helle, whos stomak foules tyren ever-mo that highte volturis, as bokes telle. but i may not endure that thou dwelle in so unskilful an opinioun that of thy wo is no curacioun. `but ones niltow, for thy coward herte, and for thyn ire and folish wilfulnesse, for wantrust, tellen of thy sorwes smerte, ne to thyn owene help do bisinesse as muche as speke a resoun more or lesse, but lyest as he that list of no-thing recche. what womman coude love swich a wrecche? `what may she demen other of thy deeth, if thou thus deye, and she not why it is, but that for fere is yolden up thy breeth, for grekes han biseged us, y-wis? lord, which a thank than shaltow han of this! thus wol she seyn, and al the toun at ones, "the wrecche is deed, the devel have his bones!" `thou mayst allone here wepe and crye and knele; but, love a woman that she woot it nought, and she wol quyte that thou shalt not fele; unknowe, unkist, and lost that is un-sought. what! many a man hath love ful dere y-bought twenty winter that his lady wiste, that never yet his lady mouth he kiste. `what? shulde be therfor fallen in despeyr, or be recreaunt for his owene tene, or sleen him-self, al be his lady fayr? nay, nay, but ever in oon be fresh and grene to serve and love his dere hertes quene, and thenke it is a guerdoun hir to serve a thousand-fold more than he can deserve.' of that word took hede troilus, and thoughte anoon what folye he was inne, and how that sooth him seyde pandarus, that for to sleen him-self mighte he not winne, but bothe doon unmanhod and a sinne, and of his deeth his lady nought to wyte; for of his wo, god woot, she knew ful lyte. and with that thought he gan ful sore syke, and seyde, `allas! what is me best to do?' to whom pandare answered, `if thee lyke, the best is that thou telle me thy wo; and have my trouthe, but thou it finde so, i be thy bote, or that it be ful longe, to peces do me drawe, and sithen honge!' `ye, so thou seyst,' quod troilus tho, `allas! but, god wot, it is not the rather so; ful hard were it to helpen in this cas, for wel finde i that fortune is my fo, ne alle the men that ryden conne or go may of hir cruel wheel the harm withstonde; for, as hir list, she pleyeth with free and bonde.' quod pandarus, `than blamestow fortune for thou art wrooth, ye, now at erst i see; wostow nat wel that fortune is commune to every maner wight in som degree? and yet thou hast this comfort, lo, pardee! that, as hir ioyes moten over-goon, so mote hir sorwes passen everichoon. `for if hir wheel stinte any-thing to torne, than cessed she fortune anoon to be: now, sith hir wheel by no wey may soiorne, what wostow if hir mutabilitee right as thy-selven list, wol doon by thee, or that she be not fer fro thyn helpinge? paraunter, thou hast cause for to singe! `and therfor wostow what i thee beseche? lat be thy wo and turning to the grounde; for who-so list have helping of his leche, to him bihoveth first unwrye his wounde. to cerberus in helle ay be i bounde, were it for my suster, al thy sorwe, by my wil, she sholde al be thyn to-morwe. `loke up, i seye, and tel me what she is anoon, that i may goon aboute thy nede; knowe ich hir ought? for my love, tel me this; than wolde i hopen rather for to spede.' tho gan the veyne of troilus to blede, for he was hit, and wex al reed for shame; `a ha!' quod pandare, `here biginneth game!' and with that word he gan him for to shake, and seyde, `theef, thou shalt hir name telle.' but tho gan sely troilus for to quake as though men sholde han led him in-to helle, and seyde, `allas! of al my wo the welle, than is my swete fo called criseyde!' and wel nigh with the word for fere he deyde. and whan that pandare herde hir name nevene, lord, he was glad, and seyde, `freend so dere, now fare a-right, for ioves name in hevene, love hath biset the wel, be of good chere; for of good name and wysdom and manere she hath y-nough, and eek of gentilesse; if she be fayr, thou wost thy-self, i gesse, `ne i never saw a more bountevous of hir estat, ne a gladder, ne of speche a freendlier, ne a more gracious for to do wel, ne lasse hadde nede to seche what for to doon; and al this bet to eche, in honour, to as fer as she may strecche, a kinges herte semeth by hirs a wrecche. `and for-thy loke of good comfort thou be; for certeinly, the firste poynt is this of noble corage and wel ordeyne, a man to have pees with him-self, y-wis; so oughtest thou, for nought but good it is to loven wel, and in a worthy place; thee oghte not to clepe it hap, but grace. `and also thenk, and ther-with glade thee, that sith thy lady vertuous is al, so folweth it that ther is som pitee amonges alle thise othere in general; and for-thy see that thou, in special, requere nought that is ayein hir name; for vertue streccheth not him-self to shame. `but wel is me that ever that i was born, that thou biset art in so good a place; for by my trouthe, in love i dorste have sworn, thee sholde never han tid thus fayr a grace; and wostow why? for thou were wont to chace at love in scorn, and for despyt him calle "seynt idiot, lord of thise foles alle." `how often hastow maad thy nyce iapes, and seyd, that loves servants everichone of nycetee been verray goddes apes; and some wolde monche hir mete alone, ligging a-bedde, and make hem for to grone; and som, thou seydest, hadde a blaunche fevere, and preydest god he sholde never kevere. `and som of hem tok on hem, for the colde, more than y-nough, so seydestow ful ofte; and som han feyned ofte tyme, and tolde how that they wake, whan they slepen softe; and thus they wolde han brought hem-self a-lofte, and nathelees were under at the laste; thus seydestow, and iapedest ful faste. `yet seydestow, that, for the more part, these loveres wolden speke in general, and thoughten that it was a siker art, for fayling, for to assayen over-al. now may i iape of thee, if that i shal! but nathelees, though that i sholde deye, that thou art noon of tho, that dorste i seye. `now beet thy brest, and sey to god of love, "thy grace, lord! for now i me repente if i mis spak, for now my-self i love:" thus sey with al thyn herte in good entente.' quod troilus, `a! lord! i me consente, and prey to thee my iapes thou foryive, and i shal never-more whyl i live.' `thou seyst wel,' quod pandare, `and now i hope that thou the goddes wraththe hast al apesed; and sithen thou hast wepen many a drope, and seyd swich thing wher-with thy god is plesed, now wolde never god but thou were esed; and think wel, she of whom rist al thy wo here-after may thy comfort been al-so. `for thilke ground, that bereth the wedes wikke, bereth eek thise holsom herbes, as ful ofte next the foule netle, rough and thikke, the rose waxeth swote and smothe and softe; and next the valey is the hil a-lofte; and next the derke night the glade morwe; and also ioye is next the fyn of sorwe. `now loke that atempre be thy brydel, and, for the beste, ay suffre to the tyde, or elles al our labour is on ydel; he hasteth wel that wysly can abyde; be diligent, and trewe, and ay wel hyde. be lusty, free, persevere in thy servyse, and al is wel, if thou werke in this wyse. `but he that parted is in every place is no-wher hool, as writen clerkes wyse; what wonder is, though swich oon have no grace? eek wostow how it fareth of som servyse? as plaunte a tre or herbe, in sondry wyse, and on the morwe pulle it up as blyve, no wonder is, though it may never thryve. `and sith that god of love hath thee bistowed in place digne un-to thy worthinesse, stond faste, for to good port hastow rowed; and of thy-self, for any hevinesse, hope alwey wel; for, but-if drerinesse or over-haste our bothe labour shende, i hope of this to maken a good ende. `and wostow why i am the lasse a-fered of this matere with my nece trete? for this have i herd seyd of wyse y-lered, "was never man ne woman yet bigete that was unapt to suffren loves hete, celestial, or elles love of kinde;" for-thy som grace i hope in hir to finde. `and for to speke of hir in special, hir beautee to bithinken and hir youthe, it sit hir nought to be celestial as yet, though that hir liste bothe and couthe; but trewely, it sete hir wel right nouthe a worthy knight to loven and cheryce, and but she do, i holde it for a vyce. `wherfore i am, and wol be, ay redy to peyne me to do yow this servyse; for bothe yow to plese thus hope i her-afterward; for ye beth bothe wyse, and conne it counseyl kepe in swich a wyse that no man shal the wyser of it be; and so we may be gladed alle three. `and, by my trouthe, i have right now of thee a good conceyt in my wit, as i gesse, and what it is, i wol now that thou see. i thenke, sith that love, of his goodnesse, hath thee converted out of wikkednesse, that thou shalt be the beste post, i leve, of al his lay, and most his foos to-greve. `ensample why, see now these wyse clerkes, that erren aldermost a-yein a lawe, and ben converted from hir wikked werkes thorugh grace of god, that list hem to him drawe, than arn they folk that han most god in awe, and strengest-feythed been, i understonde, and conne an errour alder-best withstonde.' whan troilus had herd pandare assented to been his help in loving of criseyde, wex of his wo, as who seyth, untormented, but hotter wex his love, and thus he seyde, with sobre chere, al-though his herte pleyde, `now blisful venus helpe, er that i sterve, of thee, pandare, i may som thank deserve. `but, dere frend, how shal myn wo ben lesse til this be doon? and goode, eek tel me this, how wiltow seyn of me and my destresse? lest she be wrooth, this drede i most, y-wys, or nil not here or trowen how it is. al this drede i, and eek for the manere of thee, hir eem, she nil no swich thing here.' quod pandarus, `thou hast a ful gret care lest that the cherl may falle out of the mone! why, lord! i hate of the thy nyce fare! why, entremete of that thou hast to done! for goddes love, i bidde thee a bone, so lat me alone, and it shal be thy beste.' -- `why, freend,' quod he, `now do right as the leste. `but herke, pandare, o word, for i nolde that thou in me wendest so greet folye, that to my lady i desiren sholde that toucheth harm or any vilenye; for dredelees, me were lever dye than she of me ought elles understode but that, that mighte sounen in-to gode.' tho lough this pandare, and anoon answerde, `and i thy borw? fy! no wight dooth but so; i roughte nought though that she stode and herde how that thou seyst; but fare-wel, i wol go. a-dieu! be glad! god spede us bothe two! yif me this labour and this besinesse, and of my speed be thyn al that swetnesse.' tho troilus gan doun on knees to falle, and pandare in his armes hente faste, and seyde, `now, fy on the grekes alle! yet, pardee, god shal helpe us at the laste; and dredelees, if that my lyf may laste, and god to-forn, lo, som of hem shal smerte; and yet me athinketh that this avaunt me asterte! `now, pandare, i can no more seye, but thou wys, thou wost, thou mayst, thou art al! my lyf, my deeth, hool in thyn bonde i leye; help now,' quod he, `yis, by my trouthe, i shal.' `god yelde thee, freend, and this in special,' quod troilus, `that thou me recomaunde to hir that to the deeth me may comaunde.' this pandarus tho, desirous to serve his fulle freend, than seyde in this manere, `far-wel, and thenk i wol thy thank deserve; have here my trouthe, and that thou shalt wel here.' -- and wente his wey, thenking on this matere, and how he best mighte hir beseche of grace, and finde a tyme ther-to, and a place. for every wight that hath an hous to founde ne renneth nought the werk for to biginne with rakel hond, but he wol byde a stounde, and sende his hertes lyne out fro with-inne alderfirst his purpos for to winne. al this pandare in his herte thoughte, and caste his werk ful wysly, or he wroughte. but troilus lay tho no lenger doun, but up anoon up-on his stede bay, and in the feld he pleyde tho leoun; wo was that greek that with him mette that day. and in the toun his maner tho forth ay so goodly was, and gat him so in grace, that ech him lovede that loked on his face. for he bicom the frendlyeste wight, the gentileste, and eek the moste free, the thriftieste and oon the beste knight, that in his tyme was, or mighte be. dede were his iapes and his crueltee, his heighe port and his manere estraunge, and ech of tho gan for a vertu chaunge. now lat us stinte of troilus a stounde, that fareth lyk a man that hurt is sore, and is somdel of akinge of his wounde y-lissed wel, but heled no del more: and, as an esy pacient, the lore abit of him that gooth aboute his cure; and thus he dryveth forth his aventure. explicit liber primus book ii. incipit prohemium secundi libri. out of these blake wawes for to sayle, o wind, o wind, the weder ginneth clere; for in this see the boot hath swich travayle, of my conning, that unnethe i it stere: this see clepe i the tempestous matere of desespeyr that troilus was inne: but now of hope the calendes biginne. o lady myn, that called art cleo, thou be my speed fro this forth, and my muse, to ryme wel this book, til i have do; me nedeth here noon other art to use. for-why to every lovere i me excuse, that of no sentement i this endyte, but out of latin in my tonge it wryte. wherfore i nil have neither thank ne blame of al this werk, but prey yow mekely, disblameth me if any word be lame, for as myn auctor seyde, so seye i. eek though i speke of love unfelingly, no wondre is, for it no-thing of newe is; a blind man can nat iuggen wel in hewis. ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge with-inne a thousand yeer, and wordes tho that hadden prys, now wonder nyce and straunge us thinketh hem; and yet they spake hem so, and spedde as wel in love as men now do; eek for to winne love in sondry ages, in sondry londes, sondry ben usages. and for-thy if it happe in any wyse, that here be any lovere in this place that herkneth, as the storie wol devyse, how troilus com to his lady grace, and thenketh, so nolde i nat love purchace, or wondreth on his speche or his doinge, i noot; but it is me no wonderinge; for every wight which that to rome went, halt nat o path, or alwey o manere; eek in som lond were al the gamen shent, if that they ferde in love as men don here, as thus, in open doing or in chere, in visitinge, in forme, or seyde hire sawes; for-thy men seyn, ech contree hath his lawes. eek scarsly been ther in this place three that han in love seid lyk and doon in al; for to thy purpos this may lyken thee, and thee right nought, yet al is seyd or shal; eek som men grave in tree, som in stoon wal, as it bitit; but sin i have begonne, myn auctor shal i folwen, if i conne. exclipit prohemium secundi libri. incipit liber secundus. in may, that moder is of monthes glade, that fresshe floures, blewe, and whyte, and rede, ben quike agayn, that winter dede made, and ful of bawme is fleting every mede; whan phebus doth his brighte bemes sprede right in the whyte bole, it so bitidde as i shal singe, on mayes day the thridde, that pandarus, for al his wyse speche, felt eek his part of loves shottes kene, that, coude he never so wel of loving preche, it made his hewe a-day ful ofte grene; so shoop it, that hym fil that day a tene in love, for which in wo to bedde he wente, and made, er it was day, ful many a wente. the swalwe proigne, with a sorwful lay, whan morwe com, gan make hir waymentinge, why she forshapen was; and ever lay pandare a-bedde, half in a slomeringe, til she so neigh him made hir chiteringe how tereus gan forth hir suster take, that with the noyse of hir he gan a-wake; and gan to calle, and dresse him up to ryse, remembringe him his erand was to done from troilus, and eek his greet empryse; and caste and knew in good plyt was the mone to doon viage, and took his wey ful sone un-to his neces paleys ther bi-syde; now ianus, god of entree, thou him gyde! whan he was come un-to his neces place, `wher is my lady?' to hir folk seyde he; and they him tolde; and he forth in gan pace, and fond, two othere ladyes sete and she, with-inne a paved parlour; and they three herden a mayden reden hem the geste of the sege of thebes, whyl hem leste. quod pandarus, `ma dame, god yow see, with al your book and al the companye!' `ey, uncle myn, welcome y-wis,' quod she, and up she roos, and by the hond in hye she took him faste, and seyde, `this night thrye, to goode mote it turne, of yow i mette!' and with that word she doun on bench him sette. `ye, nece, ye shal fare wel the bet, if god wole, al this yeer,' quod pandarus; `but i am sory that i have yow let to herknen of your book ye preysen thus; for goddes love, what seith it? tel it us. is it of love? o, som good ye me lere!' `uncle,' quod she, `your maistresse is not here!' with that they gonnen laughe, and tho she seyde, `this romaunce is of thebes, that we rede; and we han herd how that king laius deyde thurgh edippus his sone, and al that dede; and here we stenten at these lettres rede, how the bisshop, as the book can telle, amphiorax, fil thurgh the ground to helle.' quod pandarus, `al this knowe i my-selve, and al the assege of thebes and the care; for her-of been ther maked bokes twelve: -- but lat be this, and tel me how ye fare; do wey your barbe, and shew your face bare; do wey your book, rys up, and lat us daunce, and lat us don to may som observaunce.' `a! god forbede!' quod she. `be ye mad? is that a widewes lyf, so god you save? by god, ye maken me right sore a-drad, ye ben so wilde, it semeth as ye rave! it sete me wel bet ay in a cave to bidde, and rede on holy seyntes lyves; lat maydens gon to daunce, and yonge wyves.' `as ever thryve i,' quod this pandarus, `yet coude i telle a thing to doon you pleye.' `now, uncle dere,' quod she, `tel it us for goddes love; is than the assege aweye? i am of grekes so ferd that i deye.' `nay, nay,' quod he, `as ever mote i thryve! it is a thing wel bet than swiche fyve.' `ye, holy god,' quod she, `what thing is that? what! bet than swiche fyve? ey, nay, y-wis! for al this world ne can i reden what it sholde been; som iape, i trowe, is this; and but your-selven telle us what it is, my wit is for to arede it al to lene; as help me god, i noot nat what ye meene.' `and i your borow, ne never shal, for me, this thing be told to yow, as mote i thryve!' `and why so, uncle myn? why so?' quod she. `by god,' quod he, `that wole i telle as blyve; for prouder womman were ther noon on-lyve, and ye it wiste, in al the toun of troye; i iape nought, as ever have i ioye!' tho gan she wondren more than biforn a thousand fold, and doun hir eyen caste; for never, sith the tyme that she was born, to knowe thing desired she so faste; and with a syk she seyde him at the laste, `now, uncle myn, i nil yow nought displese, nor axen more, that may do yow disese.' so after this, with many wordes glade, and freendly tales, and with mery chere, of this and that they pleyde, and gunnen wade in many an unkouth glad and deep matere, as freendes doon, whan they ben met y-fere; til she gan axen him how ector ferde, that was the tounes wal and grekes yerde. `ful wel, i thanke it god,' quod pandarus, `save in his arm he hath a litel wounde; and eek his fresshe brother troilus, the wyse worthy ector the secounde, in whom that ever vertu list abounde, as alle trouthe and alle gentillesse, wysdom, honour, fredom, and worthinesse.' `in good feith, eem,' quod she, `that lyketh me; they faren wel, god save hem bothe two! for trewely i holde it greet deyntee a kinges sone in armes wel to do, and been of good condiciouns ther-to; for greet power and moral vertu here is selde y-seye in o persone y-fere.' `in good feith, that is sooth,' quod pandarus; `but, by my trouthe, the king hath sones tweye, that is to mene, ector and troilus, that certainly, though that i sholde deye, they been as voyde of vyces, dar i seye, as any men that liveth under the sonne, hir might is wyde y-knowe, and what they conne. `of ector nedeth it nought for to telle: in al this world ther nis a bettre knight than he, that is of worthinesse welle; and he wel more vertu hath than might. this knoweth many a wys and worthy wight. the same prys of troilus i seye, god help me so, i knowe not swiche tweye.' `by god,' quod she, `of ector that is sooth; of troilus the same thing trowe i; for, dredelees, men tellen that he dooth in armes day by day so worthily, and bereth him here at hoom so gentilly to every wight, that al the prys hath he of hem that me were levest preysed be.' `ye sey right sooth, y-wis,' quod pandarus; `for yesterday, who-so hadde with him been, he might have wondred up-on troilus; for never yet so thikke a swarm of been ne fleigh, as grekes fro him gonne fleen; and thorugh the feld, in everi wightes ere, ther nas no cry but "troilus is there!" `now here, now there, he hunted hem so faste, ther nas but grekes blood; and troilus, now hem he hurte, and hem alle doun he caste; ay where he wente, it was arayed thus: he was hir deeth, and sheld and lyf for us; that as that day ther dorste noon with-stonde, whyl that he held his blody swerd in honde. `therto he is the freendlieste man of grete estat, that ever i saw my lyve; and wher him list, best felawshipe can to suche as him thinketh able for to thryve.' and with that word tho pandarus, as blyve, he took his leve, and seyde, `i wol go henne.' `nay, blame have i, myn uncle,' quod she thenne. `what eyleth yow to be thus wery sone, and namelich of wommen? wol ye so? nay, sitteth down; by god, i have to done with yow, to speke of wisdom er ye go.' and every wight that was a-boute hem tho, that herde that, gan fer a-wey to stonde, whyl they two hadde al that hem liste in honde. whan that hir tale al brought was to an ende, of hire estat and of hir governaunce, quod pandarus, `now is it tyme i wende; but yet, i seye, aryseth, lat us daunce, and cast your widwes habit to mischaunce: what list yow thus your-self to disfigure, sith yow is tid thus fair an aventure?' `a! wel bithought! for love of god,' quod she, `shal i not witen what ye mene of this?' `no, this thing axeth layser,' tho quod he, `and eek me wolde muche greve, y-wis, if i it tolde, and ye it toke amis. yet were it bet my tonge for to stille than seye a sooth that were ayeins your wille. `for, nece, by the goddesse minerve, and iuppiter, that maketh the thonder ringe, and by the blisful venus that i serve, ye been the womman in this world livinge, with-oute paramours, to my wittinge, that i best love, and lothest am to greve, and that ye witen wel your-self, i leve.' `y-wis, myn uncle,' quod she, `grant mercy; your freendship have i founden ever yit; i am to no man holden trewely, so muche as yow, and have so litel quit; and, with the grace of god, emforth my wit, as in my gilt i shal you never offende; and if i have er this, i wol amende. `but, for the love of god, i yow beseche, as ye ben he that i love most and triste, lat be to me your fremde manere speche, and sey to me, your nece, what yow liste:' and with that word hir uncle anoon hir kiste, and seyde, `gladly, leve nece dere, tak it for good that i shal seye yow here.' with that she gan hir eiyen doun to caste, and pandarus to coghe gan a lyte, and seyde, `nece, alwey, lo! to the laste, how-so it be that som men hem delyte with subtil art hir tales for to endyte, yet for al that, in hir entencioun hir tale is al for som conclusioun. `and sithen thende is every tales strengthe, and this matere is so bihovely, what sholde i peynte or drawen it on lengthe to yow, that been my freend so feithfully?' and with that word he gan right inwardly biholden hir, and loken on hir face, and seyde, `on suche a mirour goode grace!' than thoughte he thus: `if i my tale endyte ought hard, or make a proces any whyle, she shal no savour han ther-in but lyte, and trowe i wolde hir in my wil bigyle. for tendre wittes wenen al be wyle ther-as they can nat pleynly understonde; for-thy hir wit to serven wol i fonde --' and loked on hir in a besy wyse, and she was war that he byheld hir so, and seyde, `lord! so faste ye me avyse! sey ye me never er now? what sey ye, no?' `yes, yes,' quod he, `and bet wole er i go; but, by my trouthe, i thoughte now if ye be fortunat, for now men shal it see. `for to every wight som goodly aventure som tyme is shape, if he it can receyven; and if that he wol take of it no cure, whan that it commeth, but wilfully it weyven, lo, neither cas nor fortune him deceyven, but right his verray slouthe and wrecchednesse; and swich a wight is for to blame, i gesse. `good aventure, o bele nece, have ye ful lightly founden, and ye conne it take; and, for the love of god, and eek of me, cacche it anoon, lest aventure slake. what sholde i lenger proces of it make? yif me your hond, for in this world is noon, if that yow list, a wight so wel begoon. `and sith i speke of good entencioun, as i to yow have told wel here-biforn, and love as wel your honour and renoun as creature in al this world y-born; by alle the othes that i have yow sworn, and ye be wrooth therfore, or wene i lye, ne shal i never seen yow eft with ye. `beth nought agast, ne quaketh nat; wher-to? ne chaungeth nat for fere so your hewe; for hardely the werste of this is do; and though my tale as now be to yow newe, yet trist alwey, ye shal me finde trewe; and were it thing that me thoughte unsittinge, to yow nolde i no swiche tales bringe.' `now, my good eem, for goddes love, i preye,' quod she, `com of, and tel me what it is; for bothe i am agast what ye wol seye, and eek me longeth it to wite, y-wis. for whether it be wel or be amis, say on, lat me not in this fere dwelle:' `so wol i doon; now herkneth, i shal telle: `now, nece myn, the kinges dere sone, the goode, wyse, worthy, fresshe, and free, which alwey for to do wel is his wone, the noble troilus, so loveth thee, that, bot ye helpe, it wol his bane be. lo, here is al, what sholde i more seye? doth what yow list, to make him live or deye. `but if ye lete him deye, i wol sterve; have her my trouthe, nece, i nil not lyen; al sholde i with this knyf my throte kerve --' with that the teres braste out of his yen, and seyde, `if that ye doon us bothe dyen, thus giltelees, than have ye fisshed faire; what mende ye, though that we bothe apeyre? `allas! he which that is my lord so dere, that trewe man, that noble gentil knight, that nought desireth but your freendly chere, i see him deye, ther he goth up-right, and hasteth him, with al his fulle might, for to be slayn, if fortune wol assente; allas! that god yow swich a beautee sente! `if it be so that ye so cruel be, that of his deeth yow liste nought to recche, that is so trewe and worthy, as ye see, no more than of a iapere or a wrecche, if ye be swich, your beautee may not strecche to make amendes of so cruel a dede; avysement is good bifore the nede. `wo worth the faire gemme vertulees! wo worth that herbe also that dooth no bote! wo worth that beautee that is routhelees! wo worth that wight that tret ech under fote! and ye, that been of beautee crop and rote, if therwith-al in you ther be no routhe, than is it harm ye liven, by my trouthe! `and also thenk wel that this is no gaude; for me were lever, thou and i and he were hanged, than i sholde been his baude, as heyghe, as men mighte on us alle y-see: i am thyn eem, the shame were to me, as wel as thee, if that i sholde assente, thorugh myn abet, that he thyn honour shente. `now understond, for i yow nought requere, to binde yow to him thorugh no beheste, but only that ye make him bettre chere than ye han doon er this, and more feste, so that his lyf be saved, at the leste; this al and som, and playnly our entente; god help me so, i never other mente. `lo, this request is not but skile, y-wis, ne doute of reson, pardee, is ther noon. i sette the worste that ye dredden this, men wolden wondren seen him come or goon: ther-ayeins answere i thus a-noon, that every wight, but he be fool of kinde, wol deme it love of freendship in his minde. `what? who wol deme, though he see a man to temple go, that he the images eteth? thenk eek how wel and wysly that he can governe him-self, that he no-thing foryeteth, that, wher he cometh, he prys and thank him geteth; and eek ther-to, he shal come here so selde, what fors were it though al the toun behelde? `swich love of freendes regneth al this toun; and wrye yow in that mantel ever-mo; and god so wis be my savacioun, as i have seyd, your beste is to do so. but alwey, goode nece, to stinte his wo, so lat your daunger sucred ben a lyte, that of his deeth ye be nought for to wyte.' criseyde, which that herde him in this wyse, thoughte, `i shal fele what he meneth, y-wis.' `now, eem,' quod she, `what wolde ye devyse? what is your reed i sholde doon of this?' `that is wel seyd,' quod be. `certayn, best is that ye him love ayein for his lovinge, as love for love is skilful guerdoninge. `thenk eek, how elde wasteth every houre in eche of yow a party of beautee; and therfore, er that age thee devoure, go love, for, olde, ther wol no wight of thee. lat this proverbe a lore un-to yow be; "to late y-war, quod beautee, whan it paste;" and elde daunteth daunger at the laste. `the kinges fool is woned to cryen loude, whan that him thinketh a womman bereth hir hye, "so longe mote ye live, and alle proude, til crowes feet be growe under your ye, and sende yow thanne a mirour in to prye in whiche that ye may see your face a-morwe!" nece, i bidde wisshe yow no more sorwe.' with this he stente, and caste adoun the heed, and she bigan to breste a-wepe anoon, and seyde, `allas, for wo! why nere i deed? for of this world the feith is al agoon! allas! what sholden straunge to me doon, whan he, that for my beste freend i wende, ret me to love, and sholde it me defende? `allas! i wolde han trusted, doutelees, that if that i, thurgh my disaventure, had loved other him or achilles, ector, or any mannes creature, ye nolde han had no mercy ne mesure on me, but alwey had me in repreve; this false world, allas! who may it leve? `what? is this al the ioye and al the feste? is this your reed, is this my blisful cas? is this the verray mede of your beheste? is al this peynted proces seyd, allas! right for this fyn? o lady myn, pallas! thou in this dredful cas for me purveye; for so astonied am i that i deye!' with that she gan ful sorwfully to syke; `a! may it be no bet?' quod pandarus; `by god, i shal no-more come here this wyke, and god to-forn, that am mistrusted thus; i see ful wel that ye sette lyte of us, or of our deeth! allas! i woful wrecche! mighte he yet live, of me is nought to recche. `o cruel god, o dispitouse marte, o furies three of helle, on yow i crye! so lat me never out of this hous departe, if that i mente harm or vilanye! but sith i see my lord mot nedes dye, and i with him, here i me shryve, and seye that wikkedly ye doon us bothe deye. `but sith it lyketh yow that i be deed, by neptunus, that god is of the see, fro this forth shal i never eten breed til i myn owene herte blood may see; for certayn, i wole deye as sone as he --' and up he sterte, and on his wey he raughte, til she agayn him by the lappe caughte. criseyde, which that wel neigh starf for fere, so as she was the ferfulleste wight that mighte be, and herde eek with hir ere, and saw the sorwful ernest of the knight, and in his preyere eek saw noon unright, and for the harm that mighte eek fallen more, she gan to rewe and dredde hir wonder sore; and thoughte thus, `unhappes fallen thikke alday for love, and in swich maner cas, as men ben cruel in hem-self and wikke; and if this man slee here him-self, allas! in my presence, it wol be no solas. what men wolde of hit deme i can nat seye; it nedeth me ful sleyly for to pleye.' and with a sorwful syk she seyde thrye, `a! lord! what me is tid a sory chaunce! for myn estat lyth in iupartye, and eek myn emes lyf lyth in balaunce; but nathelees, with goddes governaunce, i shal so doon, myn honour shal i kepe, and eek his lyf;' and stinte for to wepe. `of harmes two, the lesse is for to chese; yet have i lever maken him good chere in honour, than myn emes lyf to lese; ye seyn, ye no-thing elles me requere?' `no, wis,' quod he, `myn owene nece dere.' `now wel,' quod she, `and i wol doon my peyne; i shal myn herte ayeins my lust constreyne. `but that i nil not holden him in honde, ne love a man, ne can i not, ne may ayeins my wil; but elles wol i fonde, myn honour sauf, plese him fro day to day; ther-to nolde i nought ones have seyd nay, but that i dredde, as in my fantasye; but cesse cause, ay cesseth maladye. `and here i make a protestacioun, that in this proces if ye depper go, that certaynly, for no savacioun of yow, though that ye sterve bothe two, though al the world on o day be my fo, ne shal i never on him han other routhe. --' `i graunte wel,' quod pandare, `by my trouthe. `but may i truste wel ther-to,' quod he, `that of this thing that ye han hight me here, ye wol it holden trewly un-to me?' `ye, doutelees,' quod she, `myn uncle dere.' `ne that i shal han cause in this matere,' quod he, `to pleyne, or after yow to preche?' `why, no, parde; what nedeth more speche?' tho fillen they in othere tales glade, til at the laste, `o good eem,' quod she tho, `for love of god, which that us bothe made, tel me how first ye wisten of his wo: wot noon of hit but ye?' he seyde, `no.' `can he wel speke of love?' quod she, `i preye, tel me, for i the bet me shal purveye.' tho pandarus a litel gan to smyle, and seyde, `by my trouthe, i shal yow telle. this other day, nought gon ful longe whyle, in-with the paleys-gardyn, by a welle, gan he and i wel half a day to dwelle, right for to speken of an ordenaunce, how we the grekes myghte disavaunce. `sone after that bigonne we to lepe, and casten with our dartes to and fro, til at the laste he seyde he wolde slepe, and on the gres a-doun he leyde him tho; and i after gan rome to and fro til that i herde, as that i welk allone, how he bigan ful wofully to grone. `tho gan i stalke him softely bihinde, and sikerly, the sothe for to seyne, as i can clepe ayein now to my minde, right thus to love he gan him for to pleyne; he seyde, "lord! have routhe up-on my peyne, al have i been rebel in myn entente; now, mea culpa, lord! i me repente. `"o god, that at thy disposicioun ledest the fyn by iuste purveyaunce, of every wight, my lowe confessioun accepte in gree, and send me swich penaunce as lyketh thee, but from desesperaunce, that may my goost departe awey fro thee, thou be my sheld, for thy benignitee. `"for certes, lord, so soore hath she me wounded, that stod in blak, with loking of hir yen, that to myn hertes botme it is y-sounded, thorugh which i woot that i mot nedes dyen; this is the worste, i dar me not bi-wryen; and wel the hotter been the gledes rede, that men hem wryen with asshen pale and dede." `with that he smoot his heed adoun anoon, and gan to motre, i noot what, trewely. and i with that gan stille awey to goon, and leet ther-of as no-thing wist hadde i, and come ayein anoon and stood him by, and seyde, "a-wake, ye slepen al to longe; it semeth nat that love dooth yow longe, `"that slepen so that no man may yow wake. who sey ever or this so dul a man?" "ye, freend," quod he, "do ye your hedes ake for love, and lat me liven as i can." but though that he for wo was pale and wan, yet made he tho as freshe a countenaunce as though he shulde have led the newe daunce. `this passed forth, til now, this other day, it fel that i com roming al allone into his chaumbre, and fond how that he lay up-on his bed; but man so sore grone ne herde i never, and what that was his mone, ne wist i nought; for, as i was cominge, al sodeynly he lefte his compleyninge. `of which i took somwat suspecioun, and neer i com, and fond he wepte sore; and god so wis be my savacioun, as never of thing hadde i no routhe more. for neither with engyn, ne with no lore, unethes mighte i fro the deeth him kepe; that yet fele i myn herte for him wepe. `and god wot, never, sith that i was born, was i so bisy no man for to preche, ne never was to wight so depe y-sworn, or he me tolde who mighte been his leche. but now to yow rehersen al his speche, or alle his woful wordes for to soune, ne bid me not, but ye wol see me swowne. `but for to save his lyf, and elles nought, and to non harm of yow, thus am i driven; and for the love of god that us hath wrought, swich chere him dooth, that he and i may liven. now have i plat to yow myn herte shriven; and sin ye woot that myn entente is clene, tak hede ther-of, for i non yvel mene. `and right good thrift, i prey to god, have ye, that han swich oon y-caught with-oute net; and be ye wys, as ye ben fair to see, wel in the ring than is the ruby set. ther were never two so wel y-met, whan ye ben his al hool, as he is youre: ther mighty god yet graunte us see that houre!' `nay, therof spak i not, a, ha!' quod she, `as helpe me god, ye shenden every deel!' `o mercy, dere nece,' anoon quod he, `what-so i spak, i mente nought but weel, by mars the god, that helmed is of steel; now beth nought wrooth, my blood, my nece dere.' `now wel,' quod she, `foryeven be it here!' with this he took his leve, and hoom he wente; and lord, he was glad and wel bigoon! criseyde aroos, no lenger she ne stente, but straught in-to hir closet wente anoon, and sette here doun as stille as any stoon, and every word gan up and doun to winde, that he hadde seyd, as it com hir to minde; and wex somdel astonied in hir thought, right for the newe cas; but whan that she was ful avysed, tho fond she right nought of peril, why she oughte afered be. for man may love, of possibilitee, a womman so, his herte may to-breste, and she nought love ayein, but-if hir leste. but as she sat allone and thoughte thus, thascry aroos at skarmish al with-oute, and men cryde in the strete, `see, troilus hath right now put to flight the grekes route!' with that gan al hir meynee for to shoute, `a! go we see, caste up the latis wyde; for thurgh this strete he moot to palays ryde; `for other wey is fro the yate noon of dardanus, ther open is the cheyne.' with that com he and al his folk anoon an esy pas rydinge, in routes tweyne, right as his happy day was, sooth to seyne, for which, men say, may nought disturbed be that shal bityden of necessitee. this troilus sat on his baye stede, al armed, save his heed, ful richely, and wounded was his hors, and gan to blede, on whiche he rood a pas, ful softely; but swych a knightly sighte, trewely, as was on him, was nought, with-outen faile, to loke on mars, that god is of batayle. so lyk a man of armes and a knight he was to seen, fulfild of heigh prowesse; for bothe he hadde a body and a might to doon that thing, as wel as hardinesse; and eek to seen him in his gere him dresse, so fresh, so yong, so weldy semed he, it was an heven up-on him for to see. his helm to-hewen was in twenty places, that by a tissew heng, his bak bihinde, his sheld to-dasshed was with swerdes and maces, in which men mighte many an arwe finde that thirled hadde horn and nerf and rinde; and ay the peple cryde, `here cometh our ioye, and, next his brother, holdere up of troye!' for which he wex a litel reed for shame, whan he the peple up-on him herde cryen, that to biholde it was a noble game, how sobreliche he caste doun his yen. cryseyda gan al his chere aspyen, and leet so softe it in hir herte sinke, that to hir-self she seyde, `who yaf me drinke?' for of hir owene thought she wex al reed, remembringe hir right thus, `lo, this is he which that myn uncle swereth he moot be deed, but i on him have mercy and pitee;' and with that thought, for pure a-shamed, she gan in hir heed to pulle, and that as faste, whyl he and al the peple for-by paste, and gan to caste and rollen up and doun with-inne hir thought his excellent prowesse, and his estat, and also his renoun, his wit, his shap, and eek his gentillesse; but most hir favour was, for his distresse was al for hir, and thoughte it was a routhe to sleen swich oon, if that he mente trouthe. now mighte som envyous iangle thus, `this was a sodeyn love; how mighte it be that she so lightly lovede troilus right for the firste sighte; ye, pardee?' now who-so seyth so, mote he never thee! for every thing, a ginning hath it nede er al be wrought, with-outen any drede. for i sey nought that she so sodeynly yaf him hir love, but that she gan enclyne to lyke him first, and i have told yow why; and after that, his manhod and his pyne made love with-inne hir for to myne, for which, by proces and by good servyse, he gat hir love, and in no sodeyn wyse. and also blisful venus, wel arayed, sat in hir seventhe hous of hevene tho, disposed wel, and with aspectes payed, to helpen sely troilus of his wo. and, sooth to seyn, she nas not al a fo to troilus in his nativitee; god woot that wel the soner spedde he. now lat us stinte of troilus a throwe, that rydeth forth, and lat us tourne faste un-to criseyde, that heng hir heed ful lowe, ther-as she sat allone, and gan to caste wher-on she wolde apoynte hir at the laste, if it so were hir eem ne wolde cesse, for troilus, up-on hir for to presse. and, lord! so she gan in hir thought argue in this matere of which i have yow told, and what to doon best were, and what eschue, that plyted she ful ofte in many fold. now was hir herte warm, now was it cold, and what she thoughte somwhat shal i wryte, as to myn auctor listeth for to endyte. she thoughte wel that troilus persone she knew by sighte and eek his gentillesse, and thus she seyde, `al were it nought to done, to graunte him love, yet, for his worthinesse, it were honour, with pley and with gladnesse, in honestee, with swich a lord to dele, for myn estat, and also for his hele. `eek, wel wot i my kinges sone is he; and sith he hath to see me swich delyt, if i wolde utterly his sighte flee, peraunter he mighte have me in dispyt, thurgh which i mighte stonde in worse plyt; now were i wys, me hate to purchace, with-outen nede, ther i may stonde in grace? `in every thing, i woot, ther lyth mesure. for though a man forbede dronkenesse, he nought for-bet that every creature be drinkelees for alwey, as i gesse; eek sith i woot for me is his distresse, i ne oughte not for that thing him despyse, sith it is so, he meneth in good wyse. `and eek i knowe, of longe tyme agoon, his thewes goode, and that he is not nyce. ne avauntour, seyth men, certein, he is noon; to wys is he to do so gret a vyce; ne als i nel him never so cheryce, that he may make avaunt, by iuste cause; he shal me never binde in swiche a clause. `now set a cas, the hardest is, y-wis, men mighten deme that he loveth me; what dishonour were it un-to me, this? may i him lette of that? why nay, pardee! i knowe also, and alday here and see, men loven wommen al this toun aboute; be they the wers? why, nay, with-outen doute. `i thenk eek how he able is for to have of al this noble toun the thriftieste, to been his love, so she hir honour save; for out and out he is the worthieste, save only ector, which that is the beste. and yet his lyf al lyth now in my cure, but swich is love, and eek myn aventure. `ne me to love, a wonder is it nought; for wel wot i my-self, so god me spede, al wolde i that noon wiste of this thought, i am oon the fayreste, out of drede, and goodlieste, who-so taketh hede; and so men seyn in al the toun of troye. what wonder is it though he of me have ioye? `i am myn owene woman, wel at ese, i thank it god, as after myn estat; right yong, and stonde unteyd in lusty lese, with-outen ialousye or swich debat; shal noon housbonde seyn to me "chekmat!" for either they ben ful of ialousye, or maisterful, or loven novelrye. `what shal i doon? to what fyn live i thus? shal i nat loven, in cas if that me leste? what, par dieux! i am nought religious! and though that i myn herte sette at reste upon this knight, that is the worthieste, and kepe alwey myn honour and my name, by alle right, it may do me no shame.' but right as whan the sonne shyneth brighte, in march, that chaungeth ofte tyme his face, and that a cloud is put with wind to flighte which over-sprat the sonne as for a space, a cloudy thought gan thorugh hir soule pace, that over-spradde hir brighte thoughtes alle, so that for fere almost she gan to falle. that thought was this: `allas! sin i am free, sholde i now love, and putte in iupartye my sikernesse, and thrallen libertee? allas! how dorste i thenken that folye? may i nought wel in other folk aspye hir dredful ioye, hir constreynt, and hir peyne? ther loveth noon, that she nath why to pleyne. `for love is yet the moste stormy lyf, right of him-self, that ever was bigonne; for ever som mistrust, or nyce stryf, ther is in love, som cloud is over that sonne: ther-to we wrecched wommen no-thing conne, whan us is wo, but wepe and sitte and thinke; our wreche is this, our owene wo to drinke. `also these wikked tonges been so prest to speke us harm, eek men be so untrewe, that, right anoon as cessed is hir lest, so cesseth love, and forth to love a newe: but harm y-doon, is doon, who-so it rewe. for though these men for love hem first to-rende, ful sharp biginning breketh ofte at ende. `how ofte tyme hath it y-knowen be, the treson, that to womman hath be do? to what fyn is swich love, i can nat see, or wher bicometh it, whan it is ago; ther is no wight that woot, i trowe so, wher it bycomth; lo, no wight on it sporneth; that erst was no-thing, in-to nought it torneth. `how bisy, if i love, eek moste i be to plesen hem that iangle of love, and demen, and coye hem, that they sey non harm of me? for though ther be no cause, yet hem semen al be for harm that folk hir freendes quemen; and who may stoppen every wikked tonge, or soun of belles whyl that they be ronge?' and after that, hir thought bigan to clere, and seyde, `he which that no-thing under-taketh, no thing ne acheveth, be him looth or dere.' and with an other thought hir herte quaketh; than slepeth hope, and after dreed awaketh; now hoot, now cold; but thus, bi-twixen tweye, she rist hir up, and went hir for to pleye. adoun the steyre anoon-right tho she wente in-to the gardin, with hir neces three, and up and doun ther made many a wente, flexippe, she, tharbe, and antigone, to pleyen, that it ioye was to see; and othere of hir wommen, a gret route, hir folwede in the gardin al aboute. this yerd was large, and rayled alle the aleyes, and shadwed wel with blosmy bowes grene, and benched newe, and sonded alle the weyes, in which she walketh arm in arm bi-twene; til at the laste antigone the shene gan on a troian song to singe clere, that it an heven was hir voys to here. -- she seyde, `o love, to whom i have and shal ben humble subgit, trewe in myn entente, as i best can, to yow, lord, yeve ich al for ever-more, myn hertes lust to rente. for never yet thy grace no wight sente so blisful cause as me, my lyf to lede in alle ioye and seurtee, out of drede. `ye, blisful god, han me so wel beset in love, y-wis, that al that bereth lyf imaginen ne cowde how to ben bet; for, lord, with-outen ialousye or stryf, i love oon which that is most ententyf to serven wel, unwery or unfeyned, that ever was, and leest with harm distreyned. `as he that is the welle of worthinesse, of trouthe ground, mirour of goodliheed, of wit appollo, stoon of sikernesse, of vertu rote, of lust findere and heed, thurgh which is alle sorwe fro me deed, y-wis, i love him best, so doth he me; now good thrift have he, wher-so that he be! `whom sholde i thanke but yow, god of love, of al this blisse, in which to bathe i ginne? and thanked be ye, lord, for that i love! this is the righte lyf that i am inne, to flemen alle manere vyce and sinne: this doth me so to vertu for to entende, that day by day i in my wil amende. `and who-so seyth that for to love is vyce, or thraldom, though he fele in it distresse, he outher is envyous, or right nyce, or is unmighty, for his shrewednesse, to loven; for swich maner folk, i gesse, defamen love, as no-thing of him knowe; thei speken, but they bente never his bowe. `what is the sonne wers, of kinde righte, though that a man, for feblesse of his yen, may nought endure on it to see for brighte? or love the wers, though wrecches on it cryen? no wele is worth, that may no sorwe dryen. and for-thy, who that hath an heed of verre, fro cast of stones war him in the werre! `but i with al myn herte and al my might, as i have seyd, wol love, un-to my laste, my dere herte, and al myn owene knight, in which myn herte growen is so faste, and his in me, that it shal ever laste. al dredde i first to love him to biginne, now woot i wel, ther is no peril inne.' and of hir song right with that word she stente, and therwith-al, `now, nece,' quod criseyde, `who made this song with so good entente?' antigone answerde anoon, and seyde, `ma dame, y-wis, the goodlieste mayde of greet estat in al the toun of troye; and let hir lyf in most honour and ioye.' `forsothe, so it semeth by hir song,' quod tho criseyde, and gan ther-with to syke, and seyde, `lord, is there swich blisse among these lovers, as they conne faire endyte?' `ye, wis,' quod freshe antigone the whyte, `for alle the folk that han or been on lyve ne conne wel the blisse of love discryve. `but wene ye that every wrecche woot the parfit blisse of love? why, nay, y-wis; they wenen al be love, if oon be hoot; do wey, do wey, they woot no-thing of this! men mosten axe at seyntes if it is aught fair in hevene; why? for they conne telle; and axen fendes, is it foul in helle.' criseyde un-to that purpos nought answerde, but seyde, `y-wis, it wol be night as faste.' but every word which that she of hir herde, she gan to prenten in hir herte faste; and ay gan love hir lasse for to agaste than it dide erst, and sinken in hir herte, that she wex somwhat able to converte. the dayes honour, and the hevenes ye, the nightes fo, al this clepe i the sonne, gan westren faste, and dounward for to wrye, as he that hadde his dayes cours y-ronne; and whyte thinges wexen dimme and donne for lak of light, and sterres for to appere, that she and al hir folk in wente y-fere. so whan it lyked hir to goon to reste, and voyded weren they that voyden oughte, she seyde, that to slepe wel hir leste. hir wommen sone til hir bed hir broughte. whan al was hust, than lay she stille, and thoughte of al this thing the manere and the wyse. reherce it nedeth nought, for ye ben wyse. a nightingale, upon a cedre grene, under the chambre-wal ther as she lay, ful loude sang ayein the mone shene, paraunter, in his briddes wyse, a lay of love, that made hir herte fresh and gay. that herkned she so longe in good entente, til at the laste the dede sleep hir hente. and as she sleep, anoon-right tho hir mette, how that an egle, fethered whyt as boon, under hir brest his longe clawes sette, and out hir herte he rente, and that a-noon, and dide his herte in-to hir brest to goon, of which she nought agroos, ne no-thing smerte, and forth he fleigh, with herte left for herte. now lat hir slepe, and we our tales holde of troilus, that is to paleys riden, fro the scarmuch, of the whiche i tolde, and in his chaumbre sit, and hath abiden til two or three of his messages yeden for pandarus, and soughten him ful faste, til they him founde and broughte him at the laste. this pandarus com leping in at ones, and seiyde thus: `who hath ben wel y-bete to-day with swerdes, and with slinge-stones, but troilus, that hath caught him an hete?' and gan to iape, and seyde, `lord, so ye swete! but rys, and lat us soupe and go to reste;' and he answerde him, `do we as thee leste.' with al the haste goodly that they mighte, they spedde hem fro the souper un-to bedde; and every wight out at the dore him dighte, and wher him liste upon his wey him spedde; but troilus, that thoughte his herte bledde for wo, til that he herde som tydinge, he seyde, `freend, shal i now wepe or singe?' quod pandarus, `ly stille and lat me slepe, and don thyn hood, thy nedes spedde be; and chese, if thou wolt singe or daunce or lepe; at shorte wordes, thow shal trowe me. -- sire, my nece wol do wel by thee, and love thee best, by god and by my trouthe, but lak of pursuit make it in thy slouthe. `for thus ferforth i have thy work bigonne, fro day to day, til this day, by the morwe, hir love of freendship have i to thee wonne, and also hath she leyd hir feyth to borwe. algate a foot is hameled of thy sorwe.' what sholde i lenger sermon of it holde? as ye han herd bifore, al he him tolde. but right as floures, thorugh the colde of night y-closed, stoupen on hir stalke lowe, redressen hem a-yein the sonne bright, and spreden on hir kinde cours by rowe, right so gan tho his eyen up to throwe this troilus, and seyde, `o venus dere, thy might, thy grace, y-heried be it here!' and to pandare he held up bothe his hondes, and seyde, `lord, al thyn be that i have; for i am hool, al brosten been my bondes; a thousand troians who so that me yave, eche after other, god so wis me save, ne mighte me so gladen; lo, myn herte, it spredeth so for ioye, it wol to-sterte! `but lord, how shal i doon, how shal i liven? whan shal i next my dere herte see? how shal this longe tyme a-wey be driven, til that thou be ayein at hir fro me? thou mayst answere, "a-byd, a-byd," but he that hangeth by the nekke, sooth to seyne, in grete disese abydeth for the peyne.' `al esily, now, for the love of marte,' quod pandarus, `for every thing hath tyme; so longe abyd til that the night departe; for al so siker as thow lyst here by me, and god toforn, i wol be there at pryme, and for thy werk somwhat as i shal seye, or on som other wight this charge leye. `for pardee, god wot, i have ever yit ben redy thee to serve, and to this night have i nought fayned, but emforth my wit don al thy lust, and shal with al my might. do now as i shal seye, and fare a-right; and if thou nilt, wyte al thy-self thy care, on me is nought along thyn yvel fare. `i woot wel that thow wyser art than i a thousand fold, but if i were as thou, god help me so, as i wolde outrely, right of myn owene hond, wryte hir right now a lettre, in which i wolde hir tellen how i ferde amis, and hir beseche of routhe; now help thy-self, and leve it not for slouthe. `and i my-self shal ther-with to hir goon; and whan thou wost that i am with hir there, worth thou up-on a courser right anoon, ye, hardily, right in thy beste gere, and ryd forth by the place, as nought ne were, and thou shalt finde us, if i may, sittinge at som windowe, in-to the strete lokinge. `and if thee list, than maystow us saluwe, and up-on me make thy contenaunce; but, by thy lyf, be war and faste eschuwe to tarien ought, god shilde us fro mischaunce! ryd forth thy wey, and hold thy governaunce; and we shal speke of thee som-what, i trowe, whan thou art goon, to do thyne eres glowe! `touching thy lettre, thou art wys y-nough, i woot thow nilt it digneliche endyte; as make it with thise argumentes tough; ne scrivenish or craftily thou it wryte; beblotte it with thy teres eek a lyte; and if thou wryte a goodly word al softe, though it be good, reherce it not to ofte. `for though the beste harpour upon lyve wolde on the beste souned ioly harpe that ever was, with alle his fingres fyve, touche ay o streng, or ay o werbul harpe, were his nayles poynted never so sharpe, it shulde maken every wight to dulle, to here his glee, and of his strokes fulle. `ne iompre eek no discordaunt thing y-fere, as thus, to usen termes of phisyk; in loves termes, hold of thy matere the forme alwey, and do that it be lyk; for if a peyntour wolde peynte a pyk with asses feet, and hede it as an ape, it cordeth nought; so nere it but a iape.' this counseyl lyked wel to troilus; but, as a dreedful lover, he seyde this: -- `allas, my dere brother pandarus, i am ashamed for to wryte, y-wis, lest of myn innocence i seyde a-mis, or that she nolde it for despyt receyve; thanne were i deed, ther mighte it no-thing weyve.' to that pandare answerde, `if thee lest, do that i seye, and lat me therwith goon; for by that lord that formed est and west, i hope of it to bringe answere anoon right of hir hond, and if that thou nilt noon, lat be; and sory mote he been his lyve, ayeins thy lust that helpeth thee to thryve.' quod troilus, `depardieux, i assente; sin that thee list, i will aryse and wryte; and blisful god preye ich, with good entente, the vyage, and the lettre i shal endyte, so spede it; and thou, minerva, the whyte, yif thou me wit my lettre to devyse:' and sette him doun, and wroot right in this wyse. -- first he gan hir his righte lady calle, his hertes lyf, his lust, his sorwes leche, his blisse, and eek these othere termes alle, that in swich cas these loveres alle seche; and in ful humble wyse, as in his speche, he gan him recomaunde un-to hir grace; to telle al how, it axeth muchel space. and after this, ful lowly he hir prayde to be nought wrooth, though he, of his folye, so hardy was to hir to wryte, and seyde, that love it made, or elles moste he dye, and pitously gan mercy for to crye; and after that he seyde, and ley ful loude, him-self was litel worth, and lesse he coude; and that she sholde han his conning excused, that litel was, and eek he dredde hir so, and his unworthinesse he ay acused; and after that, than gan he telle his woo; but that was endeles, with-outen ho; and seyde, he wolde in trouthe alwey him holde; -- and radde it over, and gan the lettre folde. and with his salte teres gan he bathe the ruby in his signet, and it sette upon the wex deliverliche and rathe; ther-with a thousand tymes, er he lette, he kiste tho the lettre that he shette, and seyde, `lettre, a blisful destenee thee shapen is, my lady shal thee see.' this pandare took the lettre, and that by tyme a-morwe, and to his neces paleys sterte, and faste he swoor, that it was passed pryme, and gan to iape, and seyde, `y-wis, myn herte, so fresh it is, al-though it sore smerte, i may not slepe never a mayes morwe; i have a ioly wo, a lusty sorwe.' criseyde, whan that she hir uncle herde, with dreedful herte, and desirous to here the cause of his cominge, thus answerde: `now by your feyth, myn uncle,' quod she, `dere, what maner windes gydeth yow now here? tel us your ioly wo and your penaunce, how ferforth be ye put in loves daunce.' `by god,' quod he, `i hoppe alwey bihinde!' and she to-laugh, it thoughte hir herte breste. quod pandarus, `loke alwey that ye finde game in myn hood, but herkneth, if yow leste; ther is right now come in-to toune a geste, a greek espye, and telleth newe thinges, for which i come to telle yow tydinges. `into the gardin go we, and we shal here, al prevely, of this a long sermoun.' with that they wenten arm in arm y-fere in-to the gardin from the chaumbre doun. and whan that he so fer was that the soun of that he speke, no man here mighte, he seyde hir thus, and out the lettre plighte, `lo, he that is al hoolly youres free him recomaundeth lowly to your grace, and sent to you this lettre here by me; avyseth you on it, whan ye han space, and of som goodly answere yow purchace; or, helpe me god, so pleynly for to seyne, he may not longe liven for his peyne.' ful dredfully tho gan she stonde stille, and took it nought, but al hir humble chere gan for to chaunge, and seyde, `scrit ne bille, for love of god, that toucheth swich matere, ne bring me noon; and also, uncle dere, to myn estat have more reward, i preye, than to his lust; what sholde i more seye? `and loketh now if this be resonable, and letteth nought, for favour ne for slouthe, to seyn a sooth; now were it covenable to myn estat, by god, and by your trouthe, to taken it, or to han of him routhe, in harming of my-self or in repreve? ber it a-yein, for him that ye on leve!' this pandarus gan on hir for to stare, and seyde, `now is this the grettest wonder that ever i sey! lat be this nyce fare! to deethe mote i smiten be with thonder, if, for the citee which that stondeth yonder, wolde i a lettre un-to yow bringe or take to harm of yow; what list yow thus it make? `but thus ye faren, wel neigh alle and some, that he that most desireth yow to serve, of him ye recche leest wher he bicome, and whether that he live or elles sterve. but for al that that ever i may deserve, refuse it nought,' quod he, and hente hir faste, and in hir bosom the lettre doun he thraste, and seyde hire, `now cast it awey anoon, that folk may seen and gauren on us tweye.' quod she, `i can abyde til they be goon,' and gan to smyle, and seyde hym, `eem, i preye, swich answere as yow list, your-self purveye, for trewely i nil no lettre wryte.' `no? than wol i,' quod he, `so ye endyte.' therwith she lough, and seyde, `go we dyne.' and he gan at him-self to iape faste, and seyde, `nece, i have so greet a pyne for love, that every other day i faste' -- and gan his beste iapes forth to caste; and made hir so to laughe at his folye, that she for laughter wende for to dye. and whan that she was comen in-to halle, `now, eem,' quod she, `we wol go dine anoon;' and gan some of hir women to hir calle, and streyght in-to hir chaumbre gan she goon; but of hir besinesses, this was oon a-monges othere thinges, out of drede, ful prively this lettre for to rede; avysed word by word in every lyne, and fond no lak, she thoughte he coude good; and up it putte, and went hir in to dyne. but pandarus, that in a study stood, er he was war, she took him by the hood, and seyde, `ye were caught er that ye wiste;' `i vouche sauf,' quod he. `do what yow liste.' tho wesshen they, and sette hem doun and ete; and after noon ful sleyly pandarus gan drawe him to the window next the strete, and seyde, `nece, who hath arayed thus the yonder hous, that stant afor-yeyn us?' `which hous?' quod she, and gan for to biholde, and knew it wel, and whos it was him tolde, and fillen forth in speche of thinges smale, and seten in the window bothe tweye. whan pandarus saw tyme un-to his tale, and saw wel that hir folk were alle aweye, `now, nece myn, tel on,' quod he; `i seye, how liketh yow the lettre that ye woot? can he ther-on? for, by my trouthe, i noot.' therwith al rosy hewed tho wex she, and gan to humme, and seyde, `so i trowe.' `aquyte him wel, for goddes love,' quod he; `my-self to medes wol the lettre sowe.' and held his hondes up, and sat on knowe, `now, goode nece, be it never so lyte, yif me the labour, it to sowe and plyte.' `ye, for i can so wryte,' quod she tho; `and eek i noot what i sholde to him seye.' `nay, nece,' quod pandare, `sey nat so; yet at the leste thanketh him, i preye, of his good wil, and doth him not to deye. now for the love of me, my nece dere, refuseth not at this tyme my preyere.' `depar-dieux,' quod she, `god leve al be wel! god help me so, this is the firste lettre that ever i wroot, ye, al or any del.' and in-to a closet, for to avyse hir bettre, she wente allone, and gan hir herte unfettre out of disdaynes prison but a lyte; and sette hir doun, and gan a lettre wryte, of which to telle in short is myn entente theffect, as fer as i can understonde: -- she thonked him of al that he wel mente towardes hir, but holden him in honde she nolde nought, ne make hir-selven bonde in love, but as his suster, him to plese, she wolde fayn to doon his herte an ese. she shette it, and to pandarus in gan goon, there as he sat and loked in-to the strete, and doun she sette hir by him on a stoon of iaspre, up-on a quisshin gold y-bete, and seyde, `as wisly helpe me god the grete, i never dide a thing with more peyne than wryte this, to which ye me constreyne;' and took it him: he thonked hir and seyde, `god woot, of thing ful ofte looth bigonne cometh ende good; and nece myn, criseyde, that ye to him of hard now ben y-wonne oughte he be glad, by god and yonder sonne! for-why men seyth, "impressiounes lighte ful lightly been ay redy to the flighte.' `but ye han pleyed tyraunt neigh to longe, and hard was it your herte for to grave; now stint, that ye no longer on it honge, al wolde ye the forme of daunger save. but hasteth yow to doon him ioye have; for trusteth wel, to longe y-doon hardnesse causeth despyt ful often, for destresse.' and right as they declamed this matere, lo, troilus, right at the stretes ende, com ryding with his tenthe some y-fere, al softely, and thiderward gan bende ther-as they sete, as was his way to wende to paleys-ward; and pandare him aspyde, and seyde, `nece, y-see who cometh here ryde! `o flee not in, he seeth us, i suppose; lest he may thinke that ye him eschuwe.' `nay, nay,' quod she, and wex as reed as rose. with that he gan hir humbly to saluwe with dreedful chere, and oft his hewes muwe; and up his look debonairly he caste, and bekked on pandare, and forth he paste. god woot if he sat on his hors a-right, or goodly was beseyn, that ilke day! god woot wher he was lyk a manly knight! what sholde i drecche, or telle of his aray? criseyde, which that alle these thinges say, to telle in short, hir lyked al y-fere, his persone, his aray, his look, his chere, his goodly manere, and his gentillesse, so wel, that never, sith that she was born, ne hadde she swich routhe of his distresse; and how-so she hath hard ben her-biforn, to god hope i, she hath now caught a thorn, she shal not pulle it out this nexte wyke; god sende mo swich thornes on to pyke! pandare, which that stood hir faste by, felte iren hoot, and he bigan to smyte, and seyde, `nece, i pray yow hertely, tel me that i shal axen yow a lyte: a womman, that were of his deeth to wyte, with-outen his gilt, but for hir lakked routhe, were it wel doon?' quod she, `nay, by my trouthe!' `god help me so,' quod he, `ye sey me sooth. ye felen wel your-self that i not lye; lo, yond he rit!' quod she, `ye, so he dooth!' `wel,' quod pandare, `as i have told yow thrye, lat be youre nyce shame and youre folye, and spek with him in esing of his herte; lat nycetee not do yow bothe smerte.' but ther-on was to heven and to done; considered al thing, it may not be; and why, for shame; and it were eek to sone to graunten him so greet a libertee. `for playnly hir entente,' as seyde she, `was for to love him unwist, if she mighte, and guerdon him with no-thing but with sighte.' but pandarus thoughte, `it shal not be so, if that i may; this nyce opinioun shal not be holden fully yeres two.' what sholde i make of this a long sermoun? he moste assente on that conclusioun, as for the tyme; and whan that it was eve, and al was wel, he roos and took his leve. and on his wey ful faste homward he spedde, and right for ioye he felte his herte daunce; and troilus he fond alone a-bedde, that lay as dooth these loveres, in a traunce, bitwixen hope and derk desesperaunce. but pandarus, right at his in-cominge, he song, as who seyth, `lo! sumwhat i bringe,' and seyde, `who is in his bed so sone y-buried thus?' `it am i, freend,' quod he. `who, troilus? nay, helpe me so the mone,' quod pandarus, `thou shalt aryse and see a charme that was sent right now to thee, the which can helen thee of thyn accesse, if thou do forth-with al thy besinesse.' `ye, through the might of god!' quod troilus. and pandarus gan him the lettre take, and seyde, `pardee, god hath holpen us; have here a light, and loke on al this blake.' but ofte gan the herte glade and quake of troilus, whyl that he gan it rede, so as the wordes yave him hope or drede. but fynally, he took al for the beste that she him wroot, for somwhat he biheld on which, him thoughte, he mighte his herte reste, al covered she the wordes under sheld. thus to the more worthy part he held, that, what for hope and pandarus biheste, his grete wo for-yede he at the leste. but as we may alday our-selven see, through more wode or col, the more fyr; right so encrees hope, of what it be, therwith ful ofte encreseth eek desyr; or, as an ook cometh of a litel spyr, so through this lettre, which that she him sente, encresen gan desyr, of which he brente. wherfore i seye alwey, that day and night this troilus gan to desiren more than he dide erst, thurgh hope, and dide his might to pressen on, as by pandarus lore, and wryten to hir of his sorwes sore fro day to day; he leet it not refreyde, that by pandare he wroot somwhat or seyde; and dide also his othere observaunces that to a lovere longeth in this cas; and, after that these dees turnede on chaunces, so was he outher glad or seyde `allas!' and held after his gestes ay his pas; and aftir swiche answeres as he hadde, so were his dayes sory outher gladde. but to pandare alwey was his recours, and pitously gan ay til him to pleyne, and him bisoughte of rede and som socours; and pandarus, that sey his wode peyne, wex wel neigh deed for routhe, sooth to seyne, and bisily with al his herte caste som of his wo to sleen, and that as faste; and seyde, `lord, and freend, and brother dere, god woot that thy disese dooth me wo. but woltow stinten al this woful chere, and, by my trouthe, or it be dayes two, and god to-forn, yet shal i shape it so, that thou shalt come in-to a certayn place, ther-as thou mayst thy-self hir preye of grace. `and certainly, i noot if thou it wost, but tho that been expert in love it seye, it is oon of the thinges that furthereth most, a man to have a leyser for to preye, and siker place his wo for to biwreye; for in good herte it moot som routhe impresse, to here and see the giltles in distresse. `paraunter thenkestow: though it be so that kinde wolde doon hir to biginne to han a maner routhe up-on my wo, seyth daunger, "nay, thou shalt me never winne; so reuleth hir hir hertes goost with-inne, that, though she bende, yet she stant on rote; what in effect is this un-to my bote?" `thenk here-ayeins, whan that the sturdy ook, on which men hakketh ofte, for the nones, receyved hath the happy falling strook, the grete sweigh doth it come al at ones, as doon these rokkes or these milne-stones. for swifter cours cometh thing that is of wighte, whan it descendeth, than don thinges lighte. `and reed that boweth doun for every blast, ful lightly, cesse wind, it wol aryse; but so nil not an ook whan it is cast; it nedeth me nought thee longe to forbyse. men shal reioysen of a greet empryse acheved wel, and stant with-outen doute, al han men been the lenger ther-aboute. `but, troilus, yet tel me, if thee lest, a thing now which that i shal axen thee; which is thy brother that thou lovest best as in thy verray hertes privetee?' `y-wis, my brother deiphebus,' quod he. `now,' quod pandare, `er houres twyes twelve, he shal thee ese, unwist of it him-selve. `now lat me allone, and werken as i may,' quod he; and to deiphebus wente he tho which hadde his lord and grete freend ben ay; save troilus, no man he lovede so. to telle in short, with-outen wordes mo, quod pandarus, `i pray yow that ye be freend to a cause which that toucheth me.' `yis, pardee,' quod deiphebus, `wel thow wost, in al that ever i may, and god to-fore, al nere it but for man i love most, my brother troilus; but sey wherfore it is; for sith that day that i was bore, i nas, ne never-mo to been i thinke, ayeins a thing that mighte thee for-thinke.' pandare gan him thonke, and to him seyde, `lo, sire, i have a lady in this toun, that is my nece, and called is criseyde, which some men wolden doon oppressioun, and wrongfully have hir possessioun: wherfor i of your lordship yow biseche to been our freend, with-oute more speche.' deiphebus him answerde, `o, is not this, that thow spekest of to me thus straungely, criseyda, my freend?' he seyde, `yis.' `than nedeth,' quod deiphebus, `hardely, na-more to speke, for trusteth wel, that i wol be hir champioun with spore and yerde; i roughte nought though alle hir foos it herde. `but tel me how, thou that woost al this matere, how i might best avaylen? now lat see.' quod pandarus; `if ye, my lord so dere, wolden as now don this honour to me, to preyen hir to-morwe, lo, that she come un-to yow hir pleyntes to devyse, hir adversaries wolde of it agryse. `and if i more dorste preye as now, and chargen yow to have so greet travayle, to han som of your bretheren here with yow, that mighten to hir cause bet avayle, than, woot i wel, she mighte never fayle for to be holpen, what at your instaunce, what with hir othere freendes governaunce.' deiphebus, which that comen was, of kinde, to al honour and bountee to consente, answerde, `it shal be doon; and i can finde yet gretter help to this in myn entente. what wolt thow seyn, if i for eleyne sente to speke of this? i trowe it be the beste; for she may leden paris as hir leste. `of ector, which that is my lord, my brother, it nedeth nought to preye him freend to be; for i have herd him, o tyme and eek other, speke of criseyde swich honour, that he may seyn no bet, swich hap to him hath she. it nedeth nought his helpes for to crave; he shal be swich, right as we wole him have. `spek thou thy-self also to troilus on my bihalve, and pray him with us dyne.' `sire, al this shal be doon,' quod pandarus; and took his leve, and never gan to fyne, but to his neces hous, as streyt as lyne, he com; and fond hir fro the mete aryse; and sette him doun, and spak right in this wyse. he seyde, `o veray god, so have i ronne! lo, nece myn, see ye nought how i swete? i noot whether ye the more thank me conne. be ye nought war how that fals poliphete is now aboute eft-sones for to plete, and bringe on yow advocacyes newe?' `i? no,' quod she, and chaunged al hir hewe. `what is he more aboute, me to drecche and doon me wrong? what shal i do, allas? yet of him-self no-thing ne wolde i recche, nere it for antenor and eneas, that been his freendes in swich maner cas; but, for the love of god, myn uncle dere, no fors of that; lat him have al y-fere; `with-outen that i have ynough for us.' `nay,' quod pandare, `it shal no-thing be so. for i have been right now at deiphebus, and ector, and myne othere lordes mo, and shortly maked eche of hem his fo; that, by my thrift, he shal it never winne for ought he can, whan that so he biginne.' and as they casten what was best to done, deiphebus, of his owene curtasye, com hir to preye, in his propre persone, to holde him on the morwe companye at diner, which she nolde not denye, but goodly gan to his preyere obeye. he thonked hir, and wente up-on his weye. whanne this was doon, this pandare up a-noon, to telle in short, and forth gan for to wende to troilus, as stille as any stoon; and al this thing he tolde him, word and ende; and how that he deiphebus gan to blende; and seyde him, `now is tyme, if that thou conne, to bere thee wel to-morwe, and al is wonne. `now spek, now prey, now pitously compleyne; lat not for nyce shame, or drede, or slouthe; som-tyme a man mot telle his owene peyne; bileve it, and she shal han on thee routhe; thou shalt be saved by thy feyth, in trouthe. but wel wot i, thou art now in a drede; and what it is, i leye, i can arede. `thow thinkest now, "how sholde i doon al this? for by my cheres mosten folk aspye, that for hir love is that i fare a-mis; yet hadde i lever unwist for sorwe dye." now thenk not so, for thou dost greet folye. for i right now have founden o manere of sleighte, for to coveren al thy chere. `thow shalt gon over night, and that as blyve, un-to deiphebus hous, as thee to pleye, thy maladye a-wey the bet to dryve, for-why thou semest syk, soth for to seye. sone after that, doun in thy bed thee leye, and sey, thow mayst no lenger up endure, and ly right there, and byde thyn aventure. `sey that thy fever is wont thee for to take the same tyme, and lasten til a-morwe; and lat see now how wel thou canst it make, for, par-dee, syk is he that is in sorwe. go now, farwel! and, venus here to borwe, i hope, and thou this purpos holde ferme, thy grace she shal fully ther conferme.' quod troilus, `y-wis, thou nedelees conseylest me, that sykliche i me feyne, for i am syk in ernest, doutelees, so that wel neigh i sterve for the peyne.' quod pandarus, `thou shalt the bettre pleyne, and hast the lasse need to countrefete; for him men demen hoot that men seen swete. `lo, holde thee at thy triste cloos, and i shal wel the deer un-to thy bowe dryve.' therwith he took his leve al softely, and troilus to paleys wente blyve. so glad ne was he never in al his lyve; and to pandarus reed gan al assente, and to deiphebus hous at night he wente. what nedeth yow to tellen al the chere that deiphebus un-to his brother made, or his accesse, or his siklych manere, how men gan him with clothes for to lade, whan he was leyd, and how men wolde him glade? but al for nought; he held forth ay the wyse that ye han herd pandare er this devyse. but certeyn is, er troilus him leyde, deiphebus had him prayed, over night, to been a freend and helping to criseyde. god woot, that he it grauntede anon-right, to been hir fulle freend with al his might. but swich a nede was to preye him thenne, as for to bidde a wood man for to renne. the morwen com, and neighen gan the tyme of meel-tyd, that the faire quene eleyne shoop hir to been, an houre after the pryme, with deiphebus, to whom she nolde feyne; but as his suster, hoomly, sooth to seyne, she com to diner in hir playn entente. but god and pandare wiste al what this mente. com eek criseyde, al innocent of this, antigone, hir sister tarbe also; but flee we now prolixitee best is, for love of god, and lat us faste go right to the effect, with-oute tales mo, why al this folk assembled in this place; and lat us of hir saluinges pace. gret honour dide hem deiphebus, certeyn, and fedde hem wel with al that mighte lyke. but ever-more, `allas!' was his refreyn, `my goode brother troilus, the syke, lyth yet"--and therwith-al he gan to syke; and after that, he peyned him to glade hem as he mighte, and chere good he made. compleyned eek eleyne of his syknesse so feithfully, that pitee was to here, and every wight gan waxen for accesse a leche anoon, and seyde, `in this manere men curen folk; this charme i wol yow lere.' but ther sat oon, al list hir nought to teche, that thoughte, best coude i yet been his leche. after compleynt, him gonnen they to preyse, as folk don yet, whan som wight hath bigonne to preyse a man, and up with prys him reyse a thousand fold yet hyer than the sonne: -- `he is, he can, that fewe lordes conne.' and pandarus, of that they wolde afferme, he not for-gat hir preysing to conferme. herde al this thing criseyde wel y-nough, and every word gan for to notifye; for which with sobre chere hir herte lough; for who is that ne wolde hir glorifye, to mowen swich a knight don live or dye? but al passe i, lest ye to longe dwelle; for for o fyn is al that ever i telle. the tyme com, fro diner for to ryse, and, as hem oughte, arisen everychoon, and gonne a while of this and that devyse. but pandarus brak al this speche anoon, and seyde to deiphebus, `wole ye goon, if youre wille be, as i yow preyde, to speke here of the nedes of criseyde?' eleyne, which that by the hond hir held, took first the tale, and seyde, `go we blyve;' and goodly on criseyde she biheld, and seyde, `ioves lat him never thryve, that dooth yow harm, and bringe him sone of lyve! and yeve me sorwe, but he shal it rewe, if that i may, and alle folk be trewe.' `tel thou thy neces cas,' quod deiphebus to pandarus, `for thou canst best it telle.' -- `my lordes and my ladyes, it stant thus; what sholde i lenger,' quod he, `do yow dwelle?' he rong hem out a proces lyk a belle, up-on hir fo, that highte poliphete, so heynous, that men mighte on it spete. answerde of this ech worse of hem than other, and poliphete they gonnen thus to warien, `an-honged be swich oon, were he my brother; and so he shal, for it ne may not varien.' what sholde i lenger in this tale tarien? pleynly, alle at ones, they hir highten to been hir helpe in al that ever they mighten. spak than eleyne, and seyde, `pandarus, woot ought my lord, my brother, this matere, i mene, ector? or woot it troilus?' he seyde, `ye, but wole ye now me here? me thinketh this, sith troilus is here, it were good, if that ye wolde assente, she tolde hir-self him al this, er she wente. `for he wole have the more hir grief at herte, by cause, lo, that she a lady is; and, by your leve, i wol but right in sterte, and do yow wite, and that anoon, y-wis, if that he slepe, or wole ought here of this.' and in he lepte, and seyde him in his ere, `god have thy soule, y-brought have i thy bere!' to smylen of this gan tho troilus, and pandarus, with-oute rekeninge, out wente anoon to eleyne and deiphebus, and seyde hem, `so there be no taryinge, ne more pres, he wol wel that ye bringe criseyda, my lady, that is here; and as he may enduren, he wole here. `but wel ye woot, the chaumbre is but lyte, and fewe folk may lightly make it warm; now loketh ye, (for i wol have no wyte, to bringe in prees that mighte doon him harm or him disesen, for my bettre arm), wher it be bet she byde til eft-sones; now loketh ye, that knowen what to doon is. `i sey for me, best is, as i can knowe, that no wight in ne wente but ye tweye, but it were i, for i can, in a throwe, reherce hir cas unlyk that she can seye; and after this, she may him ones preye to ben good lord, in short, and take hir leve; this may not muchel of his ese him reve. `and eek, for she is straunge, he wol forbere his ese, which that him thar nought for yow; eek other thing that toucheth not to here, he wol me telle, i woot it wel right now, that secret is, and for the tounes prow.' and they, that no-thing knewe of his entente, with-oute more, to troilus in they wente. eleyne, in al hir goodly softe wyse, gan him saluwe, and womanly to pleye, and seyde, `ywis, ye moste alweyes aryse! now fayre brother, beth al hool, i preye!' and gan hir arm right over his sholder leye, and him with al hir wit to recomforte; as she best coude, she gan him to disporte. so after this quod she, `we yow biseke, my dere brother, deiphebus and i, for love of god, and so doth pandare eke, to been good lord and freend, right hertely, un-to criseyde, which that certeinly receyveth wrong, as woot wel here pandare, that can hir cas wel bet than i declare.' this pandarus gan newe his tunge affyle, and al hir cas reherce, and that anoon; whan it was seyd, sone after, in a whyle, quod troilus, `as sone as i may goon, i wol right fayn with al my might ben oon, have god my trouthe, hir cause to sustene.' `good thrift have ye,' quod eleyne the quene. quod pandarus, `and it your wille be that she may take hir leve, er that she go?' `o, elles god for-bede,' tho quod he, `if that she vouche sauf for to do so.' and with that word quod troilus, `ye two, deiphebus, and my suster leef and dere, to yow have i to speke of o matere, `to been avysed by your reed the bettre': -- and fond, as hap was, at his beddes heed, the copie of a tretis and a lettre, that ector hadde him sent to axen reed, if swich a man was worthy to ben deed, woot i nought who; but in a grisly wyse he preyede hem anoon on it avyse. deiphebus gan this lettre to unfolde in ernest greet; so did eleyne the quene; and rominge outward, fast it gan biholde, downward a steyre, in-to an herber grene. this ilke thing they redden hem bi-twene; and largely, the mountaunce of an houre, thei gonne on it to reden and to poure. now lat hem rede, and turne we anoon to pandarus, that gan ful faste prye that al was wel, and out he gan to goon in-to the grete chambre, and that in hye, and seyde, `god save al this companye! com, nece myn; my lady quene eleyne abydeth yow, and eek my lordes tweyne. `rys, take with yow your nece antigone, or whom yow list, or no fors, hardily; the lesse prees, the bet; com forth with me, and loke that ye thonke humblely hem alle three, and, whan ye may goodly your tyme y-see, taketh of hem your leve, lest we to longe his restes him bireve.' al innocent of pandarus entente, quod tho criseyde, `go we, uncle dere'; and arm in arm inward with him she wente, avysed wel hir wordes and hir chere; and pandarus, in ernestful manere, seyde, `alle folk, for goddes love, i preye, stinteth right here, and softely yow pleye. `aviseth yow what folk ben here with-inne, and in what plyt oon is, god him amende! and inward thus ful softely biginne; nece, i conjure and heighly yow defende, on his half, which that sowle us alle sende, and in the vertue of corounes tweyne, slee nought this man, that hath for yow this peyne! `fy on the devel! thenk which oon he is, and in what plyt he lyth; com of anoon; thenk al swich taried tyd, but lost it nis! that wol ye bothe seyn, whan ye ben oon. secoundelich, ther yet devyneth noon up-on yow two; come of now, if ye conne; whyl folk is blent, lo, al the tyme is wonne! `in titering, and pursuite, and delayes, the folk devyne at wagginge of a stree; and though ye wolde han after merye dayes, than dar ye nought, and why? for she, and she spak swich a word; thus loked he, and he; lest tyme i loste, i dar not with yow dele; com of therfore, and bringeth him to hele.' but now to yow, ye lovers that ben here, was troilus nought in a cankedort, that lay, and mighte whispringe of hem here, and thoughte, `o lord, right now renneth my sort fully to dye, or han anoon comfort'; and was the firste tyme he shulde hir preye of love; o mighty god, what shal he seye? explicit secundus liber. book iii. incipit prohemium tercii libri. o blisful light of whiche the bemes clere adorneth al the thridde hevene faire! o sonnes lief, o ioves doughter dere, plesaunce of love, o goodly debonaire, in gentil hertes ay redy to repaire! o verray cause of hele and of gladnesse, y-heried be thy might and thy goodnesse! in hevene and helle, in erthe and salte see is felt thy might, if that i wel descerne; as man, brid, best, fish, herbe and grene tree thee fele in tymes with vapour eterne. god loveth, and to love wol nought werne; and in this world no lyves creature, with-outen love, is worth, or may endure. ye ioves first to thilke effectes glade, thorugh which that thinges liven alle and be, comeveden, and amorous him made on mortal thing, and as yow list, ay ye yeve him in love ese or adversitee; and in a thousand formes doun him sente for love in erthe, and whom yow liste, he hente. ye fierse mars apeysen of his ire, and, as yow list, ye maken hertes digne; algates, hem that ye wol sette a-fyre, they dreden shame, and vices they resigne; ye do hem corteys be, fresshe and benigne, and hye or lowe, after a wight entendeth; the ioyes that he hath, your might him sendeth. ye holden regne and hous in unitee; ye soothfast cause of frendship been also; ye knowe al thilke covered qualitee of thinges which that folk on wondren so, whan they can not construe how it may io, she loveth him, or why he loveth here; as why this fish, and nought that, comth to were. ye folk a lawe han set in universe, and this knowe i by hem that loveres be, that who-so stryveth with yow hath the werse: now, lady bright, for thy benignitee, at reverence of hem that serven thee, whos clerk i am, so techeth me devyse som ioye of that is felt in thy servyse. ye in my naked herte sentement inhelde, and do me shewe of thy swetnesse. -- caliope, thy vois be now present, for now is nede; sestow not my destresse, how i mot telle anon-right the gladnesse of troilus, to venus heryinge? to which gladnes, who nede hath, god him bringe! explicit prohemium tercii libri. incipit liber tercius. lay al this mene whyle troilus, recordinge his lessoun in this manere, `ma fey!' thought he, `thus wole i seye and thus; thus wole i pleyne unto my lady dere; that word is good, and this shal be my chere; this nil i not foryeten in no wyse.' god leve him werken as he can devyse! and, lord, so that his herte gan to quappe, heringe hir come, and shorte for to syke! and pandarus, that ledde hir by the lappe, com ner, and gan in at the curtin pyke, and seyde, `god do bote on alle syke! see, who is here yow comen to visyte; lo, here is she that is your deeth to wyte.' ther-with it semed as he wepte almost; `a ha,' quod troilus so rewfully, `wher me be wo, o mighty god, thow wost! who is al there? i se nought trewely.' `sire,' quod criseyde, `it is pandare and i.' `ye, swete herte? allas, i may nought ryse to knele, and do yow honour in som wyse.' and dressede him upward, and she right tho gan bothe here hondes softe upon him leye, `o, for the love of god, do ye not so to me,' quod she, `ey! what is this to seye? sire, come am i to yow for causes tweye; first, yow to thonke, and of your lordshipe eke continuance i wolde yow biseke.' this troilus, that herde his lady preye of lordship him, wex neither quik ne deed, ne mighte a word for shame to it seye, al-though men sholde smyten of his heed. but lord, so he wex sodeinliche reed, and sire, his lesson, that he wende conne, to preyen hir, is thurgh his wit y-ronne. cryseyde al this aspyede wel y-nough, for she was wys, and lovede him never-the-lasse, al nere he malapert, or made it tough, or was to bold, to singe a fool a masse. but whan his shame gan somwhat to passe, his resons, as i may my rymes holde, i yow wole telle, as techen bokes olde. in chaunged vois, right for his verray drede, which vois eek quook, and ther-to his manere goodly abayst, and now his hewes rede, now pale, un-to criseyde, his lady dere, with look doun cast and humble yolden chere, lo, the alderfirste word that him asterte was, twyes, `mercy, mercy, swete herte!' and stinte a whyl, and whan he mighte out-bringe, the nexte word was, `god wot, for i have, as feyfully as i have had konninge, ben youres, also god so my sowle save; and shal til that i, woful wight, be grave. and though i dar ne can un-to yow pleyne, y-wis, i suffre nought the lasse peyne. `thus muche as now, o wommanliche wyf, i may out-bringe, and if this yow displese, that shal i wreke upon myn owne lyf right sone, i trowe, and doon your herte an ese, if with my deeth your herte i may apese. but sin that ye han herd me som-what seye, now recche i never how sone that i deye.' ther-with his manly sorwe to biholde, it mighte han maad an herte of stoon to rewe; and pandare weep as he to watre wolde, and poked ever his nece newe and newe, and seyde, `wo bigon ben hertes trewe! for love of god, make of this thing an ende, or slee us bothe at ones, er that ye wende.' `i? what?' quod she, `by god and by my trouthe, i noot nought what ye wilne that i seye.' `i? what?' quod he, `that ye han on him routhe, for goddes love, and doth him nought to deye.' `now thanne thus,' quod she, `i wolde him preye to telle me the fyn of his entente; yet wist i never wel what that he mente.' `what that i mene, o swete herte dere?' quod troilus, `o goodly, fresshe free! that, with the stremes of your eyen clere, ye wolde som-tyme freendly on me see, and thanne agreen that i may ben he, with-oute braunche of vyce on any wyse, in trouthe alwey to doon yow my servyse, `as to my lady right and chief resort, with al my wit and al my diligence, and i to han, right as yow list, comfort, under your yerde, egal to myn offence, as deeth, if that i breke your defence; and that ye deigne me so muche honoure, me to comaunden ought in any houre. `and i to ben your verray humble trewe, secret, and in my paynes pacient, and ever-mo desire freshly newe, to serven, and been y-lyke ay diligent, and, with good herte, al holly your talent receyven wel, how sore that me smerte, lo, this mene i, myn owene swete herte.' quod pandarus, `lo, here an hard request, and resonable, a lady for to werne! now, nece myn, by natal ioves fest, were i a god, ye sholde sterve as yerne, that heren wel, this man wol no-thing yerne but your honour, and seen him almost sterve, and been so looth to suffren him yow serve.' with that she gan hir eyen on him caste ful esily, and ful debonairly, avysing hir, and hyed not to faste with never a word, but seyde him softely, `myn honour sauf, i wol wel trewely, and in swich forme as he can now devyse, receyven him fully to my servyse, `biseching him, for goddes love, that he wolde, in honour of trouthe and gentilesse, as i wel mene, eek mene wel to me, and myn honour, with wit and besinesse ay kepe; and if i may don him gladnesse, from hennes-forth, y-wis, i nil not feyne: now beeth al hool; no lenger ye ne pleyne. `but nathelees, this warne i yow,' quod she, `a kinges sone al-though ye be, y-wis, ye shal na-more have soverainetee of me in love, than right in that cas is; ne i nil forbere, if that ye doon a-mis, to wrathen yow; and whyl that ye me serve, cherycen yow right after ye deserve. `and shortly, dere herte and al my knight, beth glad, and draweth yow to lustinesse, and i shal trewely, with al my might, your bittre tornen al in-to swetenesse. if i be she that may yow do gladnesse, for every wo ye shal recovere a blisse'; and him in armes took, and gan him kisse. fil pandarus on knees, and up his eyen to hevene threw, and held his hondes hye, `immortal god!' quod he, `that mayst nought dyen, cupide i mene, of this mayst glorifye; and venus, thou mayst maken melodye; with-outen hond, me semeth that in the towne, for this merveyle, i here ech belle sowne. `but ho! no more as now of this matere, for-why this folk wol comen up anoon, that han the lettre red; lo, i hem here. but i coniure thee, criseyde, and oon, and two, thou troilus, whan thow mayst goon, that at myn hous ye been at my warninge, for i ful wel shal shape youre cominge; `and eseth ther your hertes right y-nough; and lat see which of yow shal bere the belle to speke of love a-right!' ther-with he lough, `for ther have ye a layser for to telle.' quod troilus, `how longe shal i dwelle er this be doon?' quod he, `whan thou mayst ryse, this thing shal be right as i yow devyse.' with that eleyne and also deiphebus tho comen upward, right at the steyres ende; and lord, so than gan grone troilus, his brother and his suster for to blende. quod pandarus, `it tyme is that we wende; tak, nece myn, your leve at alle three, and lat hem speke, and cometh forth with me.' she took hir leve at hem ful thriftily, as she wel coude, and they hir reverence un-to the fulle diden hardely, and speken wonder wel, in hir absence, of hir, in preysing of hir excellence, hir governaunce, hir wit; and hir manere commendeden, it ioye was to here. now lat hir wende un-to hir owne place, and torne we to troilus a-yein, that gan ful lightly of the lettre passe that deiphebus hadde in the gardin seyn. and of eleyne and him he wolde fayn delivered been, and seyde that him leste to slepe, and after tales have reste. eleyne him kiste, and took hir leve blyve, deiphebus eek, and hoom wente every wight; and pandarus, as faste as he may dryve, to troilus tho com, as lyne right; and on a paillet, al that glade night, by troilus he lay, with mery chere, to tale; and wel was hem they were y-fere. whan every wight was voided but they two, and alle the dores were faste y-shette, to telle in short, with-oute wordes mo, this pandarus, with-outen any lette, up roos, and on his beddes syde him sette, and gan to speken in a sobre wyse to troilus, as i shal yow devyse: `myn alderlevest lord, and brother dere, god woot, and thou, that it sat me so sore, when i thee saw so languisshing to-yere, for love, of which thy wo wex alwey more; that i, with al my might and al my lore, have ever sithen doon my bisinesse to bringe thee to ioye out of distresse, `and have it brought to swich plyt as thou wost, so that, thorugh me, thow stondest now in weye to fare wel, i seye it for no bost, and wostow which? for shame it is to seye, for thee have i bigonne a gamen pleye which that i never doon shal eft for other, al-though he were a thousand fold my brother. `that is to seye, for thee am i bicomen, bitwixen game and ernest, swich a mene as maken wommen un-to men to comen; al sey i nought, thou wost wel what i mene. for thee have i my nece, of vyces clene, so fully maad thy gentilesse triste, that al shal been right as thy-selve liste. `but god, that al wot, take i to witnesse, that never i this for coveityse wroughte, but only for to abregge that distresse, for which wel nygh thou deydest, as me thoughte. but, gode brother, do now as thee oughte, for goddes love, and kep hir out of blame, sin thou art wys, and save alwey hir name. `for wel thou wost, the name as yet of here among the peple, as who seyth, halwed is; for that man is unbore, i dar wel swere, that ever wiste that she dide amis. but wo is me, that i, that cause al this, may thenken that she is my nece dere, and i hir eem, and trattor eek y-fere! `and were it wist that i, through myn engyn, hadde in my nece y-put this fantasye, to do thy lust, and hoolly to be thyn, why, al the world up-on it wolde crye, and seye, that i the worste trecherye dide in this cas, that ever was bigonne, and she for-lost, and thou right nought y-wonne. `wher-fore, er i wol ferther goon a pas, yet eft i thee biseche and fully seye, that privetee go with us in this cas; that is to seye, that thou us never wreye; and be nought wrooth, though i thee ofte preye to holden secree swich an heigh matere; for skilful is, thow wost wel, my preyere. `and thenk what wo ther hath bitid er this, for makinge of avantes, as men rede; and what mischaunce in this world yet ther is, fro day to day, right for that wikked dede; for which these wyse clerkes that ben dede han ever yet proverbed to us yonge, that "firste vertu is to kepe tonge." `and, nere it that i wilne as now tabregge diffusioun of speche, i coude almost a thousand olde stories thee alegge of wommen lost, thorugh fals and foles bost; proverbes canst thy-self y-nowe, and wost, ayeins that vyce, for to been a labbe, al seyde men sooth as often as they gabbe. `o tonge, allas! so often here-biforn hastow made many a lady bright of hewe seyd, "welawey! the day that i was born!" and many a maydes sorwes for to newe; and, for the more part, al is untrewe that men of yelpe, and it were brought to preve; of kinde non avauntour is to leve. `avauntour and a lyere, al is on; as thus: i pose, a womman graunte me hir love, and seyth that other wol she non, and i am sworn to holden it secree, and after i go telle it two or three; y-wis, i am avauntour at the leste, and lyere, for i breke my biheste. `now loke thanne, if they be nought to blame, swich maner folk; what shal i clepe hem, what, that hem avaunte of wommen, and by name, that never yet bihighte hem this ne that, ne knewe hem more than myn olde hat? no wonder is, so god me sende hele, though wommen drede with us men to dele. `i sey not this for no mistrust of yow, ne for no wys man, but for foles nyce, and for the harm that in the world is now, as wel for foly ofte as for malyce; for wel wot i, in wyse folk, that vyce no womman drat, if she be wel avysed; for wyse ben by foles harm chastysed. `but now to purpos; leve brother dere, have al this thing that i have seyd in minde, and keep thee clos, and be now of good chere, for at thy day thou shalt me trewe finde. i shal thy proces sette in swich a kinde, and god to-forn, that it shall thee suffyse, for it shal been right as thou wolt devyse. `for wel i woot, thou menest wel, parde; therfore i dar this fully undertake. thou wost eek what thy lady graunted thee, and day is set, the chartres up to make. have now good night, i may no lenger wake; and bid for me, sin thou art now in blisse, that god me sende deeth or sone lisse.' who mighte telle half the ioye or feste which that the sowle of troilus tho felte, heringe theffect of pandarus biheste? his olde wo, that made his herte swelte, gan tho for ioye wasten and to-melte, and al the richesse of his sykes sore at ones fledde, he felte of hem no more. but right so as these holtes and these hayes, that han in winter dede been and dreye, revesten hem in grene, whan that may is, whan every lusty lyketh best to pleye; right in that selve wyse, sooth to seye, wax sodeynliche his herte ful of ioye, that gladder was ther never man in troye. and gan his look on pandarus up caste ful sobrely, and frendly for to see, and seyde, `freend, in aprille the laste, as wel thou wost, if it remembre thee, how neigh the deeth for wo thou founde me; and how thou didest al thy bisinesse to knowe of me the cause of my distresse. `thou wost how longe i it for-bar to seye to thee, that art the man that i best triste; and peril was it noon to thee by-wreye, that wiste i wel; but tel me, if thee liste, sith i so looth was that thy-self it wiste, how dorst i mo tellen of this matere, that quake now, and no wight may us here? `but natheles, by that god i thee swere, that, as him list, may al this world governe, and, if i lye, achilles with his spere myn herte cleve, al were my lyf eterne, as i am mortal, if i late or yerne wolde it biwreye, or dorste, or sholde conne, for al the good that god made under sonne; `that rather deye i wolde, and determyne, as thinketh me, now stokked in presoun, in wrecchednesse, in filthe, and in vermyne, caytif to cruel king agamenoun; and this, in alle the temples of this toun upon the goddes alle, i wol thee swere, to-morwe day, if that thee lyketh here. `and that thou hast so muche y-doon for me, that i ne may it never-more deserve, this knowe i wel, al mighte i now for thee a thousand tymes on a morwen sterve. i can no more, but that i wol thee serve right as thy sclave, whider-so thou wende, for ever-more, un-to my lyves ende! `but here, with al myn herte, i thee biseche, that never in me thou deme swich folye as i shal seyn; me thoughte, by thy speche, that this, which thou me dost for companye, i sholde wene it were a bauderye; i am nought wood, al-if i lewed be; it is not so, that woot i wel, pardee. `but he that goth, for gold or for richesse, on swich message, calle him what thee list; and this that thou dost, calle it gentilesse, compassioun, and felawship, and trist; departe it so, for wyde-where is wist how that there is dyversitee requered bitwixen thinges lyke, as i have lered. `and, that thou knowe i thenke nought ne wene that this servyse a shame be or iape, i have my faire suster polixene, cassandre, eleyne, or any of the frape; be she never so faire or wel y-shape, tel me, which thou wilt of everichone, to han for thyn, and lat me thanne allone. `but, sith that thou hast don me this servyse my lyf to save, and for noon hope of mede, so, for the love of god, this grete empryse performe it out; for now is moste nede. for high and low, with-outen any drede, i wol alwey thyne hestes alle kepe; have now good night, and lat us bothe slepe.' thus held him ech of other wel apayed, that al the world ne mighte it bet amende; and, on the morwe, whan they were arayed, ech to his owene nedes gan entende. but troilus, though as the fyr he brende for sharp desyr of hope and of plesaunce, he not for-gat his gode governaunce. but in him-self with manhod gan restreyne ech rakel dede and ech unbrydled chere, that alle tho that liven, sooth to seyne, ne sholde han wist, by word or by manere, what that he mente, as touching this matere. from every wight as fer as is the cloude he was, so wel dissimulen he coude. and al the whyl which that i yow devyse, this was his lyf; with al his fulle might, by day he was in martes high servyse, this is to seyn, in armes as a knight; and for the more part, the longe night he lay, and thoughte how that he mighte serve his lady best, hir thank for to deserve. nil i nought swere, al-though he lay softe, that in his thought he nas sumwhat disesed, ne that he tornede on his pilwes ofte, and wolde of that him missed han ben sesed; but in swich cas men is nought alwey plesed, for ought i wot, no more than was he; that can i deme of possibilitee. but certeyn is, to purpos for to go, that in this whyle, as writen is in geste, he say his lady som-tyme; and also she with him spak, whan that she dorste or leste, and by hir bothe avys, as was the beste, apoynteden ful warly in this nede, so as they dorste, how they wolde procede. but it was spoken in so short a wyse, in swich awayt alwey, and in swich fere, lest any wyght devynen or devyse wolde of hem two, or to it leye an ere, that al this world so leef to hem ne were as that cupido wolde hem grace sende to maken of hir speche aright an ende. but thilke litel that they spake or wroughte, his wyse goost took ay of al swich hede, it semed hir, he wiste what she thoughte with-outen word, so that it was no nede to bidde him ought to done, or ought for-bede; for which she thought that love, al come it late, of alle ioye hadde opned hir the yate. and shortly of this proces for to pace, so wel his werk and wordes he bisette, that he so ful stood in his lady grace, that twenty thousand tymes, or she lette, she thonked god she ever with him mette; so coude he him governe in swich servyse, that al the world ne might it bet devyse. for-why she fond him so discreet in al, so secret, and of swich obeisaunce, that wel she felte he was to hir a wal of steel, and sheld from every displesaunce; that, to ben in his gode governaunce, so wys he was, she was no more afered, i mene, as fer as oughte ben requered. and pandarus, to quike alwey the fyr, was evere y-lyke prest and diligent; to ese his frend was set al his desyr. he shof ay on, he to and fro was sent; he lettres bar whan troilus was absent. that never man, as in his freendes nede, ne bar him bet than he, with-outen drede. but now, paraunter, som man wayten wolde that every word, or sonde, or look, or chere of troilus that i rehersen sholde, in al this whyle un-to his lady dere; i trowe it were a long thing for to here; or of what wight that stant in swich disioynte, his wordes alle, or every look, to poynte. for sothe, i have not herd it doon er this, in storye noon, ne no man here, i wene; and though i wolde i coude not, y-wis; for ther was som epistel hem bitwene, that wolde, as seyth myn auctor, wel contene neigh half this book, of which him list not wryte; how sholde i thanne a lyne of it endyte? but to the grete effect: than sey i thus, that stonding in concord and in quiete, thise ilke two, criseyde and troilus, as i have told, and in this tyme swete, save only often mighte they not mete, ne layser have hir speches to fulfelle, that it befel right as i shal yow telle. that pandarus, that ever dide his might right for the fyn that i shal speke of here, as for to bringe to his hous som night his faire nece, and troilus y-fere, wher-as at leyser al this heigh matere, touching hir love, were at the fulle up-bounde, hadde out of doute a tyme to it founde. for he with greet deliberacioun hadde every thing that her-to mighte avayle forn-cast, and put in execucioun. and neither laft, for cost ne for travayle; come if hem list, hem sholde no-thing fayle; and for to been in ought espyed there, that, wiste he wel, an inpossible were. dredelees, it cleer was in the wind of every pye and every lette-game; now al is wel, for al the world is blind in this matere, bothe fremed and tame. this timbur is al redy up to frame; us lakketh nought but that we witen wolde a certein houre, in which she comen sholde. and troilus, that al this purveyaunce knew at the fulle, and waytede on it ay, hadde here-up-on eek made gret ordenaunce, and founde his cause, and ther-to his aray, if that he were missed, night or day, ther-whyle he was aboute this servyse, that he was goon to doon his sacrifyse, and moste at swich a temple alone wake, answered of appollo for to be; and first to seen the holy laurer quake, er that apollo spak out of the tree, to telle him next whan grekes sholden flee, and forthy lette him no man, god forbede, but preye apollo helpen in this nede. now is ther litel more for to doone, but pandare up, and shortly for to seyne, right sone upon the chaunging of the mone, whan lightles is the world a night or tweyne, and that the welken shoop him for to reyne, he streight a-morwe un-to his nece wente; ye han wel herd the fyn of his entente. whan he was come, he gan anoon to pleye as he was wont, and of him-self to iape; and fynally, he swor and gan hir seye, by this and that, she sholde him not escape, ne lengere doon him after hir to gape; but certeynly she moste, by hir leve, come soupen in his hous with him at eve. at whiche she lough, and gan hir faste excuse, and seyde, `it rayneth; lo, how sholde i goon?' `lat be,' quod he, `ne stond not thus to muse; this moot be doon, ye shal be ther anoon.' so at the laste her-of they felle at oon, or elles, softe he swor hir in hir ere, he nolde never come ther she were. sone after this, to him she gan to rowne, and asked him if troilus were there? he swor hir, `nay, for he was out of towne,' and seyde, `nece, i pose that he were, yow thurfte never have the more fere. for rather than men mighte him ther aspye, me were lever a thousand-fold to dye.' nought list myn auctor fully to declare what that she thoughte whan he seyde so, that troilus was out of town y-fare, as if he seyde ther-of sooth or no; but that, with-outen awayt, with him to go, she graunted him, sith he hir that bisoughte and, as his nece, obeyed as hir oughte. but nathelees, yet gan she him biseche, al-though with him to goon it was no fere, for to be war of goosish peples speche, that dremen thinges whiche that never were, and wel avyse him whom he broughte there; and seyde him, `eem, sin i mot on yow triste, loke al be wel, and do now as yow liste.' he swor hire, `yis, by stokkes and by stones, and by the goddes that in hevene dwelle, or elles were him levere, soule and bones, with pluto king as depe been in helle as tantalus!' what sholde i more telle? whan al was wel, he roos and took his leve, and she to souper com, whan it was eve, with a certayn of hir owene men, and with hir faire nece antigone, and othere of hir wommen nyne or ten; but who was glad now, who, as trowe ye, but troilus, that stood and mighte it see thurgh-out a litel windowe in a stewe, ther he bishet, sin midnight, was in mewe, unwist of every wight but of pandare? but to the poynt; now whan that she was y-come with alle ioye, and alle frendes fare, hir em anoon in armes hath hir nome, and after to the souper, alle and some, whan tyme was, ful softe they hem sette; god wot, ther was no deyntee for to fette. and after souper gonnen they to ryse, at ese wel, with hertes fresshe and glade, and wel was him that coude best devyse to lyken hir, or that hir laughen made. he song; she pleyde; he tolde tale of wade. but at the laste, as every thing hath ende, she took hir leve, and nedes wolde wende. but o, fortune, executrice of wierdes, o influences of thise hevenes hye! soth is, that, under god, ye ben our hierdes, though to us bestes been the causes wrye. this mene i now, for she gan hoomward hye, but execut was al bisyde hir leve, at the goddes wil, for which she moste bleve. the bente mone with hir hornes pale, saturne, and iove, in cancro ioyned were, that swich a rayn from hevene gan avale that every maner womman that was there hadde of that smoky reyn a verray fere; at which pandare tho lough, and seyde thenne, `now were it tyme a lady to go henne! `but goode nece, if i mighte ever plese yow any-thing, than prey i yow,' quod he, `to doon myn herte as now so greet an ese as for to dwelle here al this night with me, for-why this is your owene hous, pardee. for, by my trouthe, i sey it nought a-game, to wende as now, it were to me a shame.' criseyde, which that coude as muche good as half a world, tok hede of his preyere; and sin it ron, and al was on a flood, she thoughte, as good chep may i dwellen here, and graunte it gladly with a freendes chere, and have a thank, as grucche and thanne abyde; for hoom to goon, it may nought wel bityde.' `i wol,' quod she, `myn uncle leef and dere, sin that yow list, it skile is to be so; i am right glad with yow to dwellen here; i seyde but a-game, i wolde go.' `y-wis, graunt mercy, nece!' quod he tho; `were it a game or no, soth for to telle, now am i glad, sin that yow list to dwelle.' thus al is wel; but tho bigan aright the newe ioye, and al the feste agayn; but pandarus, if goodly hadde he might, he wolde han hyed hir to bedde fayn, and seyde, `lord, this is an huge rayn! this were a weder for to slepen inne; and that i rede us sone to biginne. `and nece, woot ye wher i wol yow leye, for that we shul not liggen fer asonder, and for ye neither shullen, dar i seye, heren noise of reynes nor of thondre? by god, right in my lyte closet yonder. and i wol in that outer hous allone be wardeyn of your wommen everichone. `and in this middel chaumbre that ye see shal youre wommen slepen wel and softe; and ther i seyde shal your-selve be; and if ye liggen wel to-night, com ofte, and careth not what weder is on-lofte. the wyn anon, and whan so that yow leste, so go we slepe, i trowe it be the beste.' ther nis no more, but here-after sone, the voyde dronke, and travers drawe anon, gan every wight, that hadde nought to done more in the place, out of the chaumber gon. and ever-mo so sternelich it ron, and blew ther-with so wonderliche loude, that wel neigh no man heren other coude. tho pandarus, hir eem, right as him oughte, with women swiche as were hir most aboute, ful glad un-to hir beddes syde hir broughte, and toke his leve, and gan ful lowe loute, and seyde, `here at this closet-dore with-oute, right over-thwart, your wommen liggen alle, that, whom yow list of hem, ye may here calle.' so whan that she was in the closet leyd, and alle hir wommen forth by ordenaunce a-bedde weren, ther as i have seyd, there was no more to skippen nor to traunce, but boden go to bedde, with mischaunce, if any wight was steringe any-where, and late hem slepe that a-bedde were. but pandarus, that wel coude eche a del the olde daunce, and every poynt ther-inne, whan that he sey that alle thing was wel, he thoughte he wolde up-on his werk biginne, and gan the stewe-dore al softe un-pinne; and stille as stoon, with-outen lenger lette, by troilus a-doun right he him sette. and, shortly to the poynt right for to gon, of al this werk he tolde him word and ende, and seyde, `make thee redy right anon, for thou shalt in-to hevene blisse wende.' `now blisful venus, thou me grace sende,' quod troilus, `for never yet no nede hadde i er now, ne halvendel the drede.' quod pandarus, `ne drede thee never a del, for it shal been right as thou wilt desyre; so thryve i, this night shal i make it wel, or casten al the gruwel in the fyre.' `yit blisful venus, this night thou me enspyre,' quod troilus, `as wis as i thee serve, and ever bet and bet shal, til i sterve. `and if i hadde, o venus ful of murthe, aspectes badde of mars or of saturne, or thou combust or let were in my birthe, thy fader prey al thilke harm disturne of grace, and that i glad ayein may turne, for love of him thou lovedest in the shawe, i mene adoon, that with the boor was slawe. `o iove eek, for the love of faire europe, the whiche in forme of bole awey thou fette; now help, o mars, thou with thy blody cope, for love of cipris, thou me nought ne lette; o phebus, thenk whan dane hir-selven shette under the bark, and laurer wex for drede, yet for hir love, o help now at this nede! `mercurie, for the love of hierse eke, for which pallas was with aglauros wrooth, now help, and eek diane, i thee biseke that this viage be not to thee looth. o fatal sustren, which, er any clooth me shapen was, my destene me sponne, so helpeth to this werk that is bi-gonne!' quod pandarus, `thou wrecched mouses herte, art thou agast so that she wol thee byte? why, don this furred cloke up-on thy sherte, and folowe me, for i wol have the wyte; but byd, and lat me go bifore a lyte.' and with that word he gan un-do a trappe, and troilus he broughte in by the lappe. the sterne wind so loude gan to route that no wight other noyse mighte here; and they that layen at the dore with-oute, ful sykerly they slepten alle y-fere; and pandarus, with a ful sobre chere, goth to the dore anon with-outen lette, ther-as they laye, and softely it shette. and as he com ayeinward prively, his nece awook, and asked, `who goth there?' `my dere nece,' quod he, `it am i; ne wondreth not, ne have of it no fere;' and ner he com, and seyde hir in hir ere, `no word, for love of god i yow biseche; lat no wight ryse and heren of oure speche.' `what! which wey be ye comen, benedicite?' quod she; `and how thus unwist of hem alle?' `here at this secre trappe-dore,' quod he. quod tho criseyde, `lat me som wight calle.' `ey! god forbede that it sholde falle,' quod pandarus, `that ye swich foly wroughte! they mighte deme thing they never er thoughte! `it is nought good a sleping hound to wake, ne yeve a wight a cause to devyne; your wommen slepen alle, i under-take, so that, for hem, the hous men mighte myne; and slepen wolen til the sonne shyne. and whan my tale al brought is to an ende, unwist, right as i com, so wol i wende. `now, nece myn, ye shul wel understonde,' quod he, `so as ye wommen demen alle, that for to holde in love a man in honde, and him hir "leef" and "dere herte" calle, and maken him an howve above a calle, i mene, as love an other in this whyle, she doth hir-self a shame, and him a gyle. `now wherby that i telle yow al this? ye woot your-self, as wel as any wight, how that your love al fully graunted is to troilus, the worthieste knight, oon of this world, and ther-to trouthe plyght, that, but it were on him along, ye nolde him never falsen, whyle ye liven sholde. `now stant it thus, that sith i fro yow wente, this troilus, right platly for to seyn, is thurgh a goter, by a prive wente, in-to my chaumbre come in al this reyn, unwist of every maner wight, certeyn, save of my-self, as wisly have i ioye, and by that feith i shal pryam of troye! `and he is come in swich peyne and distresse that, but he be al fully wood by this, he sodeynly mot falle in-to wodnesse, but-if god helpe; and cause why this is, he seyth him told is, of a freend of his, how that ye sholde love oon that hatte horaste, for sorwe of which this night shalt been his laste.' criseyde, which that al this wonder herde, gan sodeynly aboute hir herte colde, and with a syk she sorwfully answerde, `allas! i wende, who-so tales tolde, my dere herte wolde me not holde so lightly fals! allas! conceytes wronge, what harm they doon, for now live i to longe! `horaste! allas! and falsen troilus? i knowe him not, god helpe me so,' quod she; `allas! what wikked spirit tolde him thus? now certes, eem, to-morwe, and i him see, i shal ther-of as ful excusen me as ever dide womman, if him lyke'; and with that word she gan ful sore syke. `o god!' quod she, `so worldly selinesse, which clerkes callen fals felicitee, y-medled is with many a bitternesse! ful anguisshous than is, god woot,' quod she, `condicioun of veyn prosperitee; for either ioyes comen nought y-fere, or elles no wight hath hem alwey here. `o brotel wele of mannes ioye unstable! with what wight so thou be, or how thou pleye, either he woot that thou, ioye, art muable, or woot it not, it moot ben oon of tweye; now if he woot it not, how may he seye that he hath verray ioye and selinesse, that is of ignoraunce ay in derknesse? `now if he woot that ioye is transitorie, as every ioye of worldly thing mot flee, than every tyme he that hath in memorie, the drede of lesing maketh him that he may in no perfit selinesse be. and if to lese his ioye he set a myte, than semeth it that ioye is worth ful lyte. `wherfore i wol deffyne in this matere, that trewely, for ought i can espye, ther is no verray wele in this world here. but o, thou wikked serpent, ialousye, thou misbeleved and envious folye, why hastow troilus me mad untriste, that never yet agilte him, that i wiste?' quod pandarus, `thus fallen is this cas.' `why, uncle myn,' quod she, `who tolde him this? why doth my dere herte thus, allas?' `ye woot, ye nece myn,' quod he, `what is; i hope al shal be wel that is amis, for ye may quenche al this, if that yow leste, and doth right so, for i holde it the beste.' `so shal i do to-morwe, y-wis,' quod she, `and god to-forn, so that it shal suffyse.' `to-morwe? allas, that were a fair!' quod he, `nay, nay, it may not stonden in this wyse; for, nece myn, thus wryten clerkes wyse, that peril is with drecching in y-drawe; nay, swich abodes been nought worth an hawe. `nece, al thing hath tyme, i dar avowe; for whan a chaumber a-fyr is, or an halle, wel more nede is, it sodeynly rescowe than to dispute, and axe amonges alle how is this candele in the straw y-falle? a! benedicite! for al among that fare the harm is doon, and fare-wel feldefare! `and, nece myn, ne take it not a-greef, if that ye suffre him al night in this wo, god help me so, ye hadde him never leef, that dar i seyn, now there is but we two; but wel i woot, that ye wol not do so; ye been to wys to do so gret folye, to putte his lyf al night in iupertye. `hadde i him never leef? by god, i wene ye hadde never thing so leef,' quod she. `now by my thrift,' quod he, `that shal be sene; for, sin ye make this ensample of me, if i al night wolde him in sorwe see for al the tresour in the toun of troye, i bidde god, i never mote have ioye! `now loke thanne, if ye, that been his love, shul putte al night his lyf in iupartye for thing of nought! now, by that god above, nought only this delay comth of folye, but of malyce, if that i shal nought lye. what, platly, and ye suffre him in distresse, ye neither bountee doon ne gentilesse!' quod tho criseyde, `wole ye doon o thing, and ye therwith shal stinte al his disese? have here, and bereth him this blewe ringe, for ther is no-thing mighte him bettre plese, save i my-self, ne more his herte apese; and sey my dere herte, that his sorwe is causeles, that shal be seen to-morwe.' `a ring?' quod he, `ye, hasel-wodes shaken! ye nece myn, that ring moste han a stoon that mighte dede men alyve maken; and swich a ring trowe i that ye have noon. discrecioun out of your heed is goon; that fele i now,' quod he, `and that is routhe; o tyme y-lost, wel maystow cursen slouthe! `wot ye not wel that noble and heigh corage ne sorweth not, ne stinteth eek for lyte? but if a fool were in a ialous rage, i nolde setten at his sorwe a myte, but feffe him with a fewe wordes whyte another day, whan that i mighte him finde; but this thing stant al in another kinde. `this is so gentil and so tendre of herte, that with his deeth he wol his sorwes wreke; for trusteth wel, how sore that him smerte, he wol to yow no ialouse wordes speke. and for-thy, nece, er that his herte breke, so spek your-self to him of this matere; for with o word ye may his herte stere. `now have i told what peril he is inne, and his coming unwist is to every wight; ne, pardee, harm may ther be noon, ne sinne; i wol my-self be with yow al this night. ye knowe eek how it is your owne knight, and that, by right, ye moste upon him triste, and i al prest to fecche him whan yow liste.' this accident so pitous was to here, and eek so lyk a sooth, at pryme face, and troilus hir knight to hir so dere, his prive coming, and the siker place, that, though that she dide him as thanne a grace, considered alle thinges as they stode, no wonder is, sin she dide al for gode. cryseyde answerde, `as wisly god at reste my sowle bringe, as me is for him wo! and eem, y-wis, fayn wolde i doon the beste, if that i hadde grace to do so. but whether that ye dwelle or for him go, i am, til god me bettre minde sende, at dulcarnon, right at my wittes ende.' quod pandarus, `ye, nece, wol ye here? dulcarnon called is "fleminge of wrecches"; it semeth hard, for wrecches wol not lere for verray slouthe or othere wilful tecches; this seyd by hem that be not worth two fecches. but ye ben wys, and that we han on honde nis neither hard, ne skilful to withstonde.' `thanne, eem,' quod she, `doth her-of as yow list; but er he come, i wil up first aryse; and, for the love of god, sin al my trist is on yow two, and ye ben bothe wyse, so wircheth now in so discreet a wyse, that i honour may have, and he plesaunce; for i am here al in your governaunce.' `that is wel seyd,' quod he, `my nece dere' ther good thrift on that wyse gentil herte! but liggeth stille, and taketh him right here, it nedeth not no ferther for him sterte; and ech of yow ese otheres sorwes smerte, for love of god; and, venus, i the herie; for sone hope i we shulle ben alle merie.' this troilus ful sone on knees him sette ful sobrely, right be hir beddes heed, and in his beste wyse his lady grette; but lord, so she wex sodeynliche reed! ne, though men sholden smyten of hir heed, she coude nought a word a-right out-bringe so sodeynly, for his sodeyn cominge. but pandarus, that so wel coude fele in every thing, to pleye anoon bigan, and seyde, `nece, see how this lord can knele! now, for your trouthe, seeth this gentil man!' and with that word he for a quisshen ran, and seyde, `kneleth now, whyl that yow leste, ther god your hertes bringe sone at reste!' can i not seyn, for she bad him not ryse, if sorwe it putte out of hir remembraunce, or elles that she toke it in the wyse of duetee, as for his observaunce; but wel finde i she dide him this plesaunce, that she him kiste, al-though she syked sore; and bad him sitte a-doun with-outen more. quod pandarus, `now wol ye wel biginne; now doth him sitte, gode nece dere, upon your beddes syde al there with-inne, that ech of yow the bet may other here.' and with that word he drow him to the fere, and took a light, and fond his contenaunce, as for to loke up-on an old romaunce. criseyde, that was troilus lady right, and cleer stood on a ground of sikernesse, al thoughte she, hir servaunt and hir knight ne sholde of right non untrouthe in hir gesse, yet nathelees, considered his distresse, and that love is in cause of swich folye, thus to him spak she of his ialousye: `lo, herte myn, as wolde the excellence of love, ayeins the which that no man may, ne oughte eek goodly maken resistence and eek bycause i felte wel and say youre grete trouthe, and servyse every day; and that your herte al myn was, sooth to seyne, this droof me for to rewe up-on your peyne. `and your goodnesse have i founde alwey yit, of whiche, my dere herte and al my knight, i thonke it yow, as fer as i have wit, al can i nought as muche as it were right; and i, emforth my conninge and my might, have and ay shal, how sore that me smerte, ben to yow trewe and hool, with a myn herte; `and dredelees, that shal be founde at preve. -- but, herte myn, what al this is to seyne shal wel be told, so that ye noght yow greve, though i to yow right on your-self compleyne. for ther-with mene i fynally the peyne, that halt your herte and myn in hevinesse, fully to sleen, and every wrong redresse. `my goode, myn, not i for-why ne how that ialousye, allas! that wikked wivere, thus causelees is cropen in-to yow; the harm of which i wolde fayn delivere! allas! that he, al hool, or of him slivere, shuld have his refut in so digne a place, ther iove him sone out of your herte arace! `but o, thou iove, o auctor of nature, is this an honour to thy deitee, that folk ungiltif suffren here iniure, and who that giltif is, al quit goth he? o were it leful for to pleyne on thee, that undeserved suffrest ialousye, of that i wolde up-on thee pleyne and crye! `eek al my wo is this, that folk now usen to seyn right thus, "ye, ialousye is love!" and wolde a busshel venim al excusen, for that o greyn of love is on it shove! but that wot heighe god that sit above, if it be lyker love, or hate, or grame; and after that, it oughte bere his name. `but certeyn is, som maner ialousye is excusable more than som, y-wis. as whan cause is, and som swich fantasye with pietee so wel repressed is, that it unnethe dooth or seyth amis, but goodly drinketh up al his distresse; and that excuse i, for the gentilesse. `and som so ful of furie is and despyt that it sourmounteth his repressioun; but herte myn, ye be not in that plyt, that thanke i god, for whiche your passioun i wol not calle it but illusioun, of habundaunce of love and bisy cure, that dooth your herte this disese endure. `of which i am right sory but not wrooth; but, for my devoir and your hertes reste, wher-so yow list, by ordal or by ooth, by sort, or in what wyse so yow leste, for love of god, lat preve it for the beste! and if that i be giltif, do me deye, allas! what mighte i more doon or seye?' with that a fewe brighte teres newe owt of hir eyen fille, and thus she seyde, `now god, thou wost, in thought ne dede untrewe to troilus was never yet criseyde.' with that hir heed doun in the bed she leyde, and with the shete it wreigh, and syghed sore, and held hir pees; not o word spak she more. but now help god to quenchen al this sorwe, so hope i that he shal, for he best may; for i have seyn, of a ful misty morwe folwen ful ofte a mery someres day; and after winter folweth grene may. men seen alday, and reden eek in stories, that after sharpe shoures been victories. this troilus, whan he hir wordes herde, have ye no care, him liste not to slepe; for it thoughte him no strokes of a yerde to here or seen criseyde, his lady wepe; but wel he felte aboute his herte crepe, for every teer which that criseyde asterte, the crampe of deeth, to streyne him by the herte. and in his minde he gan the tyme acurse that he cam there, and that that he was born; for now is wikke y-turned in-to worse, and al that labour he hath doon biforn, he wende it lost, he thoughte he nas but lorn. `o pandarus,' thoughte he, `allas! thy wyle serveth of nought, so weylaway the whyle!' and therwithal he heng a-doun the heed, and fil on knees, and sorwfully he sighte; what mighte he seyn? he felte he nas but deed, for wrooth was she that shulde his sorwes lighte. but nathelees, whan that he speken mighte, than seyde he thus, `god woot, that of this game, whan al is wist, than am i not to blame!' ther-with the sorwe so his herte shette, that from his eyen fil there not a tere, and every spirit his vigour in-knette, so they astoned or oppressed were. the feling of his sorwe, or of his fere, or of ought elles, fled was out of towne; and doun he fel al sodeynly a-swowne. this was no litel sorwe for to see; but al was hust, and pandare up as faste, `o nece, pees, or we be lost,' quod he, `beth nought agast;' but certeyn, at the laste, for this or that, he in-to bedde him caste, and seyde, `o theef, is this a mannes herte?' and of he rente al to his bare sherte; and seyde, `nece, but ye helpe us now, allas, your owne troilus is lorn!' `y-wis, so wolde i, and i wiste how, ful fayn,' quod she; `allas! that i was born!' `ye, nece, wole ye pullen out the thorn that stiketh in his herte?' quod pandare; `sey "al foryeve," and stint is al this fare!' `ye, that to me,' quod she, `ful lever were than al the good the sonne aboute gooth'; and therwith-al she swoor him in his ere, `y-wis, my dere herte, i am nought wrooth, have here my trouthe and many another ooth; now speek to me, for it am i, cryseyde!' but al for nought; yet mighte he not a-breyde. therwith his pous and pawmes of his hondes they gan to frote, and wete his temples tweyne, and, to deliveren him from bittre bondes, she ofte him kiste; and, shortly for to seyne, him to revoken she dide al hir peyne. and at the laste, he gan his breeth to drawe, and of his swough sone after that adawe, and gan bet minde and reson to him take, but wonder sore he was abayst, y-wis. and with a syk, whan he gan bet a-wake, he seyde, `o mercy, god, what thing is this?' `why do ye with your-selven thus amis?' quod tho criseyde, `is this a mannes game? what, troilus! wol ye do thus, for shame?' and therwith-al hir arm over him she leyde, and al foryaf, and ofte tyme him keste. he thonked hir, and to hir spak, and seyde as fil to purpos for his herte reste. and she to that answerde him as hir leste; and with hir goodly wordes him disporte she gan, and ofte his sorwes to comforte. quod pandarus, `for ought i can espyen, this light, nor i ne serven here of nought; light is not good for syke folkes yen. but for the love of god, sin ye be brought in thus good plyt, lat now non hevy thought ben hanginge in the hertes of yow tweye:' and bar the candele to the chimeneye. sone after this, though it no nede were, whan she swich othes as hir list devyse hadde of him take, hir thoughte tho no fere, ne cause eek non, to bidde him thennes ryse. yet lesse thing than othes may suffyse in many a cas; for every wight, i gesse, that loveth wel meneth but gentilesse. but in effect she wolde wite anoon of what man, and eek where, and also why he ielous was, sin ther was cause noon; and eek the signe, that he took it by, she bad him that to telle hir bisily, or elles, certeyn, she bar him on honde, that this was doon of malis, hir to fonde. with-outen more, shortly for to seyne, he moste obeye un-to his lady heste; and for the lasse harm, he moste feyne. he seyde hir, whan she was at swiche a feste, she mighte on him han loked at the leste; not i not what, al dere y-nough a risshe, as he that nedes moste a cause fisshe. and she answerde, `swete, al were it so, what harm was that, sin i non yvel mene? for, by that god that boughte us bothe two, in alle thinge is myn entente clene. swich arguments ne been not worth a bene; wol ye the childish ialous contrefete? now were it worthy that ye were y-bete.' tho troilus gan sorwfully to syke, lest she be wrooth, him thoughte his herte deyde; and seyde, `allas! up-on my sorwes syke have mercy, swete herte myn, cryseyde! and if that, in tho wordes that i seyde, be any wrong, i wol no more trespace; do what yow list, i am al in your grace.' and she answerde, `of gilt misericorde! that is to seyn, that i foryeve al this; and ever-more on this night yow recorde, and beth wel war ye do no more amis.' `nay, dere herte myn,' quod he, `y-wis.' `and now,' quod she, `that i have do yow smerte, foryeve it me, myn owene swete herte.' this troilus, with blisse of that supprysed, put al in goddes hond, as he that mente no-thing but wel; and, sodeynly avysed, he hir in armes faste to him hente. and pandarus, with a ful good entente, leyde him to slepe, and seyde, `if ye ben wyse, swowneth not now, lest more folk aryse.' what mighte or may the sely larke seye, whan that the sperhauk hath it in his foot? i can no more, but of thise ilke tweye, to whom this tale sucre be or soot, though that i tarie a yeer, som-tyme i moot, after myn auctor, tellen hir gladnesse, as wel as i have told hir hevinesse. criseyde, which that felte hir thus y-take, as writen clerkes in hir bokes olde, right as an aspes leef she gan to quake, whan she him felte hir in his armes folde. but troilus, al hool of cares colde, gan thanken tho the blisful goddes sevene; thus sondry peynes bringen folk in hevene. this troilus in armes gan hir streyne, and seyde, `o swete, as ever mote i goon, now be ye caught, now is ther but we tweyne; now yeldeth yow, for other boot is noon.' to that criseyde answerde thus anoon, `ne hadde i er now, my swete herte dere, ben yolde, y-wis, i were now not here!' o! sooth is seyd, that heled for to be as of a fevre or othere greet syknesse, men moste drinke, as men may often see, ful bittre drink; and for to han gladnesse, men drinken often peyne and greet distresse; i mene it here, as for this aventure, that thourgh a peyne hath founden al his cure. and now swetnesse semeth more sweet, that bitternesse assayed was biforn; for out of wo in blisse now they flete; non swich they felten, sith they were born; now is this bet, than bothe two be lorn! for love of god, take every womman hede to werken thus, if it comth to the nede. criseyde, al quit from every drede and tene, as she that iuste cause hadde him to triste, made him swich feste, it ioye was to sene, whan she his trouthe and clene entente wiste. and as aboute a tree, with many a twiste, bitrent and wryth the sote wode-binde, gan eche of hem in armes other winde. and as the newe abaysshed nightingale, that stinteth first whan she biginneth to singe, whan that she hereth any herde tale, or in the hegges any wight steringe, and after siker dooth hir voys out-ringe; right so criseyde, whan hir drede stente, opned hir herte and tolde him hir entente. and right as he that seeth his deeth y-shapen, and deye moot, in ought that he may gesse, and sodeynly rescous doth him escapen, and from his deeth is brought in sikernesse, for al this world, in swich present gladnesse was troilus, and hath his lady swete; with worse hap god lat us never mete! hir armes smale, hir streyghte bak and softe, hir sydes longe, fleshly, smothe, and whyte he gan to stroke, and good thrift bad ful ofte hir snowish throte, hir brestes rounde and lyte; thus in this hevene he gan him to delyte, and ther-with-al a thousand tyme hir kiste; that, what to done, for ioye unnethe he wiste. than seyde he thus, `o, love, o, charitee, thy moder eek, citherea the swete, after thy-self next heried be she, venus mene i, the wel-willy planete; and next that, imeneus, i thee grete; for never man was to yow goddes holde as i, which ye han brought fro cares colde. `benigne love, thou holy bond of thinges, who-so wol grace, and list thee nought honouren, lo, his desyr wol flee with-outen winges. for, noldestow of bountee hem socouren that serven best and most alwey labouren, yet were al lost, that dar i wel seyn, certes, but-if thy grace passed our desertes. `and for thou me, that coude leest deserve of hem that nombred been un-to thy grace, hast holpen, ther i lykly was to sterve, and me bistowed in so heygh a place that thilke boundes may no blisse pace, i can no more, but laude and reverence be to thy bounte and thyn excellence!' and therwith-al criseyde anoon he kiste, of which, certeyn, she felte no disese, and thus seyde he, `now wolde god i wiste, myn herte swete, how i yow mighte plese! what man,' quod he, `was ever thus at ese as i, on whiche the faireste and the beste that ever i say, deyneth hir herte reste. `here may men seen that mercy passeth right; the experience of that is felt in me, that am unworthy to so swete a wight. but herte myn, of your benignitee, so thenketh, though that i unworthy be, yet mot i nede amenden in som wyse, right thourgh the vertu of your heyghe servyse. `and for the love of god, my lady dere, sin god hath wrought me for i shal yow serve, as thus i mene, that ye wol be my stere, to do me live, if that yow liste, or sterve, so techeth me how that i may deserve your thank, so that i, thurgh myn ignoraunce, ne do no-thing that yow be displesaunce. `for certes, fresshe wommanliche wyf, this dar i seye, that trouthe and diligence, that shal ye finden in me al my lyf, ne wol not, certeyn, breken your defence; and if i do, present or in absence, for love of god, lat slee me with the dede, if that it lyke un-to your womanhede.' `y-wis,' quod she, `myn owne hertes list, my ground of ese, and al myn herte dere, graunt mercy, for on that is al my trist; but late us falle awey fro this matere; for it suffyseth, this that seyd is here. and at o word, with-outen repentaunce, wel-come, my knight, my pees, my suffisaunce!' of hir delyt, or ioyes oon the leste were impossible to my wit to seye; but iuggeth, ye that han ben at the feste, of swich gladnesse, if that hem liste pleye! i can no more, but thus thise ilke tweye that night, be-twixen dreed and sikernesse, felten in love the grete worthinesse. o blisful night, of hem so longe y-sought, how blithe un-to hem bothe two thou were! why ne hadde i swich on with my soule y-bought, ye, or the leeste ioye that was there? a-wey, thou foule daunger and thou fere, and lat hem in this hevene blisse dwelle, that is so heygh, that al ne can i telle! but sooth is, though i can not tellen al, as can myn auctor, of his excellence, yet have i seyd, and, god to-forn, i shal in every thing al hoolly his sentence. and if that i, at loves reverence, have any word in eched for the beste, doth therwith-al right as your-selven leste. for myne wordes, here and every part, i speke hem alle under correccioun of yow, that feling han in loves art, and putte it al in your discrecioun to encrese or maken diminucioun of my langage, and that i yow bi-seche; but now to purpos of my rather speche. thise ilke two, that ben in armes laft, so looth to hem a-sonder goon it were, that ech from other wende been biraft, or elles, lo, this was hir moste fere, that al this thing but nyce dremes were; for which ful ofte ech of hem seyde, `o swete, clippe ich yow thus, or elles i it mete?' and, lord! so he gan goodly on hir see, that never his look ne bleynte from hir face, and seyde, `o dere herte, may it be that it be sooth, that ye ben in this place?' `ye, herte myn, god thank i of his grace!' quod tho criseyde, and therwith-al him kiste, that where his spirit was, for ioye he niste. this troilus ful ofte hir eyen two gan for to kisse, and seyde, `o eyen clere, it were ye that wroughte me swich wo, ye humble nettes of my lady dere! though ther be mercy writen in your chere, god wot, the text ful hard is, sooth, to finde, how coude ye with-outen bond me binde?' therwith he gan hir faste in armes take, and wel an hundred tymes gan he syke, nought swiche sorwfull sykes as men make for wo, or elles whan that folk ben syke, but esy sykes, swiche as been to lyke, that shewed his affeccioun with-inne; of swiche sykes coude he nought bilinne. sone after this they speke of sondry thinges, as fil to purpos of this aventure, and pleyinge entrechaungeden hir ringes, of which i can nought tellen no scripture; but wel i woot, a broche, gold and asure, in whiche a ruby set was lyk an herte, criseyde him yaf, and stak it on his sherte. lord! trowe ye, a coveitous, a wreccbe, that blameth love and holt of it despyt, that, of tho pens that he can mokre and kecche, was ever yet y-yeve him swich delyt, as is in love, in oo poynt, in som plyt? nay, doutelees, for also god me save, so parfit ioye may no nigard have! they wol sey `yis,' but lord! so that they lye, tho bisy wrecches, ful of wo and drede! they callen love a woodnesse or folye, but it shal falle hem as i shal yow rede; they shul forgo the whyte and eke the rede, and live in wo, ther god yeve hem mischaunce, and every lover in his trouthe avaunce! as wolde god, tho wrecches, that dispyse servyse of love, hadde eres al-so longe as hadde myda, ful of coveityse, and ther-to dronken hadde as hoot and stronge as crassus dide for his affectis wronge, to techen hem that they ben in the vyce, and loveres nought, al-though they holde hem nyce! thise ilke two, of whom that i yow seye, whan that hir hertes wel assured were, tho gonne they to speken and to pleye, and eek rehercen how, and whanne, and where, they knewe hem first, and every wo and fere that passed was; but al swich hevinesse, i thanke it god, was tourned to gladnesse. and ever-mo, whan that hem fel to speke of any thing of swich a tyme agoon, with kissing al that tale sholde breke, and fallen in a newe ioye anoon, and diden al hir might, sin they were oon, for to recoveren blisse and been at ese, and passed wo with ioye countrepeyse. reson wil not that i speke of sleep, for it accordeth nought to my matere; god woot, they toke of that ful litel keep, but lest this night, that was to hem so dere, ne sholde in veyn escape in no manere, it was biset in ioye and bisinesse of al that souneth in-to gentilnesse. but whan the cok, comune astrologer, gan on his brest to bete, and after crowe, and lucifer, the dayes messager, gan for to ryse, and out hir bemes throwe; and estward roos, to him that coude it knowe, fortuna maior, than anoon criseyde, with herte sore, to troilus thus seyde: -- `myn hertes lyf, my trist and my plesaunce, that i was born, allas! what me is wo, that day of us mot make desseveraunce! for tyme it is to ryse, and hennes go, or elles i am lost for evermo! o night, allas! why niltow over us hove, as longe as whanne almena lay by iove? `o blake night, as folk in bokes rede, that shapen art by god this world to hyde at certeyn tymes with thy derke wede, that under that men mighte in reste abyde, wel oughte bestes pleyne, and folk thee chyde, that there-as day with labour wolde us breste, that thou thus fleest, and deynest us nought reste! `thou dost, allas! to shortly thyn offyce, thou rakel night, ther god, makere of kinde, thee, for thyn hast and thyn unkinde vyce, so faste ay to our hemi-spere binde. that never-more under the ground thou winde! for now, for thou so hyest out of troye, have i forgon thus hastily my ioye!' this troilus, that with tho wordes felte, as thoughte him tho, for pietous distresse, the blody teres from his herte melte, as he that never yet swich hevinesse assayed hadde, out of so greet gladnesse, gan therwith-al criseyde his lady dere in armes streyne, and seyde in this manere: -- `o cruel day, accusour of the ioye that night and love han stole and faste y-wryen, a-cursed be thy coming in-to troye, for every bore hath oon of thy bright yen! envyous day, what list thee so to spyen? what hastow lost, why sekestow this place, ther god thy lyght so quenche, for his grace? `allas! what han thise loveres thee agilt, dispitous day? thyn be the pyne of helle! for many a lovere hastow shent, and wilt; thy pouring in wol no-wher lete hem dwelle. what proferestow thy light here for to selle? go selle it hem that smale seles graven, we wol thee nought, us nedeth no day haven.' and eek the sonne tytan gan he chyde, and seyde, `o fool, wel may men thee dispyse, that hast the dawing al night by thy syde, and suffrest hir so sone up fro thee ryse, for to disesen loveres in this wyse. what! holde your bed ther, thou, and eek thy morwe! i bidde god, so yeve yow bothe sorwe!' therwith ful sore he sighte, and thus he seyde, `my lady right, and of my wele or wo the welle and rote, o goodly myn, criseyde, and shal i ryse, allas! and shal i go? now fele i that myn herte moot a-two! for how sholde i my lyf an houre save, sin that with yow is al the lyf i have? `what shal i doon, for certes, i not how, ne whanne, allas! i shal the tyme see, that in this plyt i may be eft with yow; and of my lyf, god woot, how that shal be, sin that desyr right now so byteth me, that i am deed anoon, but i retourne. how sholde i longe, allas! fro yow soiourne? `but nathelees, myn owene lady bright, yit were it so that i wiste outrely, that i, your humble servaunt and your knight, were in your herte set so fermely as ye in myn, the which thing, trewely, me lever were than thise worldes tweyne, yet sholde i bet enduren al my peyne.' to that cryseyde answerde right anoon, and with a syk she seyde, `o herte dere, the game, y-wis, so ferforth now is goon, that first shal phebus falle fro his spere, and every egle been the dowves fere, and every roche out of his place sterte, er troilus out of criseydes herte! `ye he so depe in-with myn herte grave, that, though i wolde it turne out of my thought, as wisly verray god my soule save, to dyen in the peyne, i coude nought! and, for the love of god that us bath wrought, lat in your brayn non other fantasye so crepe, that it cause me to dye! `and that ye me wolde han as faste in minde as i have yow, that wolde i yow bi-seche; and, if i wiste soothly that to finde, god mighte not a poynt my ioyes eche! but, herte myn, with-oute more speche, beth to me trewe, or elles were it routhe; for i am thyn, by god and by my trouthe! `beth glad for-thy, and live in sikernesse; thus seyde i never er this, ne shal to mo; and if to yow it were a gret gladnesse to turne ayein, soone after that ye go, as fayn wolde i as ye, it were so, as wisly god myn herte bringe at reste!' and him in armes took, and ofte keste. agayns his wil, sin it mot nedes be, this troilus up roos, and faste him cledde, and in his armes took his lady free an hundred tyme, and on his wey him spedde, and with swich wordes as his herte bledde, he seyde, `farewel, mr dere herte swete, ther god us graunte sounde and sone to mete!' to which no word for sorwe she answerde, so sore gan his parting hir destreyne; and troilus un-to his palays ferde, as woo bigon as she was, sooth to seyne; so hard him wrong of sharp desyr the peyne for to ben eft there he was in plesaunce, that it may never out of his remembraunce. retorned to his real palais, sone he softe in-to his bed gan for to slinke, to slepe longe, as he was wont to done, but al for nought; he may wel ligge and winke, but sleep ne may ther in his herte sinke; thenkinge how she, for whom desyr him brende, a thousand-fold was worth more than he wende. and in his thought gan up and doun to winde hir wordes alle, and every countenaunce, and fermely impressen in his minde the leste poynt that to him was plesaunce; and verrayliche, of thilke remembraunce, desyr al newe him brende, and lust to brede gan more than erst, and yet took he non hede. criseyde also, right in the same wyse, of troilus gan in hir herte shette his worthinesse, his lust, his dedes wyse, his gentilesse, and how she with him mette, thonkinge love he so wel hir bisette; desyring eft to have hir herte dere in swich a plyt, she dorste make him chere. pandare, a-morwe which that comen was un-to his nece, and gan hir fayre grete, seyde, `al this night so reyned it, allas! that al my drede is that ye, nece swete, han litel layser had to slepe and mete; al night,' quod he, `hath reyn so do me wake, that som of us, i trowe, hir hedes ake.' and ner he com, and seyde, `how stont it now this mery morwe, nece, how can ye fare?' criseyde answerde, `never the bet for yow, fox that ye been, god yeve youre herte care! god help me so, ye caused al this fare, trow i,' quod she, `for alle your wordes whyte; o! who-so seeth yow knoweth yow ful lyte!' with that she gan hir face for to wrye with the shete, and wex for shame al reed; and pandarus gan under for to prye, and seyde, `nece, if that i shal be deed, have here a swerd, and smyteth of myn heed.' with that his arm al sodeynly he thriste under hir nekke, and at the laste hir kiste. i passe al that which chargeth nought to seye, what! god foryaf his deeth, and she al-so foryaf, and with hir uncle gan to pleye, for other cause was ther noon than so. but of this thing right to the effect to go, whan tyme was, hom til hir hous she wente, and pandarus hath fully his entente. now torne we ayein to troilus, that resteles ful longe a-bedde lay, and prevely sente after pandarus, to him to come in al the haste he may. he com anoon, nought ones seyde he `nay,' and troilus ful sobrely he grette, and doun upon his beddes syde him sette. this troilus, with al the affeccioun of frendes love that herte may devyse, to pandarus on knees fil adoun, and er that he wolde of the place aryse, he gan him thonken in his beste wyse; an hondred sythe he gan the tyme blesse, that he was born, to bringe him fro distresse. he seyde, `o frend of frendes the alderbeste that ever was, the sothe for to telle, thou hast in hevene y-brought my soule at reste fro flegitoun, the fery flood of helle; that, though i mighte a thousand tymes selle, upon a day, my lyf in thy servyse, it mighte nought a mote in that suffyse. `the sonne, which that al the world may see, saw never yet, my lyf, that dar i leye, so inly fayr and goodly as is she, whos i am al, and shal, til that i deye; and, that i thus am hires, dar i seye, that thanked be the heighe worthinesse of love, and eek thy kinde bisinesse. `thus hastow me no litel thing y-yive, fo which to thee obliged be for ay my lyf, and why? for thorugh thyn help i live; for elles deed hadde i be many a day.' and with that word doun in his bed he lay, and pandarus ful sobrely him herde til al was seyd, and than he thus answerde: `my dere frend, if i have doon for thee in any cas, god wot, it is me leef; and am as glad as man may of it be, god help me so; but tak now a-greef that i shal seyn, be war of this myscheef, that, there-as thou now brought art in-to blisse, that thou thy-self ne cause it nought to misse. `for of fortunes sharpe adversitee the worst kinde of infortune is this, a man to have ben in prosperitee, and it remembren, whan it passed is. thou art wys y-nough, for-thy do nought amis; be not to rakel, though thou sitte warme, for if thou be, certeyn, it wol thee harme. `thou art at ese, and holde the wel ther-inne. for also seur as reed is every fyr, as greet a craft is kepe wel as winne; brydle alwey wel thy speche and thy desyr, for worldly ioye halt not but by a wyr; that preveth wel, it brest alday so ofte; for-thy nede is to werke with it softe.' quod troilus, `i hope, and god to-forn, my dere frend, that i shal so me bere, that in my gilt ther shal no thing be lorn, ne i nil not rakle as for to greven here; it nedeth not this matere ofte tere; for wistestow myn herte wel, pandare, god woot, of this thou woldest litel care.' tho gan he telle him of his glade night, and wher-of first his herte dredde, and how, and seyde, `freend, as i am trewe knight, and by that feyth i shal to god and yow, i hadde it never half so hote as now; and ay the more that desyr me byteth to love hir best, the more it me delyteth. `i noot my-self not wisly what it is; but now i fele a newe qualitee, ye, al another than i dide er this.' pandare answerde, and seyde thus, that he that ones may in hevene blisse be, he feleth other weyes, dar i leye, than thilke tyme he first herde of it seye. this is o word for al: this troilus was never ful to speke of this matere, and for to preysen un-to pandarus the bountee of his righte lady dere, and pandarus to thanke and maken chere. this tale ay was span-newe to biginne, til that the night departed hem a-twinne. sone after this, for that fortune it wolde, i-comen was the blisful tyme swete, that troilus was warned that he sholde, ther he was erst, criseyde his lady mete; for which he felte his herte in ioye flete; and feythfully gan alle the goddes herie; and lat see now if that he can be merie. and holden was the forme and al the wyse, of hir cominge, and eek of his also, as it was erst, which nedeth nought devyse. but playnly to the effect right for to go, in ioye and suerte pandarus hem two a-bedde broughte, whan that hem bothe leste, and thus they ben in quiete and in reste. nought nedeth it to yow, sin they ben met, to aske at me if that they blythe were; for if it erst was wel, tho was it bet a thousand-fold, this nedeth not enquere. a-gon was every sorwe and every fere; and bothe, y-wis, they hadde, and so they wende, as muche ioye as herte may comprende. this is no litel thing of for to seye, this passeth every wit for to devyse; for eche of hem gan otheres lust obeye; felicitee, which that thise clerkes wyse commenden so, ne may not here suffyse. this ioye may not writen been with inke, this passeth al that herte may bithinke. but cruel day, so wel-awey the stounde! gan for to aproche, as they by signes knewe, for whiche hem thoughte felen dethes wounde; so wo was hem, that changen gan hir hewe, and day they goonnen to dispyse al newe, calling it traytour, envyous, and worse, and bitterly the dayes light they curse. quod troilus, `allas! now am i war that pirous and tho swifte stedes three, whiche that drawen forth the sonnes char, han goon som by-path in despyt of me; that maketh it so sone day to be; and, for the sonne him hasteth thus to ryse, ne shal i never doon him sacrifyse!' but nedes day departe moste hem sone, and whanne hir speche doon was and hir chere, they twinne anoon as they were wont to done, and setten tyme of meting eft y-fere; and many a night they wroughte in this manere. and thus fortune a tyme ladde in ioye criseyde, and eek this kinges sone of troye. in suffisaunce, in blisse, and in singinges, this troilus gan al his lyf to lede; he spendeth, iusteth, maketh festeynges; he yeveth frely ofte, and chaungeth wede, and held aboute him alwey, out of drede, a world of folk, as cam him wel of kinde, the fressheste and the beste he coude fynde; that swich a voys was of hym and a stevene thorugh-out the world, of honour and largesse, that it up rong un-to the yate of hevene. and, as in love, he was in swich gladnesse, that in his herte he demede, as i gesse, that there nis lovere in this world at ese so wel as he, and thus gan love him plese. the godlihede or beautee which that kinde in any other lady hadde y-set can not the mountaunce of a knot unbinde, a-boute his herte, of al criseydes net. he was so narwe y-masked and y-knet, that it undon on any manere syde, that nil not been, for ought that may betyde. and by the hond ful ofte he wolde take this pandarus, and in-to gardin lede, and swich a feste and swich a proces make him of criseyde, and of hir womanhede, and of hir beautee, that, with-outen drede, it was an hevene his wordes for to here; and thanne he wolde singe in this manere. `love, that of erthe and see hath governaunce, love, that his hestes hath in hevene hye, love, that with an holsom alliaunce halt peples ioyned, as him list hem gye, love, that knetteth lawe of companye, and couples doth in vertu for to dwelle, bind this acord, that i have told and telle; `that that the world with feyth, which that is stable, dyverseth so his stoundes concordinge, that elements that been so discordable holden a bond perpetuely duringe, that phebus mote his rosy day forth bringe, and that the mone hath lordship over the nightes, al this doth love; ay heried be his mightes! `that, that the see, that gredy is to flowen, constreyneth to a certeyn ende so his flodes, that so fersly they ne growen to drenchen erthe and al for ever-mo; and if that love ought lete his brydel go, al that now loveth a-sonder sholde lepe, and lost were al, that love halt now to-hepe. `so wolde god, that auctor is of kinde, that, with his bond, love of his vertu liste to cerclen hertes alle, and faste binde, that from his bond no wight the wey out wiste. and hertes colde, hem wolde i that he twiste to make hem love, and that hem leste ay rewe on hertes sore, and kepe hem that ben trewe.' in alle nedes, for the tounes werre, he was, and ay the firste in armes dight; and certeynly, but-if that bokes erre, save ector, most y-drad of any wight; and this encrees of hardinesse and might cam him of love, his ladies thank to winne, that altered his spirit so with-inne. in tyme of trewe, on haukinge wolde he ryde, or elles hunten boor, bere, or lyoun; the smale bestes leet he gon bi-syde. and whan that he com rydinge in-to toun, ful ofte his lady, from hir window doun, as fresh as faucon comen out of muwe, ful redy was, him goodly to saluwe. and most of love and vertu was his speche, and in despyt hadde alle wrecchednesse; and doutelees, no nede was him biseche to honouren hem that hadde worthinesse, and esen hem that weren in distresse. and glad was he if any wight wel ferde, that lover was, whan he it wiste or herde. for sooth to seyn, he lost held every wight but-if he were in loves heigh servyse, i mene folk that oughte it been of right. and over al this, so wel coude he devyse of sentement, and in so unkouth wyse al his array, that every lover thoughte, that al was wel, what-so he seyde or wroughte. and though that he be come of blood royal, him liste of pryde at no wight for to chase; benigne he was to ech in general, for which he gat him thank in every place. thus wolde love, y-heried be his grace, that pryde, envye, ire, and avaryce he gan to flee, and every other vyce. thou lady bright, the doughter to dione, thy blinde and winged sone eek, daun cupyde; ye sustren nyne eek, that by elicone in hil parnaso listen for to abyde, that ye thus fer han deyned me to gyde, i can no more, but sin that ye wol wende, ye heried been for ay, with-outen ende! thourgh yow have i seyd fully in my song theffect and ioye of troilus servyse, al be that ther was som disese among, as to myn auctor listeth to devyse. my thridde book now ende ich in this wyse; and troilus in luste and in quiete is with criseyde, his owne herte swete. explicit liber tercius. book iv. incipit prohemium liber quartus. but al to litel, weylaway the whyle, lasteth swich ioye, y-thonked be fortune! that semeth trewest, whan she wol bygyle, and can to foles so hir song entune, that she hem hent and blent, traytour comune; and whan a wight is from hir wheel y-throwe, than laugheth she, and maketh him the mowe. from troilus she gan hir brighte face awey to wrythe, and took of him non hede, but caste him clene out of his lady grace, and on hir wheel she sette up diomede; for which right now myn herte ginneth blede, and now my penne, allas! with which i wryte, quaketh for drede of that i moot endyte. for how criseyde troilus forsook, or at the leste, how that she was unkinde, mot hennes-forth ben matere of my book, as wryten folk through which it is in minde. allas! that they sholde ever cause finde to speke hir harm; and if they on hir lye, y-wis, hem-self sholde han the vilanye. o ye herines, nightes doughtren three, that endelees compleynen ever in pyne, megera, alete, and eek thesiphone; thou cruel mars eek, fader to quiryne, this ilke ferthe book me helpeth fyne, so that the los of lyf and love y-fere of troilus be fully shewed here. explicit prohemium. incipit quartus liber. ligginge in ost, as i have seyd er this, the grekes stronge, aboute troye toun, bifel that, whan that phebus shyning is up-on the brest of hercules lyoun, that ector, with ful many a bold baroun, caste on a day with grekes for to fighte, as he was wont to greve hem what he mighte. not i how longe or short it was bitwene this purpos and that day they fighte mente; but on a day wel armed, bright and shene, ector, and many a worthy wight out wente, with spere in hond and bigge bowes bente; and in the herd, with-oute lenger lette, hir fomen in the feld anoon hem mette. the longe day, with speres sharpe y-grounde, with arwes, dartes, swerdes, maces felle, they fighte and bringen hors and man to grounde, and with hir axes out the braynes quelle. but in the laste shour, sooth for to telle, the folk of troye hem-selven so misledden, that with the worse at night homward they fledden. at whiche day was taken antenor, maugre polydamas or monesteo, santippe, sarpedon, polynestor, polyte, or eek the troian daun ripheo, and othere lasse folk, as phebuseo. so that, for harm, that day the folk of troye dredden to lese a greet part of hir ioye. of pryamus was yeve, at greek requeste, a tyme of trewe, and tho they gonnen trete, hir prisoneres to chaungen, moste and leste, and for the surplus yeven sommes grete. this thing anoon was couth in every strete, bothe in thassege, in toune, and every-where, and with the firste it cam to calkas ere. whan calkas knew this tretis sholde holde, in consistorie, among the grekes, sone he gan in thringe forth, with lordes olde, and sette him there-as he was wont to done; and with a chaunged face hem bad a bone, for love of god, to don that reverence, to stinte noyse, and yeve him audience. thanne seyde he thus, `lo! lordes myne, i was troian, as it is knowen out of drede; and, if that yow remembre, i am calkas, that alderfirst yaf comfort to your nede, and tolde wel how that ye sholden spede. for dredelees, thorugh yow, shal, in a stounde, ben troye y-brend, and beten doun to grounde. `and in what forme, or in what maner wyse this town to shende, and al your lust to acheve, ye han er this wel herd it me devyse; this knowe ye, my lordes, as i leve. and for the grekes weren me so leve, i com my-self in my propre persone, to teche in this how yow was best to done; `havinge un-to my tresour ne my rente right no resport, to respect of your ese. thus al my good i loste and to yow wente, wening in this you, lordes, for to plese. but al that los ne doth me no disese. i vouche-sauf, as wisly have i ioye, for you to lese al that i have in troye, `save of a doughter, that i lafte, allas! slepinge at hoom, whanne out of troye i sterte. o sterne, o cruel fader that i was! how mighte i have in that so hard an herte? allas! i ne hadde y-brought hir in hir sherte! for sorwe of which i wol not live to morwe, but-if ye lordes rewe up-on my sorwe. `for, by that cause i say no tyme er now hir to delivere, i holden have my pees; but now or never, if that it lyke yow, i may hir have right sone, doutelees. o help and grace! amonges al this prees, rewe on this olde caitif in destresse, sin i through yow have al this hevinesse! `ye have now caught and fetered in prisoun troians y-nowe; and if your willes be, my child with oon may have redempcioun. now for the love of god and of bountee, oon of so fele, allas! so yeve him me. what nede were it this preyere for to werne, sin ye shul bothe han folk and toun as yerne? `on peril of my lyf, i shal nat lye, appollo hath me told it feithfully; i have eek founde it be astronomye, by sort, and by augurie eek trewely, and dar wel seye, the tyme is faste by, that fyr and flaumbe on al the toun shal sprede; and thus shal troye turne to asshen dede. `for certeyn, phebus and neptunus bothe, that makeden the walles of the toun, ben with the folk of troye alwey so wrothe, that thei wol bringe it to confusioun, right in despyt of king lameadoun. by-cause he nolde payen hem hir hyre, the toun of troye shal ben set on-fyre.' telling his tale alwey, this olde greye, humble in speche, and in his lokinge eke, the salte teres from his eyen tweye ful faste ronnen doun by eyther cheke. so longe he gan of socour hem by-seke that, for to hele him of his sorwes sore, they yave him antenor, with-oute more. but who was glad y-nough but calkas tho? and of this thing ful sone his nedes leyde on hem that sholden for the tretis go, and hem for antenor ful ofte preyde to bringen hoom king toas and criseyde; and whan pryam his save-garde sente, thembassadours to troye streyght they wente. the cause y-told of hir cominge, the olde pryam the king ful sone in general let here-upon his parlement to holde, of which the effect rehersen yow i shal. thembassadours ben answered for fynal, theschaunge of prisoners and al this nede hem lyketh wel, and forth in they procede. this troilus was present in the place, whan axed was for antenor criseyde, for which ful sone chaungen gan his face, as he that with tho wordes wel neigh deyde. but nathelees, he no word to it seyde, lest men sholde his affeccioun espye; with mannes herte he gan his sorwes drye. and ful of anguissh and of grisly drede abood what lordes wolde un-to it seye; and if they wolde graunte, as god forbede, theschaunge of hir, than thoughte he thinges tweye, first, how to save hir honour, and what weye he mighte best theschaunge of hir withstonde; ful faste he caste how al this mighte stonde. love him made al prest to doon hir byde, and rather dye than she sholde go; but resoun seyde him, on that other syde, `with-oute assent of hir ne do not so, lest for thy werk she wolde be thy fo, and seyn, that thorugh thy medling is y-blowe your bother love, there it was erst unknowe.' for which he gan deliberen, for the beste, that though the lordes wolde that she wente, he wolde lat hem graunte what hem leste, and telle his lady first what that they mente. and whan that she had seyd him hir entente, ther-after wolde he werken also blyve, though al the world ayein it wolde stryve. ector, which that wel the grekes herde, for antenor how they wolde han criseyde, gan it withstonde, and sobrely answerde: -- `sires, she nis no prisoner,' he seyde; `i noot on yow who that this charge leyde, but, on my part, ye may eft-sone hem telle, we usen here no wommen for to selle.' the noyse of peple up-stirte thanne at ones, as breme as blase of straw y-set on fyre; for infortune it wolde, for the nones, they sholden hir confusioun desyre. `ector,' quod they, `what goost may yow enspyre this womman thus to shilde and doon us lese daun antenor? -- a wrong wey now ye chese -- `that is so wys, and eek so bold baroun, and we han nede to folk, as men may see; he is eek oon, the grettest of this toun; o ector, lat tho fantasyes be! o king priam,' quod they, `thus seggen we, that al our voys is to for-gon criseyde;' and to deliveren antenor they preyde. o iuvenal, lord! trewe is thy sentence, that litel witen folk what is to yerne that they ne finde in hir desyr offence; for cloud of errour let hem not descerne what best is; and lo, here ensample as yerne. this folk desiren now deliveraunce of antenor, that broughte hem to mischaunce! for he was after traytour to the toun of troye; allas! they quitte him out to rathe; o nyce world, lo, thy discrecioun! criseyde, which that never dide hem skathe, shal now no lenger in hir blisse bathe; but antenor, he shal com hoom to toune, and she shal out; thus seyden here and howne. for which delibered was by parlement for antenor to yelden out criseyde, and it pronounced by the president, al-theigh that ector `nay' ful ofte preyde. and fynaly, what wight that it with-seyde, it was for nought, it moste been, and sholde; for substaunce of the parlement it wolde. departed out of parlement echone, this troilus, with-oute wordes mo, un-to his chaumbre spedde him faste allone, but-if it were a man of his or two, the whiche he bad out faste for to go, by-cause he wolde slepen, as he seyde, and hastely up-on his bed him leyde. and as in winter leves been biraft, eche after other, til the tree be bare, so that ther nis but bark and braunche y-laft, lyth troilus, biraft of ech wel-fare, y-bounden in the blake bark of care, disposed wood out of his wit to breyde, so sore him sat the chaunginge of criseyde. he rist him up, and every dore he shette and windowe eek, and tho this sorweful man up-on his beddes syde a-doun him sette, ful lyk a deed image pale and wan; and in his brest the heped wo bigan out-breste, and he to werken in this wyse in his woodnesse, as i shal yow devyse. right as the wilde bole biginneth springe now here, now there, y-darted to the herte, and of his deeth roreth in compleyninge, right so gan he aboute the chaumbre sterte, smyting his brest ay with his festes smerte; his heed to the wal, his body to the grounde ful ofte he swapte, him-selven to confounde. his eyen two, for pitee of his herte, out stremeden as swifte welles tweye; the heighe sobbes of his sorwes smerte his speche him refte, unnethes mighte he seye, `o deeth, allas! why niltow do me deye? a-cursed be the day which that nature shoop me to ben a lyves creature!' but after, whan the furie and the rage which that his herte twiste and faste threste, by lengthe of tyme somwhat gan asswage, up-on his bed he leyde him doun to reste; but tho bigonne his teres more out-breste, that wonder is, the body may suffyse to half this wo, which that i yow devyse. than seyde he thus, `fortune! allas the whyle! what have i doon, what have i thus a-gilt? how mightestow for reuthe me bigyle? is ther no grace, and shal i thus be spilt? shal thus criseyde awey, for that thou wilt? allas! how maystow in thyn herte finde to been to me thus cruel and unkinde? `have i thee nought honoured al my lyve, as thou wel wost, above the goddes alle? why wiltow me fro ioye thus depryve? o troilus, what may men now thee calle but wrecche of wrecches, out of honour falle in-to miserie, in which i wol biwayle criseyde, allas! til that the breeth me fayle? `allas, fortune! if that my lyf in ioye displesed hadde un-to thy foule envye, why ne haddestow my fader, king of troye, by-raft the lyf, or doon my bretheren dye, or slayn my-self, that thus compleyne and crye, i, combre-world, that may of no-thing serve, but ever dye, and never fully sterve? `if that criseyde allone were me laft, nought roughte i whider thou woldest me stere; and hir, allas! than hastow me biraft. but ever-more, lo! this is thy manere, to reve a wight that most is to him dere, to preve in that thy gerful violence. thus am i lost, ther helpeth no defence! `o verray lord of love, o god, allas! that knowest best myn herte and al my thought, what shal my sorwful lyf don in this cas if i for-go that i so dere have bought? sin ye cryseyde and me han fully brought in-to your grace, and bothe our hertes seled, how may ye suffre, allas! it be repeled? `what i may doon, i shal, whyl i may dure on lyve in torment and in cruel peyne, this infortune or this disaventure, allone as i was born, y-wis, compleyne; ne never wil i seen it shyne or reyne; but ende i wil, as edippe, in derknesse my sorwful lyf, and dyen in distresse. `o wery goost, that errest to and fro, why niltow fleen out of the wofulleste body, that ever mighte on grounde go? o soule, lurkinge in this wo, unneste, flee forth out of myn herte, and lat it breste, and folwe alwey criseyde, thy lady dere; thy righte place is now no lenger here! `o wofulle eyen two, sin your disport was al to seen criseydes eyen brighte, what shal ye doon but, for my discomfort, stonden for nought, and wepen out your sighte? sin she is queynt, that wont was yow to lighte, in veyn fro-this-forth have i eyen tweye y-formed, sin your vertue is a-weye. `o my criseyde, o lady sovereyne of thilke woful soule that thus cryeth, who shal now yeven comfort to the peyne? allas, no wight; but when myn herte dyeth, my spirit, which that so un-to yow hyeth, receyve in gree, for that shal ay yow serve; for-thy no fors is, though the body sterve. `o ye loveres, that heighe upon the wheel ben set of fortune, in good aventure, god leve that ye finde ay love of steel, and longe mot your lyf in ioye endure! but whan ye comen by my sepulture, remembreth that your felawe resteth there; for i lovede eek, though i unworthy were. `o olde, unholsom, and mislyved man, calkas i mene, allas! what eyleth thee to been a greek, sin thou art born troian? o calkas, which that wilt my bane be, in cursed tyme was thou born for me! as wolde blisful iove, for his ioye, that i thee hadde, where i wolde, in troye!' a thousand sykes, hottere than the glede, out of his brest ech after other wente, medled with pleyntes newe, his wo to fede, for which his woful teres never stente; and shortly, so his peynes him to-rente, and wex so mat, that ioye nor penaunce he feleth noon, but lyth forth in a traunce. pandare, which that in the parlement hadde herd what every lord and burgeys seyde, and how ful graunted was, by oon assent, for antenor to yelden so criseyde, gan wel neigh wood out of his wit to breyde, so that, for wo, he niste what he mente; but in a rees to troilus he wente. a certeyn knight, that for the tyme kepte the chaumbre-dore, un-dide it him anoon; and pandare, that ful tendreliche wepte, in-to the derke chaumbre, as stille as stoon, toward the bed gan softely to goon, so confus, that he niste what to seye; for verray wo his wit was neigh aweye. and with his chere and loking al to-torn, for sorwe of this, and with his armes folden, he stood this woful troilus biforn, and on his pitous face he gan biholden; but lord, so often gan his herte colden, seing his freend in wo, whos hevinesse his herte slow, as thoughte him, for distresse. this woful wight, this troilus, that felte his freend pandare y-comen him to see, gan as the snow ayein the sonne melte, for which this sorwful pandare, of pitee, gan for to wepe as tendreliche as he; and specheles thus been thise ilke tweye, that neyther mighte o word for sorwe seye. but at the laste this woful troilus, ney deed for smert, gan bresten out to rore, and with a sorwful noyse he seyde thus, among his sobbes and his sykes sore, `lo! pandare, i am deed, with-outen more. hastow nought herd at parlement,' he seyde, `for antenor how lost is my criseyde?' this pandarus, ful deed and pale of hewe, ful pitously answerde and seyde, `yis! as wisly were it fals as it is trewe, that i have herd, and wot al how it is. o mercy, god, who wolde have trowed this? who wolde have wend that, in so litel a throwe, fortune our ioye wolde han over-throwe? `for in this world ther is no creature, as to my doom, that ever saw ruyne straungere than this, thorugh cas or aventure. but who may al eschewe, or al devyne? swich is this world; for-thy i thus defyne, ne trust no wight to finden in fortune ay propretee; hir yeftes been comune. `but tel me this, why thou art now so mad to sorwen thus? why lystow in this wyse, sin thy desyr al holly hastow had, so that, by right, it oughte y-now suffyse? but i, that never felte in my servyse a frendly chere or loking of an ye, lat me thus wepe and wayle, til i dye. `and over al this, as thou wel wost thy-selve, this town is ful of ladies al aboute; and, to my doom, fairer than swiche twelve as ever she was, shal i finde, in som route, ye, oon or two, with-outen any doute. for-thy be glad, myn owene dere brother, if she be lost, we shal recovere another. `what, god for-bede alwey that ech plesaunce in o thing were, and in non other wight! if oon can singe, another can wel daunce; if this be goodly, she is glad and light; and this is fayr, and that can good a-right. ech for his vertu holden is for dere, bothe heroner and faucon for rivere. `and eek, as writ zanzis, that was ful wys, "the newe love out chaceth ofte the olde;" and up-on newe cas lyth newe avys. thenk eek, thy-self to saven artow holde; swich fyr, by proces, shal of kinde colde. for sin it is but casuel plesaunce, som cas shal putte it out of remembraunce. `for al-so seur as day cometh after night, the newe love, labour or other wo, or elles selde seinge of a wight, don olde affecciouns alle over-go. and, for thy part, thou shalt have oon of tho to abrigge with thy bittre peynes smerte; absence of hir shal dryve hir out of herte.' thise wordes seyde he for the nones alle, to helpe his freend, lest he for sorwe deyde. for douteles, to doon his wo to falle, he roughte not what unthrift that he seyde. but troilus, that neigh for sorwe deyde, tok litel hede of al that ever he mente; oon ere it herde, at the other out it wente: but at the laste answerde and seyde, `freend, this lechecraft, or heled thus to be, were wel sitting, if that i were a feend, to traysen hir that trewe is unto me! i pray god, lat this consayl never y-thee; but do me rather sterve anon-right here er i thus do as thou me woldest lere. `she that i serve, y-wis, what so thou seye, to whom myn herte enhabit is by right, shal han me holly hires til that i deye. for, pandarus, sin i have trouthe hir hight, i wol not been untrewe for no wight; but as hir man i wol ay live and sterve, and never other creature serve. `and ther thou seyst, thou shalt as faire finde as she, lat be, make no comparisoun to creature y-formed here by kinde. o leve pandare, in conclusioun, i wol not be of thyn opinioun, touching al this; for whiche i thee biseche, so hold thy pees; thou sleest me with thy speche. `thow biddest me i sholde love an-other al freshly newe, and lat criseyde go! it lyth not in my power, leve brother. and though i mighte, i wolde not do so. but canstow pleyen raket, to and fro, netle in, dokke out, now this, now that, pandare? now foule falle hir, for thy wo that care! `thow farest eek by me, thou pandarus, as he, that whan a wight is wo bi-goon, he cometh to him a pas, and seyth right thus, "thenk not on smert, and thou shalt fele noon." thou most me first transmuwen in a stoon, and reve me my passiounes alle, er thou so lightly do my wo to falle. `the deeth may wel out of my brest departe the lyf, so longe may this sorwe myne; but fro my soule shal criseydes darte out never-mo; but doun with proserpyne, whan i am deed, i wol go wone in pyne; and ther i wol eternaly compleyne my wo, and how that twinned be we tweyne. `thow hast here maad an argument, for fyn, how that it sholde a lasse peyne be criseyde to for-goon, for she was myn, and live in ese and in felicitee. why gabbestow, that seydest thus to me that "him is wors that is fro wele y-throwe, than he hadde erst non of that wele y-knowe?" `but tel me now, sin that thee thinketh so light to chaungen so in love, ay to and fro, why hastow not don bisily thy might to chaungen hir that doth thee al thy wo? why niltow lete hir fro thyn herte go? why niltow love an-other lady swete, that may thyn herte setten in quiete? `if thou hast had in love ay yet mischaunce, and canst it not out of thyn herte dryve, i, that livede in lust and in plesaunce with hir as muche as creature on-lyve, how sholde i that foryete, and that so blyve? o where hastow ben hid so longe in muwe, that canst so wel and formely arguwe? `nay, nay, god wot, nought worth is al thy reed, for which, for what that ever may bifalle, with-outen wordes mo, i wol be deed. o deeth, that endere art of sorwes alle, com now, sin i so ofte after thee calle, for sely is that deeth, soth for to seyne, that, ofte y-cleped, cometh and endeth peyne. `wel wot i, whyl my lyf was in quiete, er thou me slowe, i wolde have yeven hyre; but now thy cominge is to me so swete, that in this world i no-thing so desyre. o deeth, sin with this sorwe i am a-fyre, thou outher do me anoon yn teres drenche, or with thy colde strook myn hete quenche! `sin that thou sleest so fele in sondry wyse ayens hir wil, unpreyed, day and night, do me, at my requeste, this servyse, delivere now the world, so dostow right, of me, that am the wofulleste wight that ever was; for tyme is that i sterve, sin in this world of right nought may i serve.' this troilus in teres gan distille, as licour out of alambyk ful faste; and pandarus gan holde his tunge stille, and to the ground his eyen doun he caste. but nathelees, thus thoughte he at the laste, `what, parde, rather than my felawe deye, yet shal i som-what more un-to him seye:' and seyde, `freend, sin thou hast swich distresse, and sin thee list myn arguments to blame, why nilt thy-selven helpen doon redresse, and with thy manhod letten al this grame? go ravisshe hir ne canstow not for shame! and outher lat hir out of toune fare, or hold hir stille, and leve thy nyce fare. `artow in troye, and hast non hardiment to take a womman which that loveth thee, and wolde hir-selven been of thyn assent? now is not this a nyce vanitee? rys up anoon, and lat this weping be, and kyth thou art a man, for in this houre i wil be deed, or she shal bleven oure.' to this answerde him troilus ful softe, and seyde, `parde, leve brother dere, al this have i my-self yet thought ful ofte, and more thing than thou devysest here. but why this thing is laft, thou shalt wel here; and whan thou me hast yeve an audience, ther-after mayst thou telle al thy sentence. `first, sin thou wost this toun hath al this werre for ravisshing of wommen so by might, it sholde not be suffred me to erre, as it stant now, ne doon so gret unright. i sholde han also blame of every wight, my fadres graunt if that i so withstode, sin she is chaunged for the tounes goode. `i have eek thought, so it were hir assent, to aske hir at my fader, of his grace; than thenke i, this were hir accusement, sin wel i woot i may hir not purchace. for sin my fader, in so heigh a place as parlement, hath hir eschaunge enseled, he nil for me his lettre be repeled. `yet drede i most hir herte to pertourbe with violence, if i do swich a game; for if i wolde it openly distourbe, it moste been disclaundre to hir name. and me were lever deed than hir defame, as nolde god but-if i sholde have hir honour lever than my lyf to save! `thus am i lost, for ought that i can see; for certeyn is, sin that i am hir knight, i moste hir honour levere han than me in every cas, as lovere oughte of right. thus am i with desyr and reson twight; desyr for to destourben hir me redeth, and reson nil not, so myn herte dredeth.' thus wepinge that he coude never cesse, he seyde, `allas! how shal i, wrecche, fare? for wel fele i alwey my love encresse, and hope is lasse and lasse alwey, pandare! encressen eek the causes of my care; so wel-a-wey, why nil myn herte breste? for, as in love, ther is but litel reste.' pandare answerde, `freend, thou mayst, for me, don as thee list; but hadde ich it so hote, and thyn estat, she sholde go with me; though al this toun cryede on this thing by note, i nolde sette at al that noyse a grote. for when men han wel cryed, than wol they roune; a wonder last but nyne night never in toune. `devyne not in reson ay so depe ne curteysly, but help thy-self anoon; bet is that othere than thy-selven wepe, and namely, sin ye two been al oon. rys up, for by myn heed, she shal not goon; and rather be in blame a lyte y-founde than sterve here as a gnat, with-oute wounde. `it is no shame un-to yow, ne no vyce hir to with-holden, that ye loveth most. paraunter, she mighte holden thee for nyce to lete hir go thus to the grekes ost. thenk eek fortune, as wel thy-selven wost, helpeth hardy man to his enpryse, and weyveth wrecches, for hir cowardyse. `and though thy lady wolde a litel hir greve, thou shalt thy pees ful wel here-after make, but as for me, certayn, i can not leve that she wolde it as now for yvel take. why sholde than for ferd thyn herte quake? thenk eek how paris hath, that is thy brother, a love; and why shaltow not have another? `and troilus, o thing i dar thee swere, that if criseyde, whiche that is thy leef, now loveth thee as wel as thou dost here, god helpe me so, she nil nat take a-greef, though thou do bote a-noon in this mischeef. and if she wilneth fro thee for to passe, thanne is she fals; so love hir wel the lasse. `for-thy tak herte, and thenk, right as a knight, thourgh love is broken alday every lawe. kyth now sumwhat thy corage and thy might, have mercy on thy-self, for any awe. lat not this wrecched wo thin herte gnawe, but manly set the world on sixe and sevene; and, if thou deye a martir, go to hevene. `i wol my-self be with thee at this dede, though ich and al my kin, up-on a stounde, shulle in a strete as dogges liggen dede, thourgh-girt with many a wyd and blody wounde. in every cas i wol a freend be founde. and if thee list here sterven as a wrecche, a-dieu, the devel spede him that it recche!' this troilus gan with tho wordes quiken, and seyde, `freend, graunt mercy, ich assente; but certaynly thou mayst not me so priken, ne peyne noon ne may me so tormente, that, for no cas, it is not myn entente, at shorte wordes, though i dyen sholde, to ravisshe hir, but-if hir-self it wolde.' `why, so mene i,' quod pandarus, `al this day. but tel me than, hastow hir wil assayed, that sorwest thus?' and he answerde, `nay.' `wher-of artow,' quod pandare, `than a-mayed, that nost not that she wol ben y-vel apayed to ravisshe hir, sin thou hast not ben there, but-if that iove tolde it in thyn ere? `for-thy rys up, as nought ne were, anoon, and wash thy face, and to the king thou wende, or he may wondren whider thou art goon. thou most with wisdom him and othere blende; or, up-on cas, he may after thee sende er thou be war; and shortly, brother dere, be glad, and lat me werke in this matere. `for i shal shape it so, that sikerly thou shalt this night som tyme, in som manere, com speke with thy lady prevely, and by hir wordes eek, and by hir chere, thou shalt ful sone aperceyve and wel here al hir entente, and in this cas the beste; and fare now wel, for in this point i reste.' the swifte fame, whiche that false thinges egal reporteth lyk the thinges trewe, was thorugh-out troye y-fled with preste winges fro man to man, and made this tale al newe, how calkas doughter, with hir brighte hewe, at parlement, with-oute wordes more, i-graunted was in chaunge of antenore. the whiche tale anoon-right as criseyde had herd, she, which that of hir fader roughte, as in this cas, right nought, ne whanne he deyde, ful bisily to iuppiter bisoughte yeve hem mischaunce that this tretis broughte. but shortly, lest thise tales sothe were, she dorste at no wight asken it, for fere. as she that hadde hir herte and al hir minde on troilus y-set so wonder faste, that al this world ne mighte hir love unbinde, ne troilus out of hir herte caste; she wol ben his, whyl that hir lyf may laste. and thus she brenneth bothe in love and drede, so that she niste what was best to rede. but as men seen in toune, and al aboute, that wommen usen frendes to visyte, so to criseyde of wommen com a route for pitous ioye, and wenden hir delyte; and with hir tales, dere y-nough a myte, these wommen, whiche that in the cite dwelle, they sette hem doun, and seyde as i shal telle. quod first that oon, `i am glad, trewely, by-cause of yow, that shal your fader see.' a-nother seyde, `y-wis, so nam not i, for al to litel hath she with us be.' quod tho the thridde, `i hope, y-wis, that she shal bringen us the pees on every syde, that, whan she gooth, almighty god hir gyde!' tho wordes and tho wommanisshe thinges, she herde hem right as though she thennes were; for, god it wot, hir herte on other thing is, although the body sat among hem there. hir advertence is alwey elles-where; for troilus ful faste hir soule soughte; with-outen word, alwey on him she thoughte. thise wommen, that thus wenden hir to plese, aboute nought gonne alle hir tales spende; swich vanitee ne can don hir non ese, as she that, al this mene whyle. brende of other passioun than that they wende, so that she felte almost hir herte deye for wo, and wery of that companye. for which no lenger mighte she restreyne hir teres, so they gonnen up to welle, that yaven signes of the bitter peyne in whiche hir spirit was, and moste dwelle; remembring hir, fro heven unto which helle she fallen was, sith she forgoth the sighte of troilus, and sorowfully she sighte. and thilke foles sittinge hir aboute wenden, that she wepte and syked sore by-cause that she sholde out of that route departe, and never pleye with hem more. and they that hadde y-knowen hir of yore seye hir so wepe, and thoughte it kindenesse, and eche of hem wepte eek for hir destresse; and bisily they gonnen hir conforten of thing, god wot, on which she litel thoughte; and with hir tales wenden hir disporten, and to be glad they often hir bisoughte. but swich an ese ther-with they hir wroughte right as a man is esed for to fele, for ache of heed, to clawen him on his hele! but after al this nyce vanitee they took hir leve, and hoom they wenten alle. criseyde, ful of sorweful pitee, in-to hir chaumbre up wente out of the halle, and on hir bed she gan for deed to falle, in purpos never thennes for to ryse; and thus she wroughte, as i shal yow devyse. hir ounded heer, that sonnish was of hewe, she rente, and eek hir fingres longe and smale she wrong ful ofte, and bad god on hir rewe, and with the deeth to doon bote on hir bale. hir hewe, whylom bright, that tho was pale, bar witnes of hir wo and hir constreynte; and thus she spak, sobbinge, in hir compleynte: `alas!' quod she, `out of this regioun i, woful wrecche and infortuned wight, and born in corsed constellacioun, mot goon, and thus departen fro my knight; wo worth, allas! that ilke dayes light on which i saw him first with eyen tweyne, that causeth me, and i him, al this peyne!' therwith the teres from hir eyen two doun fille, as shour in aperill ful swythe; hir whyte brest she bet, and for the wo after the deeth she cryed a thousand sythe, sin he that wont hir wo was for to lythe, she mot for-goon; for which disaventure she held hir-self a forlost creature. she seyde, `how shal he doon, and i also? how sholde i live, if that i from him twinne? o dere herte eek, that i love so, who shal that sorwe sleen that ye ben inne? o calkas, fader, thyn be al this sinne! o moder myn, that cleped were argyve, wo worth that day that thou me bere on lyve! `to what fyn sholde i live and sorwen thus? how sholde a fish with-oute water dure? what is criseyde worth, from troilus? how sholde a plaunte or lyves creature live, with-oute his kinde noriture? for which ful oft a by-word here i seye, that "rotelees, mot grene sone deye." `i shal don thus, sin neither swerd ne darte dar i non handle, for the crueltee, that ilke day that i from yow departe, if sorwe of that nil not my bane be, than shal no mete or drinke come in me til i my soule out of my breste unshethe; and thus my-selven wol i do to dethe. `and, troilus, my clothes everichoon shul blake been, in tokeninge, herte swete, that i am as out of this world agoon, that wont was yow to setten in quiete; and of myn ordre, ay til deeth me mete, the observaunce ever, in your absence, shal sorwe been, compleynte, and abstinence. `myn herte and eek the woful goost ther-inne biquethe i, with your spirit to compleyne eternally, for they shal never twinne. for though in erthe y-twinned be we tweyne, yet in the feld of pitee, out of peyne, that hight elysos, shul we been y-fere, as orpheus and erudice, his fere. `thus, herte myn, for antenor, allas! i sone shal be chaunged, as i wene. but how shul ye don in this sorwful cas, how shal youre tendre herte this sustene? but herte myn, for-yet this sorwe and tene, and me also; for, soothly for to seye, so ye wel fare, i recche not to deye.' how mighte it ever y-red ben or y-songe, the pleynte that she made in hir distresse? i noot; but, as for me, my litel tonge, if i discreven wolde hir hevinesse, it sholde make hir sorwe seme lesse than that it was, and childishly deface hir heigh compleynte, and therfore i it pace. pandare, which that sent from troilus was to criseyde, as ye han herd devyse, that for the beste it was accorded thus, and he ful glad to doon him that servyse, un-to criseyde, in a ful secree wyse, ther-as she lay in torment and in rage, com hir to telle al hoolly his message, and fond that she hir-selven gan to trete ful pitously; for with hir salte teres hir brest, hir face, y-bathed was ful wete; the mighty tresses of hir sonnish heres, unbroyden, hangen al aboute hir eres; which yaf him verray signal of martyre of deeth, which that hir herte gan desyre. whan she him saw, she gan for sorwe anoon hir tery face a-twixe hir armes hide, for which this pandare is so wo bi-goon, that in the hous he mighte unnethe abyde, as he that pitee felte on every syde. for if criseyde hadde erst compleyned sore, tho gan she pleyne a thousand tymes more. and in hir aspre pleynte than she seyde, `pandare first of ioyes mo than two was cause causinge un-to me, criseyde, that now transmuwed been in cruel wo. wher shal i seye to yow "wel come" or no, that alderfirst me broughte in-to servyse of love, allas! that endeth in swich wyse? `endeth than love in wo? ye, or men lyeth! and alle worldly blisse, as thinketh me. the ende of blisse ay sorwe it occupyeth; and who-so troweth not that it so be, lat him upon me, woful wrecche, y-see, that my-self hate, and ay my birthe acorse, felinge alwey, fro wikke i go to worse. `who-so me seeth, he seeth sorwe al at ones, peyne, torment, pleynte, wo, distresse. out of my woful body harm ther noon is, as anguish, langour, cruel bitternesse, a-noy, smert, drede, fury, and eek siknesse. i trowe, y-wis, from hevene teres reyne, for pitee of myn aspre and cruel peyne! ' `and thou, my suster, ful of discomfort,' quod pandarus, `what thenkestow to do? why ne hastow to thy-selven som resport, why woltow thus thy-selve, allas, for-do? leef al this werk and tak now hede to that i shal seyn, and herkne, of good entente, this, which by me thy troilus thee sente.' torned hir tho criseyde, a wo makinge so greet that it a deeth was for to see: -- `allas!' quod she, `what wordes may ye bringe? what wol my dere herte seyn to me, which that i drede never-mo to see? wol he have pleynte or teres, er i wende? i have y-nowe, if he ther-after sende!' she was right swich to seen in hir visage as is that wight that men on bere binde; hir face, lyk of paradys the image, was al y-chaunged in another kinde. the pleye, the laughtre men was wont to finde on hir, and eek hir ioyes everychone, ben fled, and thus lyth now criseyde allone. aboute hir eyen two a purpre ring bi-trent, in sothfast tokninge of hir peyne, that to biholde it was a dedly thing, for which pandare mighte not restreyne the teres from his eyen for to reyne. but nathelees, as he best mighte, he seyde from troilus thise wordes to criseyde. `lo, nece, i trowe ye han herd al how the king, with othere lordes, for the beste, hath mad eschaunge of antenor and yow, that cause is of this sorwe and this unreste. but how this cas doth troilus moleste, that may non erthely mannes tonge seye; for verray wo his wit is al aweye. `for which we han so sorwed, he and i, that in-to litel bothe it hadde us slawe; but thurgh my conseil this day, fynally, he somwhat is fro weping now with-drawe. and semeth me that he desyreth fawe with yow to been al night, for to devyse remede in this, if ther were any wyse. `this, short and pleyne, theffect of my message, as ferforth as my wit can comprehende. for ye, that been of torment in swich rage, may to no long prologe as now entende; and her-upon ye may answere him sende. and, for the love of god, my nece dere, so leef this wo er troilus be here.' `gret is my wo,' quod she, and sighte sore, as she that feleth dedly sharp distresse; `but yet to me his sorwe is muchel more, that love him bet than he him-self, i gesse. allas! for me hath he swich hevinesse? can he for me so pitously compleyne? y-wis, his sorwe doubleth al my peyne. `grevous to me, god wot, is for to twinne,' quod she, `but yet it hardere is to me to seen that sorwe which that he is inne; for wel wot i, it wol my bane be; and deye i wol in certayn,' tho quod she; `but bidde him come, er deeth, that thus me threteth, dryve out that goost which in myn herte beteth.' thise wordes seyd, she on hir armes two fil gruf, and gan to wepe pitously. quod pandarus, `allas! why do ye so, syn wel ye woot the tyme is faste by, that he shal come? arys up hastely, that he yow nat biwopen thus ne finde, but ye wol have him wood out of his minde! `for wiste he that ye ferde in this manere, he wolde him-selve slee; and if i wende to han this fare, he sholde not come here for al the good that pryam may despende. for to what fyn he wolde anoon pretende, that knowe i wel; and for-thy yet i seye, so leef this sorwe, or platly he wol deye. `and shapeth yow his sorwe for to abregge, and nought encresse, leve nece swete; beth rather to him cause of flat than egge, and with som wysdom ye his sorwes bete. what helpeth it to wepen ful a strete, or though ye bothe in salte teres dreynte? bet is a tyme of cure ay than of pleynte. `i mene thus; whan i him hider bringe, sin ye ben wyse, and bothe of oon assent, so shapeth how distourbe your goinge, or come ayen, sone after ye be went. wommen ben wyse in short avysement; and lat sen how your wit shal now avayle; and what that i may helpe, it shal not fayle.' `go,' quod criseyde, `and uncle, trewely, i shal don al my might, me to restreyne from weping in his sighte, and bisily, him for to glade, i shal don al my peyne, and in myn herte seken every veyne; if to this soor ther may be founden salve, it shal not lakken, certain, on myn halve.' goth pandarus, and troilus he soughte, til in a temple he fond him allone, as he that of his lyf no lenger roughte; but to the pitouse goddes everichone ful tendrely he preyde, and made his mone, to doon him sone out of this world to pace; for wel he thoughte ther was non other grace. and shortly, al the sothe for to seye, he was so fallen in despeyr that day, that outrely he shoop him for to deye. for right thus was his argument alwey: he seyde, he nas but loren, waylawey! `for al that comth, comth by necessitee; thus to be lorn, it is my destinee. `for certaynly, this wot i wel,' he seyde, `that for-sight of divyne purveyaunce hath seyn alwey me to for-gon criseyde, sin god seeth every thing, out of doutaunce, and hem disponeth, thourgh his ordenaunce, in hir merytes sothly for to be, as they shul comen by predestinee. `but nathelees, allas! whom shal i leve? for ther ben grete clerkes many oon, that destinee thorugh argumentes preve; and som men seyn that nedely ther is noon; but that free chois is yeven us everichoon. o, welaway! so sleye arn clerkes olde, that i not whos opinion i may holde. `for som men seyn, if god seth al biforn, ne god may not deceyved ben, pardee, than moot it fallen, though men hadde it sworn, that purveyaunce hath seyn bifore to be. wherfor i seye, that from eterne if he hath wist biforn our thought eek as our dede, we have no free chois, as these clerkes rede. `for other thought nor other dede also might never be, but swich as purveyaunce, which may not ben deceyved never-mo, hath feled biforn, with-outen ignoraunce. for if ther mighte been a variaunce to wrythen out fro goddes purveyinge, ther nere no prescience of thing cominge; `but it were rather an opinioun uncerteyn, and no stedfast forseinge; and certes, that were an abusioun, that god shuld han no parfit cleer witinge more than we men that han doutous weninge. but swich an errour up-on god to gesse were fals and foul, and wikked corsednesse. `eek this is an opinioun of somme that han hir top ful heighe and smothe y-shore; they seyn right thus, that thing is not to come for that the prescience hath seyn bifore that it shal come; but they seyn that therfore that it shal come, therfore the purveyaunce wot it biforn with-outen ignoraunce; `and in this manere this necessitee retorneth in his part contrarie agayn. for needfully bihoveth it not to be that thilke thinges fallen in certayn that ben purveyed; but nedely, as they seyn, bihoveth it that thinges, whiche that falle, that they in certayn ben purveyed alle. `i mene as though i laboured me in this, to enqueren which thing cause of which thing be; as whether that the prescience of god is the certayn cause of the necessitee of thinges that to comen been, pardee; or if necessitee of thing cominge be cause certeyn of the purveyinge. `but now ne enforce i me nat in shewinge how the ordre of causes stant; but wel wot i, that it bihoveth that the bifallinge of thinges wist biforen certeynly be necessarie, al seme it not ther-by that prescience put falling necessaire to thing to come, al falle it foule or faire. `for if ther sit a man yond on a see, than by necessitee bihoveth it that, certes, thyn opinioun soth be, that wenest or coniectest that he sit; and ferther-over now ayenward yit, lo, right so it is of the part contrarie, as thus; (now herkne, for i wol not tarie): `i seye, that if the opinioun of thee be sooth, for that he sit, than seye i this, that he mot sitten by necessitee; and thus necessitee in either is. for in him nede of sittinge is, y-wis, and in thee nede of sooth; and thus, forsothe, ther moot necessitee ben in yow bothe. `but thou mayst seyn, the man sit not therfore, that thyn opinioun of sitting soth is; but rather, for the man sit ther bifore, therfore is thyn opinioun sooth, y-wis. and i seye, though the cause of sooth of this comth of his sitting, yet necessitee is entrechaunged, bothe in him and thee. `thus on this same wyse, out of doutaunce, i may wel maken, as it semeth me, my resoninge of goddes purveyaunce, and of the thinges that to comen be; by whiche reson men may wel y-see, that thilke thinges that in erthe falle, that by necessitee they comen alle. `for al-though that, for thing shal come, y-wis, therfore is it purveyed, certaynly, nat that it comth for it purveyed is: yet nathelees, bihoveth it nedfully, that thing to come be purveyed, trewely; or elles, thinges that purveyed be, that they bityden by necessitee. `and this suffyseth right y-now, certeyn, for to destroye our free chois every del. -- but now is this abusion, to seyn, that fallinge of the thinges temporel is cause of goddes prescience eternel. now trewely, that is a fals sentence, that thing to come sholde cause his prescience. `what mighte i wene, and i hadde swich a thought, but that god purveyth thing that is to come for that it is to come, and elles nought? so mighte i wene that thinges alle and some, that whylom been bifalle and over-come, ben cause of thilke sovereyn purveyaunce, that for-wot al with-outen ignoraunce. `and over al this, yet seye i more herto, that right as whan i woot ther is a thing, y-wis, that thing mot nedefully be so; eek right so, whan i woot a thing coming, so mot it come; and thus the bifalling of thinges that ben wist bifore the tyde, they mowe not been eschewed on no syde.' than seyde he thus, `almighty iove in trone, that wost of al this thing the soothfastnesse, rewe on my sorwe, or do me deye sone, or bring criseyde and me fro this distresse.' and whyl he was in al this hevinesse, disputinge with him-self in this matere, com pandare in, and seyde as ye may here. `o mighty god,' quod pandarus, `in trone, ey! who seigh ever a wys man faren so? why, troilus, what thenkestow to done? hastow swich lust to been thyn owene fo? what, parde, yet is not criseyde a-go! why list thee so thy-self for-doon for drede, that in thyn heed thyn eyen semen dede? `hastow not lived many a yeer biforn with-outen hir, and ferd ful wel at ese? artow for hir and for non other born? hath kinde thee wroughte al-only hir to plese? lat be, and thenk right thus in thy disese. that, in the dees right as ther fallen chaunces, right so in love, ther come and goon plesaunces. `and yet this is a wonder most of alle, why thou thus sorwest, sin thou nost not yit, touching hir goinge, how that it shal falle, ne if she can hir-self distorben it. thou hast not yet assayed al hir wit. a man may al by tyme his nekke bede whan it shal of, and sorwen at the nede. `for-thy take hede of that that i shal seye; i have with hir y-spoke and longe y-be, so as accorded was bitwixe us tweye. and ever-mor me thinketh thus, that she hath som-what in hir hertes prevetee, wher-with she can, if i shal right arede, distorbe al this, of which thou art in drede. `for which my counseil is, whan it is night, thou to hir go, and make of this an ende; and blisful iuno, thourgh hir grete mighte, shal, as i hope, hir grace un-to us sende. myn herte seyth, "certeyn, she shal not wende;" and for-thy put thyn herte a whyle in reste; and hold this purpos, for it is the beste.' this troilus answerde, and sighte sore, `thou seyst right wel, and i wil do right so;' and what him liste, he seyde un-to it more. and whan that it was tyme for to go, ful prevely him-self, with-outen mo, un-to hir com, as he was wont to done; and how they wroughte, i shal yow telle sone. soth is, that whan they gonne first to mete, so gan the peyne hir hertes for to twiste, that neither of hem other mighte grete, but hem in armes toke and after kiste. the lasse wofulle of hem bothe niste wher that he was, ne mighte o word out-bringe, as i seyde erst, for wo and for sobbinge. tho woful teres that they leten falle as bittre weren, out of teres kinde, for peyne, as is ligne aloes or galle. so bittre teres weep nought, as i finde, the woful myrra through the bark and rinde. that in this world ther nis so hard an herte, that nolde han rewed on hir peynes smerte. but whan hir woful wery gostes tweyne retorned been ther-as hem oughte dwelle, and that som-what to wayken gan the peyne by lengthe of pleynte, and ebben gan the welle of hire teres, and the herte unswelle, with broken voys, al hoors for-shright, criseyde to troilus thise ilke wordes seyde: `o iove, i deye, and mercy i beseche! help, troilus!' and ther-with-al hir face upon his brest she leyde, and loste speche; hir woful spirit from his propre place, right with the word, alwey up poynt to pace. and thus she lyth with hewes pale and grene, that whylom fresh and fairest was to sene. this troilus, that on hir gan biholde, clepinge hir name, (and she lay as for deed, with-oute answere, and felte hir limes colde, hir eyen throwen upward to hir heed), this sorwful man can now noon other reed, but ofte tyme hir colde mouth he kiste; wher him was wo, god and him-self it wiste! he rist him up, and long streight he hir leyde; for signe of lyf, for ought he can or may, can he noon finde in no-thing on criseyde, for which his song ful ofte is `weylaway!' but whan he saugh that specheles she lay, with sorwful voys and herte of blisse al bare, he seyde how she was fro this world y-fare! so after that he longe hadde hir compleyned, his hondes wrong, and seyde that was to seye, and with his teres salte hir brest bireyned, he gan tho teris wypen of ful dreye, and pitously gan for the soule preye, and seyde, `o lord, that set art in thy trone, rewe eek on me, for i shal folwe hir sone!' she cold was and with-outen sentement, for aught he woot, for breeth ne felte he noon; and this was him a preignant argument that she was forth out of this world agoon; and whan he seigh ther was non other woon, he gan hir limes dresse in swich manere as men don hem that shul be leyd on bere. and after this, with sterne and cruel herte, his swerd a-noon out of his shethe he twighte, him-self to sleen, how sore that him smerte, so that his sowle hir sowle folwen mighte, ther-as the doom of mynos wolde it dighte; sin love and cruel fortune it ne wolde, that in this world he lenger liven sholde. thanne seyde he thus, fulfild of heigh desdayn, `o cruel iove, and thou, fortune adverse, this al and som, that falsly have ye slayn criseyde, and sin ye may do me no werse, fy on your might and werkes so diverse! thus cowardly ye shul me never winne; ther shal no deeth me fro my lady twinne. `for i this world, sin ye han slayn hir thus, wol lete, and folowe hir spirit lowe or hye; shal never lover seyn that troilus dar not, for fere, with his lady dye; for certeyn, i wol bere hir companye. but sin ye wol not suffre us liven here, yet suffreth that our soules ben y-fere. `and thou, citee, whiche that i leve in wo, and thou, pryam, and bretheren al y-fere, and thou, my moder, farwel! for i go; and attropos, make redy thou my bere! and thou, criseyde, o swete herte dere, receyve now my spirit!' wolde he seye, with swerd at herte, al redy for to deye but as god wolde, of swough ther-with she abreyde, and gan to syke, and `troilus' she cryde; and he answerde, `lady myn criseyde, live ye yet?' and leet his swerd doun glyde. `ye, herte myn, that thanked be cupyde!' quod she, and ther-with-al she sore sighte; and he bigan to glade hir as he mighte; took hir in armes two, and kiste hir ofte, and hir to glade he dide al his entente; for which hir goost, that flikered ay on-lofte, in-to hir woful herte ayein it wente. but at the laste, as that hir eyen glente a-syde, anoon she gan his swerd aspye, as it lay bare, and gan for fere crye, and asked him, why he it hadde out-drawe? and troilus anoon the cause hir tolde, and how himself ther-with he wolde have slawe. for which criseyde up-on him gan biholde, and gan him in hir armes faste folde, and seyde, `o mercy, god, lo, which a dede! allas! how neigh we were bothe dede! `thanne if i ne hadde spoken, as grace was, ye wolde han slayn your-self anoon?' quod she. `ye, douteless;' and she answerde, `allas! for, by that ilke lord that made me, i nolde a forlong wey on-lyve han be, after your deeth, to han been crouned quene of al the lond the sonne on shyneth shene. `but with this selve swerd, which that here is, my-selve i wolde han slayn!' -- quod she tho; `but ho, for we han right y-now of this, and late us ryse and streight to bedde go and there lat ys speken of oure wo. for, by the morter which that i see brenne, knowe i ful wel that day is not fer henne.' whan they were in hir bedde, in armes folde, nought was it lyk tho nightes here-biforn; for pitously ech other gan biholde, as they that hadden al hir blisse y-lorn, biwaylinge ay the day that they were born. til at the last this sorwful wight criseyde to troilus these ilke wordes seyde: -- `lo, herte myn, wel wot ye this,' quod she, `that if a wight alwey his wo compleyne, and seketh nought how holpen for to be, it nis but folye and encrees of peyne; and sin that here assembled be we tweyne to finde bote of wo that we ben inne, it were al tyme sone to biginne. `i am a womman, as ful wel ye woot, and as i am avysed sodeynly, so wol i telle yow, whyl it is hoot. me thinketh thus, that nouther ye nor i oughte half this wo to make skilfully. for there is art y-now for to redresse that yet is mis, and sleen this hevinesse. `sooth is, the wo, the whiche that we ben inne, for ought i woot, for no-thing elles is but for the cause that we sholden twinne. considered al, ther nis no-more amis. but what is thanne a remede un-to this, but that we shape us sone for to mete? this al and som, my dere herte swete. `now that i shal wel bringen it aboute to come ayein, sone after that i go, ther-of am i no maner thing in doute. for dredeles, with-inne a wouke or two, i shal ben here; and, that it may be so by alle right, and in a wordes fewe, i shal yow wel an heep of weyes shewe. `for which i wol not make long sermoun, for tyme y-lost may not recovered be; but i wol gon to my conclusioun, and to the beste, in ought that i can see. and, for the love of god, for-yeve it me if i speke ought ayein your hertes reste; for trewely, i speke it for the beste; `makinge alwey a protestacioun, that now these wordes, whiche that i shal seye, nis but to shewe yow my mocioun, to finde un-to our helpe the beste weye; and taketh it non other wyse, i preye. for in effect what-so ye me comaunde, that wol i doon, for that is no demaunde. `now herkneth this, ye han wel understonde, my goinge graunted is by parlement so ferforth, that it may not be with-stonde for al this world, as by my iugement. and sin ther helpeth noon avysement to letten it, lat it passe out of minde; and lat us shape a bettre wey to finde. `the sothe is, that the twinninge of us tweyne wol us disese and cruelliche anoye. but him bihoveth som-tyme han a peyne, that serveth love, if that he wol have ioye. and sin i shal no ferthere out of troye than i may ryde ayein on half a morwe, it oughte lesse causen us to sorwe. `so as i shal not so ben hid in muwe, that day by day, myn owene herte dere, sin wel ye woot that it is now a trewe, ye shal ful wel al myn estat y-here. and er that truwe is doon, i shal ben here, and thanne have ye bothe antenor y-wonne and me also; beth glad now, if ye conne; `and thenk right thus, "criseyde is now agoon, but what! she shal come hastely ayeyn;" and whanne, allas? by god, lo, right anoon, er dayes ten, this dar i saufly seyn. and thanne at erste shul we been so fayn, so as we shulle to-gederes ever dwelle, that al this world ne mighte our blisse telle. `i see that ofte, ther-as we ben now, that for the beste, our counseil for to hyde, ye speke not with me, nor i with yow in fourtenight; ne see yow go ne ryde. may ye not ten dayes thanne abyde, for myn honour, in swich an aventure? y-wis, ye mowen elles lite endure! `ye knowe eek how that al my kin is here, but-if that onliche it my fader be; and eek myn othere thinges alle y-fere, and nameliche, my dere herte, ye, whom that i nolde leven for to see for al this world, as wyd as it hath space; or elles, see ich never ioves face! `why trowe ye my fader in this wyse coveiteth so to see me, but for drede lest in this toun that folkes me dispyse by-cause of him, for his unhappy dede? what woot my fader what lyf that i lede? for if he wiste in troye how wel i fare, us neded for my wending nought to care. `ye seen that every day eek, more and more, men trete of pees; and it supposed is, that men the quene eleyne shal restore, and grekes us restore that is mis. so though ther nere comfort noon but this, that men purposen pees on every syde, ye may the bettre at ese of herte abyde. `for if that it be pees, myn herte dere, the nature of the pees mot nedes dryve that men moste entrecomunen y-fere, and to and fro eek ryde and gon as blyve alday as thikke as been flen from an hyve; and every wight han libertee to bleve where-as him list the bet, with-outen leve. `and though so be that pees ther may be noon, yet hider, though ther never pees ne were, i moste come; for whider sholde i goon, or how mischaunce sholde i dwelle there among tho men of armes ever in fere? for which, as wisly god my soule rede, i can not seen wher-of ye sholden drede. `have here another wey, if it so be that al this thing ne may yow not suffyse. my fader, as ye knowen wel, pardee, is old, and elde is ful of coveityse, and i right now have founden al the gyse, with-oute net, wher-with i shal him hente; and herkeneth how, if that ye wole assente. `lo, troilus, men seyn that hard it is the wolf ful, and the wether hool to have; this is to seyn, that men ful ofte, y-wis, mot spenden part, the remenant for to save. for ay with gold men may the herte grave of him that set is up-on coveityse; and how i mene, i shal it yow devyse. `the moeble which that i have in this toun un-to my fader shal i take, and seye, that right for trust and for savacioun it sent is from a freend of his or tweye, the whiche freendes ferventliche him preye to senden after more, and that in hye, whyl that this toun stant thus in iupartye. `and that shal been an huge quantitee, thus shal i seyn, but, lest it folk aspyde, this may be sent by no wight but by me; i shal eek shewen him, if pees bityde, what frendes that ich have on every syde toward the court, to doon the wrathe pace of priamus, and doon him stonde in grace. `so what for o thing and for other, swete, i shal him so enchaunten with my sawes, that right in hevene his sowle is, shal he mete! for al appollo, or his clerkes lawes, or calculinge avayleth nought three hawes; desyr of gold shal so his sowle blende, that, as me lyst, i shal wel make an ende. `and if he wolde ought by his sort it preve if that i lye, in certayn i shal fonde distorben him, and plukke him by the sleve, makinge his sort, and beren him on honde, he hath not wel the goddes understonde. for goddes speken in amphibologyes, and, for o sooth they tellen twenty lyes. `eek drede fond first goddes, i suppose, thus shal i seyn, and that his cowarde herte made him amis the goddes text to glose, whan he for ferde out of his delphos sterte. and but i make him sone to converte, and doon my reed with-inne a day or tweye, i wol to yow oblige me to deye.' and treweliche, as writen wel i finde, that al this thing was seyd of good entente; and that hir herte trewe was and kinde towardes him, and spak right as she mente, and that she starf for wo neigh, whan she wente, and was in purpos ever to be trewe; thus writen they that of hir werkes knewe. this troilus, with herte and eres spradde, herde al this thing devysen to and fro; and verraylich him semed that he hadde the selve wit; but yet to lete hir go his herte misforyaf him ever-mo. but fynally, he gan his herte wreste to trusten hir, and took it for the beste. for which the grete furie of his penaunce was queynt with hope, and ther-with hem bitwene bigan for ioye the amorouse daunce. and as the briddes, whan the sonne is shene, delyten in hir song in leves grene, right so the wordes that they spake y-fere delyted hem, and made hir hertes clere. but natheles, the wending of criseyde, for al this world, may nought out of his minde; for which ful ofte he pitously hir preyde, that of hir heste he might hir trewe finde, and seyde hire, `certes, if ye be unkinde, and but ye come at day set in-to troye, ne shal i never have hele, honour, ne ioye. `for al-so sooth as sonne up-rist on morwe, and, god! so wisly thou me, woful wrecche, to reste bringe out of this cruel sorwe, i wol my-selven slee if that ye drecche. but of my deeth though litel be to recche, yet, er that ye me cause so to smerte, dwel rather here, myn owene swete herte! `for trewely, myn owene lady dere, tho sleightes yet that i have herd yow stere ful shaply been to failen alle y-fere. for thus men seyn, "that oon thenketh the bere, but al another thenketh his ledere." your sire is wys, and seyd is, out of drede, "men may the wyse at-renne, and not at-rede." `it is ful hard to halten unespyed bifore a crepul, for he can the craft; your fader is in sleighte as argus yed; for al be that his moeble is him biraft, his olde sleighte is yet so with him laft, ye shal not blende him for your womanhede, ne feyne a-right, and that is al my drede. `i noot if pees shal ever-mo bityde; but, pees or no, for ernest ne for game, i woot, sin calkas on the grekis syde hath ones been, and lost so foule his name, he dar no more come here ayein for shame; for which that weye, for ought i can espye, to trusten on, nis but a fantasye. `ye shal eek seen, your fader shal yow glose to been a wyf, and as he can wel preche, he shal som grek so preyse and wel alose, that ravisshen he shal yow with his speche, or do yow doon by force as he shal teche. and troilus, of whom ye nil han routhe, shal causeles so sterven in his trouthe! `and over al this, your fader shal despyse us alle, and seyn this citee nis but lorn; and that thassege never shal aryse, for-why the grekes han it alle sworn til we be slayn, and doun our walles torn. and thus he shal yow with his wordes fere, that ay drede i, that ye wol bleve there. `ye shul eek seen so many a lusty knight a-mong the grekes, ful of worthinesse, and eche of hem with herte, wit, and might to plesen yow don al his besinesse, that ye shul dullen of the rudenesse of us sely troianes, but-if routhe remorde yow, or vertue of your trouthe. `and this to me so grevous is to thinke, that fro my brest it wol my soule rende; ne dredeles, in me ther may not sinke a good opinioun, if that ye wende; for-why your faderes sleighte wol us shende. and if ye goon, as i have told yow yore, so thenk i nam but deed, with-oute more. `for which, with humble, trewe, and pitous herte, a thousand tymes mercy i yow preye; so reweth on myn aspre peynes smerte, and doth somwhat, as that i shal yow seye, and lat us stele away bitwixe us tweye; and thenk that folye is, whan man may chese, for accident his substaunce ay to lese. `i mene this, that sin we mowe er day wel stele away, and been to-gider so, what wit were it to putten in assay, in cas ye sholden to your fader go, if that ye mighte come ayein or no? thus mene i, that it were a gret folye to putte that sikernesse in iupertye. `and vulgarly to speken of substaunce of tresour, may we bothe with us lede y-nough to live in honour and plesaunce, til in-to tyme that we shal ben dede; and thus we may eschewen al this drede. for everich other wey ye can recorde, myn herte, y-wis, may not ther-with acorde. `and hardily, ne dredeth no poverte, for i have kin and freendes elles-where that, though we comen in oure bare sherte, us sholde neither lakke gold ne gere, but been honured whyl we dwelten there. and go we anoon, for, as in myn entente, this is the beste, if that ye wole assente.' criseyde, with a syk, right in this wyse answerde, `y-wis, my dere herte trewe, we may wel stele away, as ye devyse, and finde swich unthrifty weyes newe; but afterward, ful sore it wol us rewe. and help me god so at my moste nede as causeles ye suffren al this drede! `for thilke day that i for cherisshinge or drede of fader, or of other wight, or for estat, delyt, or for weddinge, be fals to yow, my troilus, my knight, saturnes doughter, iuno, thorugh hir might, as wood as athamante do me dwelle eternaly in stix, the put of helle! `and this on every god celestial i swere it yow; and eek on eche goddesse, on every nymphe and deite infernal, on satiry and fauny more and lesse, that halve goddes been of wildernesse; and attropos my threed of lyf to-breste if i be fals; now trowe me if thow leste! `and thou, simoys, that as an arwe clere thorugh troye rennest ay downward to the see, ber witnesse of this word that seyd is here, that thilke day that ich untrewe be to troilus, myn owene herte free, that thou retorne bakwarde to thy welle, and i with body and soule sinke in helle! `but that ye speke, awey thus for to go and leten alle your freendes, god for-bede, for any womman, that ye sholden so, and namely, sin troye hath now swich nede of help; and eek of o thing taketh hede, if this were wist, my lif laye in balaunce, and your honour; god shilde us fro mischaunce! `and if so be that pees her-after take, as alday happeth, after anger, game, why, lord! the sorwe and wo ye wolden make, that ye ne dorste come ayein for shame! and er that ye iuparten so your name, beth nought to hasty in this hote fare; for hasty man ne wanteth never care. `what trowe ye the peple eek al aboute wolde of it seye? it is ful light to arede. they wolden seye, and swere it, out of doute, that love ne droof yow nought to doon this dede, but lust voluptuous and coward drede. thus were al lost, y-wis, myn herte dere, your honour, which that now shyneth so clere. `and also thenketh on myn honestee, that floureth yet, how foule i sholde it shende, and with what filthe it spotted sholde be, if in this forme i sholde with yow wende. ne though i livede un-to the worldes ende, my name sholde i never ayeinward winne; thus were i lost, and that were routhe and sinne. `and for-thy slee with reson al this hete; men seyn, "the suffraunt overcometh," pardee; eek "who-so wol han leef, he lief mot lete;" thus maketh vertue of necessitee by pacience, and thenk that lord is he of fortune ay, that nought wol of hir recche; and she ne daunteth no wight but a wrecche. `and trusteth this, that certes, herte swete, er phebus suster, lucina the shene, the leoun passe out of this ariete, i wol ben here, with-outen any wene. i mene, as helpe me iuno, hevenes quene, the tenthe day, but-if that deeth me assayle, i wol yow seen with-outen any fayle.' `and now, so this be sooth,' quod troilus, `i shal wel suffre un-to the tenthe day, sin that i see that nede it moot be thus. but, for the love of god, if it be may, so lat us stele prively away; for ever in oon, as for to live in reste, myn herte seyth that it wol been the beste.' `o mercy, god, what lyf is this?' quod she; `allas, ye slee me thus for verray tene! i see wel now that ye mistrusten me; for by your wordes it is wel y-sene. now, for the love of cynthia the shene, mistrust me not thus causeles, for routhe; sin to be trewe i have yow plight my trouthe. `and thenketh wel, that som tyme it is wit to spende a tyme, a tyme for to winne; ne, pardee, lorn am i nought fro yow yit, though that we been a day or two a-twinne. dryf out the fantasyes yow with-inne; and trusteth me, and leveth eek your sorwe, or here my trouthe, i wol not live til morwe. `for if ye wiste how sore it doth me smerte, ye wolde cesse of this; for god, thou wost, the pure spirit wepeth in myn herte, to see yow wepen that i love most, and that i moot gon to the grekes ost. ye, nere it that i wiste remedye to come ayein, right here i wolde dye! `but certes, i am not so nyce a wight that i ne can imaginen a wey to come ayein that day that i have hight. for who may holde thing that wol a-way? my fader nought, for al his queynte pley. and by my thrift, my wending out of troye another day shal torne us alle to ioye. `for-thy, with al myn herte i yow beseke, if that yow list don ought for my preyere, and for the love which that i love yow eke, that er that i departe fro yow here, that of so good a comfort and a chere i may you seen, that ye may bringe at reste myn herte, which that is at point to breste. `and over al this i pray yow,' quod she tho, `myn owene hertes soothfast suffisaunce, sin i am thyn al hool, with-outen mo, that whyl that i am absent, no plesaunce of othere do me fro your remembraunce. for i am ever a-gast, for-why men rede, that "love is thing ay ful of bisy drede." `for in this world ther liveth lady noon, if that ye were untrewe, as god defende! that so bitraysed were or wo bigoon as i, that alle trouthe in yow entende. and douteles, if that ich other wende, i nere but deed; and er ye cause finde, for goddes love, so beth me not unkinde.' to this answerde troilus and seyde, `now god, to whom ther nis no cause y-wrye, me glade, as wis i never un-to criseyde, sin thilke day i saw hir first with ye, was fals, ne never shal til that i dye. at shorte wordes, wel ye may me leve; i can no more, it shal be founde at preve.' `graunt mercy, goode myn, y-wis,' quod she, `and blisful venus lat me never sterve er i may stonde of plesaunce in degree to quyte him wel, that so wel can deserve; and whyl that god my wit wol me conserve, i shal so doon, so trewe i have yow founde, that ay honour to me-ward shal rebounde. `for trusteth wel, that your estat royal ne veyn delyt, nor only worthinesse of yow in werre, or torney marcial, ne pompe, array, nobley, or eek richesse, ne made me to rewe on your distresse; but moral vertue, grounded upon trouthe, that was the cause i first hadde on yow routhe! `eek gentil herte and manhod that ye hadde, and that ye hadde, as me thoughte, in despyt every thing that souned in-to badde, as rudenesse and poeplish appetyt; and that your reson brydled your delyt, this made, aboven every creature, that i was your, and shal, whyl i may dure. `and this may lengthe of yeres not for-do, ne remuable fortune deface; but iuppiter, that of his might may do the sorwful to be glad, so yeve us grace, er nightes ten, to meten in this place, so that it may your herte and myn suffyse; and fareth now wel, for tyme is that ye ryse.' and after that they longe y-pleyned hadde, and ofte y-kist, and streite in armes folde, the day gan ryse, and troilus him cladde, and rewfulliche his lady gan biholde, as he that felte dethes cares colde, and to hir grace he gan him recomaunde; wher him was wo, this holde i no demaunde. for mannes heed imaginen ne can, ne entendement considere, ne tonge telle the cruel peynes of this sorwful man, that passen every torment doun in helle. for whan he saugh that she ne mighte dwelle, which that his soule out of his herte rente, with-outen more, out of the chaumbre he wente. explicit liber quartus. book v. incipit liber quintus. aprochen gan the fatal destinee that ioves hath in disposicioun, and to yow, angry parcas, sustren three, committeth, to don execucioun; for which criseyde moste out of the toun, and troilus shal dwelle forth in pyne til lachesis his threed no lenger twyne. -- the golden-tressed phebus heighe on-lofte thryes hadde alle with his bemes shene the snowes molte, and zephirus as ofte y-brought ayein the tendre leves grene, sin that the sone of ecuba the quene bigan to love hir first, for whom his sorwe was al, that she departe sholde a-morwe. ful redy was at pryme dyomede, criseyde un-to the grekes ost to lede, for sorwe of which she felt hir herte blede, as she that niste what was best to rede. and trewely, as men in bokes rede, men wiste never womman han the care, ne was so looth out of a toun to fare. this troilus, with-outen reed or lore, as man that hath his ioyes eek forlore, was waytinge on his lady ever-more as she that was the soothfast crop and more of al his lust, or ioyes here-tofore. but troilus, now farewel al thy ioye, for shaltow never seen hir eft in troye! soth is, that whyl he bood in this manere, he gan his wo ful manly for to hyde. that wel unnethe it seen was in his chere; but at the yate ther she sholde oute ryde with certeyn folk, he hoved hir tabyde, so wo bigoon, al wolde he nought him pleyne, that on his hors unnethe he sat for peyne. for ire he quook, so gan his herte gnawe, whan diomede on horse gan him dresse, and seyde un-to him-self this ilke sawe, `allas,' quod he, `thus foul a wrecchednesse why suffre ich it, why nil ich it redresse? were it not bet at ones for to dye than ever-more in langour thus to drye? `why nil i make at ones riche and pore to have y-nough to done, er that she go? why nil i bringe al troye upon a rore? why nil i sleen this diomede also? why nil i rather with a man or two stele hir a-way? why wol i this endure? why nil i helpen to myn owene cure?' but why he nolde doon so fel a dede, that shal i seyn, and why him liste it spare; he hadde in herte alweyes a maner drede, lest that criseyde, in rumour of this fare, sholde han ben slayn; lo, this was al his care. and ellis, certeyn, as i seyde yore, he hadde it doon, with-outen wordes more. criseyde, whan she redy was to ryde, ful sorwfully she sighte, and seyde `allas!' but forth she moot, for ought that may bityde, and forth she rit ful sorwfully a pas. ther nis non other remedie in this cas. what wonder is though that hir sore smerte, whan she forgoth hir owene swete herte? this troilus, in wyse of curteisye, with hauke on hond, and with an huge route of knightes, rood and dide hir companye, passinge al the valey fer with-oute, and ferther wolde han riden, out of doute, ful fayn, and wo was him to goon so sone; but torne he moste, and it was eek to done. and right with that was antenor y-come out of the grekes ost, and every wight was of it glad, and seyde he was wel-come. and troilus, al nere his herte light, he peyned him with al his fulle might him to with-holde of wepinge at the leste, and antenor he kiste, and made feste. and ther-with-al he moste his leve take, and caste his eye upon hir pitously, and neer he rood, his cause for to make, to take hir by the honde al sobrely. and lord! so she gan wepen tendrely! and he ful softe and sleighly gan hir seye, `now hold your day, and dooth me not to deye.' with that his courser torned he a-boute with face pale, and un-to diomede no word he spak, ne noon of al his route; of which the sone of tydeus took hede, as he that coude more than the crede in swich a craft, and by the reyne hir hente; and troilus to troye homwarde he wente. this diomede, that ladde hir by the brydel, whan that he saw the folk of troye aweye, thoughte, `al my labour shal not been on ydel, if that i may, for somwhat shal i seye, for at the worste it may yet shorte our weye. i have herd seyd, eek tymes twyes twelve, "he is a fool that wol for-yete him-selve."' but natheles this thoughte he wel ynough, `that certaynly i am aboute nought, if that i speke of love, or make it tough; for douteles, if she have in hir thought him that i gesse, he may not been y-brought so sone awey; but i shal finde a mene, that she not wite as yet shal what i mene.' this diomede, as he that coude his good, whan this was doon, gan fallen forth in speche of this and that, and asked why she stood in swich disese, and gan hir eek biseche, that if that he encrese mighte or eche with any thing hir ese, that she sholde comaunde it him, and seyde he doon it wolde. for trewely he swoor hir, as a knight, that ther nas thing with whiche he mighte hir plese, that he nolde doon his peyne and al his might to doon it, for to doon hir herte an ese. and preyede hir, she wolde hir sorwe apese, and seyde, `y-wis, we grekes con have ioye to honouren yow, as wel as folk of troye.' he seyde eek thus, `i woot, yow thinketh straunge, no wonder is, for it is to yow newe, thaqueintaunce of these troianis to chaunge, for folk of grece, that ye never knewe. but wolde never god but-if as trewe a greek ye shulde among us alle finde as any troian is, and eek as kinde. `and by the cause i swoor yow right, lo, now, to been your freend, and helply, to my might, and for that more aqueintaunce eek of yow have ich had than another straunger wight, so fro this forth, i pray yow, day and night, comaundeth me, how sore that me smerte, to doon al that may lyke un-to your herte; `and that ye me wolde as your brother trete, and taketh not my frendship in despyt; and though your sorwes be for thinges grete, noot i not why, but out of more respyt, myn herte hath for to amende it greet delyt. and if i may your harmes not redresse, i am right sory for your hevinesse, `and though ye troians with us grekes wrothe han many a day be, alwey yet, pardee, o god of love in sooth we serven bothe. and, for the love of god, my lady free, whom so ye hate, as beth not wroth with me. for trewely, ther can no wight yow serve, that half so looth your wraththe wolde deserve. `and nere it that we been so neigh the tente of calkas, which that seen us bothe may, i wolde of this yow telle al myn entente; but this enseled til another day. yeve me your hond, i am, and shal ben ay, god help me so, whyl that my lyf may dure, your owene aboven every creature. `thus seyde i never er now to womman born; for god myn herte as wisly glade so, i lovede never womman here-biforn as paramours, ne never shal no mo. and, for the love of god, beth not my fo; al can i not to yow, my lady dere, compleyne aright, for i am yet to lere. `and wondreth not, myn owene lady bright, though that i speke of love to you thus blyve; for i have herd or this of many a wight, hath loved thing he never saugh his lyve. eek i am not of power for to stryve ayens the god of love, but him obeye i wol alwey, and mercy i yow preye. `ther been so worthy knightes in this place, and ye so fair, that everich of hem alle wol peynen him to stonden in your grace. but mighte me so fair a grace falle, that ye me for your servaunt wolde calle, so lowly ne so trewely you serve nil noon of hem, as i shal, til i sterve.' criseide un-to that purpos lyte answerde, as she that was with sorwe oppressed so that, in effect, she nought his tales herde, but here and there, now here a word or two. hir thoughte hir sorwful herte brast a-two. for whan she gan hir fader fer aspye, wel neigh doun of hir hors she gan to sye. but natheles she thonked diomede of al his travaile, and his goode chere, and that him liste his friendship hir to bede; and she accepteth it in good manere, and wolde do fayn that is him leef and dere; and trusten him she wolde, and wel she mighte, as seyde she, and from hir hors she alighte. hir fader hath hir in his armes nome, and tweynty tyme he kiste his doughter swete, and seyde, `o dere doughter myn, wel-come!' she seyde eek, she was fayn with him to mete, and stood forth mewet, milde, and mansuete. but here i leve hir with hir fader dwelle, and forth i wol of troilus yow telle. to troye is come this woful troilus, in sorwe aboven alle sorwes smerte, with felon look, and face dispitous. tho sodeinly doun from his hors he sterte, and thorugh his paleys, with a swollen herte, to chambre he wente; of no-thing took he hede, ne noon to him dar speke a word for drede. and there his sorwes that he spared hadde he yaf an issue large, and `deeth!' he cryde; and in his throwes frenetyk and madde he cursed iove, appollo, and eek cupyde, he cursed ceres, bacus, and cipryde, his burthe, him-self, his fate, and eek nature, and, save his lady, every creature. to bedde he goth, and weyleth there and torneth in furie, as dooth he, ixion in helle; and in this wyse he neigh til day soiorneth. but tho bigan his herte a lyte unswelle thorugh teres which that gonnen up to welle; and pitously he cryde up-on criseyde, and to him-self right thus he spak, and seyde: -- `wher is myn owene lady lief and dere, wher is hir whyte brest, wher is it, where? wher ben hir armes and hir eyen clere, that yesternight this tyme with me were? now may i wepe allone many a tere, and graspe aboute i may, but in this place, save a pilowe, i finde nought tenbrace. `how shal i do? whan shal she com ayeyn? i noot, allas! why leet ich hir to go? as wolde god, ich hadde as tho be sleyn! o herte myn, criseyde, o swete fo! o lady myn, that i love and no mo! to whom for ever-mo myn herte i dowe; see how i deye, ye nil me not rescowe! `who seeth yow now, my righte lode-sterre? who sit right now or stant in your presence? who can conforten now your hertes werre? now i am gon, whom yeve ye audience? who speketh for me right now in myn absence? allas, no wight; and that is al my care; for wel wot i, as yvel as i ye fare. `how sholde i thus ten dayes ful endure, whan i the firste night have al this tene? how shal she doon eek, sorwful creature? for tendernesse, how shal she this sustene, swich wo for me? o pitous, pale, and grene shal been your fresshe wommanliche face for langour, er ye torne un-to this place.' and whan he fil in any slomeringes, anoon biginne he sholde for to grone, and dremen of the dredfulleste thinges that mighte been; as, mete he were allone in place horrible, makinge ay his mone, or meten that he was amonges alle his enemys, and in hir hondes falle. and ther-with-al his body sholde sterte, and with the stert al sodeinliche awake, and swich a tremour fele aboute his herte, that of the feer his body sholde quake; and there-with-al he sholde a noyse make, and seme as though he sholde falle depe from heighe a-lofte; and than he wolde wepe, and rewen on him-self so pitously, that wonder was to here his fantasye. another tyme he sholde mightily conforte him-self, and seyn it was folye, so causeles swich drede for to drye, and eft biginne his aspre sorwes newe, that every man mighte on his sorwes rewe. who coude telle aright or ful discryve his wo, his pleynt, his langour, and his pyne? nought al the men that han or been on-lyve. thou, redere, mayst thy-self ful wel devyne that swich a wo my wit can not defyne. on ydel for to wryte it sholde i swinke, whan that my wit is wery it to thinke. on hevene yet the sterres were sene, al-though ful pale y-waxen was the mone; and whyten gan the orisonte shene al estward, as it woned is for to done. and phebus with his rosy carte sone gan after that to dresse him up to fare, whan troilus hath sent after pandare. this pandare, that of al the day biforn ne mighte han comen troilus to see, al-though he on his heed it hadde y-sworn, for with the king pryam alday was he, so that it lay not in his libertee no-wher to gon, but on the morwe he wente to troilus, whan that he for him sente. for in his herte he coude wel devyne, that troilus al night for sorwe wook; and that he wolde telle him of his pyne, this knew he wel y-nough, with-oute book. for which to chaumbre streight the wey he took, and troilus tho sobreliche he grette, and on the bed ful sone he gan him sette. `my pandarus,' quod troilus, `the sorwe which that i drye, i may not longe endure. i trowe i shal not liven til to-morwe; for whiche i wolde alwey, on aventure, to thee devysen of my sepulture the forme, and of my moeble thou dispone right as thee semeth best is for to done. `but of the fyr and flaumbe funeral in whiche my body brenne shal to glede, and of the feste and pleyes palestral at my vigile, i prey thee tak good hede that be wel; and offre mars my stede, my swerd, myn helm, and, leve brother dere, my sheld to pallas yef, that shyneth clere. `the poudre in which myn herte y-brend shal torne, that preye i thee thou take and it conserve in a vessel, that men clepeth an urne, of gold, and to my lady that i serve, for love of whom thus pitously i sterve, so yeve it hir, and do me this plesaunce, to preye hir kepe it for a remembraunce. `for wel i fele, by my maladye, and by my dremes now and yore ago, al certeinly, that i mot nedes dye. the owle eek, which that hight ascaphilo, hath after me shright alle thise nightes two. and, god mercurie! of me now, woful wrecche, the soule gyde, and, whan thee list, it fecche!' pandare answerde, and seyde, `troilus, my dere freend, as i have told thee yore, that it is folye for to sorwen thus, and causeles, for whiche i can no-more. but who-so wol not trowen reed ne lore, i can not seen in him no remedye, but lete him worthen with his fantasye. `but troilus, i pray thee tel me now, if that thou trowe, er this, that any wight hath loved paramours as wel as thou? ye, god wot, and fro many a worthy knight hath his lady goon a fourtenight, and he not yet made halvendel the fare. what nede is thee to maken al this care? `sin day by day thou mayst thy-selven see that from his love, or elles from his wyf, a man mot twinnen of necessitee, ye, though he love hir as his owene lyf; yet nil he with him-self thus maken stryf. for wel thow wost, my leve brother dere, that alwey freendes may nought been y-fere. `how doon this folk that seen hir loves wedded by freendes might, as it bi-tit ful ofte, and seen hem in hir spouses bed y-bedded? god woot, they take it wysly, faire and softe. for-why good hope halt up hir herte on-lofte, and for they can a tyme of sorwe endure; as tyme hem hurt, a tyme doth hem cure. `so sholdestow endure, and late slyde the tyme, and fonde to ben glad and light. ten dayes nis so longe not tabyde. and sin she thee to comen hath bihight, she nil hir hestes breken for no wight. for dred thee not that she nil finden weye to come ayein, my lyf that dorste i leye. `thy swevenes eek and al swich fantasye dryf out, and lat hem faren to mischaunce; for they procede of thy malencolye, that doth thee fele in sleep al this penaunce. a straw for alle swevenes signifiaunce! god helpe me so, i counte hem not a bene, ther woot no man aright what dremes mene. `for prestes of the temple tellen this, that dremes been the revelaciouns of goddes, and as wel they telle, y-wis, that they ben infernals illusiouns; and leches seyn, that of complexiouns proceden they, or fast, or glotonye. who woot in sooth thus what they signifye? `eek othere seyn that thorugh impressiouns, as if a wight hath faste a thing in minde, that ther-of cometh swiche avisiouns; and othere seyn, as they in bokes finde, that, after tymes of the yeer by kinde, men dreme, and that theffect goth by the mone; but leve no dreem, for it is nought to done. `wel worth of dremes ay thise olde wyves, and treweliche eek augurie of thise foules; for fere of which men wenen lese her lyves, as ravenes qualm, or shryking of thise oules. to trowen on it bothe fals and foul is. allas, allas, so noble a creature as is a man, shal drede swich ordure! `for which with al myn herte i thee beseche, un-to thy-self that al this thou foryive; and rys up now with-oute more speche, and lat us caste how forth may best be drive this tyme, and eek how freshly we may live whan that she cometh, the which shal be right sone; god help me so, the beste is thus to done. `rys, lat us speke of lusty lyf in troye that we han lad, and forth the tyme dryve; and eek of tyme cominge us reioye, that bringen shal our blisse now so blyve; and langour of these twyes dayes fyve we shal ther-with so foryete or oppresse, that wel unnethe it doon shal us duresse. `this toun is ful of lordes al aboute, and trewes lasten al this mene whyle. go we pleye us in som lusty route to sarpedon, not hennes but a myle. and thus thou shalt the tyme wel bigyle, and dryve it forth un-to that blisful morwe, that thou hir see, that cause is of thy sorwe. `now rys, my dere brother troilus; for certes, it noon honour is to thee to wepe, and in thy bedde to iouken thus. for trewely, of o thing trust to me, if thou thus ligge a day, or two, or three, the folk wol wene that thou, for cowardyse, thee feynest syk, and that thou darst not ryse.' this troilus answerde, `o brother dere, this knowen folk that han y-suffred peyne, that though he wepe and make sorwful chere, that feleth harm and smert in every veyne, no wonder is; and though i ever pleyne, or alwey wepe, i am no-thing to blame, sin i have lost the cause of al my game. `but sin of fyne force i moot aryse, i shal aryse as sone as ever i may; and god, to whom myn herte i sacrifyse, so sende us hastely the tenthe day! for was ther never fowl so fayn of may, as i shal been, whan that she cometh in troye, that cause is of my torment and my ioye. `but whider is thy reed,' quod troilus, `that we may pleye us best in al this toun?' `bi god, my conseil is,' quod pandarus, `to ryde and pleye us with king sarpedoun.' so longe of this they speken up and doun, til troilus gan at the laste assente to ryse, and forth to sarpedoun they wente. this sarpedoun, as he that honourable was ever his lyve, and ful of heigh prowesse, with al that mighte y-served been on table, that deyntee was, al coste it greet richesse, he fedde hem day by day, that swich noblesse, as seyden bothe the moste and eek the leste, was never er that day wist at any feste. nor in this world ther is non instrument delicious, through wind, or touche, of corde, as fer as any wight hath ever y-went, that tonge telle or herte may recorde, that at that feste it nas wel herd acorde; ne of ladies eek so fayr a companye on daunce, er tho, was never y-seyn with ye. but what avayleth this to troilus, that for his sorwe no-thing of it roughte? for ever in oon his herte pietous ful bisily criseyde his lady soughte. on hir was ever al that his herte thoughte, now this, now that, so faste imagininge, that glade, y-wis, can him no festeyinge. these ladies eek that at this feste been, sin that he saw his lady was a-weye, it was his sorwe upon hem for to seen, or for to here on instrumentz so pleye. for she, that of his herte berth the keye, was absent, lo, this was his fantasye, that no wight sholde make melodye. nor ther nas houre in al the day or night, whan he was ther-as no wight mighte him here, that he ne seyde, `o lufsom lady bright, how have ye faren, sin that ye were here? wel-come, y-wis, myn owene lady dere.' but welaway, al this nas but a mase; fortune his howve entended bet to glase. the lettres eek, that she of olde tyme hadde him y-sent, he wolde allone rede, an hundred sythe, a-twixen noon and pryme; refiguringe hir shap, hir womanhede, with-inne his herte, and every word and dede that passed was, and thus he droof to an ende the ferthe day, and seyde, he wolde wende. and seyde, `leve brother pandarus, intendestow that we shal here bleve til sarpedoun wol forth congeyen us? yet were it fairer that we toke our leve. for goddes love, lat us now sone at eve our leve take, and homward lat us torne; for trewely, i nil not thus soiourne.' pandare answerde, `be we comen hider to fecchen fyr, and rennen hoom ayeyn? god helpe me so, i can not tellen whider we mighten goon, if i shal soothly seyn, ther any wight is of us more fayn than sarpedoun; and if we hennes hye thus sodeinly, i holde it vilanye. `sin that we seyden that we wolde bleve with him a wouke; and now, thus sodeinly, the ferthe day to take of him oure leve, he wolde wondren on it, trewely! lat us holde forth our purpos fermely; and sin that ye bihighten him to byde, hold forward now, and after lat us ryde.' thus pandarus, with alle peyne and wo, made him to dwelle; and at the woukes ende, of sarpedoun they toke hir leve tho, and on hir wey they spedden hem to wende. quod troilus, `now god me grace sende, that i may finden, at myn hom-cominge, criseyde comen!' and ther-with gan he singe. `ye, hasel-wode!' thoughte this pandare, and to him-self ful softely he seyde, `god woot, refreyden may this hote fare, er calkas sende troilus criseyde!' but natheles, he iaped thus, and seyde, and swor, y-wis, his herte him wel bihighte, she wolde come as sone as ever she mighte. whan they un-to the paleys were y-comen of troilus, they doun of hors alighte, and to the chambre hir wey than han they nomen. and in-to tyme that it gan to nighte, they spaken of crysede the brighte. and after this, whan that hem bothe leste, they spedde hem fro the soper un-to reste. on morwe, as sone as day bigan to clere, this troilus gan of his sleep tabrayde, and to pandare, his owene brother dere, `for love of god,' ful pitously he seyde, `as go we seen the paleys of criseyde; for sin we yet may have namore feste, so lat us seen hir paleys at the leste.' and ther-with-al, his meyne for to blende, a cause he fond in toune for to go, and to criseydes hous they gonnen wende. but lord! this sely troilus was wo! him thoughte his sorweful herte braste a-two. for whan he saugh hir dores sperred alle, wel neigh for sorwe a-doun he gan to falle. therwith, whan he was war and gan biholde how shet was every windowe of the place, as frost, him thoughte, his herte gan to colde; for which with chaunged deedlich pale face, with-outen word, he forth bigan to pace; and, as god wolde, he gan so faste ryde, that no wight of his contenance aspyde. than seyde he thus; `o paleys desolat, o hous, of houses whylom best y-hight, o paleys empty and disconsolat, o thou lanterne, of which queynt is the light, o paleys, whylom day, that now art night, wel oughtestow to falle, and i to dye, sin she is went that wont was us to gye! `o paleys, whylom croune of houses alle, enlumined with sonne of alle blisse! o ring, fro which the ruby is out-falle, o cause of wo, that cause hast been of lisse! yet, sin i may no bet, fayn wolde i kisse thy colde dores, dorste i for this route; and fare-wel shryne, of which the seynt is oute!' ther-with he caste on pandarus his ye with chaunged face, and pitous to biholde; and whan he mighte his tyme aright aspye, ay as he rood, to pandarus he tolde his newe sorwe, and eek his ioyes olde, so pitously and with so dede an hewe, that every wight mighte on his sorwe rewe. fro thennesforth he rydeth up and doun, and every thing com him to remembraunce as he rood forbi places of the toun in whiche he whylom hadde al his plesaunce. `lo, yond saugh i myn owene lady daunce; and in that temple, with hir eyen clere, me coughte first my righte lady dere. `and yonder have i herd ful lustily my dere herte laugh, and yonder pleye saugh i hir ones eek ful blisfully. and yonder ones to me gan she seye, "now goode swete, love me wel, i preye." and yond so goodly gan she me biholde, that to the deeth myn herte is to hir holde. `and at that corner, in the yonder hous, herde i myn alderlevest lady dere so wommanly, with voys melodious, singen so wel, so goodly, and so clere, that in my soule yet me thinketh i here the blisful soun; and, in that yonder place, my lady first me took un-to hir grace.' thanne thoughte he thus, `o blisful lord cupyde, whanne i the proces have in my memorie, how thou me hast wereyed on every syde, men might a book make of it, lyk a storie. what nede is thee to seke on me victorie, sin i am thyn, and hoolly at thy wille? what ioye hastow thyn owene folk to spille? `wel hastow, lord, y-wroke on me thyn ire, thou mighty god, and dredful for to greve! now mercy, lord, thou wost wel i desire thy grace most, of alle lustes leve, and live and deye i wol in thy bileve, for which i naxe in guerdon but a bone, that thou criseyde ayein me sende sone. `distreyne hir herte as faste to retorne as thou dost myn to longen hir to see; than woot i wel, that she nil nought soiorne. now, blisful lord, so cruel thou ne be un-to the blood of troye, i preye thee, as iuno was un-to the blood thebane, for which the folk of thebes caughte hir bane.' and after this he to the yates wente ther-as criseyde out-rood a ful good paas, and up and doun ther made he many a wente, and to him-self ful ofte he seyde `allas! from hennes rood my blisse and my solas! as wolde blisful god now, for his ioye, i mighte hir seen ayein come in-to troye! `and to the yonder hille i gan hir gyde, allas! and there i took of hir my leve! and yond i saugh hir to hir fader ryde, for sorwe of which myn herte shal to-cleve. and hider hoom i com whan it was eve; and here i dwelle out-cast from alle ioye, and shal, til i may seen hir eft in troye.' and of him-self imagened he ofte to ben defet, and pale, and waxen lesse than he was wont, and that men seyden softe, `what may it be? who can the sothe gesse why troilus hath al this hevinesse?' and al this nas but his malencolye, that he hadde of him-self swich fantasye. another tyme imaginen he wolde that every wight that wente by the weye had of him routhe, and that they seyen sholde, `i am right sory troilus wole deye.' and thus he droof a day yet forth or tweye. as ye have herd, swich lyf right gan he lede, as he that stood bitwixen hope and drede. for which him lyked in his songes shewe thencheson of his wo, as he best mighte, and made a song of wordes but a fewe, somwhat his woful herte for to lighte. and whan he was from every mannes sighte, with softe voys he, of his lady dere, that was absent, gan singe as ye may here. `o sterre, of which i lost have al the light, with herte soor wel oughte i to bewayle, that ever derk in torment, night by night, toward my deeth with wind in stere i sayle; for which the tenthe night if that i fayle the gyding of thy bemes brighte an houre, my ship and me caribdis wole devoure.' this song whan he thus songen hadde, sone he fil ayein in-to his sykes olde; and every night, as was his wone to done, he stood the brighte mone to beholde, and al his sorwe he to the mone tolde; and seyde, `y-wis, whan thou art horned newe, i shal be glad, if al the world be trewe! `i saugh thyn hornes olde eek by the morwe, whan hennes rood my righte lady dere, that cause is of my torment and my sorwe; for whiche, o brighte lucina the clere, for love of god, ren faste aboute thy spere! for whan thyn hornes newe ginne springe, than shal she come, that may my blisse bringe!' the day is more, and lenger every night, than they be wont to be, him thoughte tho; and that the sonne wente his course unright by lenger wey than it was wont to go; and seyde, `y-wis, me dredeth ever-mo, the sonnes sone, pheton, be on-lyve, and that his fadres cart amis he dryve.' upon the walles faste eek wolde he walke, and on the grekes ost he wolde see, and to him-self right thus he wolde talke, `lo, yonder is myn owene lady free, or elles yonder, ther tho tentes be! and thennes comth this eyr, that is so sote, that in my soule i fele it doth me bote. `and hardely this wind, that more and more thus stoundemele encreseth in my face, is of my ladyes depe sykes sore. i preve it thus, for in non othere place of al this toun, save onliche in this space, fele i no wind that souneth so lyk peyne; it seyth, "allas! why twinned be we tweyne?"' this longe tyme he dryveth forth right thus, til fully passed was the nynthe night; and ay bi-syde him was this pandarus, that bisily dide alle his fulle might him to comforte, and make his herte light; yevinge him hope alwey, the tenthe morwe that she shal come, and stinten al his sorwe. up-on that other syde eek was criseyde, with wommen fewe, among the grekes stronge; for which ful ofte a day `allas,' she seyde, `that i was born! wel may myn herte longe after my deeth; for now live i to longe! allas! and i ne may it not amende; for now is wors than ever yet i wende. `my fader nil for no-thing do me grace to goon ayein, for nought i can him queme; and if so be that i my terme passe, my troilus shal in his herte deme that i am fals, and so it may wel seme. thus shal i have unthank on every syde; that i was born, so weylaway the tyde! `and if that i me putte in iupartye, to stele awey by nighte, and it bifalle that i be caught, i shal be holde a spye; or elles, lo, this drede i most of alle, if in the hondes of som wrecche i falle, i am but lost, al be myn herte trewe; now mighty god, thou on my sorwe rewe!' ful pale y-waxen was hir brighte face, hir limes lene, as she that al the day stood whan she dorste, and loked on the place ther she was born, and ther she dwelt hadde ay. and al the night wepinge, allas! she lay. and thus despeired, out of alle cure, she ladde hir lyf, this woful creature. ful ofte a day she sighte eek for destresse, and in hir-self she wente ay portrayinge of troilus the grete worthinesse, and alle his goodly wordes recordinge sin first that day hir love bigan to springe. and thus she sette hir woful herte a-fyre through remembraunce of that she gan desyre. in al this world ther nis so cruel herte that hir hadde herd compleynen in hir sorwe, that nolde han wopen for hir peynes smerte, so tendrely she weep, bothe eve and morwe. hir nedede no teres for to borwe. and this was yet the worste of al hir peyne, ther was no wight to whom she dorste hir pleyne. ful rewfully she loked up-on troye, biheld the toures heighe and eek the halles; `allas!' quod she, `the plesaunce and the ioye the whiche that now al torned in-to galle is, have i had ofte with-inne yonder walles! o troilus, what dostow now,' she seyde; `lord! whether yet thou thenke up-on criseyde? `allas! i ne hadde trowed on your lore, and went with yow, as ye me radde er this! thanne hadde i now not syked half so sore. who mighte han seyd, that i had doon a-mis to stele awey with swich on as he is? but al to late cometh the letuarie, whan men the cors un-to the grave carie. `to late is now to speke of this matere; prudence, allas! oon of thyn eyen three me lakked alwey, er that i come here; on tyme y-passed, wel remembred me; and present tyme eek coude i wel y-see. but futur tyme, er i was in the snare, coude i not seen; that causeth now my care. `but natheles, bityde what bityde, i shal to-morwe at night, by est or weste, out of this ost stele on som maner syde, and go with troilus wher-as him leste. this purpos wol i holde, and this is beste. no fors of wikked tonges ianglerye, for ever on love han wrecches had envye. `for who-so wole of every word take hede, or rewlen him by every wightes wit, ne shal he never thryven, out of drede. for that that som men blamen ever yit, lo, other maner folk commenden it. and as for me, for al swich variaunce, felicitee clepe i my suffisaunce. `for which, with-outen any wordes mo, to troye i wol, as for conclusioun.' but god it wot, er fully monthes two, she was ful fer fro that entencioun. for bothe troilus and troye toun shal knotteles through-out hir herte slyde; for she wol take a purpos for tabyde. this diomede, of whom yow telle i gan, goth now, with-inne him-self ay arguinge with al the sleighte and al that ever he can, how he may best, with shortest taryinge, in-to his net criseydes herte bringe. to this entente he coude never fyne; to fisshen hir, he leyde out hook and lyne. but natheles, wel in his herte he thoughte, that she nas nat with-oute a love in troye, for never, sithen he hir thennes broughte, ne coude he seen her laughe or make ioye. he nist how best hir herte for tacoye. `but for to assaye,' he seyde, `it nought ne greveth; for he that nought nassayeth, nought nacheveth.' yet seide he to him-self upon a night, `now am i not a fool, that woot wel how hir wo for love is of another wight, and here-up-on to goon assaye hir now? i may wel wite, it nil not been my prow. for wyse folk in bokes it expresse, "men shal not wowe a wight in hevinesse." `but who-so mighte winnen swich a flour from him, for whom she morneth night and day, he mighte seyn, he were a conquerour.' and right anoon, as he that bold was ay, thoughte in his herte, `happe how happe may, al sholde i deye, i wole hir herte seche; i shal no more lesen but my speche.' this diomede, as bokes us declare, was in his nedes prest and corageous; with sterne voys and mighty limes square, hardy, testif, strong, and chevalrous of dedes, lyk his fader tideus. and som men seyn, he was of tunge large; and heir he was of calidoine and arge. criseyde mene was of hir stature, ther-to of shap, of face, and eek of chere, ther mighte been no fairer creature. and ofte tyme this was hir manere, to gon y-tressed with hir heres clere doun by hir coler at hir bak bihinde, which with a threde of gold she wolde binde. and, save hir browes ioyneden y-fere, ther nas no lak, in ought i can espyen; but for to speken of hir eyen clere, lo, trewely, they writen that hir syen, that paradys stood formed in hir yen. and with hir riche beautee ever-more strof love in hir, ay which of hem was more. she sobre was, eek simple, and wys with-al, the beste y-norisshed eek that mighte be, and goodly of hir speche in general, charitable, estatliche, lusty, and free; ne never-mo ne lakkede hir pitee; tendre-herted, slydinge of corage; but trewely, i can not telle hir age. and troilus wel waxen was in highte, and complet formed by proporcioun so wel, that kinde it not amenden mighte; yong, fresshe, strong, and hardy as lyoun; trewe as steel in ech condicioun; on of the beste enteched creature, that is, or shal, whyl that the world may dure. and certainly in storie it is y-founde, that troilus was never un-to no wight, as in his tyme, in no degree secounde in durring don that longeth to a knight. al mighte a geaunt passen him of might, his herte ay with the firste and with the beste stood paregal, to durre don that him leste. but for to tellen forth of diomede: -- it fil that after, on the tenthe day, sin that criseyde out of the citee yede, this diomede, as fresshe as braunche in may, com to the tente ther-as calkas lay, and feyned him with calkas han to done; but what he mente, i shal yow telle sone. criseyde, at shorte wordes for to telle, welcomed him, and doun by hir him sette; and he was ethe y-nough to maken dwelle. and after this, with-outen longe lette, the spyces and the wyn men forth hem fette; and forth they speke of this and that y-fere, as freendes doon, of which som shal ye here. he gan first fallen of the werre in speche bitwixe hem and the folk of troye toun; and of thassege he gan hir eek byseche, to telle him what was hir opinioun. fro that demaunde he so descendeth doun to asken hir, if that hir straunge thoughte the grekes gyse, and werkes that they wroughte? and why hir fader tarieth so longe to wedden hir un-to som worthy wight? criseyde, that was in hir peynes stronge for love of troilus, hir owene knight, as fer-forth as she conning hadde or might, answerde him tho; but, as of his entente, it semed not she wiste what he mente. but natheles, this ilke diomede gan in him-self assure, and thus he seyde, `if ich aright have taken of yow hede, me thinketh thus, o lady myn, criseyde, that sin i first hond on your brydel leyde, whan ye out come of troye by the morwe, ne coude i never seen yow but in sorwe. `can i not seyn what may the cause be but-if for love of som troyan it were, the which right sore wolde athinken me that ye, for any wight that dwelleth there, sholden spille a quarter of a tere, or pitously your-selven so bigyle; for dredelees, it is nought worth the whyle. `the folk of troye, as who seyth, alle and some in preson been, as ye your-selven see; nor thennes shal not oon on-lyve come for al the gold bitwixen sonne and see. trusteth wel, and understondeth me. ther shal not oon to mercy goon on-lyve, al were he lord of worldes twyes fyve! `swich wreche on hem, for fecching of eleyne, ther shal be take, er that we hennes wende, that manes, which that goddes ben of peyne, shal been agast that grekes wol hem shende. and men shul drede, un-to the worldes ende, from hennes-forth to ravisshe any quene, so cruel shal our wreche on hem be sene. `and but-if calkas lede us with ambages, that is to seyn, with double wordes slye, swich as men clepe a "word with two visages," ye shal wel knowen that i nought ne lye, and al this thing right seen it with your ye, and that anoon; ye nil not trowe how sone; now taketh heed, for it is for to done. `what wene ye your wyse fader wolde han yeven antenor for yow anoon, if he ne wiste that the citee sholde destroyed been? why, nay, so mote i goon! he knew ful wel ther shal not scapen oon that troyan is; and for the grete fere, he dorste not, ye dwelte lenger there. `what wole ye more, lufsom lady dere? lat troye and troyan fro your herte pace! dryf out that bittre hope, and make good chere, and clepe ayein the beautee of your face, that ye with salte teres so deface. for troye is brought in swich a iupartye, that, it to save, is now no remedye. `and thenketh wel, ye shal in grekes finde, a more parfit love, er it be night, than any troian is, and more kinde, and bet to serven yow wol doon his might. and if ye vouche sauf, my lady bright, i wol ben he to serven yow my-selve, yee, lever than he lord of greces twelve!' and with that word he gan to waxen reed, and in his speche a litel wight he quook, and caste a-syde a litel wight his heed, and stinte a whyle; and afterward awook, and sobreliche on hir he threw his look, and seyde, `i am, al be it yow no ioye, as gentil man as any wight in troye. `for if my fader tydeus,' he seyde, `y-lived hadde, i hadde been, er this, of calidoine and arge a king, criseyde! and so hope i that i shal yet, y-wis. but he was slayn, allas! the more harm is, unhappily at thebes al to rathe, polymites and many a man to scathe. `but herte myn, sin that i am your man, and been the ferste of whom i seche grace, to serven you as hertely as i can, and ever shal, whyl i to live have space, so, er that i departe out of this place, ye wol me graunte, that i may to-morwe, at bettre leyser, telle yow my sorwe.' what shold i telle his wordes that he seyde? he spak y-now, for o day at the meste; it preveth wel, he spak so that criseyde graunted, on the morwe, at his requeste, for to speken with him at the leste, so that he nolde speke of swich matere; and thus to him she seyde, as ye may here: as she that hadde hir herte on troilus so faste, that ther may it noon arace; and straungely she spak, and seyde thus; `o diomede, i love that ilke place ther i was born; and ioves, for his grace, delivere it sone of al that doth it care! god, for thy might, so leve it wel to fare! `that grekes wolde hir wraththe on troye wreke, if that they mighte, i knowe it wel, y-wis. but it shal not bifallen as ye speke; and god to-forn, and ferther over this, i wot my fader wys and redy is; and that he me hath bought, as ye me tolde, so dere, i am the more un-to him holde. `that grekes been of heigh condicioun, i woot eek wel; but certein, men shal finde as worthy folk with-inne troye toun, as conning, and as parfit and as kinde, as been bitwixen orcades and inde. and that ye coude wel your lady serve, i trowe eek wel, hir thank for to deserve. `but as to speke of love, y-wis,' she seyde, `i hadde a lord, to whom i wedded was, the whos myn herte al was, til that he deyde; and other love, as helpe me now pallas, ther in myn herte nis, ne nevere was. and that ye been of noble and heigh kinrede, i have wel herd it tellen, out of drede. `and that doth me to han so gret a wonder, that ye wol scornen any womman so. eek, god wot, love and i be fer a-sonder! i am disposed bet, so mote i go, un-to my deeth, to pleyne and maken wo. what i shal after doon, i can not seye; but trewely, as yet me list not pleye. `myn herte is now in tribulacioun, and ye in armes bisy, day by day. here-after, whan ye wonnen han the toun, paraunter, thanne so it happen may, that whan i see that i never er say, than wole i werke that i never wroughte! this word to yow y-nough suffysen oughte. `to-morwe eek wol i speken with yow fayn, so that ye touchen nought of this matere. and whan yow list, ye may come here ayeyn; and, er ye gon, thus muche i seye yow here; as help me pallas with hir heres clere, if that i sholde of any greek han routhe, it sholde be your-selven, by my trouthe! `i sey not therfore that i wol yow love, ne i sey not nay, but in conclusioun, i mene wel, by god that sit above:' -- and ther-with-al she caste hir eyen doun, and gan to syke, and seyde, `o troye toun, yet bidde i god, in quiete and in reste i may yow seen, or do myn herte breste.' but in effect, and shortly for to seye, this diomede al freshly newe ayeyn gan pressen on, and faste hir mercy preye; and after this, the sothe for to seyn, hir glove he took, of which he was ful fayn. and fynally, whan it was waxen eve, and al was wel, he roos and took his leve. the brighte venus folwede and ay taughte the wey, ther brode phebus doun alighte; and cynthea hir char-hors over-raughte to whirle out of the lyon, if she mighte; and signifer his candelse shewed brighte, whan that criseyde un-to hir bedde wente in-with hir fadres faire brighte tente. retorning in hir soule ay up and doun the wordes of this sodein diomede, his greet estat, and peril of the toun, and that she was allone and hadde nede of freendes help; and thus bigan to brede the cause why, the sothe for to telle, that she tok fully purpos for to dwelle. the morwe com, and goostly for to speke, this diomede is come un-to criseyde, and shortly, lest that ye my tale breke, so wel he for him-selve spak and seyde, that alle hir sykes sore adoun he leyde. and fynally, the sothe for to seyne, he refte hir of the grete of al hir peyne. and after this the story telleth us, that she him yaf the faire baye stede, the which he ones wan of troilus; and eek a broche (and that was litel nede) that troilus was, she yaf this diomede. and eek, the bet from sorwe him to releve, she made him were a pencel of hir sleve. i finde eek in stories elles-where, whan through the body hurt was diomede of troilus, tho weep she many a tere, whan that she saugh his wyde woundes blede; and that she took to kepen him good hede, and for to hele him of his sorwes smerte. men seyn, i not, that she yaf him hir herte. but trewely, the story telleth us, ther made never womman more wo than she, whan that she falsed troilus. she seyde, `allas! for now is clene a-go my name of trouthe in love, for ever-mo! for i have falsed oon, the gentileste that ever was, and oon the worthieste! `allas, of me, un-to the worldes ende, shal neither been y-writen nor y-songe no good word, for thise bokes wol me shende. o, rolled shal i been on many a tonge; through-out the world my belle shal be ronge; and wommen most wol hate me of alle. allas, that swich a cas me sholde falle! `they wol seyn, in as muche as in me is, i have hem don dishonour, weylawey! al be i not the first that dide amis, what helpeth that to do my blame awey? but sin i see there is no bettre way, and that to late is now for me to rewe, to diomede algate i wol be trewe. `but troilus, sin i no better may, and sin that thus departen ye and i, yet preye i god, so yeve yow right good day as for the gentileste, trewely, that ever i say, to serven feithfully, and best can ay his lady honour kepe:' -- and with that word she brast anon to wepe. `and certes yow ne haten shal i never, and freendes love, that shal ye han of me, and my good word, al mighte i liven ever. and, trewely, i wolde sory be for to seen yow in adversitee. and giltelees, i woot wel, i yow leve; but al shal passe; and thus take i my leve.' but trewely, how longe it was bitwene, that she for-sook him for this diomede, ther is non auctor telleth it, i wene. take every man now to his bokes hede; he shal no terme finden, out of drede. for though that he bigan to wowe hir sone, er he hir wan, yet was ther more to done. ne me ne list this sely womman chyde ferther than the story wol devyse. hir name, allas! is publisshed so wyde, that for hir gilt it oughte y-noe suffyse. and if i mighte excuse hir any wyse, for she so sory was for hir untrouthe, y-wis, i wolde excuse hir yet for routhe. this troilus, as i biforn have told, thus dryveth forth, as wel as he hath might. but often was his herte hoot and cold, and namely, that ilke nynthe night, which on the morwe she hadde him byhight to come ayein: god wot, ful litel reste hadde he that night; no-thing to slepe him leste. the laurer-crouned phebus, with his hete, gan, in his course ay upward as he wente, to warmen of the est see the wawes wete, and nisus doughter song with fresh entente, whan troilus his pandare after sente; and on the walles of the toun they pleyde, to loke if they can seen ought of criseyde. til it was noon, they stoden for to see who that ther come; and every maner wight, that cam fro fer, they seyden it was she, til that they coude knowen him a-right. now was his herte dul, now was it light; and thus by-iaped stonden for to stare aboute nought, this troilus and pandare. to pandarus this troilus tho seyde, `for ought i wot, bi-for noon, sikerly, in-to this toun ne comth nought here criseyde. she hath y-now to done, hardily, to winnen from hir fader, so trowe i; hir olde fader wol yet make hir dyne er that she go; god yeve his herte pyne!' pandare answerde, `it may wel be, certeyn; and for-thy lat us dyne, i thee biseche; and after noon than maystw thou come ayeyn.' and hoom they go, with-oute more speche; and comen ayein, but longe may they seche er that they finde that they after cape; fortune hem bothe thenketh for to iape. quod troilus, `i see wel now, that she is taried with hir olde fader so, that er she come, it wole neigh even be. com forth, i wol un-to the yate go. thise portours been unkonninge ever-mo; and i wol doon hem holden up the yate as nought ne were, al-though she come late.' the day goth faste, and after that comth eve, and yet com nought to troilus criseyde. he loketh forth by hegge, by tree, by greve, and fer his heed over the wal he leyde. and at the laste he torned him, and seyde. `by god, i woot hir mening now, pandare! al-most, y-wis, al newe was my care. `now douteles, this lady can hir good; i woot, she meneth ryden prively. i comende hir wysdom, by myn hood! she wol not maken peple nycely gaure on hir, whan she comth; but softely by nighte in-to the toun she thenketh ryde. and, dere brother, thenk not longe to abyde. `we han nought elles for to don, y-wis. and pandarus, now woltow trowen me? have here my trouthe, i see hir! yond she is. heve up thyn eyen, man! maystow not see?' pandare answerde, `nay, so mote i thee! al wrong, by god; what seystow, man, wher art? that i see yond nis but a fare-cart.' `allas, thou seist right sooth,' quod troilus; `but, hardely, it is not al for nought that in myn herte i now reioyse thus. it is ayein som good i have a thought. noot i not how, but sin that i was wrought, ne felte i swich a confort, dar i seye; she comth to-night, my lyf, that dorste i leye!' pandare answerde, `it may be wel, y-nough'; and held with him of al that ever he seyde; but in his herte he thoughte, and softe lough, and to him-self ful sobrely he seyde: `from hasel-wode, ther ioly robin pleyde, shal come al that thou abydest here; ye, fare-wel al the snow of ferne yere!' the wardein of the yates gan to calle the folk which that with-oute the yates were, and bad hem dryven in hir bestes alle, or al the night they moste bleven there. and fer with-in the night, with many a tere, this troilus gan hoomward for to ryde; for wel he seeth it helpeth nought tabyde. but natheles, he gladded him in this; he thoughte he misacounted hadde his day, and seyde, `i understonde have al a-mis. for thilke night i last criseyde say, she seyde, "i shal ben here, if that i may, er that the mone, o dere herte swete! the lyon passe, out of this ariete." `for which she may yet holde al hir biheste.' and on the morwe un-to the yate he wente, and up and down, by west and eek by este, up-on the walles made he many a wente. but al for nought; his hope alwey him blente; for which at night, in sorwe and sykes sore, he wente him hoom, with-outen any more. this hope al clene out of his herte fledde, he nath wher-on now lenger for to honge; but for the peyne him thoughte his herte bledde, so were his throwes sharpe and wonder stronge. for when he saugh that she abood so longe, he niste what he iuggen of it mighte, sin she hath broken that she him bihighte. the thridde, ferthe, fifte, sixte day after tho dayes ten, of which i tolde, bitwixen hope and drede his herte lay, yet som-what trustinge on hir hestes olde. but whan he saugh she nolde hir terme holde, he can now seen non other remedye, but for to shape him sone for to dye. ther-with the wikked spirit, god us blesse, which that men clepeth wode ialousye, gan in him crepe, in al this hevinesse; for which, by-cause he wolde sone dye, he ne eet ne dronk, for his malencolye, and eek from every companye he fledde; this was the lyf that al the tyme he ledde. he so defet was, that no maner man unneth mighte him knowe ther he wente; so was he lene, and ther-to pale and wan, and feble, that he walketh by potente; and with his ire he thus himselven shente. but who-so axed him wher-of him smerte, he seyde, his harm was al aboute his herte. pryam ful ofte, and eek his moder dere, his bretheren and his sustren gonne him freyne why he so sorwful was in al his chere, and what thing was the cause of al his peyne? but al for nought; he nolde his cause pleyne, but seyde, he felte a grevous maladye a-boute his herte, and fayn he wolde dye. so on a day he leyde him doun to slepe, and so bifel that in his sleep him thoughte, that in a forest faste he welk to wepe for love of hir that him these peynes wroughte; and up and doun as he the forest soughte, he mette he saugh a boor with tuskes grete, that sleep ayein the brighte sonnes hete. and by this boor, faste in his armes folde, lay kissing ay his lady bright criseyde: for sorwe of which, whan he it gan biholde, and for despyt, out of his slepe he breyde, and loude he cryde on pandarus, and seyde, `o pandarus, now knowe i crop and rote! i nam but deed; ther nis non other bote! `my lady bright criseyde hath me bitrayed, in whom i trusted most of any wight, she elles-where hath now hir herte apayed; the blisful goddes, through hir grete might, han in my dreem y-shewed it ful right. thus in my dreem criseyde i have biholde' -- and al this thing to pandarus he tolde. `o my criseyde, allas! what subtiltee. what newe lust, what beautee, what science, what wratthe of iuste cause have ye to me? what gilt of me, what fel experience hath fro me raft, allas! thyn advertence? o trust, o feyth, o depe aseuraunce, who hath me reft criseyde, al my plesaunce? `allas! why leet i you from hennes go, for which wel neigh out of my wit i breyde? who shal now trowe on any othes mo? god wot i wende, o lady bright, criseyde, that every word was gospel that ye seyde! but who may bet bigylen, yf him liste, than he on whom men weneth best to triste? `what shal i doon, my pandarus, allas! i fele now so sharpe a newe peyne, sin that ther is no remedie in this cas, that bet were it i with myn hondes tweyne my-selven slow, than alwey thus to pleyne. for through my deeth my wo sholde han an ende, ther every day with lyf my-self i shende.' pandare answerde and seyde, `allas the whyle that i was born; have i not seyd er this, that dremes many a maner man bigyle? and why? for folk expounden hem a-mis. how darstow seyn that fals thy lady is, for any dreem, right for thyn owene drede? lat be this thought, thou canst no dremes rede. `paraunter, ther thou dremest of this boor, it may so be that it may signifye hir fader, which that old is and eek hoor, ayein the sonne lyth, on poynt to dye, and she for sorwe ginneth wepe and crye, and kisseth him, ther he lyth on the grounde; thus shuldestow thy dreem a-right expounde.' `how mighte i thanne do?' quod troilus, `to knowe of this, ye, were it never so lyte?' `now seystow wysly,' quod this pandarus, `my reed is this, sin thou canst wel endyte, that hastely a lettre thou hir wryte, thorugh which thou shalt wel bringen it aboute, to knowe a sooth of that thou art in doute. `and see now why; for this i dar wel seyn, that if so is that she untrewe be, i can not trowe that she wol wryte ayeyn. and if she wryte, thou shalt ful sone see, as whether she hath any libertee to come ayein, or ellis in som clause, if she be let, she wol assigne a cause. `thou hast not writen hir sin that she wente, nor she to thee, and this i dorste leye, ther may swich cause been in hir entente, that hardely thou wolt thy-selven seye, that hir a-bood the beste is for yow tweye. now wryte hir thanne, and thou shalt fele sone a sothe of al; ther is no more to done.' acorded been to this conclusioun, and that anoon, these ilke lordes two; and hastely sit troilus adoun, and rolleth in his herte to and fro, how he may best discryven hir his wo. and to criseyde, his owene lady dere, he wroot right thus, and seyde as ye may here. `right fresshe flour, whos i have been and shal, with-outen part of elles-where servyse, with herte, body, lyf, lust, thought, and al; i, woful wight, in every humble wyse that tonge telle or herte may devyse, as ofte as matere occupyeth place, me recomaunde un-to your noble grace. `lyketh it yow to witen, swete herte, as ye wel knowe how longe tyme agoon that ye me lefte in aspre peynes smerte, whan that ye wente, of which yet bote noon have i non had, but ever wers bigoon fro day to day am i, and so mot dwelle, while it yow list, of wele and wo my welle. `for which to yow, with dredful herte trewe, i wryte, as he that sorwe dryfth to wryte, my wo, that every houre encreseth newe, compleyninge as i dar or can endyte. and that defaced is, that may ye wyte the teres, which that fro myn eyen reyne, that wolde speke, if that they coude, and pleyne. `yow first biseche i, that your eyen clere to look on this defouled ye not holde; and over al this, that ye, my lady dere, wol vouche-sauf this lettre to biholde. and by the cause eek of my cares colde, that sleeth my wit, if ought amis me asterte, for-yeve it me, myn owene swete herte. `if any servant dorste or oughte of right up-on his lady pitously compleyne, than wene i, that ich oughte be that wight, considered this, that ye these monthes tweyne han taried, ther ye seyden, sooth to seyne, but dayes ten ye nolde in ost soiourne, but in two monthes yet ye not retourne. `but for-as-muche as me mot nedes lyke al that yow list, i dar not pleyne more, but humbely with sorwful sykes syke; yow wryte ich myn unresty sorwes sore, fro day to day desyring ever-more to knowen fully, if your wil it were, how ye han ferd and doon, whyl ye be there. `the whos wel-fare and hele eek god encresse in honour swich, that upward in degree it growe alwey, so that it never cesse; right as your herte ay can, my lady free, devyse, i prey to god so mote it be. and graunte it that ye sone up-on me rewe as wisly as in al i am yow trewe. `and if yow lyketh knowen of the fare of me, whos wo ther may no wight discryve, i can no more but, cheste of every care, at wrytinge of this lettre i was on-lyve, al redy out my woful gost to dryve; which i delaye, and holde him yet in honde, upon the sight of matere of your sonde. `myn eyen two, in veyn with which i see, of sorweful teres salte arn waxen welles; my song, in pleynte of myn adversitee; my good, in harm; myn ese eek waxen helle is. my ioye, in wo; i can sey yow nought elles, but turned is, for which my lyf i warie, everich ioye or ese in his contrarie. `which with your cominge hoom ayein to troye ye may redresse, and, more a thousand sythe than ever ich hadde, encressen in me ioye. for was ther never herte yet so blythe to han his lyf, as i shal been as swythe as i yow see; and, though no maner routhe commeve yow, yet thinketh on your trouthe. `and if so be my gilt hath deeth deserved, or if yow list no more up-on me see, in guerdon yet of that i have you served, biseche i yow, myn hertes lady free, that here-upon ye wolden wryte me, for love of god, my righte lode-sterre, ther deeth may make an ende of al my werre. `if other cause aught doth yow for to dwelle, that with your lettre ye me recomforte; for though to me your absence is an helle, with pacience i wol my wo comporte, and with your lettre of hope i wol desporte. now wryteth, swete, and lat me thus not pleyne; with hope, or deeth, delivereth me fro peyne. `y-wis, myn owene dere herte trewe, i woot that, whan ye next up-on me see, so lost have i myn hele and eek myn hewe, criseyde shal nought conne knowe me! y-wis, myn hertes day, my lady free, so thursteth ay myn herte to biholde your beautee, that my lyf unnethe i holde. `i sey no more, al have i for to seye to you wel more than i telle may; but whether that ye do me live or deye, yet pray i god, so yeve yow right good day. and fareth wel, goodly fayre fresshe may, as ye that lyf or deeth me may comaunde; and to your trouthe ay i me recomaunde `with hele swich that, but ye yeven me the same hele, i shal noon hele have. in you lyth, whan yow liste that it so be, the day in which me clothen shal my grave. in yow my lyf, in yow might for to save me from disese of alle peynes smerte; and fare now wel, myn owene swete herte! le vostre t.' this lettre forth was sent un-to criseyde, of which hir answere in effect was this; ful pitously she wroot ayein, and seyde, that also sone as that she might, y-wis, she wolde come, and mende al that was mis. and fynally she wroot and seyde him thanne, she wolde come, ye, but she niste whenne. but in hir lettre made she swich festes, that wonder was, and swereth she loveth him best, of which he fond but botmelees bihestes. but troilus, thou mayst now, est or west, pype in an ivy leef, if that thee lest; thus gooth the world; god shilde us fro mischaunce, and every wight that meneth trouthe avaunce! encresen gan the wo fro day to night of troilus, for taryinge of criseyde; and lessen gan his hope and eek his might, for which al doun he in his bed him leyde; he ne eet, ne dronk, ne sleep, ne word he seyde, imagininge ay that she was unkinde; for which wel neigh he wex out of his minde. this dreem, of which i told have eek biforn, may never come out of his remembraunce; he thoughte ay wel he hadde his lady lorn, and that ioves, of his purveyaunce, him shewed hadde in sleep the signifiaunce of hir untrouthe and his disaventure, and that the boor was shewed him in figure. for which he for sibille his suster sente, that called was cassandre eek al aboute; and al his dreem he tolde hir er he stente, and hir bisoughte assoilen him the doute of the stronge boor, with tuskes stoute; and fynally, with-inne a litel stounde, cassandre him gan right thus his dreem expounde. she gan first smyle, and seyde, `o brother dere, if thou a sooth of this desyrest knowe, thou most a fewe of olde stories here, to purpos, how that fortune over-throwe hath lordes olde; through which, with-inne a throwe, thou wel this boor shalt knowe, and of what kinde he comen is, as men in bokes finde. `diane, which that wrooth was and in ire for grekes nolde doon hir sacrifyse, ne encens up-on hir auter sette a-fyre, she, for that grekes gonne hir so dispyse, wrak hir in a wonder cruel wyse. for with a boor as greet as oxe in stalle she made up frete hir corn and vynes alle. `to slee this boor was al the contree reysed, a-monges which ther com, this boor to see, a mayde, oon of this world the best y-preysed; and meleagre, lord of that contree, he lovede so this fresshe mayden free that with his manhod, er he wolde stente, this boor he slow, and hir the heed he sente; `of which, as olde bokes tellen us, ther roos a contek and a greet envye; and of this lord descended tydeus by ligne, or elles olde bokes lye; but how this meleagre gan to dye thorugh his moder, wol i yow not telle, for al to long it were for to dwelle.' [argument of the books of statius' "thebais"] associat profugum tideo primus polimitem; tidea legatum docet insidiasque secundus; tercius hemoniden canit et vates latitantes; quartus habet reges ineuntes prelia septem; mox furie lenne quinto narratur et anguis; archimori bustum sexto ludique leguntur; dat graios thebes et vatem septimus vmbria; octauo cecidit tideus, spes, vita pelasgia; ypomedon nono moritur cum parthonopeo; fulmine percussus, decimo capaneus superatur; vndecimo sese perimunt per vulnera fratres; argiuam flentem narrat duodenus et igneum. she tolde eek how tydeus, er she stente, un-to the stronge citee of thebes, to cleyme kingdom of the citee, wente, for his felawe, daun polymites, of which the brother, daun ethyocles, ful wrongfully of thebes held the strengthe; this tolde she by proces, al by lengthe. she tolde eek how hemonides asterte, whan tydeus slough fifty knightes stoute. she tolde eek al the prophesyes by herte, and how that sevene kinges, with hir route, bisegeden the citee al aboute; and of the holy serpent, and the welle, and of the furies, al she gan him telle. of archimoris buryinge and the pleyes, and how amphiorax fil through the grounde, how tydeus was slayn, lord of argeyes, and how ypomedoun in litel stounde was dreynt, and deed parthonope of wounde; and also how cappaneus the proude with thonder-dint was slayn, that cryde loude. she gan eek telle him how that either brother, ethyocles and polimyte also, at a scarmyche, eche of hem slough other, and of argyves wepinge and hir wo; and how the town was brent she tolde eek tho. and so descendeth doun from gestes olde to diomede, and thus she spak and tolde. `this ilke boor bitokneth diomede, tydeus sone, that doun descended is fro meleagre, that made the boor to blede. and thy lady, wher-so she be, y-wis, this diomede hir herte hath, and she his. weep if thou wolt, or leef; for, out of doute, this diomede is inne, and thou art oute.' `thou seyst nat sooth,' quod he, `thou sorceresse, with al thy false goost of prophesye! thou wenest been a greet devyneresse; now seestow not this fool of fantasye peyneth hir on ladyes for to lye? awey!' quod he. `ther ioves yeve thee sorwe! thou shalt be fals, paraunter, yet to-morwe! `as wel thou mightest lyen on alceste, that was of creatures, but men lye, that ever weren, kindest and the beste. for whanne hir housbonde was in iupartye to dye him-self, but-if she wolde dye, she chees for him to dye and go to helle, and starf anoon, as us the bokes telle.' cassandre goth, and he with cruel herte for-yat his wo, for angre of hir speche; and from his bed al sodeinly he sterte, as though al hool him hadde y-mad a leche. and day by day he gan enquere and seche a sooth of this, with al his fulle cure; and thus he dryeth forth his aventure. fortune, whiche that permutacioun of thinges hath, as it is hir committed through purveyaunce and disposicioun of heighe iove, as regnes shal ben flitted fro folk in folk, or whan they shal ben smitted, gan pulle awey the fetheres brighte of troye fro day to day, til they ben bare of ioye. among al this, the fyn of the parodie of ector gan approchen wonder blyve; the fate wolde his soule sholde unbodie, and shapen hadde a mene it out to dryve; ayeins which fate him helpeth not to stryve; but on a day to fighten gan he wende, at which, allas! he coughte his lyves ende. for which me thinketh every maner wight that haunteth armes oughte to biwayle the deeth of him that was so noble a knight; for as he drough a king by thaventayle, unwar of this, achilles through the mayle and through the body gan him for to ryve; and thus this worthy knight was brought of lyve. for whom, as olde bokes tellen us, was mad swich wo, that tonge it may not telle; and namely, the sorwe of troilus, that next him was of worthinesse welle. and in this wo gan troilus to dwelle, that, what for sorwe, and love, and for unreste, ful ofte a day he bad his herte breste. but natheles, though he gan him dispeyre, and dradde ay that his lady was untrewe, yet ay on hir his herte gan repeyre. and as these loveres doon, he soughte ay newe to gete ayein criseyde, bright of hewe. and in his herte he wente hir excusinge, that calkas causede al hir taryinge. and ofte tyme he was in purpos grete him-selven lyk a pilgrim to disgyse, to seen hir; but he may not contrefete to been unknowen of folk that weren wyse, ne finde excuse aright that may suffyse, if he among the grekes knowen were; for which he weep ful ofte many a tere. to hir he wroot yet ofte tyme al newe ful pitously, he lefte it nought for slouthe, biseching hir that, sin that he was trewe, she wolde come ayein and holde hir trouthe. for which criseyde up-on a day, for routhe, i take it so, touchinge al this matere, wrot him ayein, and seyde as ye may here. `cupydes sone, ensample of goodlihede, o swerd of knighthod, sours of gentilesse! how might a wight in torment and in drede and helelees, yow sende as yet gladnesse? i hertelees, i syke, i in distresse; sin ye with me, nor i with yow may dele, yow neither sende ich herte may nor hele. `your lettres ful, the papir al y-pleynted, conceyved hath myn hertes pietee; i have eek seyn with teres al depeynted your lettre, and how that ye requeren me to come ayein, which yet ne may not be. but why, lest that this lettre founden were, no mencioun ne make i now, for fere. `grevous to me, god woot, is your unreste, your haste, and that, the goddes ordenaunce, it semeth not ye take it for the beste. nor other thing nis in your remembraunce, as thinketh me, but only your plesaunce. but beth not wrooth, and that i yow biseche; for that i tarie, is al for wikked speche. `for i have herd wel more than i wende, touchinge us two, how thinges han y-stonde; which i shal with dissimulinge amende. and beth nought wrooth, i have eek understonde, how ye ne doon but holden me in honde. but now no fors, i can not in yow gesse but alle trouthe and alle gentilesse. `comen i wol, but yet in swich disioynte i stonde as now, that what yeer or what day that this shal be, that can i not apoynte. but in effect, i prey yow, as i may, of your good word and of your frendship ay. for trewely, whyl that my lyf may dure, as for a freend, ye may in me assure. `yet preye i yow on yvel ye ne take, that it is short which that i to yow wryte; i dar not, ther i am, wel lettres make, ne never yet ne coude i wel endyte. eek greet effect men wryte in place lite. thentente is al, and nought the lettres space; and fareth now wel, god have you in his grace! la vostre c.' this troilus this lettre thoughte al straunge, whan he it saugh, and sorwefully he sighte; him thoughte it lyk a kalendes of chaunge; but fynally, he ful ne trowen mighte that she ne wolde him holden that she highte; for with ful yvel wil list him to leve that loveth wel, in swich cas, though him greve. but natheles, men seyn that, at the laste, for any thing, men shal the sothe see; and swich a cas bitidde, and that as faste, that troilus wel understood that she nas not so kinde as that hir oughte be. and fynally, he woot now, out of doute, that al is lost that he hath been aboute. stood on a day in his malencolye this troilus, and in suspecioun of hir for whom he wende for to dye. and so bifel, that through-out troye toun, as was the gyse, y-bore was up and doun a maner cote-armure, as seyth the storie, biforn deiphebe, in signe of his victorie, the whiche cote, as telleth lollius, deiphebe it hadde y-rent from diomede the same day; and whan this troilus it saugh, he gan to taken of it hede, avysing of the lengthe and of the brede, and al the werk; but as he gan biholde, ful sodeinly his herte gan to colde, as he that on the coler fond with-inne a broche, that he criseyde yaf that morwe that she from troye moste nedes twinne, in remembraunce of him and of his sorwe; and she him leyde ayein hir feyth to borwe to kepe it ay; but now, ful wel he wiste, his lady nas no lenger on to triste. he gooth him hoom, and gan ful sone sende for pandarus; and al this newe chaunce, and of this broche, he tolde him word and ende, compleyninge of hir hertes variaunce, his longe love, his trouthe, and his penaunce; and after deeth, with-outen wordes more, ful faste he cryde, his reste him to restore. than spak he thus, `o lady myn criseyde, wher is your feyth, and wher is your biheste? wher is your love, wher is your trouthe,' he seyde; `of diomede have ye now al this feste! allas, i wolde have trowed at the leste. that, sin ye nolde in trouthe to me stonde, that ye thus nolde han holden me in honde! `who shal now trowe on any othes mo? allas, i never wolde han wend, er this, that ye, criseyde, coude han chaunged so; ne, but i hadde a-gilt and doon amis, so cruel wende i not your herte, y-wis, to slee me thus; allas, your name of trouthe is now for-doon, and that is al my routhe. `was ther non other broche yow liste lete to feffe with your newe love,' quod he, `but thilke broche that i, with teres wete, yow yaf, as for a remembraunce of me? non other cause, allas, ne hadde ye but for despyt, and eek for that ye mente al-outrely to shewen your entente! `through which i see that clene out of your minde ye han me cast, and i ne can nor may, for al this world, with-in myn herte finde to unloven yow a quarter of a day! in cursed tyme i born was, weylaway! that ye, that doon me al this wo endure, yet love i best of any creature. `now god,' quod he, `me sende yet the grace that i may meten with this diomede! and trewely, if i have might and space, yet shal i make, i hope, his sydes blede. o god,' quod he, `that oughtest taken hede to fortheren trouthe, and wronges to punyce, why niltow doon a vengeaunce of this vyce? `o pandare, that in dremes for to triste me blamed hast, and wont art oft up-breyde, now maystow see thy-selve, if that thee liste, how trewe is now thy nece, bright criseyde! in sondry formes, god it woot,' he seyde, `the goddes shewen bothe ioye and tene in slepe, and by my dreme it is now sene. `and certaynly, with-oute more speche, from hennes-forth, as ferforth as i may, myn owene deeth in armes wol i seche; i recche not how sone be the day! but trewely, criseyde, swete may, whom i have ay with al my might y-served, that ye thus doon, i have it nought deserved.' this pandarus, that alle these thinges herde, and wiste wel he seyde a sooth of this, he nought a word ayein to him answerde; for sory of his frendes sorwe he is, and shamed, for his nece hath doon a-mis; and stant, astoned of these causes tweye, as stille as stoon; a word ne coude he seye. but at the laste thus he spak, and seyde, `my brother dere, i may thee do no-more. what shulde i seyn? i hate, y-wis, criseyde! and, god wot, i wol hate hir evermore! and that thou me bisoughtest doon of yore, havinge un-to myn honour ne my reste right no reward, i dide al that thee leste. `if i dide ought that mighte lyken thee, it is me leef; and of this treson now, god woot, that it a sorwe is un-to me! and dredelees, for hertes ese of yow, right fayn wolde i amende it, wiste i how. and fro this world, almighty god i preye, delivere hir sone; i can no-more seye.' gret was the sorwe and pleynt of troilus; but forth hir cours fortune ay gan to holde. criseyde loveth the sone of tydeus, and troilus mot wepe in cares colde. swich is this world; who-so it can biholde, in eche estat is litel hertes reste; god leve us for to take it for the beste! in many cruel batayle, out of drede, of troilus, this ilke noble knight, as men may in these olde bokes rede, was sene his knighthod and his grete might. and dredelees, his ire, day and night, ful cruelly the grekes ay aboughte; and alwey most this diomede he soughte. and ofte tyme, i finde that they mette with blody strokes and with wordes grete, assayinge how hir speres weren whette; and god it woot, with many a cruel hete gan troilus upon his helm to bete. but natheles, fortune it nought ne wolde, of others hond that either deyen sholde. -- and if i hadde y-taken for to wryte the armes of this ilke worthy man, than wolde i of his batailles endyte. but for that i to wryte first bigan of his love, i have seyd as that i can. his worthy dedes, who-so list hem here, reed dares, he can telle hem alle y-fere. bisechinge every lady bright of hewe, and every gentil womman, what she be, that al be that criseyde was untrewe, that for that gilt she be not wrooth with me. ye may hir gilt in othere bokes see; and gladlier i wole wryten, if yow leste, penolopees trouthe and good alceste. ne i sey not this al-only for these men, but most for wommen that bitraysed be through false folk; god yeve hem sorwe, amen! that with hir grete wit and subtiltee bitrayse yow! and this commeveth me to speke, and in effect yow alle i preye, beth war of men, and herkeneth what i seye! -- go, litel book, go litel myn tragedie, ther god thy maker yet, er that he dye, so sende might to make in som comedie! but litel book, no making thou nenvye, but subgit be to alle poesye; and kis the steppes, wher-as thou seest pace virgile, ovyde, omer, lucan, and stace. and for ther is so greet diversitee in english and in wryting of our tonge, so preye i god that noon miswryte thee, ne thee mismetre for defaute of tonge. and red wher-so thou be, or elles songe, that thou be understonde i god beseche! but yet to purpos of my rather speche. -- the wraththe, as i began yow for to seye, of troilus, the grekes boughten dere; for thousandes his hondes maden deye, as he that was with-outen any pere, save ector, in his tyme, as i can here. but weylawey, save only goddes wille, dispitously him slough the fiers achille. and whan that he was slayn in this manere, his lighte goost ful blisfully is went up to the holownesse of the seventh spere, in convers letinge every element; and ther he saugh, with ful avysement, the erratik sterres, herkeninge armonye with sownes fulle of hevenish melodye. and doun from thennes faste he gan avyse this litel spot of erthe, that with the see embraced is, and fully gan despyse this wrecched world, and held al vanitee to respect of the pleyn felicitee that is in hevene above; and at the laste, ther he was slayn, his loking doun he caste; and in him-self he lough right at the wo of hem that wepten for his deeth so faste; and dampned al our werk that folweth so the blinde lust, the which that may not laste, and sholden al our herte on hevene caste. and forth he wente, shortly for to telle, ther as mercurie sorted him to dwelle. -- swich fyn hath, lo, this troilus for love, swich fyn hath al his grete worthinesse; swich fyn hath his estat real above, swich fyn his lust, swich fyn hath his noblesse; swich fyn hath false worldes brotelnesse. and thus bigan his lovinge of criseyde, as i have told, and in this wyse he deyde. o yonge fresshe folkes, he or she, in which that love up groweth with your age, repeyreth hoom from worldly vanitee, and of your herte up-casteth the visage to thilke god that after his image yow made, and thinketh al nis but a fayre this world, that passeth sone as floures fayre. and loveth him, the which that right for love upon a cros, our soules for to beye, first starf, and roos, and sit in hevene a-bove; for he nil falsen no wight, dar i seye, that wol his herte al hoolly on him leye. and sin he best to love is, and most meke, what nedeth feyned loves for to seke? lo here, of payens corsed olde rytes, lo here, what alle hir goddes may availle; lo here, these wrecched worldes appetytes; lo here, the fyn and guerdon for travaille of iove, appollo, of mars, of swich rascaille! lo here, the forme of olde clerkes speche in poetrye, if ye hir bokes seche. -- o moral gower, this book i directe to thee, and to the philosophical strode, to vouchen sauf, ther nede is, to corecte, of your benignitees and zeles gode. and to that sothfast crist, that starf on rode, with al myn herte of mercy ever i preye; and to the lord right thus i speke and seye: thou oon, and two, and three, eterne on-lyve, that regnest ay in three and two and oon, uncircumscript, and al mayst circumscryve, us from visible and invisible foon defende; and to thy mercy, everichoon, so make us, iesus, for thy grace digne, for love of mayde and moder thyn benigne! amen. explicit liber troili et criseydis. proofreaders team dryden's palamon and arcite edited with introduction and notes by george e. eliot, a.m. english master in the morgan school to henry a. beers professor of english literature in yale university who first aroused my interest in dryden and directed my study of his works this volume is respectfully inscribed preface. to edit an english classic for study in secondary schools is difficult. the lack of anything like uniformity in the type of examination required by the colleges and universities complicates treatment. not only do two distinct institutions differ in the scope and character of their questions, but the same university varies its demands from year to year. the only safe course to pursue is, therefore, a generally comprehensive one. but here, again, we are hampered by limited space, and are forced to content ourselves with a bare outline, which the individual instructor can fill in as much or as little as he pleases. the ignorance of most of our classical students in regard to the history of english literature is appalling; and yet it is impossible properly to study a given work of a given author without some knowledge of the background against which that particular writer stands. i have, therefore, sketched the politics, society, and literature of the age in which dryden lived, and during which he gave to the world his _palamon and arcite_. in the critical comments of the introduction i have contented myself with little more than hints. that particular line of study, whether it concerns the poet's style, his verse forms, or the possession of the divine instinct itself, can be much more satisfactorily developed by the instructor, as the student's knowledge of the poem grows. it is certainly a subject for congratulation that so many youth will be introduced, through the medium of dryden's crisp and vigorous verse, to one of the tales of chaucer. may it now, as in his own century, accomplish the poet's desire, and awaken in them appreciative admiration for the old bard, the best story-teller in the english language. g. e. e. clinton, conn., july , . introduction. the background. the fifty years of dryden's literary production just fill the last half of the seventeenth century. it was a period bristling with violent political and religious prejudices, provocative of strife that amounted to revolution. its social life ran the gamut from the severity of the commonwealth puritan to the unbridled debauchery of the restoration courtier. in literature it experienced a remarkable transformation in poetry, and developed modern prose, watched the production of the greatest english epics, smarted under the lash of the greatest english satires, blushed at the brilliant wit of unspeakable comedies, and applauded the beginnings of english criticism. when the period began, england was a commonwealth. charles i., by obstinate insistence upon absolutism, by fickleness and faithlessness, had increased and strengthened his enemies. parliament had seized the reins of government in , had completely established its authority at naseby in , and had beheaded the king in front of his own palace in . the army had accomplished these results, and the army proposed to enjoy the reward. cromwell, the idolized commander of the ironsides, was placed at the head of the new-formed state with the title of lord protector; and for five years he ruled england, as she had been ruled by no sovereign since elizabeth. he suppressed parliamentary dissensions and royalist uprisings, humbled the dutch, took vengeance on the spaniard, and made england indisputably mistress of the ocean. he was succeeded, at his death in , by his son richard; but the father's strong instinct for government had not been inherited by the son. the nation, homesick for monarchy, was tiring of dissension and bickering, and by the restoration of the son of charles i became charles ii of england. scarcely had the demonstrations of joy at the restoration subsided when london was visited by the devouring plague of . all who could fled from the stricken city where thousands died in a day. in came the great fire which swept from the tower to the temple; but, while it destroyed a vast deal of property, it prevented by its violent purification a recurrence of the plague, and made possible the rebuilding of the city with great sanitary and architectural improvements. charles possessed some of the virtues of the stuarts and most of their faults. his arbitrary irresponsibility shook the confidence of the nation in his sincerity. two parties, the whigs and the tories, came into being, and party spirit and party strife ran high. the question at issue was chiefly one of religion. the rank and file of protestant england was determined against the revival of romanism, which a continuation of the stuart line seemed to threaten. charles was a protestant only from expediency, and on his deathbed accepted the roman catholic faith; his brother james, duke of york, the heir apparent, was a professed romanist. such an outlook incited the whigs, under the leadership of shaftesbury, to support the claims of charles' eldest illegitimate son, the duke of monmouth, who, on the death of his father in , landed in england; but the promised uprising was scarcely more than a rabble of peasantry, and was easily suppressed. then came the vengeance of james, as foolish as it was tyrannical. judge jeffries and his bloody assizes sent scores of protestants to the block or to the gallows, till england would endure no more. william, prince of orange, who had married mary, the eldest daughter of james, was invited to accept the english crown. he landed at torbay, was joined by churchill, the commander of the king's forces, and, on the precipitate flight of james, mounted the throne of england. this event stands in history as the protestant revolution of . during william's reign, which terminated in , stuart uprisings were successfully suppressed, english liberties were guaranteed by the famous bill of rights, protestant succession was assured, and liberal toleration was extended to the various dissenting sects. society had passed through quite as great variations as had politics during this half-century. the roistering cavalier of the first charles, with his flowing locks and plumed hat, with his maypoles and morrice dances, with his stage plays and bear-baitings, with his carousals and gallantries, had given way to the puritan roundhead. it was a serious, sober-minded england in which the youth dryden found himself. if the puritan differed from the cavalier in political principles, they were even more diametrically opposed in mode of life. an act of parliament closed the theaters in . amusements of all kinds were frowned upon as frivolous, and many were suppressed by law. the old english feasts at michaelmas, christmas, twelfth night, and candlemas were regarded as relics of popery and were condemned. the puritan took his religion seriously, so seriously that it overpowered him. the energy and fervor of his religious life were illustrated in the work performed by cromwell's chaplain, john howe, on any one of the countless fast days. "he began with his flock at nine in the morning, prayed during a quarter of an hour for blessing upon the day's work, then read and explained a chapter for three-quarters of an hour, then prayed for an hour, preached for an hour, and prayed again for a half an hour, then retired for a quarter of an hour's refreshment--the people singing all the while--returned to his pulpit, prayed for another hour, preached for another hour, and finished at four p.m." at the restoration the pendulum swung back again. from the strained morality of the puritans there was a sudden leap to the most extravagant license and the grossest immorality, with the king and the court in the van. the theaters were thrown wide open, women for the first time went upon the stage, and they acted in plays whose moral tone is so low that they cannot now be presented on the stage or read in the drawing-room. of course they voiced the social conditions of the time. marriage ties were lightly regarded; no gallant but boasted his amours. revelry ran riot; drunkenness became a habit and gambling a craze. the court scintillated with brilliant wits, conscienceless libertines, and scoffing atheists. it was an age of debauchery and disbelief. the splendor of this life sometimes dazzles, the lack of conveniences appalls. the post left london once a week. a journey to the country must be made in your own lumbering carriage, or on the snail-slow stagecoach over miserable roads, beset with highwaymen. the narrow, ill-lighted streets, even of london, could not be traversed safely at night; and ladies, borne to routs and levees in their sedan chairs, were lighted by link-boys, and were carried by stalwart, broad-shouldered bearers who could wield well the staves in a street fight. such were the conditions of life and society which dryden found in the last fifty years of the seventeenth century. strong as were the contrasts in politics and manners during dryden's lifetime, they were paralleled by contrasts in literature no less marked. dryden was born in ; he died in . in the year of his birth died john donne, the father of the metaphysical bards, or marinists; in the year of his death was born james thomson, who was to give the first real start to the romantic movement; while between these two dates lies the period devoted to the development of french classicism in english literature. at dryden's birth ben jonson was the only one of the great elizabethan dramatists still living, and of the lesser stars in the same galaxy, chapman, massinger, ford, webster, and heywood all died during his boyhood and youth, while shirley, the last of his line, lingered till . of the older writers in prose, selden alone remained; but as dryden grew to manhood, he had at hand, fresh from the printers, the whole wealth of commonwealth prose, still somewhat clumsy with latinism or tainted with euphuism, but working steadily toward that simple strength and graceful fluency with which he was himself to mark the beginning of modern english prose. clarendon, with his magnificently involved style, began his famous _history of the great rebellion_ in . ten years later hobbes published the _leviathan_, a sketch of an ideal commonwealth. baxter, with his _saints' everlasting rest_ sent a book of religious consolation into every household. in dr. thomas browne, with the simplicity of a child and a quaintness that fascinates, published his _religio medici_; and in dear old simple-hearted isaak walton told us in his _compleat angler_ how to catch, dress, and cook fish. thomas fuller, born a score or more of years before dryden, in the same town, aldwinkle, published in his _holy and profane state_, a collection of brief and brisk character sketches, which come nearer modern prose than anything of that time; while for inspired thought and purity of diction the _holy living_, , and the _holy dying_, , of jeremy taylor, a gifted young divine, rank preëminent in the prose of the commonwealth. but without question the ablest prose of the period came from the pen of cromwell's latin secretary of state, john milton. milton stands in his own time a peculiarly isolated figure. we never in thought associate him with his contemporaries. dryden had become the leading literary figure in london before milton wrote his great epic; yet, were it not for definite chronology, we should scarcely realize that they worked in the same century. while, therefore, no sketch of seventeenth-century literature can exclude milton, he must be taken by himself, without relation to the development, forms, and spirit of his age, and must be regarded, rather, as a late-born elizabethan. when dryden was born, milton at twenty-three was just completing his seven years at cambridge, and as the younger poet grew through boyhood, the elder was enriching english verse with his _juvenilia_. then came the twenty years of strife. as secretary of the commonwealth, he threw himself into controversial prose. his _iconoclast_, the _divorce_ pamphlets, the _smectymnuus_ tracts, and the _areopagitica_ date from this period. a strong partisan of the commonwealth, he was in emphatic disfavor at the restoration. blind and in hiding, deserted by one-time friends, out of sympathy with his age, he fulfilled the promise of his youth: he turned again to poetry; and in _paradise lost_, _paradise regained_, and _samson agonistes_ he has left us "something so written that the world shall not willingly let it die." i have said that milton's poetry differed distinctly from the poetry of his age. the verse that dryden was reading as a schoolboy was quite other than _l'allegro_ and _lycidas_. in the closing years of the preceding century, john donne had traveled in italy. there the poet marino was developing fantastic eccentricities in verse. donne under similar influences adopted similar methods. to seize upon the quaintest possible thought and then to express it in as quaint a manner as possible became the chief aim of english poets during the first three-quarters of the seventeenth century. donne had encountered trouble in obtaining his wife from her father. finding one morning a flea that had feasted during the night on his wife and himself, he was overcome by its poetic possibilities, and wrote: "this flea is you and i, and this our marriage bed and temple is; tho' parents frown, and you, we're met and cloister'd in these living walls of jet." to strain after conceits, to strive for quaintness of thought and expression, was the striking characteristic of all the poets of the generation, to whom dr. johnson gave the title metaphysical, and who are now known as the marinists. there were quarles, with his dutch _emblems_; vaughan, sandys, crashaw, and pure-souled george herbert, with his _temple_. there were carew, with the _rapture_; wither and his "shall i wasting in despair"; the two dashing cavaliers suckling and lovelace, the latter the only man who ever received an m.a. for his personal beauty. there was herrick, the dispossessed devonshire rector, with _hesperides_ and _noble numbers_, freer than were the others from the beauty-marring conceits of the time. there, too, were to be found the gallant love-maker waller, cowley, the queen's secretary during her exile, and marvell, milton's assistant secretary of state. but these three men were to pledge allegiance to a new sovereignty in english verse. in the civil strife, waller had at first sided with parliament, had later engaged in a plot against it, and after a year's imprisonment was exiled to france. at this time the academy, organized to introduce form and method in the french language and literature, held full sway. malherbe was inculcating its principles, corneille and molière were practicing its tenets in their plays, and boileau was following its rules in his satires, when waller and his associates came in contact with this influence. the tendency was distinctly toward formality and conventionality. surfeited with the eccentricities and far-fetched conceits of the marinists, the exiled englishmen welcomed the change; they espoused the french principles; and when at the restoration they returned to england with their king, whose taste had been trained in the same school, they began at once to formalize and conventionalize english poetry. the writers of the past, even the greatest writers of the past, were regarded as men of genius, but without art; and english poetry was thenceforth, in dryden's own words, to start with waller. under the newly adopted canons of french taste, narrative and didactic verse, or satire, took first place. blank verse was tabooed as too prose-like; so, too, were the enjambed rhymes. a succession of rhymed pentameter couplets, with the sense complete in each couplet, was set forth as the proper vehicle for poetry; and this unenjambed distich fettered english verse for three-quarters of a century. in the drama the characters must be noble, the language dignified; the metrical form must be the rhymed couplet, and the unities of time, place, and action must be observed. such, in brief, were the principles of french classicism as applied to english poetry, principles of which dryden was the first great exponent, and which pope in the next generation carried to absolute perfection. waller, marvell, and cowley all tried their pens in the new method, cowley with least success; and they were the poets in vogue when dryden himself first attracted attention. denham quite caught the favor of the critics with his mild conventionalities; the earl of roscommon delighted them with his rhymed _essay on translated verse_; the brilliant court wits, rochester, dorset, and sedley, who were writing for pleasure and not for publication, still clung to the frivolous lyric; but the most-read and worst-treated poet of the restoration was butler. he published his _hudibras_, a sharp satire on the extreme puritans, in . every one read the book, laughed uproariously, and left the author to starve in a garret. of dryden's contemporaries in prose, there were sir william temple, later the patron of swift, john locke who contributed to philosophy his _essay concerning the human understanding_, the two diarists evelyn and pepys, and the critics rymer and langbaine; there was isaac newton, who expounded in his _principia_, , the laws of gravitation; and there was the preaching tinker, who, confined in bedford jail, gave to the world in one of its greatest allegories, _pilgrim's progress_. dryden was nearly thirty before the production of the drama was resumed in england. parliament had closed the theaters in , and that was an extinguisher of dramatic genius. davenant had vainly tried to elude the law, and finally succeeded in evading it by setting his _siege of rhodes_ to music, and producing the first english opera. at the restoration, when the theaters were reopened, the dramas then produced reflected most vividly the looseness and immorality of the times. their worst feature was that "they possessed not wit enough to keep the mass of moral putrefaction sweet." davenant was prolific, crowne wallowed in tragedy, tate remodeled shakspere; so did shadwell, who was later to measure swords with dryden, and receive for his rashness an unmerciful castigation. but by all odds the strongest name in tragedy was thomas otway, who smacks of true elizabethan genius in the _orphan_ and _venice preserved_. in comedy we receive the brilliant work of etheridge, the vigor of wycherley, and, as the century drew near its close, the dashing wit of congreve, vanbrugh, and farquhar. this burst of brilliancy, in which the restoration drama closes, was the prelude to the augustan age of queen anne and the first georges, the period wherein flourished that group of self-satisfied, exceptionally clever, ultra-classical wits who added a peculiar zest and charm to our literature. as dryden grew to old age, these younger men were already beginning to make themselves heard, though none had done great work. in poetry there were prior, gay, and pope, while in prose we find names that stand high in the roll of fame,--the story-teller defoe, the bitter swift, the rollicking dick steele, and delightful addison. this is the background in politics, society, and letters on which the life of dryden was laid during the last half of the seventeenth century. there were conditions in his environment which materially modified his life and affected his literary form, and without a knowledge of these conditions no study of the man or his works can be effective or satisfactory. dryden was preëminently a man of his times. life of dryden. john dryden was born at the vicarage of aldwinkle, all saints, in northamptonshire, august , . his father, erasmus dryden, was the third son of sir erasmus dryden of cannons ashby. the estate descended to dryden's uncle, john, and is still in the family. his mother was mary pickering. both the drydens and pickerings were puritans, and were ranged on the side of parliament in its struggle with charles i. as a boy dryden received his elementary education at tichmarsh, and went thence to westminster school, where he studied under the famous dr. busby. here he first appeared in print with an elegiac poem on the death of a schoolfellow, lord hastings. it possesses the peculiarities of the extreme marinists. the boy had died from smallpox, and dryden writes: "each little pimple had a tear in it to wail the fault its rising did commit." he entered trinity college, cambridge, may , , took his b.a. in , and then, though he received no fellowship, lingered at the university for three years. tradition tells us that he had no fondness for his alma mater, and certainly his verse contains compliments only for oxford. his father had died in and had bequeathed him a small estate. when, in , he finally left the university, he attached himself to his uncle, sir gilbert pickering, a general of the commonwealth. in he wrote _heroic stanzas on cromwell's death;_ but shortly thereafter he went to london, threw himself into the life of literary bohemia, and at the restoration, in , wrote his _astroea redux_, as enthusiastically as the veriest royalist of them all. this sudden transformation of the eulogist of cromwell to the panegyrist of charles won for dryden in some quarters the name of a political turncoat; but such criticism was unjust. he was by birth and early training a puritan; add to this a poet's admiration for a truly great character, and the lines on cromwell are explained; but during his london life he rubbed elbows with the world, early prejudices vanished, his true nature asserted itself, and it was john dryden himself, not merely the son of his father, who celebrated charles' return. on december , , he married lady elizabeth howard, eldest daughter of the earl of berkshire, and the sister of a literary intimate. tradition has pronounced the marriage an unhappy one, but facts do not bear out tradition. he nowhere referred other than affectionately to his wife, and always displayed a father's warm affection for his sons, john, charles, and erasmus. lady elizabeth outlived her husband and eventually died insane. during the great plague in london, , dryden fled with his wife to charleton. he lived there for two years, and during that time wrote three productions that illustrate the three departments of literature to which he devoted himself: _annus mirabilis_, a narrative and descriptive poem on the fire of and the sea fight with the dutch, the _essay on dramatic poesy_, his first attempt at literary criticism in prose, and the _maiden queen_, a drama. in _annus mirabilis_ we find the best work yet done by him. marinist quaintness still clings here and there, and he has temporarily deserted the classical distich for a quatrain stanza; but here, for the first time, we taste the dryden of the _satires_ and the _fables_. his _essay on dramatic poesy_ started modern prose. hitherto english prose had suffered from long sentences, from involved sentences, and from clumsy latinisms or too bald vernacular. dryden happily united simplicity with grace, and gave us plain, straightforward sentences, musically arranged in well-ordered periods. this was the vehicle in which he introduced literary criticism, and he continued it in prefaces to most of his plays and subsequent poems. at this same time he not only discussed the drama, but indulged in its production; and for a score of years from the early sixties he devoted himself almost exclusively to the stage. it was the most popular and the most profitable mode of expression. he began with a comedy, the _wild gallant_, in . it was a poor play and was incontinently condemned. he then developed a curious series of plays, of which the _indian emperor_, the _conquest of grenada_, and _aurengzebe_ are examples. he professedly followed french methods, observed the unities, and used the rhymed couplet. but they were not french; they were a nondescript incubation by dryden himself, and were called heroic dramas. they were ridiculed in the duke of buckingham's farce, the _rehearsal_; but their popularity was scarcely impaired. in dryden showed a return to common sense and to blank verse in _all for love_, and, though it necessarily suffers from its comparison with the original, shakspere's _antony and cleopatra_, it nevertheless possesses enough dramatic power to make it his best play. he had preceded this by rewriting milton's _paradise lost_ as an opera, in the _state of innocence_, and he followed it in with perhaps his best comedy, the _spanish friar_. dryden was now far the most prominent man of letters in london. in he had been appointed poet laureate and historiographer royal with a salary of two hundred pounds and a butt of sack. his connection with the stage had been a decided financial success, and he was in receipt of an income of about seven hundred pounds, which at modern values would approximate $ , . his house on gerard street, soho, backed upon leicester's gardens. there he spent his days in writing, but the evening found him at will's coffee house. in this famous resort of the wits and writers of the day the literary dictator of his generation held his court. seated in his particular armchair, on the balcony in summer, by the fire in winter, he discoursed on topics current in the literary world, pronounced his verdict of praise or condemnation, and woe to the unfortunate upon whom the latter fell. a week before christmas, in , as dryden was walking home from an evening of this sort, he was waylaid by masked ruffians in rose alley and was beaten to unconsciousness. the attack was supposed to have been incited by rochester, who smarted under an anonymous satire mistakenly attributed to dryden. though wrongly accused of this particular satire, it was not long before he did turn his attention to that department of verse. it was the time of the restless dissent of the whigs from the succession of james; and in dryden launched _absalom and achitophel_, one of the most brilliant satires in our language, against shaftesbury and his adherents, who were inciting monmouth to revolt. he found an admirable parallel in absalom's revolt from his father david, and he sustained the comparison. the scriptural names concealed living characters, and shaftesbury masked as achitophel, the evil counsellor, and buckingham as zimri. feeling ran high. shaftesbury was arrested and tried, but was acquitted, and his friends struck off a medal in commemoration. in , therefore, came dryden's second satire, the _medal_. these two political satires called forth in the fevered state of the times a host of replies, two of the most scurrilous from the pens of shadwell and settle. of these two poor whigs the first was drawn and quartered in _macflecnoe_, while the two were yoked for castigation in part ii. of _absalom and achitophel_, which appeared in . dryden possessed preëminently the faculty for satire. he did not devote himself exclusively to an abstract treatment, nor, like pope, to bitter personalities; he blends and combines the two methods most effectively. every one of his brisk, nervous couplets carries a sting; every distich is a sound box on the ear. we reach now a most interesting period in dryden's career and one that has provoked much controversy. in he published a long argument in verse, entitled _religio laici_ (the religion of a layman), in which he states his religious faith and his adherence to the church of england. when king james came to the throne in he made an immediate attempt to establish the roman catholic faith; and now dryden, too, turned romanist, and in supported his new faith in the long poetical allegory, the _hind and the panther_. of course his enemies cried turncoat; and it certainly looked like it. dryden was well into manhood before the religious instinct stirred in him, and then, once waking, he naturally walked in the beaten track. but these instincts, though roused late, possessed the poet's impetuosity; and it was merely a natural intensifying of the same impulse that had brought him into the church of england, which carried him to a more pronounced religious manifestation, and landed him in the church of rome. his sincerity is certainly backed by his acts, for when james had fled, and the staunch protestants william and mary held the throne, he absolutely refused to recant, and sacrificed his positions and emoluments. he was stripped of his royal offices and pensions, and, bitter humiliation, the laurel, torn from his brow, was placed on the head of that scorned jangler in verse, shadwell. deprived now of royal patronage and pensions, dryden turned again to the stage, his old-time purse-filler; and he produced two of his best plays, _don sebastian_ and _amphitryon_. the rest of his life, however, was to be spent, not with the drama, but in translation and paraphrase. since he had several times published _miscellanies_, collections of verse in which had appeared fragments of translations. with that indefatigable energy which characterized him, he now devoted himself to sustained effort. in he published a translation of _juvenal_, and in the same year began his translation of _virgil_, which was published in . the work was sold by subscription, and the poet was fairly well paid. dryden's translations are by no means exact; but he caught the spirit of his poet, and carried something of it into his own effective verse. dryden was not great in original work, but he was particularly happy in adaptation; and so it happened that his best play, _all for love_, was modeled on shakspere's _antony and cleopatra_, and his best poem, _palamon and arcite_, was a paraphrase of the _knight's tale_ of chaucer. contrary to the general taste of his age, he had long felt and often expressed great admiration for the fourteenth-century poet. his work on ovid had first turned his thought to chaucer, he tells us, and by association he linked with him boccaccio. as his life drew near its close he turned to those famous old story-tellers, and in the _fables_ gave us paraphrases in verse of eight of their most delightful tales, with translations from homer and ovid, a verse letter to his kinsman john driden, his second _st. cedlia's ode_, entitled _alexander's feast_, and an _epitaph_. the _fables_ were published in . they were his last work. friends of the poet, and they were legion, busied themselves at the beginning of that year in the arrangement of an elaborate benefit performance for him at the duke's theater; but dryden did not live to enjoy the compliment. he suffered severely from gout; a lack of proper treatment induced mortification, which spread rapidly, and in the early morning of the first of may, , he died. he had been the literary figurehead of his generation, and the elaborate pomp of his funeral attested his great popularity. his body lay in state for several days and then with a great procession was borne, on the th of may, to the poet's corner in westminster abbey. the last years of his life had been spent in fond study of the work of chaucer, and so it happened that just three hundred years after the death of elder bard dryden was laid to rest by the side of his great master. palamon and arcite the _fables_, in which this poem appears, were published in . the word fable as here used by dryden holds its original meaning of story or tale. besides the _palamon and arcite_, he paraphrased from chaucer the _cock and the fox_, the _flower and the leaf_, the _wife of bath's tale_, the _character of the good parson_. from boccaccio he gave us _sigismonda and guiscardo, theodore and honoria_, and _cymon and iphigenia_, while he completed the volume with the first book of the _iliad_, certain of ovid's _metamorphoses_, the _epistle to john driden, alexander's feast_, and an _epitaph_. the _fables_ were dedicated to the duke of ormond, whose father and grandfather dryden had previously honored in a prose epistle, full of the rather excessive compliment then in vogue. _palamon and arcite_ is itself preceded by a dedication in verse to the duchess of ormond. in the graceful flattery of this inscription dryden excelled himself, and he was easily grand master of the art in that age of superlative gallantry. the duke acknowledged the compliment by a gift of five hundred pounds. the preface to the volume is one of dryden's best efforts in prose. it is mainly concerned with critical comment on chaucer and boccaccio; and, though it lacks the accuracy of modern scholarship, it is full of a keen appreciation of his great forerunners. the work of dryden in _palamon and arcite_ may seem to us superfluous, for a well-educated man in the nineteenth century is familiar with his chaucer in the original; but in the sixteenth century our early poets were regarded as little better than barbarians, and their language was quite unintelligible. it was, therefore, a distinct addition to the literature of his age when he rescued from oblivion the _knight's tale_, the first of the _canterbury tales_, and gave it to his world as _palamon and arcite_. here, as in his translations, dryden catches the spirit of his original and follows it; but he does not track slavishly in its footprints. in this particular poem he follows his leader more closely than in some of his other paraphrases, and the three books in which he divides his _palamon and arcite_ scarcely exceed in length the original _knight's tale_. the tendency toward diffuse expansion, an excess of diluting epithets, which became a feature of eighteenth-century poetry, dryden has sensibly shunned, and has stuck close to the brisk narrative and pithy descriptions of chaucer. if the subject in hand be concrete description, as in the temple of mars, dryden is at his best, and surpasses his original; but if the abstract enters, as in the portraiture on the walls, he expands, and when he expands he weakens. to illustrate: "the smiler with the knif under the cloke" has lost force when dryden stretches it into five verses: "next stood hypocrisy, with holy leer; soft smiling, and demurely looking down, but hid the dagger underneath the gown: the assassinating wife, the household fiend, and far the blackest there, the traitor-friend." the anachronisms in the poem are chaucer's. when he put this story of greek love and jealousy and strife into the mouth of his knight, he was living in the golden age of chivalry; and he simply transferred its setting to this chivalrous story of ancient greece. the arms, the lists, the combat, the whole environment are those of the england of edward iii, not the athens of theseus. dryden has left this unchanged, realizing the charm of its mediaeval simplicity. as dryden gives it to us the poem is an example of narrative verse, brisk in its movement, dramatic in its action, and interspersed with descriptive passages that stimulate the imagination and satisfy the sense. coming as it did in the last years of his life, the poem found him with his vocabulary fully developed and his versification perfected; and these are points eminently essential in narrative verse. when dryden began his literary career, he had but just left the university, and his speech smacked somewhat of the pedantry of the classical scholar of the times. then came the restoration with its worship of french phrase and its liberal importation. his easy-going life as a bohemian in the early sixties strengthened his vernacular, and his association with the wits at will's coffee house developed his literary english. a happy blending of all these elements, governed by his strong common sense, gave him at maturity a vocabulary not only of great scope, but of tremendous energy and vitality. at the time of the production of _palamon and arcite_ dryden had, by long practice, become an absolute master of the verse he used. as we have seen, his early work was impregnated with the peculiarities of the marinists; and even after the ascendency of french taste at the restoration he still dallied with the stanza, and was not free from conceits. but his work in the heroic drama and in satire had determined his verse form and developed his ability in its use. in this poem, as in the bulk of his work, he employs the unenjambed pentameter distich; that is, a couplet with five accented syllables in each verse and with the sense terminating with the couplet. dryden's mastery of this couplet was marvelous. he did not attain to the perfect polish of pope a score of years later, but he possessed more vitality; and to this strength must be added a fluent grace and a ready sequence which increased the beauty of the measure and gave to it a nervous energy of movement. the great danger that attends the use of the distich is monotony; but dryden avoided this. by a constant variation of cadence, he threw the natural pause now near the start, now near the close, and now in the midst of his verse, and in this way developed a rhythm that never wearies the ear with monotonous recurrence. he employed for this same purpose the hemistich or half-verse, the triplet or three consecutive verses with the same rhyme, and the alexandrine with its six accents and its consequent well-rounded fullness. so much for _palamon and arcite_. first put into english by the best story-teller in our literature, it was retold at the close of the seventeenth century by the greatest poet of his generation, one of whose chief claims to greatness lies in his marvelous ability for adaptation and paraphrase. dryden's place in english literature. it remains to indicate briefly dryden's position in english literature. to the critics of his own time he was without question the greatest man of letters in his generation, and so he undeniably was after the death of milton. we are not ready to say with dr. johnson that "he found english of brick and left it of marble," for there was much marble before dryden was dreamed of, and his own work is not entirely devoid of brick; but that dryden rendered to english services of inestimable value is not to be questioned. for forty years the great aim of his life was, as he tells us himself, to improve the english language and english poetry, and by constant and tireless effort in a mass of production of antipodal types he accomplished his object. he enriched and extended our vocabulary, he modulated our meters, he developed new forms, and he purified and invigorated style. there are a few poets in our literature who are better than dryden; there are a great many who are worse; but there has been none who worked more constantly and more conscientiously for its improvement. mr. saintsbury has admirably summarized the situation: "he is not our greatest poet; far from it. but there is one point in which the superlative may safely be applied to him. considering what he started with, what he accomplished, and what advantages he left to his successors, he must be pronounced, without exception, the greatest craftsman in english letters." references for further study history: green, _history of the english people_, vols. iii, iv; knight, _popular history of england_, vols. iii, iv, v; gardiner, _the first two stuarts, and the puritan revolution_; hale, _fall of the stuarts, and western europe_; green, _short history of the english people_; ransome, _a short history of england_; montgomery, _english history_. biography: lives of dryden in the editions of his works by scott, malone, christie; johnson, _dryden (lives of the poets)_; saintsbury, _dryden (english men of letters)_. criticism: mitchell, _english lands, letters, and kings (elizabeth to anne)_; gosse, _from shakespeare to pope_; lowell, _dryden (among my books)_; garnett, _the age of dryden_; masson, _dryden and the literature of the restoration (three devils)_; hamilton, _the poets laureate of england_; hazlitt, _on dryden and pope_. romance: scott, _woodstock, peveril of the peak_; defoe, _the plague in london_. mythology: bulfinch, _age of fable_; gayley, _classic myths in english literature_; smith, _classical dictionary_. chronological table. dryden's life. history. english literature. , born aug. th. , herbert, temple. , milton, l'allegro and ii penseroso. . birth of prince james. , massinger, new way to pay old debts. ford, broken heart. prynne, histrio-mastix . first ship-money writ. , fletcher, purple island. cowley, poetical blossoms. milton, comus. . second ship-money writ. , quarles, emblems. , sandys, paraphrase of the psalms. , riot in edinburgh. , milton, lycidas. , scottish national covenant. judgment against john hampden. . first bishops' war. . short parliament. , suckling, ballad of a wedding. second bishops' war. carew, poems. long parliament assembled. . execution of strafford. constitutional , milton, smectymnuus tracts, reforms. debate clarendon begins history of on grand remonstrance. civil war. . committee of public safety. , fuller, holy and profane state. battle of edgehill. theaters closed. browne, religio medici. . westminster assembly. solemn , denham, cooper's hill. league and covenant taken by house. . scotch army crosses tweed. , milton, doctrine and discipline royalist defeat at marston of divorce, areopagitica, on moor. education. . laud beheaded. , waller, poems, lst edition. royalists crushed at naseby. , charles surrendered to scots. , crashaw, steps to the temple. browne, vulgar errors. , charles surrendered by scots. army in possession of london. charles' flight from hampton court. , cowley, the mistress. , second civil war. pride's purge. , herrick, hesperides. noble numbers. , poem on death of lord hastings. , charles beheaded. cromwell subdues ireland. , lovelace, lucasta. gauden, eikon basilike. milton, eikonoklastes. , entered trinity, cambridge. , battle of dunbar. , baxter, saints' everlasting rest. taylor, holy living. , cromwell wins at worcester. , davenant, gondibert. taylor, holy dying. hobbes, leviathan. , punished for disobedience, cambridge. , cromwell dissolves long parliament. barebones parliament. made lord protector by little parliament. , walton, compleat angler, , father died. received b.a. from cambridge. , first protectorate parliament, dutch routed on the sea. . yreaty with france. jamaica seized from spain. . second protectorate parliament. , cowley, works, lst edition. davenant, siege of rhodes. . left cambridge. attached to sir gilbert pickering. . heroic stanzas on cromwell's death. , dunkirk seized from spain. cromwell dies. his son richard succeeds. , richard cromwell resigns. long parliament restored. military government. , astraea redux. , long parliament again restored. declaration of breda. convention parliament. restoration charles ii. , milton, ready and easy way to establish a free commonwealth. pepys, diary begun. , panegyric on coronation. , meeting of cavalier parliament. corporation act. , poem to lord clarendon. , act of uniformity. dissenting ministers expelled. royal society founded. king declares for toleration. dunkirk sold to france. , fuller, worthies of england. , married lady elizabeth howard. poem to dr. charleton. wild gallant. , butler, hudibras. . reference in pepys to 'dryden, the poet.' , repeal of triennial act. conventicle act. , etheridge, comical revenge. evelyn, sylva. , poem to the duchess of york. indian emperor. poem to lady castlemaine. left london for charleton. , first dutch war of restoration. great plague. five-mile act. , dorset, song at sea. , essay on dramatic poesy. son charles born. , great fire. , annus mirabilis. maiden queen. sir martin marall. tempest. , dutch blockade thames. peace of breda. clarendon's fall. , milton, paradise lost. , mock astrologer. son john born. , etheridge, she would if she could. sedley, a mulberry garden. . tyrannic love. son erasmus born. , pepys, diary closes. shadwell, the royal shepherdess. penn, no cross, no crown. , conquest of granada. appointed poet laureate and historiographer royal. mother died. , treaty of dover. , shadwell, sullen lovers. , buckingham, rehearsal. milton, paradise regained. samson agonistes. . marriage à la mode. , second dutch war of restoration. declaration of indulgence. . assignation, amboyna. , test act. shaftesbury dismissed. , settle, empress of morocco. , a state of innocence. . aurengzebe. , all for love, limberham. . oedipus. additional pension of one hundred pounds. troilus and cressida. cudgeled in rose alley. . ovid's heroides. , spanish friar. absalom and achitophel, part i. . the medal, macflecnoe, absalom and achitophel, part ii. religio laici. . collector of customs at the port of london. . miscellanies, vol. i. translates maimbourg's history of league. . miscellanies, vol. ii. albion and albanius. threnodia augustalis. . ode on memory of mrs. killegrew. . hind and the panther. st. cecilia ode. , peace with the dutch. , non-resistance bill rejected. , marriage of william and mary. , peace of nymwegen. popish plot. , habeas corpus act. dissolution cavalier parliament. first short parliament. , second short parliament. , third short parliament. tory reaction. , flight of shaftesbury. , london city forfeits charter. rye house plot. russell and sydney executed. , death of charles ii. accession of james ii. prorogation of parliament. meeting of parliament. battle of edgemore. bloody assizes. , judges allowed king's dispensing power. , first declaration of indulgence. english literature. , mulgrave, essay on satire. , etheridge, the man of mode. , crowne, destruction of jerusalem. behn, the rover. wycherley, plain dealer. , bunyan, pilgrim's progress. rymer, tragedies of the last age. , oldham, satires upon the jesuits. , otway, the orphan. , marvell, poems. roscommon, essay on translated verse. , otway, venice preserved. , newton, principia. prior and montague, country mouse and city mouse. , britannia rediviva. , second declaration of indulgence. bishops sent to tower. birth of prince of wales. william and mary invited to take english throne. william lands at torbay. james flees. , lost his offices and pensions. , william and mary crowned. toleration act. bill of rights. grand alliance. jacobite rebellion. , locke, letters on toleration, treatise on government. , don sebastian. amphitryon. , battle of the boyne. , locke, essay concerning human understanding. , king arthur , treaty of limerick. , langbane, account of english dramatic poets. rochester, poems. , eleonora, cleomines. , massacre of glencoe. churchill deprived of office. , dennis, the impartial critick. , miscellanies, vol. iii. perseus and juvenal. , beginning of national debt. , congreve, old bachelor. , miscellanies, vol. iv. , bank of england established. death of queen mary. , southern, the fatal marriage. addison, account of greatest english poets. congreve, double dealer. , poems to kneller and congreve. fresnoy's art of painting. , censorship of press removed. , congreve, love for love. blackmore, prince arthur. , life of lucian. , trials for treason act. , southern, oroonoko. , virgil, alexander's feast composed. , peace of ryswick. , congreve, mourning bride. vanbrugh, the relapse. , partition treaties. , swift begins battle of books. farquhar, love and a bottle. vanbrugh, provoked wife. collier, short view of the immorality and profaneness of the english stage. , fables. died may st. , severe acts against roman catholics. , congreve, way of the world. prior, carmen seculare. to her grace the duchess of ormond,<br> with the following poem of palamon and arcite. madam, the bard who first adorned our native tongue tuned to his british lyre this ancient song; which homer might without a blush reherse, and leaves a doubtful palm in virgil's verse: he matched their beauties, where they most excel; of love sung better, and of-arms as well. vouchsafe, illustrious ormond, to behold what power the charms of beauty had of old; nor wonder if such deeds of arms were done, inspired by two fair eyes that sparkled like your own. if chaucer by the best idea wrought, and poets can divine each other's thought, the fairest nymph before his eyes he set; and then the fairest was plantagenet, who three contending princes made her prize, and ruled the rival nations with her eyes; who left immortal trophies of her fame, and to the noblest order gave the name. like her, of equal kindred to the throne, you keep her conquests, and extend your own: as when the stars, in their etherial race, at length have rolled around the liquid space, at certain periods they resume their place, from the same point of heaven their course advance, and move in measures of their former dance; thus, after length of ages, she returns, restored in you, and the same place adorns: or you perform her office in the sphere, born of her blood, and make a new platonic year. o true plantagenet, o race divine, (for beauty still is fatal to the line,) had chaucer lived that angel-face to view, sure he had drawn his emily from you; or had you lived to judge the doubtful right, your noble palamon had been the knight; and conquering theseus from his side had sent your generous lord, to guide the theban government. time shall accomplish that; and i shall see a palamon in him, in you an emily. already have the fates your path prepared, and sure presage your future sway declared: when westward, like the sun, you took your way, and from benighted britain bore the day, blue triton gave the signal from the shore, the ready nereids heard, and swam before to smooth the seas; a soft etesian gale but just inspired, and gently swelled the sail; portunus took his turn, whose ample hand heaved up the lightened keel, and sunk the sand, and steered the sacred vessel safe to land. the land, if not restrained, had met your way, projected out a neck, and jutted to the sea. hibernia, prostrate at your feet, adored in you the pledge of her expected lord, due to her isle; a venerable name; his father and his grandsire known to fame; awed by that house, accustomed to command, the sturdy kerns in due subjection stand, nor bear the reins in any foreign hand. at your approach, they crowded to the port; and scarcely landed, you create a court: as ormond's harbinger, to you they run, for venus is the promise of the sun. the waste of civil wars, their towns destroyed, pales unhonoured, ceres unemployed, were all forgot; and one triumphant day wiped all the tears of three campaigns away. blood, rapines, massacres, were cheaply bought, so mighty recompense your beauty brought. as when the dove returning bore the mark of earth restored to the long-labouring ark, the relics of mankind, secure of rest, oped every window to receive the guest, and the fair bearer of the message blessed: so, when you came, with loud repeated cries, the nation took an omen from your eyes, and god advanced his rainbow in the skies, to sign inviolable peace restored; the saints with solemn shouts proclaimed the new accord. when at your second coming you appear, (for i foretell that millenary year) the sharpened share shall vex the soil no more, but earth unbidden shall produce her store; the land shall laugh, the circling ocean smile, and heaven's indulgence bless the holy isle. heaven from all ages has reserved for you that happy clime, which venom never knew; or if it had been there, your eyes alone have power to chase all poison, but their own. now in this interval, which fate has cast betwixt your future glories and your past, this pause of power, 'tis ireland's hour to mourn; while england celebrates your safe return, by which you seem the seasons to command, and bring our summers back to their forsaken land. the vanquished isle our leisure must attend, till the fair blessing we vouchsafe to send; nor can we spare you long, though often we may lend. the dove was twice employed abroad, before the world was dried, and she returned no more. nor dare we trust so soft a messenger, new from her sickness, to that northern air; rest here awhile your lustre to restore, that they may see you, as you shone before; for yet, the eclipse not wholly past, you wade through some remains and dimness of a shade. a subject in his prince may claim a right, nor suffer him with strength impaired to fight; till force returns, his ardour we restrain, and curb his warlike wish to cross the main. now past the danger, let the learned begin the inquiry, where disease could enter in; how those malignant atoms forced their way, what in the faultless frame they found to make their prey, where every element was weighed so well, that heaven alone, who mixed the mass, could tell which of the four ingredients could rebel; and where, imprisoned in so sweet a cage, a soul might well be pleased to pass an age. and yet the fine materials made it weak; porcelain by being pure is apt to break. even to your breast the sickness durst aspire, and forced from that fair temple to retire, profanely set the holy place on fire. in vain your lord, like young vespasian, mourned, when the fierce flames the sanctuary burned; and i prepared to pay in verses rude a most detested act of gratitude: even this had been your elegy, which now is offered for your health, the table of my vow. your angel sure our morley's mind inspired, to find the remedy your ill required; as once the macedon, by jove's decree, was taught to dream an herb for ptolemy: or heaven, which had such over-cost bestowed as scarce it could afford to flesh and blood, so liked the frame, he would not work anew, to save the charges of another you; or by his middle science did he steer, and saw some great contingent good appear, well worth a miracle to keep you here, and for that end preserved the precious mould, which all the future ormonds was to hold; and meditated, in his better mind, an heir from you who may redeem the failing kind. blessed be the power which has at once restored the hopes of lost succession to your lord; joy to the first and last of each degree, virtue to courts, and, what i longed to see, to you the graces, and the muse to me. o daughter of the rose, whose cheeks unite the differing titles of the red and white; who heaven's alternate beauty well display, the blush of morning and the milky way; whose face is paradise, but fenced from sin; for god in either eye has placed a cherubin. all is your lord's alone; even absent, he employs the care of chaste penelope. for him you waste in tears your widowed hours, for him your curious needle paints the flowers; such works of old imperial dames were taught, such for ascanius fair elisa wrought. the soft recesses of your hours improve the three fair pledges of your happy love: all other parts of pious duty done, you owe your ormond nothing but a son, to fill in future times his father's place, and wear the garter of his mother's race. palamon and arcite; or, the knight's tale. from chaucer. book i. in days of old there lived, of mighty fame, a valiant prince, and theseus was his name; a chief, who more in feats of arms excelled, the rising nor the setting sun beheld. of athens he was lord; much land he won, and added foreign countries to his crown. in scythia with the warrior queen he strove, whom first by force he conquered, then by love; he brought in triumph back the beauteous dame, with whom her sister, fair emilia, came. with honour to his home let theseus ride, with love to friend, and fortune for his guide, and his victorious army at his side. i pass their warlike pomp, their proud array, their shouts, their songs, their welcome on the way; but, were it not too long, i would recite the feats of amazons, the fatal fight betwixt the hardy queen and hero knight; the town besieged, and how much blood it cost the female army, and the athenian host; the spousals of hippolyta the queen; what tilts and turneys at the feast were seen; the storm at their return, the ladies' fear: but these and other things i must forbear. the field is spacious i design to sow with oxen far unfit to draw the plough: the remnant of my tale is of a length to tire your patience, and to waste my strength; and trivial accidents shall be forborn, that others may have time to take their turn, as was at first enjoined us by mine host, that he, whose tale is best and pleases most, should win his supper at our common cost. and therefore where i left, i will pursue this ancient story, whether false or true, in hope it may be mended with a new. the prince i mentioned, full of high renown, in this array drew near the athenian town; when, in his pomp and utmost of his pride marching, he chanced to cast his eye aside, and saw a quire of mourning dames, who lay by two and two across the common way: at his approach they raised a rueful cry, and beat their breasts, and held their hands on high, creeping and crying, till they seized at last his courser's bridle and his feet embraced. "tell me," said theseus, "what and whence you are, "and why this funeral pageant you prepare? is this the welcome of my worthy deeds, to meet my triumph in ill-omened weeds? or envy you my praise, and would destroy with grief my pleasures, and pollute my joy? or are you injured, and demand relief? name your request, and i will ease your grief." the most in years of all the mourning train began; but swounded first away for pain; then scarce recovered spoke: "nor envy we "thy great renown, nor grudge thy victory; 'tis thine, o king, the afflicted to redress, and fame has filled the world with thy success: we wretched women sue for that alone, which of thy goodness is refused to none; let fall some drops of pity on our grief, if what we beg be just, and we deserve relief; for none of us, who now thy grace implore, but held the rank of sovereign queen before; till, thanks to giddy chance, which never bears that mortal bliss should last for length of years, she cast us headlong from our high estate, and here in hope of thy return we wait, and long have waited in the temple nigh, built to the gracious goddess clemency. but reverence thou the power whose name it bears, relieve the oppressed, and wipe the widows' tears. i, wretched i, have other fortune seen, the wife of capaneus, and once a queen; at thebes he fell; cursed be the fatal day! and all the rest thou seest in this array to make their moan their lords in battle lost, before that town besieged by our confederate host. but creon, old and impious, who commands the theban city, and usurps the lands, denies the rites of funeral fires to those whose breathless bodies yet he calls his foes. unburned, unburied, on a heap they lie; such is their fate, and such his tyranny; no friend has leave to bear away the dead, but with their lifeless limbs his hounds are fed." at this she shrieked aloud; the mournful train echoed her grief, and grovelling on the plain, with groans, and hands upheld, to move his mind, besought his pity to their helpless kind. the prince was touched, his tears began to flow, and, as his tender heart would break in two, he sighed; and could not but their fate deplore, so wretched now, so fortunate before. then lightly from his lofty steed he flew, and raising one by one the suppliant crew, to comfort each, full solemnly he swore, that by the faith which knights to knighthood bore, and whate'er else to chivalry belongs, he would not cease, till he revenged their wrongs; that greece should see performed what he declared, and cruel creon find his just reward. he said no more, but shunning all delay rode on, nor entered athens on his way; but left his sister and his queen behind, and waved his royal banner in the wind, where in an argent field the god of war was drawn triumphant on his iron car. red was his sword, and shield, and whole attire, and all the godhead seemed to glow with fire; even the ground glittered where the standard flew, and the green grass was dyed to sanguine hue. high on his pointed lance his pennon bore his cretan fight, the conquered minotaur: the soldiers shout around with generous rage, and in that victory their own presage. he praised their ardour, inly pleased to see his host, the flower of grecian chivalry. all day he marched, and all the ensuing night, and saw the city with returning light. the process of the war i need not tell, how theseus conquered, and how creon fell; or after, how by storm the walls were won, or how the victor sacked and burned the town; how to the ladies he restored again the bodies of their lords in battle slain; and with what ancient rites they were interred; all these to fitter time shall be deferred: i spare the widows' tears, their woful cries, and howling at their husbands' obsequies; how theseus at these funerals did assist, and with what gifts the mourning dames dismissed. thus when the victor chief had creon slain, and conquered thebes, he pitched upon the plain his mighty camp, and when the day returned, the country wasted and the hamlets burned, and left the pillagers, to rapine bred, without control to strip and spoil the dead. there, in a heap of slain, among the rest two youthful knights they found beneath a load oppressed of slaughtered foes, whom first to death they sent, the trophies of their strength, a bloody monument. both fair, and both of royal blood they seemed, whom kinsmen to the crown the heralds deemed; that day in equal arms they fought for fame; their swords, their shields, their surcoats were the same: close by each other laid they pressed the ground, their manly bosoms pierced with many a grisly wound; nor well alive nor wholly dead they were, but some faint signs of feeble life appear; the wandering breath was on the wing to part, weak was the pulse, and hardly heaved the heart. these two were sisters' sons; and arcite one, much famed in fields, with valiant palamon. from these their costly arms the spoilers rent, and softly both conveyed to theseus' tent: whom, known of creon's line and cured with care, he to his city sent as prisoners of the war; hopeless of ransom, and condemned to lie in durance, doomed a lingering death to die. this done, he marched away with warlike sound, and to his athens turned with laurels crowned, where happy long he lived, much loved, and more renowned. but in a tower, and never to be loosed, the woful captive kinsmen are enclosed. thus year by year they pass, and day by day, till once ('twas on the morn of cheerful may) the young emilia, fairer to be seen than the fair lily on the flowery green, more fresh than may herself in blossoms new, (for with the rosy colour strove her hue,) waked, as her custom was, before the day, to do the observance due to sprightly may; for sprightly may commands our youth to keep the vigils of her night, and breaks their sluggard sleep; each gentle breast with kindly warmth she moves; inspires new flames, revives extinguished loves. in this remembrance emily ere day arose, and dressed herself in rich array; fresh as the month, and as the morning fair, adown her shoulders fell her length of hair: a ribband did the braided tresses bind, the rest was loose, and wantoned in the wind: aurora had but newly chased the night, and purpled o'er the sky with blushing light, when to the garden-walk she took her way, to sport and trip along in cool of day, and offer maiden vows in honour of the may. at every turn she made a little stand, and thrust among the thorns her lily hand to draw the rose; and every rose she drew, she shook the stalk, and brushed away the dew; then party-coloured flowers of white and red she wove, to make a garland for her head: this done, she sung and carolled out so clear, that men and angels might rejoice to hear; even wondering philomel forgot to sing, and learned from her to welcome in the spring. the tower, of which before was mention made, within whose keep the captive knights were laid, built of a large extent, and strong withal, was one partition of the palace wall; the garden was enclosed within the square, where young emilia took the morning air. it happened palamon, the prisoner knight, restless for woe, arose before the light, and with his jailor's leave desired to breathe an air more wholesome than the damps beneath. this granted, to the tower he took his way, cheered with the promise of a glorious day; then cast a languishing regard around, and saw with hateful eyes the temples crowned with golden spires, and all the hostile ground. he sighed, and turned his eyes, because he knew 'twas but a larger jail he had in view; then looked below, and from the castle's height beheld a nearer and more pleasing sight; the garden, which before he had not seen, in spring's new livery clad of white and green, fresh flowers in wide parterres, and shady walks between. this viewed, but not enjoyed, with arms across he stood, reflecting on his country's loss; himself an object of the public scorn, and often wished he never had been born. at last (for so his destiny required), with walking giddy, and with thinking tired, he through a little window cast his sight, though thick of bars, that gave a scanty light; but even that glimmering served him to descry the inevitable charms of emily. scarce had he seen, but, seized with sudden smart, stung to the quick, he felt it at his heart; struck blind with overpowering light he stood, then started back amazed, and cried aloud. young arcite heard; and up he ran with haste, to help his friend, and in his arms embraced; and asked him why he looked so deadly wan, and whence, and how, his change of cheer began? or who had done the offence? "but if," said he, "your grief alone is hard captivity, for love of heaven with patience undergo a cureless ill, since fate will have it so: so stood our horoscope in chains to lie, and saturn in the dungeon of the sky, or other baleful aspect, ruled our birth, when all the friendly stars were under earth; whate'er betides, by destiny 'tis done; and better bear like men than vainly seek to shun." nor of my bonds," said palamon again, nor of unhappy planets i complain; but when my mortal anguish caused my cry, the moment i was hurt through either eye; pierced with a random shaft, i faint away, and perish with insensible decay: a glance of some new goddess gave the wound, whom, like actaeon, unaware i found. look how she walks along yon shady space; not juno moves with more majestic grace, and all the cyprian queen is in her face. if thou art venus (for thy charms confess that face was formed in heaven), nor art thou less, disguised in habit, undisguised in shape, o help us captives from our chains to scape! but if our doom be past in bonds to lie for life, and in a loathsome dungeon die, then be thy wrath appeased with our disgrace, and show compassion to the theban race, oppressed by tyrant power!"--while yet he spoke, arcite on emily had fixed his look; the fatal dart a ready passage found and deep within his heart infixed the wound: so that if palamon were wounded sore, arcite was hurt as much as he or more: then from his inmost soul he sighed, and said, "the beauty i behold has struck me dead: unknowingly she strikes, and kills by chance; poison is in her eyes, and death in every glance. oh, i must ask; nor ask alone, but move her mind to mercy, or must die for love." thus arcite: and thus palamon replies (eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes,) "speakest thou in earnest, or in jesting vein?" "jesting," said arcite, "suits but ill with pain." "it suits far worse," (said palamon again, and bent his brows,) "with men who honour weigh, their faith to break, their friendship to betray; but worst with thee, of noble lineage born, my kinsman, and in arms my brother sworn. have we not plighted each our holy oath, that one should be the common good of both; one soul should both inspire, and neither prove his fellow's hindrance in pursuit of love? to this before the gods we gave our hands, and nothing but our death can break the bands. this binds thee, then, to farther my design, as i am bound by vow to farther thine: nor canst, nor darest thou, traitor, on the plain appeach my honour, or thy own maintain, since thou art of my council, and the friend whose faith i trust, and on whose care depend. and wouldst thou court my lady's love, which i much rather than release, would choose to die? but thou, false arcite, never shalt obtain, thy bad pretence; i told thee first my pain: for first my love began ere thine was born; thou as my council, and my brother sworn, art bound to assist my eldership of right, or justly to be deemed a perjured knight." thus palamon: but arcite with disdain in haughty language thus replied again: "forsworn thyself: the traitor's odious name i first return, and then disprove thy claim. if love be passion, and that passion nurst with strong desires, i loved the lady first. canst thou pretend desire, whom zeal inflamed to worship, and a power celestial named? thine was devotion to the blest above, i saw the woman, and desired her love; first owned my passion, and to thee commend the important secret, as my chosen friend. suppose (which yet i grant not) thy desire a moment elder than my rival fire; can chance of seeing first thy title prove? and knowst thou not, no law is made for love? law is to things which to free choice relate; love is not in our choice, but in our fate; laws are not positive; love's power we see is nature's sanction, and her first decree, each day we break the bond of human laws for love, and vindicate the common cause. laws for defence of civil rights are placed, love throws the fences down, and makes a general waste. maids, widows, wives without distinction fall; the sweeping deluge, love, comes on and covers all. if then the laws of friendship i transgress, i keep the greater, while i break the less; and both are mad alike, since neither can possess. both hopeless to be ransomed, never more to see the sun, but as he passes o'er. like Æsop's hounds contending for the bone, each pleaded right, and would be lord alone; the fruitless fight continued all the day, a cur came by and snatched the prize away. as courtiers therefore justle for a grant, and when they break their friendship, plead their want, so thou, if fortune will thy suit advance, love on, nor envy me my equal chance: for i must love, and am resolved to try my fate, or failing in the adventure die." great was their strife, which hourly was renewed, till each with mortal hate his rival viewed: now friends no more, nor walking hand in hand; but when they met they made a surly stand, and glared like angry lions as they passed, and wished that every look might be their last. it chanced at length, pirithous came to attend this worthy theseus, his familiar friend: their love in early infancy began, and rose as childhood ripened into man, companions of the war; and loved so well, that when one died, as ancient stories tell, his fellow to redeem him went to hell. but to pursue my tale: to welcome home his warlike brother is pirithous come: arcite of thebes was known in arms long since, and honoured by this young thessalian prince. theseus, to gratify his friend and guest, who made our arcite's freedom his request, restored to liberty the captive knight, but on these hard conditions i recite: that if hereafter arcite should be found within the compass of athenian ground, by day or night, or on whate'er pretence, his head should pay the forfeit of the offence. to this pirithous for his friend agreed, and on his promise was the prisoner freed. unpleased and pensive hence he takes his way, at his own peril; for his life must pay. who now but arcite mourns his bitter fate, finds his dear purchase, and repents too late? "what have i gained," he said, "in prison pent, if i but change my bonds for banishment? and banished from her sight, i suffer more in freedom than i felt in bonds before; forced from her presence and condemned to live, unwelcome freedom and unthanked reprieve: heaven is not but where emily abides, and where she's absent, all is hell besides. next to my day of birth, was that accurst which bound my friendship to pirithous first: had i not known that prince, i still had been in bondage and had still emilia seen: for though i never can her grace deserve, 'tis recompense enough to see and serve. o palamon, my kinsman and my friend, how much more happy fates thy love attend i thine is the adventure, thine the victory, well has thy fortune turned the dice for thee: thou on that angel's face mayest feed thy eyes, in prison, no; but blissful paradise! thou daily seest that sun of beauty shine, and lovest at least in love's extremest line. i mourn in absence, love's eternal night; and who can tell but since thou hast her sight, and art a comely, young, and valiant knight, fortune (a various power) may cease to frown, and by some ways unknown thy wishes crown? but i, the most forlorn of human kind, nor help can hope nor remedy can find; but doomed to drag my loathsome life in care, for my reward, must end it in despair. fire, water, air, and earth, and force of fates that governs all, and heaven that all creates, nor art, nor nature's hand can ease my grief; nothing but death, the wretch's last relief: then farewell youth, and all the joys that dwell with youth and life, and life itself, farewell! but why, alas! do mortal men in vain of fortune, fate, or providence complain? god gives us what he knows our wants require, and better things than those which we desire: some pray for riches; riches they obtain; but, watched by robbers, for their wealth are slain; some pray from prison to be freed; and come, when guilty of their vows, to fall at home; murdered by those they trusted with their life, a favoured servant or a bosom wife. such dear-bought blessings happen every day, because we know not for what things to pray. like drunken sots about the streets we roam: "well knows the sot he has a certain home, yet knows not how to find the uncertain place, and blunders on and staggers every pace. thus all seek happiness; but few can find, for far the greater part of men are blind. this is my case, who thought our utmost good was in one word of freedom understood: the fatal blessing came: from prison free, i starve abroad, and lose the sight of emily." thus arcite: but if arcite thus deplore his sufferings, palamon yet suffers more. for when he knew his rival freed and gone, he swells with wrath; he makes outrageous moan; he frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground; the hollow tower with clamours rings around: with briny tears he bathed his fettered feet, and dropped all o'er with agony of sweat. "alas!" he cried, "i, wretch, in prison pine, too happy rival, while the fruit is thine: thou livest at large, thou drawest thy native air, pleased with thy freedom, proud of my despair: thou mayest, since thou hast youth and courage joined, a sweet behaviour and a solid mind, assemble ours, and all the theban race, to vindicate on athens thy disgrace; and after (by some treaty made) possess fair emily, the pledge of lasting peace. so thine shall be the beauteous prize, while i must languish in despair, in prison die. thus all the advantage of the strife is thine, thy portion double joys, and double sorrows mine." the rage of jealousy then fired his soul, and his face kindled like a burning coal now cold despair, succeeding in her stead, to livid paleness turns the glowing red. his blood, scarce liquid, creeps within his veins, like water which the freezing wind constrains. then thus he said: "eternal deities, "who rule the world with absolute decrees, and write whatever time shall bring to pass with pens of adamant on plates of brass; what is the race of human kind your care beyond what all his fellow-creatures are? he with the rest is liable to pain, and like the sheep, his brother-beast, is slain. cold, hunger, prisons, ills without a cure, all these he must, and guiltless oft, endure; or does your justice, power, or prescience fail, when the good suffer and the bad prevail? what worse to wretched virtue could befal, if fate or giddy fortune governed all? nay, worse than other beasts is our estate: them, to pursue their pleasures, you create; we, bound by harder laws, must curb our will, and your commands, not our desires, fulfil: then, when the creature is unjustly slain, yet, after death at least, he feels no pain; but man in life surcharged with woe before, not freed when dead, is doomed to suffer more. a serpent shoots his sting at unaware; an ambushed thief forelays a traveller; the man lies murdered, while the thief and snake, one gains the thickets, and one thrids the brake. this let divines decide; but well i know, just or unjust, i have my share of woe, through saturn seated in a luckless place, and juno's wrath that persecutes my race; or mars and venus in a quartil, move my pangs of jealousy for arcite's love." let palamon oppressed in bondage mourn, while to his exited rival we return. by this the sun, declining from his height, the day had shortened to prolong the night: the lengthened night gave length of misery, both to the captive lover and the free: for palamon in endless prison mourns, and arcite forfeits life if he returns; the banished never hopes his love to see, nor hopes the captive lord his liberty. 'tis hard to say who suffers greater pains; one sees his love, but cannot break his chains; one free, and all his motions uncontrolled, beholds whate'er he would but what he would behold. judge as you please, for i will haste to tell what fortune to the banished knight befel. when arcite was to thebes returned again, the loss of her he loved renewed his pain; what could be worse than never more to see his life, his soul, his charming emily? he raved with all the madness of despair, he roared, he beat his breast, he tore his hair. dry sorrow in his stupid eyes appears, for wanting nourishment, he wanted tears; his eyeballs in their hollow sockets sink, bereft of sleep; he loathes his meat and drink; he withers at his heart, and looks as wan as the pale spectre of a murdered man: that pale turns yellow, and his face receives the faded hue of sapless boxen leaves; in solitary groves he makes his moan, walks early out, and ever is alone; nor, mixed in mirth, in youthful pleasure shares, but sighs when songs and instruments he hears. his spirits are so low, his voice is drowned, he hears as from afar, or in a swound, like the deaf murmurs of a distant sound: uncombed his locks, and squalid his attire, unlike the trim of love and gay desire; but full of museful mopings, which presage the loss of reason and conclude in rage. this when he had endured a year and more, now wholly changed from what he was before, it happened once, that, slumbering as he lay, he dreamt (his dream began at break of day) that hermes o'er his head in air appeared, and with soft words his drooping spirits cheered; his hat adorned with wings disclosed the god, and in his hand he bore the sleep-compelling rod; such as he seemed, when, at his sire's command, on argus' head he laid the snaky wand. "arise," he said, "to conquering athens go; there fate appoints an end of all thy woe." the fright awakened arcite with a start, against his bosom bounced his heaving heart; but soon he said, with scarce recovered breath, "and thither will i go to meet my death, sure to be slain; but death is my desire, since in emilia's sight i shall expire." by chance he spied a mirror while he spoke, and gazing there beheld his altered look; wondering, he saw his features and his hue so much were changed, that scarce himself he knew. a sudden thought then starting in his mind, "since i in arcite cannot arcite find, the world may search in vain with all their eyes, but never penetrate through this disguise. thanks to the change which grief and sickness give, in low estate i may securely live, and see, unknown, my mistress day by day." he said, and clothed himself in coarse array, a labouring hind in show; then forth he went, and to the athenian towers his journey bent: one squire attended in the same disguise, made conscious of his master's enterprise. arrived at athens, soon he came to court, unknown, unquestioned in that thick resort: proffering for hire his service at the gate, to drudge, draw water, and to run or wait. so fair befel him, that for little gain he served at first emilia's chamberlain; and, watchful all advantages to spy, was still at hand, and in his master's eye; and as his bones were big, and sinews strong, refused no toil that could to slaves belong; but from deep wells with engines water drew, and used his noble hands the wood to hew. he passed a year at least attending thus on emily, and called philostratus. but never was there man of his degree so much esteemed, so well beloved as he. so gentle of condition was he known, that through the court his courtesy was blown: all think him worthy of a greater place, and recommend him to the royal grace; that exercised within a higher sphere, his virtues more conspicuous might appear. thus by the general voice was arcite praised, and by great theseus to high favour raised; among his menial servants first enrolled, and largely entertained with sums of gold: besides what secretly from thebes was sent, of his own income and his annual rent. this well employed, he purchased friends and fame, but cautiously concealed from whence it came. thus for three years he lived with large increase in arms of honour, and esteem in peace; to theseus' person he was ever near, and theseus for his virtues held him dear. book ii. while arcite lives in bliss, the story turns where hopeless palamon in prison mourns. for six long years immured, the captive knight had dragged his chains, and scarcely seen the light: lost liberty and love at once he bore; his prison pained him much, his passion more: nor dares he hope his fetters to remove, nor ever wishes to be free from love. but when the sixth revolving year was run, and may within the twins received the sun, were it by chance, or forceful destiny, which forms in causes first whate'er shall be, assisted by a friend one moonless night, this palamon from prison took his flight: a pleasant beverage he prepared before of wine and honey mixed, with added store of opium; to his keeper this he brought, who swallowed unaware the sleepy draught, and snored secure till morn, his senses bound in slumber, and in long oblivion drowned. short was the night, and careful palamon sought the next covert ere the rising sun. a thick-spread forest near the city lay, to this with lengthened strides he took his way, (for far he could not fly, and feared the day.) safe from pursuit, he meant to shun the light, till the brown shadows of the friendly night to thebes might favour his intended flight. when to his country come, his next design was all the theban race in arms to join, and war on theseus, till he lost his life, or won the beauteous emily to wife. thus while his thoughts the lingering day beguile, to gentle arcite let us turn our style; who little dreamt how nigh he was to care, till treacherous fortune caught him in the snare. the morning-lark, the messenger of day, saluted in her song the morning gray; and soon the sun arose with beams so bright, that all the horizon laughed to see the joyous sight; he with his tepid rays the rose renews, and licks the dropping leaves, and dries the dews; when arcite left his bed, resolved to pay observance to the month of merry may, forth on his fiery steed betimes he rode, that scarcely prints the turf on which he trod: at ease he seemed, and prancing o'er the plains, turned only to the grove his horse's reins, the grove i named before, and, lighting there, a woodbind garland sought to crown his hair; then turned his face against the rising day, and raised his voice to welcome in the may: "for thee, sweet month, the groves green liveries wear, if not the first, the fairest of the year: for thee the graces lead the dancing hours, and nature's ready pencil paints the flowers: when thy short reign is past, the feverish sun the sultry tropic fears, and moves more slowly on. so may thy tender blossoms fear no blight, nor goats with venomed teeth thy tendrils bite, as thou shalt guide my wandering feet to find the fragrant greens i seek, my brows to bind." his vows addressed, within the grove he strayed, till fate or fortune near the place conveyed his steps where secret palamon was laid. full little thought of him the gentle knight, who flying death had there concealed his flight, in brakes and brambles hid, and shunning mortal sight; and less he knew him for his hated foe, but feared him as a man he did not know. but as it has been said of ancient years, that fields are full of eyes and woods have ears, for this the wise are ever on their guard, for unforeseen, they say, is unprepared. uncautious arcite thought himself alone, and less than all suspected palamon, who, listening, heard him, while he searched the grove, and loudly sung his roundelay of love: but on the sudden stopped, and silent stood, (as lovers often muse, and change their mood;) now high as heaven, and then as low as hell, now up, now down, as buckets in a well: for venus, like her day, will change her cheer, and seldom shall we see a friday clear. thus arcite, having sung, with altered hue sunk on the ground, and from his bosom drew a desperate sigh, accusing heaven and fate, and angry juno's unrelenting hate: "cursed be the day when first i did appear; let it be blotted from the calendar, lest it pollute the month, and poison all the year. still will the jealous queen pursue our race? cadmus is dead, the theban city was: yet ceases not her hate; for all who come from cadmus are involved in cadmus' doom. i suffer for my blood: unjust decree, that punishes another's crime on me. in mean estate i serve my mortal foe, the man who caused my country's overthrow. this is not all; for juno, to my shame, has forced me to forsake my former name; arcite i was, philostratus i am. that side of heaven is all my enemy: mars ruined thebes; his mother ruined me. of all the royal race remains but one besides myself, the unhappy palamon, whom theseus holds in bonds and will not free; without a crime, except his kin to me. yet these and all the rest i could endure; but love's a malady without a cure: fierce love has pierced me with his fiery dart, he fires within, and hisses at my heart. your eyes, fair emily, my fate pursue; i suffer for the rest, i die for you. of such a goddess no time leaves record, who burned the temple where she was adored: and let it burn, i never will complain, pleased with my sufferings, if you knew my pain." at this a sickly qualm his heart assailed, his ears ring inward, and his senses failed. no word missed palamon of all he spoke; but soon to deadly pale he changed his look: he trembled every limb, and felt a smart, as if cold steel had glided through his heart; nor longer stayed, but starting from his place, discovered stood, and showed his hostile face: "false traitor, arcite, traitor to thy blood, bound by thy sacred oath to seek my good, now art thou found forsworn for emily, and darest attempt her love, for whom i die. so hast thou cheated theseus with a wile, against thy vow, returning to beguile under a borrowed name: as false to me, so false thou art to him who set thee free. but rest assured, that either thou shalt die, or else renounce thy claim in emily; for, though unarmed i am, and freed by chance, am here without my sword or pointed lance, hope not, base man, unquestioned hence to go, for i am palamon, thy mortal foe." arcite, who heard his tale and knew the man, his sword unsheathed, and fiercely thus began: "now, by the gods who govern heaven above, wert thou not weak with hunger, mad with love, that word had been thy last; or in this grove this hand should force thee to renounce thy love; the surety which i gave thee i defy: fool, not to know that love endures no tie, and jove but laughs at lovers' perjury. know, i will serve the fair in thy despite: but since thou art my kinsman and a knight, here, have my faith, to-morrow in this grove our arms shall plead the titles of our love: and heaven so help my right, as i alone will come, and keep the cause and quarrel both unknown, with arms of proof both for myself and thee; choose thou the best, and leave the worst to me. and, that at better ease thou mayest abide, bedding and clothes i will this night provide, and needful sustenance, that thou mayest be a conquest better won, and worthy me." his promise palamon accepts; but prayed, to keep it better than the first he made. thus fair they parted till the morrow's dawn; for each had laid his plighted faith to pawn; oh love! thou sternly dost thy power maintain, and wilt not bear a rival in thy reign! tyrants and thou all fellowship disdain. this was in arcite proved and palamon: both in despair, yet each would love alone. arcite returned, and, as in honour tied, his foe with bedding and with food supplied; then, ere the day, two suits of armour sought, which borne before him on his steed he brought: both were of shining steel, and wrought so pure as might the strokes of two such arms endure. now, at the time, and in the appointed place, the challenger and challenged, face to face, approach; each other from afar they knew, and from afar their hatred changed their hue. so stands the thracian herdsman with his spear, full in the gap, and hopes the hunted bear, and hears him rustling in the wood, and sees his course at distance by the bending trees: and thinks, here comes my mortal enemy, and either he must fall in fight, or i: this while he thinks, he lifts aloft his dart; a generous chillness seizes every part, the veins pour back the blood, and fortify the heart. thus pale they meet; their eyes with fury burn; none greets, for none the greeting will return; but in dumb surliness each armed with care his foe professed, as brother of the war; then both, no moment lost, at once advance against each other, armed with sword and lance: they lash, they foin, they pass, they strive to bore their corslets, and the thinnest parts explore. thus two long hours in equal arms they stood, and wounded wound, till both are bathed in blood and not a foot of ground had either got, as if the world depended on the spot. fell arcite like an angry tiger fared, and like a lion palamon appeared: or, as two boars whom love to battle draws, with rising bristles and with frothy jaws, their adverse breasts with tusks oblique they wound with grunts and groans the forest rings around. so fought the knights, and fighting must abide, till fate an umpire sends their difference to decide. the power that ministers to god's decrees, and executes on earth what heaven foresees, called providence, or chance, or fatal sway, comes with resistless force, and finds or makes her way. nor kings, nor nations, nor united power one moment can retard the appointed hour, and some one day, some wondrous chance appears, which happened not in centuries of years: for sure, whate'er we mortals hate or love or hope or fear depends on powers above: they move our appetites to good or ill, and by foresight necessitate the will. in theseus this appears, whose youthful joy was beasts of chase in forests to destroy; this gentle knight, inspired by jolly may, forsook his easy couch at early day, and to the wood and wilds pursued his way. beside him rode hippolita the queen, and emily attired in lively green, with horns and hounds and all the tuneful cry, to hunt a royal hart within the covert nigh: and, as he followed mars before, so now he serves the goddess of the silver bow. the way that theseus took was to the wood, where the two knights in cruel battle stood: the laund on which they fought, the appointed place in which the uncoupled hounds began the chase. thither forth-right he rode to rouse the prey, that shaded by the fern in harbour lay; and thence dislodged, was wont to leave the wood for open fields, and cross the crystal flood. approached, and looking underneath the sun, he saw proud arcite and fierce palamon, in mortal battle doubling blow on blow; like lightning flamed their fauchions to and fro, and shot a dreadful gleam; so strong they strook, there seemed less force required to fell an oak. he gazed with wonder on their equal might, looked eager on, but knew not either knight. resolved to learn, he spurred his fiery steed with goring rowels to provoke his speed. the minute ended that began the race, so soon he was betwixt them on the place; and with his sword unsheathed, on pain of life commands both combatants to cease their strife; then with imperious tone pursues his threat: "what are you? why in arms together met? how dares your pride presume against my laws, as in a listed field to fight your cause, unasked the royal grant; no marshal by, as knightly rites require, nor judge to try?" then palamon, with scarce recovered breath, thus hasty spoke: "we both deserve the death, and both would die; for look the world around, and pity soonest runs in gentle minds; then reasons with himself; and first he finds his passion cast a mist before his sense, and either made or magnified the offence. offence? of what? to whom? who judged the cause? the prisoner freed himself by nature's laws; born free, he sought his right; the man he freed was perjured, but his love excused the deed: thus pondering, he looked under with his eyes, and saw the women's tears, and heard their cries, which moved compassion more; he shook his head, and softly sighing to himself he said: curse on the unpardoning prince, whom tears can draw "to no remorse, who rules by lion's law; and deaf to prayers, by no submission bowed, rends all alike, the penitent and proud!" at this with look serene he raised his head; reason resumed her place, and passion fled: then thus aloud he spoke:--" the power of love, "in earth, and seas, and air, and heaven above, rules, unresisted, with an awful nod, by daily miracles declared a god; he blinds the wise, gives eye-sight to the blind; and moulds and stamps anew the lover's mind. behold that arcite, and this palamon, freed from my fetters, and in safety gone, what hindered either in their native soil at ease to reap the harvest of their toil? but love, their lord, did otherwise ordain, and brought them, in their own despite again, to suffer death deserved; for well they know 'tis in my power, and i their deadly foe. the proverb holds, that to be wise and love, is hardly granted to the gods above. see how the madmen bleed! behold the gains with which their master, love, rewards their pains! for seven long years, on duty every day, lo! their obedience, and their monarch's pay! yet, as in duty bound, they serve him on; and ask the fools, they think it wisely done; nor ease nor wealth nor life it self regard, for 'tis their maxim, love is love's reward. this is not all; the fair, for whom they strove, nor knew before, nor could suspect their love, nor thought, when she beheld the fight from far, her beauty was the occasion of the war. but sure a general doom on man is past, and all are fools and lovers, first or last: this both by others and my self i know, for i have served their sovereign long ago; oft have been caught within the winding train of female snares, and felt the lover's pain, and learned how far the god can human hearts constrain. to this remembrance, and the prayers of those who for the offending warriors interpose, i give their forfeit lives, on this accord, to do me homage as their sovereign lord; and as my vassals, to their utmost might, assist my person and assert my right." this freely sworn, the knights their grace obtained; then thus the king his secret thought explained: "if wealth or honour or a royal race, or each or all, may win a lady's grace, then either of you knights may well deserve a princess born; and such is she you serve: for emily is sister to the crown, and but too well to both her beauty known: but should you combat till you both were dead, two lovers cannot share a single bed as, therefore, both are equal in degree, the lot of both be left to destiny. now hear the award, and happy may it prove to her, and him who best deserves her love. depart from hence in peace, and free as air, search the wide world, and where you please repair; but on the day when this returning sun to the same point through every sign has run, then each of you his hundred knights shall bring in royal lists, to fight before the king; and then the knight, whom fate or happy chance shall with his friends to victory advance, and grace his arms so far in equal fight, from out the bars to force his opposite, or kill, or make him recreant on the plain, the prize of valour and of love shall gain; the vanquished party shall their claim release, and the long jars conclude in lasting peace. the charge be mine to adorn the chosen ground, the theatre of war, for champions so renowned; and take the patron's place of either knight, with eyes impartial to behold the fight; and heaven of me so judge as i shall judge aright. if both are satisfied with this accord, swear by the laws of knighthood on my sword." who now but palamon exults with joy? and ravished arcite seems to touch the sky. the whole assembled troop was pleased as well, extolled the award, and on their knees they fell to bless the gracious king. the knights, with leave departing from the place, his last commands receive; on emily with equal ardour look, and from her eyes their inspiration took: from thence to thebes' old walls pursue their way, each to provide his champions for the day. it might be deemed, on our historian's part, or too much negligence or want of art, if he forgot the vast magnificence of royal theseus, and his large expense. he first enclosed for lists a level ground, the whole circumference a mile around; the form was circular; and all without a trench was sunk, to moat the place about. within, an amphitheatre appeared, raised in degrees, to sixty paces reared: that when a man was placed in one degree, height was allowed for him above to see. eastward was built a gate of marble white; the like adorned the western opposite. a nobler object than this fabric was rome never saw, nor of so vast a space: for, rich with spoils of many a conquered land, all arts and artists theseus could command, who sold for hire, or wrought for better fame; the master-painters and the carvers came. so rose within the compass of the year an age's work, a glorious theatre. then o'er its eastern gate was raised above a temple, sacred to the queen of love; an altar stood below; on either hand a priest with roses crowned, who held a myrtle wand. the dome of mars was on the gate opposed, and on the north a turret was enclosed within the wall of alabaster white and crimson coral, for the queen of night, who takes in sylvan sports her chaste delight. within those oratories might you see rich carvings, portraitures, and imagery; where every figure to the life expressed the godhead's power to whom it was addressed. in venus' temple on the sides were seen the broken slumbers of enamoured men; prayers that even spoke, and pity seemed to call, and issuing sighs that smoked along the wall; complaints and hot desires, the lover's hell, and scalding tears that wore a channel where they fell; and all around were nuptial bonds, the ties of love's assurance, and a train of lies, that, made in lust, conclude in perjuries; beauty, and youth, and wealth, and luxury, and sprightly hope and short-enduring joy, and sorceries, to raise the infernal powers, and sigils framed in planetary hours; expense, and after-thought, and idle care, and doubts of motley hue, and dark despair; suspicions and fantastical surmise, and jealousy suffused, with jaundice in her eyes, discolouring all she viewed, in tawny dressed, down-looked, and with a cuckow on her fist. opposed to her, on the other side advance the costly feast, the carol, and the dance, minstrels and music, poetry and play, and balls by night, and turnaments by day. all these were painted on the wall, and more; with acts and monuments of times before; and others added by prophetic doom, and lovers yet unborn, and loves to come: for there the idalian mount, and citheron, the court of venus, was in colours drawn; before the palace gate, in careless dress and loose array, sat portress idleness; there by the fount narcissus pined alone; there samson was; with wiser solomon, and all the mighty names by love undone. medea's charms were there; circean feasts, with bowls that turned enamoured youths to beasts. here might be seen, that beauty, wealth, and wit, and prowess to the power of love submit; the spreading snare for all mankind is laid, and lovers all betray, and are betrayed. the goddess' self some noble hand had wrought; smiling she seemed, and full of pleasing thought; from ocean as she first began to rise, and smoothed the ruffled seas, and cleared the skies, she trod the brine, all bare below the breast, and the green waves but ill-concealed the rest: a lute she held; and on her head was seen a wreath of roses red and myrtles green; her turtles fanned the buxom air above; and by his mother stood an infant love, with wings unfledged; his eyes were banded o'er, his hands a bow, his back, a quiver bore, supplied with arrows bright and keen, a deadly store. but in the dome of mighty mars the red with different figures all the sides were spread; this temple, less in form, with equal grace, was imitative of the first in thrace; for that cold region was the loved abode and sovereign mansion of the warrior god. the landscape was a forest wide and bare, where neither beast nor human kind repair, the fowl that scent afar the borders fly, and shun the bitter blast, and wheel about the sky. a cake of scurf lies baking on the ground, and prickly stubs, instead of trees, are found; or woods with knots and knares deformed and old, headless the most, and hideous to behold; a rattling tempest through the branches went, that stripped them bare, and one sole way they bent. heaven froze above severe, the clouds congeal, and through the crystal vault appeared the standing hail. such was the face without: a mountain stood threatening from high, and overlooked the wood: beneath the lowering brow, and on a bent, the temple stood of mars armipotent; the frame of burnished steel, that cast a glare from far, and seemed to thaw the freezing air. a straight long entry to the temple led, blind with high walls, and horror over head; thence issued such a blast, and hollow roar, as threatened from the hinge to heave the door; in through that door a northern light there shone; 'twas all it had, for windows there were none. the gate was adamant; eternal frame, which, hewed by mars himself, from indian quarries came, the labour of a god; and all along tough iron plates were clenched to make it strong. a tun about was every pillar there; a polished mirror shone not half so clear. there saw i how the secret felon wrought, and treason labouring in the traitor's thought, and midwife time the ripened plot to murder brought. there the red anger dared the pallid fear; next stood hypocrisy, with holy leer, soft, smiling, and demurely looking down, but hid the dagger underneath the gown; the assassinating wife, the household fiend; and far the blackest there, the traitor-friend. on the other side there stood destruction bare, unpunished rapine, and a waste of war; contest with sharpened knives in cloisters drawn, and all with blood bespread the holy lawn. loud menaces were heard, and foul disgrace, and bawling infamy, in language base; till sense was lost in sound, and silence fled the place. the slayer of himself yet saw i there, the gore congealed was clotted in his hair; with eyes half closed and gaping mouth he lay, and grim as when he breathed his sullen soul away. in midst of all the dome, misfortune sate, and gloomy discontent, and fell debate, and madness laughing in his ireful mood; and armed complaint on theft; and cries of blood. there was the murdered corps, in covert laid, and violent death in thousand shapes displayed: the city to the soldier's rage resigned; successless wars, and poverty behind: ships burnt in fight, or forced on rocky shores, and the rash hunter strangled by the boars: the new-born babe by nurses overlaid; and the cook caught within the raging fire he made. all ills of mars' his nature, flame and steel; the gasping charioteer beneath the wheel of his own car; the ruined house that falls and intercepts her lord betwixt the walls: the whole division that to mars pertains, all trades of death that deal in steel for gains were there: the butcher, armourer, and smith, who forges sharpened fauchions, or the scythe. the scarlet conquest on a tower was placed, with shouts and soldiers' acclamations graced: a pointed sword hung threatening o'er his head, sustained but by a slender twine of thread. there saw i mars his ides, the capitol, the seer in vain foretelling caesar's fall; the last triumvirs, and the wars they move, and antony, who lost the world for love. these, and a thousand more, the fane adorn; their fates were painted ere the men were born, all copied from the heavens, and ruling force of the red star, in his revolving course. the form of mars high on a chariot stood, all sheathed in arms, and gruffly looked the god; two geomantic figures were displayed above his head, a warrior and a maid, one when direct, and one when retrograde. tired with deformities of death, i haste to the third temple of diana chaste. a sylvan scene with various greens was drawn, shades on the sides, and on the midst a lawn; the silver cynthia, with her nymphs around, pursued the flying deer, the woods with horns resound: calisto there stood manifest of shame, and, turned a bear, the northern star became: her son was next, and, by peculiar grace, in the cold circle held the second place; the stag actson in the stream had spied the naked huntress, and for seeing died; his hounds, unknowing of his change, pursue the chase, and their mistaken master slew. peneian daphne too, was there to see, apollo's love before, and now his tree. the adjoining fane the assembled greeks expressed, and hunting of the calydonian beast. oenides' valour, and his envied prize; the fatal power of atalanta's eyes; diana's vengeance on the victor shown, the murderess mother, and consuming son; the volscian queen extended on the plain, the treason punished, and the traitor slain. the rest were various huntings, well designed, and savage beasts destroyed, of every kind. the graceful goddess was arrayed in green; about her feet were little beagles seen, that watched with upward eyes the motions of their queen. her legs were buskined, and the left before, in act to shoot; a silver bow she bore, and at her back a painted quiver wore. she trod a wexing moon, that soon would wane, and, drinking borrowed light, be filled again; with downcast eyes, as seeming to survey the dark dominions, her alternate sway. before her stood a woman in her throes, and called lucina's aid, her burden to disclose. all these the painter drew with such command, that nature snatched the pencil from his hand, ashamed and angry that his art could feign, and mend the tortures of a mother's pain. theseus beheld the fanes of every god, and thought his mighty cost was well bestowed. so princes now their poets should regard; but few can write, and fewer can reward. the theatre thus raised, the lists enclosed, and all with vast magnificence disposed, we leave the monarch pleased, and haste to bring the knights to combat, and their arms to sing. book iii. the day approached when fortune should decide the important enterprise, and give the bride; for now the rivals round the world had sought, and each his number, well appointed, brought. the nations far and near contend in choice, and send the flower of war by public voice; that after or before were never known such chiefs, as each an army seemed alone: beside the champions, all of high degree, who knighthood loved, and deeds of chivalry, thronged to the lists, and envied to behold the names of others, not their own, enrolled. nor seems it strange; for every noble knight who loves the fair, and is endued with might, in such a quarrel would be proud to fight. there breathes not scarce a man on british ground (an isle for love and arms of old renowned) but would have sold his life to purchase fame, to palamon or arcite sent his name; and had the land selected of the best, half had come hence, and let the world provide the rest. a hundred knights with palamon there came, approved in fight, and men of mighty name; their arms were several, as their nations were, but furnished all alike with sword and spear. some wore coat armour, imitating scale, and next their skins were stubborn shirts of mail; some wore a breastplate and a light juppon, their horses clothed with rich caparison; some for defence would leathern bucklers use of folded hides, and others shields of pruce. one hung a pole-axe at his saddle-bow, and one a heavy mace to stun the foe; one for his legs and knees provided well, with jambeux armed, and double plates of steel; this on his helmet wore a lady's glove, and that a sleeve embroidered by his love. with palamon above the rest in place, lycurgus came, the surly king of thrace; black was his beard, and manly was his face the balls of his broad eyes rolled in his head, and glared betwixt a yellow and a red; he looked a lion with a gloomy stare, and o'er his eyebrows hung his matted hair; big-boned and large of limbs, with sinews strong, broad-shouldered, and his arms were round and long. four milk-white bulls (the thracian use of old) were yoked to draw his car of burnished gold. upright he stood, and bore aloft his shield, conspicuous from afar, and overlooked the field. his surcoat was a bear-skin on his back; his hair hung long behind, and glossy raven-black. his ample forehead bore a coronet, with sparkling diamonds and with rubies set. ten brace, and more, of greyhounds, snowy fair, and tall as stags, ran loose, and coursed around his chair, a match for pards in flight, in grappling for the bear; with golden muzzles all their mouths were bound, and collars of the same their necks surround. thus through the fields lycurgus took his way; his hundred knights attend in pomp and proud array. to match this monarch, with strong arcite came emetrius, king of inde, a mighty name, on a bay courser, goodly to behold, the trappings of his horse embossed with barbarous gold. not mars bestrode a steed with greater grace; his surcoat o'er his arms was cloth of thrace, adorned with pearls, all orient, round, and great; his saddle was of gold, with emeralds set; his shoulders large a mantle did attire, with rubies thick, and sparkling as the fire; his amber-coloured locks in ringlets run, with graceful negligence, and shone against the sun. his nose was aquiline, his eyes were blue, ruddy his lips, and fresh and fair his hue; some sprinkled freckles on his face were seen, whose dusk set off the whiteness of the skin. his awful presence did the crowd surprise, nor durst the rash spectator meet his eyes; eyes that confessed him born for kingly sway, so fierce, they flashed intolerable day. his age in nature's youthful prime appeared, and just began to bloom his yellow beard. whene'er he spoke, his voice was heard around, loud as a trumpet, with a silver sound; a laurel wreathed his temples, fresh, and green, and myrtle sprigs, the marks of love, were mixed between. upon his fist he bore, for his delight, an eagle well reclaimed, and lily white. his hundred knights attend him to the war, all armed for battle; save their heads were bare. words and devices blazed on every shield, and pleasing was the terror of the field. for kings, and dukes, and barons you might see, like sparkling stars, though different in degree, all for the increase of arms, and love of chivalry. before the king tame leopards led the way, and troops of lions innocently play. so bacchus through the conquered indies rode, and beasts in gambols frisked before their honest god. in this array the war of either side through athens passed with military pride. at prime, they entered on the sunday morn; rich tapestry spread the streets, and flowers the posts adorn. the town was all a jubilee of feasts; so theseus willed in honour of his guests; himself with open arms the kings embraced, then all the rest in their degrees were graced. no harbinger was needful for the night, for every house was proud to lodge a knight. i pass the royal treat, nor must relate the gifts bestowed, nor how the champions sate; who first, who last, or how the knights addressed their vows, or who was fairest at the feast; whose voice, whose graceful dance did most surprise, soft amorous sighs, and silent love of eyes. the rivals call my muse another way, to sing their vigils for the ensuing day. 'twas ebbing darkness, past the noon of night: and phosphor, on the confines of the light, promised the sun; ere day began to spring, the tuneful lark already stretched her wing, and flickering on her nest, made short essays to sing. when wakeful palamon, preventing day, took to the royal lists his early way, to venus at her fane, in her own house, to pray. there, falling on his knees before her shrine, he thus implored with prayers her power divine: "creator venus, genial power of love, the bliss of men below, and gods above! beneath the sliding sun thou runst thy race, dost fairest shine, and best become thy place. for thee the winds their eastern blasts forbear, thy month reveals the spring, and opens all the year. thee, goddess, thee the storms of winter fly; earth smiles with flowers renewing, laughs the sky, and birds to lays of love their tuneful notes apply. for thee the lion loathes the taste of blood, and roaring hunts his female through the wood; for thee the bulls rebellow through the groves, and tempt the stream, and snuff their absent loves. 'tis thine, whate'er is pleasant, good, or fair; all nature is thy province, life thy care; thou madest the world, and dost the world repair. thou gladder of the mount of cytheron, increase of jove, companion of the sun, if e'er adonis touched thy tender heart, have pity, goddess, for thou knowest the smart! alas! i have not words to tell my grief; to vent my sorrow would be some relief; light sufferings give us leisure to complain; we groan, but cannot speak, in greater pain. o goddess, tell thyself what i would say! thou knowest it, and i feel too much to pray. so grant my suit, as i enforce my might, in love to be thy champion and thy knight, a servant to thy sex, a slave to thee, a foe professed to barren chastity: nor ask i fame or honour of the field, nor choose i more to vanquish than to yield: in my divine emilia make me blest, let fate or partial chance dispose the rest: find thou the manner, and the means prepare; possession, more than conquest, is my care. mars is the warrior's god; in him it lies on whom he favours to confer the prize; with smiling aspect you serenely move in your fifth orb, and rule the realm of love. the fates but only spin the coarser clue, the finest of the wool is left for you: spare me but one small portion of the twine, and let the sisters cut below your line: the rest among the rubbish may they sweep, or add it to the yarn of some old miser's heap. but if you this ambitious prayer deny, (a wish, i grant; beyond mortality,) then let me sink beneath proud arcite's arms, and, i once dead, let him possess her charms." thus ended he; then, with observance due, the sacred incense on her altar threw: the curling smoke mounts heavy from the fires; at length it catches flame, and in a blaze expires; at once the gracious goddess gave the sign, her statue shook, and trembled all the shrine: pleased palamon the tardy omen took; for since the flames pursued the trailing smoke, he knew his boon was granted, but the day to distance driven, and joy adjourned with long delay. now morn with rosy light had streaked the sky, up rose the sun, and up rose emily; addressed her early steps to cynthia's fane, in state attended by her maiden train, who bore the vests that holy rites require, incense, and odorous gums, and covered fire. the plenteous horns with pleasant mead they crown nor wanted aught besides in honour of the moon. now, while the temple smoked with hallowed steam, they wash the virgin in a living stream; the secret ceremonies i conceal, uncouth, perhaps unlawful to reveal: but such they were as pagan use required, performed by women when the men retired, whose eyes profane their chaste mysterious rites might turn to scandal or obscene delights. well-meaners think no harm; but for the rest, things sacred they pervert, and silence is the best. her shining hair, uncombed, was loosely spread, a crown of mastless oak adorned her head: when to the shrine approached, the spotless maid had kindling fires on either altar laid; (the rites were such as were observed of old, by statius in his theban story told.) then kneeling with her hands across her breast, thus lowly she preferred her chaste request. "o goddess, haunter of the woodland green, to whom both heaven and earth and seas are seen; queen of the nether skies, where half the year thy silver beams descend, and light the gloomy sphere; goddess of maids, and conscious of our hearts, so keep me from the vengeance of thy darts, (which niobe's devoted issue felt, when hissing through the skies the feathered deaths were dealt,) "as i desire to live a virgin life, nor know the name of mother or of wife. thy votress from my tender years i am, and love, like thee, the woods and sylvan game. like death, thou knowest, i loathe the nuptial state, and man, the tyrant of our sex, i hate, a lowly servant, but a lofty mate; where love is duty on the female side, on theirs mere sensual gust, and sought with surly pride. now by thy triple shape, as thou art seen in heaven, earth, hell, and everywhere a queen, grant this my first desire; let discord cease, and make betwixt the rivals lasting peace: quench their hot fire, or far from me remove the flame, and turn it on some other love; or if my frowning stars have so decreed, that one must be rejected, one succeed, make him my lord, within whose faithful breast is fixed my image, and who loves me best. but oh! even that avert! i choose it not, but take it as the least unhappy lot. a maid i am, and of thy virgin train; oh, let me still that spotless name retain! frequent the forests, thy chaste will obey, and only make the beasts of chase my prey!" the flames ascend on either altar clear, while thus the blameless maid addressed her prayer. when lo! the burning fire that shone so bright flew off, all sudden, with extinguished light, and left one altar dark, a little space, which turned self-kindled, and renewed the blaze; that other victor-flame a moment stood, then fell, and lifeless, left the extinguished wood; for ever lost, the irrevocable light forsook the blackening coals, and sunk to night: at either end it whistled as it flew, and as the brands were green, so dropped the dew, infected as it fell with sweat of sanguine hue. the maid from that ill omen turned her eyes, and with loud shrieks and clamours rent the skies; nor knew what signified the boding sign, but found the powers displeased, and feared the wrath divine. then shook the sacred shrine, and sudden light sprung through the vaulted roof, and made the temple bright. the power, behold! the power in glory shone, by her bent bow and her keen arrows known; the rest, a huntress issuing from the wood, reclining on her cornel spear she stood. then gracious thus began: "dismiss thy fear, and heaven's unchanged decrees attentive hear: more powerful gods have torn thee from my side, unwilling to resign, and doomed a bride; the two contending knights are weighed above; one mars protects, and one the queen of love: but which the man is in the thunderer's breast; this he pronounced, 'tis he who loves thee best.' the fire that, once extinct, revived again foreshows the love allotted to remain. farewell!" she said, and vanished from the place; the sheaf of arrows shook, and rattled in the case. aghast at this, the royal virgin stood, disclaimed, and now no more a sister of the wood: but to the parting goddess thus she prayed: "propitious still, be present to my aid, nor quite abandon your once favoured maid." then sighing she returned; but smiled betwixt, with hopes, and fears, and joys with sorrows mixt. the next returning planetary hour of mars, who shared the heptarchy of power, his steps bold arcite to the temple bent, to adorn with pagan rites the power armipotent: then prostrate, low before his altar lay, and raised his manly voice, and thus began, to pray: "strong god of arms, whose iron sceptre sways the freezing north, and hyperborean seas, and scythian colds, and thracia's wintry coast, where stand thy steeds, and thou art honoured most: there most, but everywhere thy power is known, the fortune of the fight is all thy own: terror is thine, and wild amazement, flung from out thy chariot, withers even the strong; and disarray and shameful rout ensue, and force is added to the fainting crew. acknowledged as thou art, accept my prayer! if aught i have achieved deserve thy care, if to my utmost power with sword and shield i dared the death, unknowing how to yield, and falling in my rank, still kept the field; then let my arms prevail, by thee sustained, that emily by conquest may be gained. have pity on my pains; nor those unknown to mars, which, when a lover, were his own. venus, the public care of all above, thy stubborn heart has softened into love: now, by her blandishments and powerful charms, when yielded she lay curling in thy arms, even by thy shame, if shame it may be called, when vulcan had thee in his net enthralled; o envied ignominy, sweet disgrace, when every god that saw thee wished thy place! by those dear pleasures, aid my arms in fight, and make me conquer in my patron's right: for i am young, a novice in the trade, the fool of love, unpractised to persuade, and want the soothing arts that catch the fair, but, caught my self, lie struggling in the snare; and she i love or laughs at all my pain or knows her worth too well, and pays me with disdain. for sure i am, unless i win in arms, to stand excluded from emilia's charms: nor can my strength avail, unless by thee endued with force i gain the victory; then for the fire which warmed thy generous heart, pity thy subject's pains and equal smart. so be the morrow's sweat and labour mine, the palm and honour of the conquest thine: then shall the war, and stern debate, and strife immortal be the business of my life; and in thy fane, the dusty spoils among, high on the burnished roof, my banner shall be hung, ranked with my champion's bucklers; and below, with arms reversed, the achievements of my foe; and while these limbs the vital spirit feeds, while day to night and night to day succeeds, thy smoking altar shall be fat with food of incense and the grateful steam of blood; burnt-offerings morn and evening shall be thine, and fires eternal in thy temple shine. the bush of yellow beard, this length of hair, which from my birth inviolate i bear, guiltless of steel, and from the razor free, shall fall a plenteous crop, reserved for thee. so may my arms with victory be blest, i ask no more; let fate dispose the rest." the champion ceased; there followed in the close a hollow groan; a murmuring wind arose; the rings of iron, that on the doors were hung, sent out a jarring sound, and harshly rung: the bolted gates blew open at the blast, the storm rushed in, and arcite stood aghast: the flames were blown aside, yet shone they bright, fanned by the wind, and gave a ruffled light. then from the ground a scent began to rise, sweet smelling as accepted sacrifice: this omen pleased, and as the flames aspire, with odorous incense arcite heaps the fire: nor wanted hymns to mars or heathen charms: at length the nodding statue clashed his arms, and with a sullen sound and feeble cry, half sunk and half pronounced the word of victory. for this, with soul devout, he thanked the god, and, of success secure, returned to his abode. these vows, thus granted, raised a strife above betwixt the god of war and queen of love. she, granting first, had right of time to plead; but he had granted too, nor would recede. jove was for venus, but he feared his wife, and seemed unwilling to decide the strife: till saturn from his leaden throne arose, and found a way the difference to compose: though sparing of his grace, to mischief bent, he seldom does a good with good intent. wayward, but wise; by long experience taught, to please both parties, for ill ends, he sought: for this advantage age from youth has won, as not to be outridden, though outrun. by fortune he was now to venus trined, and with stern mars in capricorn was joined: of him disposing in his own abode, he soothed the goddess, while he gulled the god: "cease, daughter, to complain, and stint the strife; thy palamon shall have his promised wife: and mars, the lord of conquest, in the fight with palm and laurel shall adorn his knight. wide is my course, nor turn i to my place, till length of time, and move with tardy pace. man feels me when i press the etherial plains; my hand is heavy, and the wound remains. mine is the shipwreck in a watery sign; and in an earthy the dark dungeon mine. cold shivering agues, melancholy care, and bitter blasting winds, and poisoned air, are mine, and wilful death, resulting from despair. the throttling quinsey 'tis my star appoints, and rheumatisms i send to rack the joints: when churls rebel against their native prince, i arm their hands, and furnish the pretence; and housing in the lion's hateful sign, bought senates and deserting troops are mine. mine is the privy poisoning; i command unkindly seasons and ungrateful land. by me kings' palaces are pushed to ground, and miners crushed beneath their mines are found. 'twas i slew samson, when the pillared hall fell down, and crushed the many with the fall. my looking is the sire of pestilence, that sweeps at once the people and the prince. now weep no more, but trust thy grandsire's art, mars shall be pleased, and thou perform thy part. 'tis ill, though different your complexions are, the family of heaven for men should war." the expedient pleased, where neither lost his right; mars had the day, and venus had the night. the management they left to chronos' care. now turn we to the effect, and sing the war. in athens all was pleasure, mirth, and play, all proper to the spring and sprightly may: which every soul inspired with such delight, 'twas justing all the day, and love at night. heaven smiled, and gladded was the heart of man; and venus had the world as when it first began. at length in sleep their bodies they compose, and dreamt the future fight, and early rose. now scarce the dawning day began to spring, as at a signal given, the streets with clamours ring: at once the crowd arose; confused and high, even from the heaven was heard a shouting cry, for mars was early up, and roused the sky. the gods came downward to behold the wars, sharpening their sights, and leaning from their stars. the neighing of the generous horse was heard, for battle by the busy groom prepared: rustling of harness, rattling of the shield, clattering of armour, furbished for the field. crowds to the castle mounted up the street; battering the pavement with their coursers' feet: the greedy sight might there devour the gold of glittering arms, too dazzling to behold: and polished steel that cast the view aside, and crested morions, with their plumy pride. knights, with a long retinue of their squires, in gaudy liveries march, and quaint attires. one laced the helm, another held the lance; a third the shining buckler did advance. the courser pawed the ground with restless feet, and snorting foamed, and champed the golden bit. the smiths and armourers on palfreys ride, files in their hands, and hammers at their side, and nails for loosened spears and thongs for shields provide. the yeomen guard the streets in seemly bands; and clowns come crowding on, with cudgels in their hands. the trumpets, next the gate, in order placed, attend the sign to sound the martial blast: the palace yard is filled with floating tides, and the last comers bear the former to the sides. the throng is in the midst; the common crew shut out, the hall admits the better few. in knots they stand, or in a rank they walk, serious in aspect, earnest in their talk; factious, and favouring this or t'other side, as their strong fancies and weak reason guide; their wagers back their wishes; numbers hold with the fair freckled king, and beard of gold: so vigorous are his eyes, such rays they cast, so prominent his eagle's beak is placed. but most their looks on the black monarch bend; his rising muscles and his brawn commend; his double-biting axe, and beamy spear, each asking a gigantic force to rear. all spoke as partial favour moved the mind; and, safe themselves, at others' cost divined. waked by the cries, the athenian chief arose, the knightly forms of combat to dispose; and passing through the obsequious guards, he sate conspicuous on a throne, sublime in state; there, for the two contending knights he sent; armed cap-a-pie, with reverence low they bent; he smiled on both, and with superior look alike their offered adoration took. the people press on every side to see their awful prince, and hear his high decree. then signing to their heralds with his hand, they gave his orders from their lofty stand. silence is thrice enjoined; then thus aloud the king-at-arms bespeaks the knights and listening crowd: "our sovereign lord has pondered in his mind the means to spare the blood of gentle kind; and of his grace and inborn clemency he modifies his first severe decree, the keener edge of battle to rebate, the troops for honour fighting, not for hate. he wills, not death should terminate their strife, and wounds, if wounds ensue, be short of life; but issues, ere the fight, his dread command, that slings afar, and poniards hand to hand, be banished from the field; that none shall dare with shortened sword to stab in closer war; but in fair combat fight with manly strength, nor push with biting point, but strike at length. the turney is allowed but one career of the tough ash, with the sharp-grinded spear; but knights unhorsed may rise from off the plain, and fight on foot their honour to regain; nor, if at mischief taken, on the ground be slain, but prisoners to the pillar bound, at either barrier placed; nor, captives made, be freed, or armed anew the fight invade: the chief of either side, bereft of life, or yielded to his foe, concludes the strife. thus dooms the lord: now valiant knights and young, fight each his fill, with swords and maces long." the herald ends: the vaulted firmament with loud acclaims and vast applause is rent: heaven guard a prince so gracious and so good, so just, and yet so provident of blood! this was the general cry. the trumpets sound, and warlike symphony is heard around. the marching troops through athens take their way, the great earl-marshal orders their array. the fair from high the passing pomp behold; a rain of flowers is from the window rolled. the casements are with golden tissue spread, and horses' hoofs, for earth, on silken tapestry tread. the king goes midmost, and the rivals ride in equal rank, and close his either side. next after these there rode the royal wife, with emily, the cause and the reward of strife. the following cavalcade, by three and three, proceed by titles marshalled in degree. thus through the southern gate they take their way, and at the list arrived ere prime of day. there, parting from the king, the chiefs divide, and wheeling east and west, before their many ride. the athenian monarch mounts his throne on high, and after him the queen and emily: next these, the kindred of the crown are graced with nearer seats, and lords by ladies placed. scarce were they seated, when with clamours loud in rushed at once a rude promiscuous crowd, the guards, and then each other overbare, and in a moment throng the spacious theatre. now changed the jarring noise to whispers low, as winds forsaking seas more softly blow, when at the western gate, on which the car is placed aloft that bears the god of war, proud arcite entering armed before his train stops at the barrier, and divides the plain. red was his banner, and displayed abroad the bloody colours of his patron god. at that self moment enters palamon the gate of venus, and the rising sun; waved by the wanton winds, his banner flies, all maiden white, and shares the people's eyes. from east to west, look all the world around, two troops so matched were never to be found; such bodies built for strength, of equal age, in stature sized; so proud an equipage: the nicest eye could no distinction make, where lay the advantage, or what side to take. thus ranged, the herald for the last proclaims a silence, while they answered to their names: for so the king decreed, to shun with care the fraud of musters false, the common bane of war. the tale was just, and then the gates were closed; and chief to chief, and troop to troop opposed. the heralds last retired, and loudly cried, "the fortune of the field be fairly tried!" at this the challenger, with fierce defy, his trumpet sounds; the challenged makes reply: with clangour rings the field, resounds the vaulted sky. their vizors closed, their lances in the rest, or at the helmet pointed or the crest, they vanish from the barrier, speed the race, and spurring see decrease the middle space. a cloud of smoke envelopes either host, and all at once the combatants are lost: darkling they join adverse, and shock unseen, coursers with coursers justling, men with men: as labouring in eclipse, a while they stay, till the next blast of wind restores the day. they look anew: the beauteous form of fight is changed, and war appears a grisly sight. two troops in fair array one moment showed, the next, a field with fallen bodies strowed: not half the number in their seats are found; but men and steeds lie grovelling on the ground. the points of spears are stuck within the shield, the steeds without their riders scour the field. the knights unhorsed, on foot renew the fight; the glittering fauchions cast a gleaming light; hauberks and helms are hewed with many a wound, out spins the streaming blood, and dyes the ground. the mighty maces with such haste descend, they break the bones, and make the solid armour bend. this thrusts amid the throng with furious force; down goes, at once, the horseman and the horse: that courser stumbles on the fallen steed, and, floundering, throws the rider o'er his head. one rolls along, a football to his foes; one with a broken truncheon deals his blows. this halting, this disabled with his wound, in triumph led, is to the pillar bound, where by the king's award he must abide: there goes a captive led on t'other side. by fits they cease, and leaning on the lance, take breath a while, and to new fight advance. full oft the rivals met, and neither spared his utmost force, and each forgot to ward: the head of this was to the saddle bent, the other backward to the crupper sent: both were by turns unhorsed; the jealous blows fall thick and heavy, when on foot they close. so deep their fauchions bite, that every stroke pierced to the quick; and equal wounds they gave and took. borne far asunder by the tides of men, like adamant and steel they met agen. so when a tiger sucks the bullock's blood, a famished lion issuing from the wood roars lordly fierce, and challenges the food. each claims possession, neither will obey, but both their paws are fastened on the prey; they bite, they tear; and while in vain they strive, the swains come armed between, and both to distance drive. at length, as fate foredoomed, and all things tend by course of time to their appointed end; so when the sun to west was far declined, and both afresh in mortal battle joined, the strong emetrius came in arcite's aid, and palamon with odds was overlaid: for, turning short, he struck with all his might full on the helmet of the unwary knight. deep was the wound; he staggered with the blow, and turned him to his unexpected foe; whom with such force he struck, he felled him down, and cleft the circle of his golden crown. but arcite's men, who now prevailed in fight, twice ten at once surround the single knight: o'erpowered at length, they force him to the ground, unyielded as he was, and to the pillar bound; and king lycurgus, while he fought in vain his friend to free, was tumbled on the plain. who now laments but palamon, compelled no more to try the fortune of the field, and, worse than death, to view with hateful eyes his rival's conquest, and renounce the prize! the royal judge on his tribunal placed, who had beheld the fight from first to last, bade cease the war; pronouncing from on high, arcite of thebes had won the beauteous emily. the sound of trumpets to the voice replied, and round the royal lists the heralds cried, "arcite of thebes has won the beauteous bride!" the people rend the skies with vast applause; all own the chief, when fortune owns the cause. arcite is owned even by the gods above, and conquering mars insults the queen of love. so laughed he when the rightful titan failed, and jove's usurping arms in heaven prevailed. laughed all the powers who favour tyranny, and all the standing army of the sky. but venus with dejected eyes appears. and weeping on the lists distilled her tears; her will refused, which grieves a woman most, and, in her champion foiled, the cause of love is lost. till saturn said:--"fair daughter, now be still, "the blustering fool has satisfied his will; his boon is given; his knight has gained the day, but lost the prize; the arrears are yet to pay. thy hour is come, and mine the care shall be to please thy knight, and set thy promise free." now while the heralds run the lists around, and arcite! arcite! heaven and earth resound, a miracle (nor less it could be called) their joy with unexpected sorrow palled. the victor knight had laid his helm aside, part for his ease, the greater part for pride: bareheaded, popularly low he bowed, and paid the salutations of the crowd; then spurring, at full speed, ran headlong on where theseus sat on his imperial throne; furious he drove, and upward cast his eye, where, next the queen, was placed his emily; then passing, to the saddle-bow he bent; a sweet regard the gracious virgin lent; (for women, to the brave an easy prey, still follow fortune, where she leads the way:) just then from earth sprung out a flashing fire, by pluto sent, at saturn's bad desire: the startling steed was seized with sudden fright, and, bounding, o'er the pummel cast the knight; forward he flew, and pitching on his head, he quivered with his feet, and lay for dead. black was his countenance in a little space, for all the blood was gathered in his face. help was at hand: they reared him from the ground, and from his cumbrous arms his limbs unbound; then lanced a vein, and watched returning breath; it came, but clogged with symptoms of his death. the saddle-bow the noble parts had prest, all bruised and mortified his manly breast. him still entranced, and in a litter laid, they bore from field, and to his bed conveyed. at length he waked; and, with a feeble cry, the word he first pronounced was emily. mean time the king, though inwardly he mourned, in pomp triumphant to the town returned, attended by the chiefs who fought the field, (now friendly mixed, and in one troop compelled;) composed his looks to counterfeited cheer, and bade them not for arcite's life to fear. but that which gladded all the warrior train, though most were sorely wounded, none were slain. the surgeons soon despoiled them of their arms, and some with salves they cure, and some with charms; foment the bruises, and the pains assuage, and heal their inward hurts with sovereign draughts of sage. the king in person visits all around, comforts the sick, congratulates the sound; honours the princely chiefs, rewards the rest, and holds for thrice three days a royal feast. none was disgraced; for falling is no shame, and cowardice alone is loss of fame. the venturous knight is from the saddle thrown, but 'tis the fault of fortune, not his own; if crowds and palms the conquering side adorn, the victor under better stars was born: the brave man seeks not popular applause, nor, overpowered with arms, deserts his canse; unshamed, though foiled, he does the best he can: force is of brutes, but honour is of man. thus theseus smiled on all with equal grace, and each was set according to his place; with ease were reconciled the differing parts, for envy never dwells in noble hearts. at length they took their leave, the time expired, well pleased, and to their several homes retired. mean while, the health of arcite still impairs; from bad proceeds to worse, and mocks the leech's cares; swoln is his breast; his inward pains increase; all means are used, and all without success. the clottered blood lies heavy on his heart, corrupts, and there remains in spite of art; nor breathing veins nor cupping will prevail; all outward remedies and inward fail. the mould of nature's fabric is destroyed, her vessels discomposed, her virtue void: the bellows of his lungs begins to swell; all out of frame is every secret cell, nor can the good receive, nor bad expel. those breathing organs, thus within opprest, with venom soon distend the sinews of his breast. nought profits him to save abandoned life, nor vomit's upward aid, nor downward laxative. the midmost region battered and destroyed, when nature cannot work, the effect of art is void: for physic can but mend our crazy state, patch an old building, not a new create. arcite is doomed to die in all his pride, must leave his youth, and yield his beauteous bride, gained hardly against right, and unenjoyed. when 'twas declared all hope of life was past, conscience, that of all physic works the last, caused him to send for emily in haste. with her, at his desire, came palamon; then, on his pillow raised, he thus begun: "no language can express the smallest part of what i feel, and suffer in my heart, for you, whom best i love and value most; but to your service i bequeath my ghost; which, from this mortal body when untied, unseen, unheard, shall hover at your side; nor fright you waking, nor your sleep offend, but wait officious, and your steps attend. how i have loved, excuse my faltering tongue, my spirit's feeble, and my pains are strong: this i may say, i only grieve to die, because i lose my charming emily. to die, when heaven had put you in my power! fate could not choose a more malicious hour. what greater curse could envious fortune give, than just to die when i began to live! vain men! how vanishing a bliss we crave; now warm in love, now withering in the grave! never, o never more to see the sun! still dark, in a damp vault, and still alone! this fate is common; but i lose my breath near bliss, and yet not blessed before my death. farewell! but take me dying in your arms; 'tis all i can enjoy of all your charms: this hand i cannot but in death resign; ah, could i live! but while i live 'tis mine. i feel my end approach, and thus embraced am pleased to die; but hear me speak my last: ah, my sweet foe! for you, and you alone, i broke my faith with injured palamon. but love the sense of right and wrong confounds; strong love and proud ambition have no bounds. and much i doubt, should heaven my life prolong, i should return to justify my wrong; for while my former flames remain within, repentance is but want of power to sin. with mortal hatred i pursued his life, nor he nor you were guilty of the strife; nor i, but as i loved; yet all combined, your beauty and my impotence of mind, and his concurrent flame that blew my fire, for still our kindred souls had one desire. he had a moment's right in point of time; had i seen first, then his had been the crime. fate made it mine, and justified his right; nor holds this earth a more deserving knight for virtue, valour, and for noble blood, truth, honour, all that is comprised in good; so help me heaven, in all the world is none so worthy to be loved as palamon. he loves you too, with such a holy fire, as will not, cannot, but with life expire: our vowed affections both have often tried, nor any love but yours could ours divide. then, by my love's inviolable band, by my long suffering and my short command, if e'er you plight your vows when i am gone, have pity on the faithful palamon." this was his last; for death came on amain, and exercised below his iron reign; then upward to the seat of life he goes; sense fled before him, what he touched he froze: yet could he not his closing eyes withdraw, though less and less of emily he saw; so, speechless, for a little space he lay; then grasped the hand he held, and sighed his soul away. but whither went his soul? let such relate who search the secrets of the future state: divines can say but what themselves believe; strong proofs they have, but not demonstrative; for, were all plain, then all sides must agree, and faith itself be lost in certainty. to live uprightly then is sure the best; to save ourselves, and not to damn the rest. the soul of arcite went where heathens go, who better live than we, though less they know. in palamon a manly grief appears; silent he wept, ashamed to show his tears. emilia shrieked but once; and then, opprest with sorrow, sunk upon her lover's breast: till theseus in his arms conveyed with care far from so sad a sight the swooning fair. 'twere loss of time her sorrow to relate; ill bears the sex a youthful lover's fate, when just approaching to the nuptial state: but, like a low-hung cloud, it rains so fast, that all at once it falls, and cannot last. the face of things is changed, and athens now that laughed so late, becomes the scene of woe. matrons and maids, both sexes, every state, with tears lament the knight's untimely fate. not greater grief in falling troy was seen for hector's death; but hector was not then. old men with dust deformed their hoary hair; the women beat their breasts, their cheeks they tear. "why wouldst thou go," with one consent they cry, when thou hadst gold enough, and emily?" theseus himself, who should have cheered the grief of others, wanted now the same relief: old Ægeus only could revive his son, who various changes of the world had known, and strange vicissitudes of human fate, still altering, never in a steady state: good after ill and after pain delight, alternate, like the scenes of day and night. since every man who lives is born to die, and none can boast sincere felicity, with equal mind, what happens, let us bear, nor joy, nor grieve too much for things beyond our care. like pilgrims to the appointed place we tend; the world's an inn, and death the journey's end. even kings but play, and when their part is done, some other, worse or better, mount the throne. with words like these the crowd was satisfied; and so they would have been, had theseus died. but he, their king, was labouring in his mind a fitting place for funeral pomps to find, which were in honour of the dead designed. and, after long debate, at last he found (as love itself had marked the spot of ground,) that grove for ever green, that conscious laund, where he with palamon fought hand to hand; that, where he fed his amorous desires with soft complaints, and felt his hottest fires, there other flames might waste his earthly part, and burn his limbs, where love had burned his heart. this once resolved, the peasants were enjoined sere-wood, and firs, and doddered oaks to find. with sounding axes to the grove they go, fell, split, and lay the fuel in a row; vulcanian food: a bier is next prepared, on which the lifeless body should be reared, covered with cloth of gold; on which was laid the corps of arcite, in like robes arrayed. white gloves were on his hands, and on his head a wreath of laurel, mixed with myrtle, spread. a sword keen-edged within his right he held, the warlike emblem of the conquered field: bare was his manly visage on the bier; menaced his countenance, even in death severe. then to the palace-hall they bore the knight, to lie in solemn state, a public sight: groans, cries, and bowlings fill the crowded place, and unaffected sorrow sat on every face. sad palamon above the rest appears, in sable garments, dewed with gushing tears; his auburn locks on either shoulder flowed, which to the funeral of his friend he vowed; but emily, as chief, was next his side, a virgin-widow and a mourning bride. and, that the princely obsequies might be performed according to his high degree, the steed, that bore him living to the fight, was trapped with polished steel, all shining bright, and covered with the atchievements of the knight. the riders rode abreast; and one his shield, his lance of cornel-wood another held; the third his bow, and, glorious to behold, the costly quiver, all of burnished gold. the noblest of the grecians next appear, and weeping on their shoulders bore the bier; with sober pace they marched, and often stayed, and through the master-street the corps conveyed. the houses to their tops with black were spread, and even the pavements were with mourning hid. the right side of the pall old Ægeus kept, and on the left the royal theseus wept; each bore a golden bowl of work divine, with honey filled, and milk, and mixed with ruddy wine. then palamon, the kinsman of the slain, and after him appeared the illustrious train. to grace the pomp came emily the bright, with covered fire, the funeral pile to light. with high devotion was the service made, and all the rites of pagan honour paid: so lofty was the pile, a parthian bow, with vigour drawn, must send the shaft below. the bottom was full twenty fathom broad, with crackling straw, beneath in due proportion strowed. the fabric seemed a wood of rising green, with sulphur and bitumen cast between to feed the flames: the trees were unctuous fir, and mountain-ash, the mother of the spear; the mourner-yew and builder-oak were there, the beech, the swimming alder, and the plane, hard box, and linden of a softer grain, and laurels, which the gods for conquering chiefs ordain. how they were ranked shall rest untold by me, with nameless nymphs that lived in every tree; nor how the dryads and the woodland train, disherited, ran howling o'er the plain: nor how the birds to foreign seats repaired, or beasts that bolted out and saw the forests bared: nor how the ground now cleared with ghastly fright beheld the sudden sun, a stranger to the light. the straw, as first i said, was laid below: of chips and sere-wood was the second row; the third of greens, and timber newly felled; the fourth high stage the fragrant odours held, and pearls, and precious stones, and rich array; in midst of which, embalmed, the body lay. the service sung, the maid with mourning eyes the stubble fired; the smouldering flames arise: this office done, she sunk upon the ground; but what she spoke, recovered from her swound, i want the wit in moving words to dress; but by themselves the tender sex may guess. while the devouring fire was burning fast, rich jewels in the flame the wealthy cast; and some their shields, and some their lances threw, and gave the warrior's ghost a warrior's due. full bowls of wine, of honey, milk and blood were poured upon the pile of burning wood, and hissing flames receive, and hungry lick the food. then thrice the mounted squadrons ride around the fire, and arcite's name they thrice resound: "hail and farewell!" they shouted thrice amain, thrice facing to the left, and thrice they turned again: still, as they turned, they beat their clattering shields; the women mix their cries, and clamour fills the fields. the warlike wakes continued all the night, and funeral games were played at new returning light: who naked wrestled best, besmeared with oil, or who with gauntlets gave or took the foil, i will not tell you, nor would you attend; but briefly haste to my long story's end. i pass the rest; the year was fully mourned, and palamon long since to thebes returned: when, by the grecians' general consent, at athens theseus held his parliament; among the laws that passed, it was decreed, that conquered thebes from bondage should be freed; reserving homage to the athenian throne, to which the sovereign summoned palamon. unknowing of the cause, he took his way, mournful in mind, and still in black array. the monarch mounts the throne, and, placed on high, commands into the court the beauteous emily. so called, she came; the senate rose, and paid becoming reverence to the royal maid. and first, soft whispers through the assembly went; with silent wonder then they watched the event; all hushed, the king arose with awful grace; deep thought was in his breast, and counsel in his face: at length he sighed, and having first prepared the attentive audience, thus his will declared: "the cause and spring of motion from above hung down on earth the golden chain of love; great was the effect, and high was his intent, when peace among the jarring seeds he sent; fire, flood, and earth and air by this were bound, and love, the common link, the new creation crowned. the chain still holds; for though the forms decay, eternal matter never wears away: the same first mover certain bounds has placed, how long those perishable forms shall last; nor can they last beyond the time assigned by that all-seeing and all-making mind: shorten their hours they may, for will is free, but never pass the appointed destiny. so men oppressed, when weary of their breath, throw off the burden, and suborn their death. then, since those forms begin, and have their end, on some unaltered cause they sure depend: parts of the whole are we, but god the whole, who gives us life, and animating soul. for nature cannot from a part derive "that being which the whole can only give: he perfect, stable; but imperfect we, subject to change, and different in degree; plants, beasts, and man; and, as our organs are, we more or less of his perfection share. but, by a long descent, the etherial fire corrupts; and forms, the mortal part, expire. as he withdraws his virtue, so they pass, and the same matter makes another mass: this law the omniscient power was pleased to give, that every kind should by succession live; that individuals die, his will ordains; the propagated species still remains. the monarch oak, the patriarch of the trees, shoots rising up, and spreads by slow degrees; three centuries he grows, and three he stays, supreme in state, and in three more decays: so wears the paving pebble in the street, and towns and towers their fatal periods meet: so rivers, rapid once, now naked lie, forsaken of their springs, and leave their channels dry. so man, at first a drop, dilates with heat, then, formed, the little heart begins to beat; secret he feeds, unknowing, in the cell; at length, for hatching ripe, he breaks the shell, and struggles into breath, and cries for aid; then helpless in his mother's lap is laid. he creeps, he walks, and, issuing into man, grudges their life from whence his own began; reckless of laws, affects to rule alone, anxious to reign, and restless on the throne; first vegetive, then feels, and reasons last; rich of three souls, and lives all three to waste. some thus; but thousands more in flower of age, for few arrive to run the latter stage. sunk in the first, in battle some are slain, and others whelmed beneath the stormy main. what makes all this, but jupiter the king, at whose command we perish, and we spring? then 'tis our best, since thus ordained to die, to make a virtue of necessity; take what he gives, since to rebel is vain; the bad grows better, which we well sustain; and could we choose the time, and choose aright, 'tis best to die, our honour at the height. when we have done our ancestors no shame, but served our friends, and well secured our fame; then should we wish our happy life to close, and leave no more for fortune to dispose; so should we make our death a glad relief from future shame, from sickness, and from grief; enjoying while we live the present hour, and dying in our excellence and flower. then round our death-bed every friend should run, and joy us of our conquest early won; while the malicious world, with envious tears, should grudge our happy end, and wish it theirs. since then our arcite is with honour dead, why should we mourn, that he so soon is freed, or call untimely what the gods decreed? with grief as just a friend may be deplored, from a foul prison to free air restored. ought he to thank his kinsman or his wife, could tears recall him into wretched life? their sorrow hurts themselves; on him is lost, and worse than both, offends his happy ghost. what then remains, but after past annoy to take the good vicissitude of joy; to thank the gracious gods for what they give, possess our souls, and, while we live, to live? ordain we then two sorrows to combine, and in one point the extremes of grief to join; that thence resulting joy may be renewed, as jarring notes in harmony conclude. then i propose that palamon shall be in marriage joined with beauteous emily; for which already i have gained the assent of my free people in full parliament. long love to her has borne the faithful knight, and well deserved, had fortune done him right: 'tis time to mend her fault, since emily by arcite's death from former vows is free; if you, fair sister, ratify the accord, and take him for your husband and your lord, 'tis no dishonour to confer your grace on one descended from a royal race; and were he less, yet years of service past from grateful souls exact reward at last. pity is heaven's and yours; nor can she find a throne so soft as in a woman's mind." he said; she blushed; and as o'erawed by might, seemed to give theseus what she gave the knight. then, turning to the theban, thus he said: "small arguments are needful to persuade your temper to comply with my command:" and speaking thus, he gave emilia's hand. smiled venus, to behold her own true knight. obtain the conquest, though he lost the fight; and blessed with nuptial bliss the sweet laborious night. eros and anteros on either side, one fired the bridegroom, and one warmed the bride; and long-attending hymen from above showered on the bed the whole idalian grove. all of a tenor was their after-life, no day discoloured with domestic strife; no jealousy, but mutual truth believed, secure repose, and kindness undeceived. thus heaven, beyond the compass of his thought, sent him the blessing he so dearly bought. so may the queen of love long duty bless, and all true lovers find the same success. notes. dedication. her grace the duchess of ormond was by birth lady margaret somerset. her husband, to whom dryden dedicated the volume of the _fables_, was one of king william's supporters. he had been with him at the battle of the boyne, in the war on the continent, had received marked evidences of his favor, and stood by his bedside at his death. . the bard. chaucer, whose _knight's tale_, paraphrased as _palamon and arcite_, dryden dedicated in these verses. . an alexandrine, i.e., a verse of six accented syllables instead of five. . plantagenet. the surname of the royal family of england from henry ii. to richard iii. . noblest order. the order of the garter, which is the highest order of knighthood in great britain, was founded by edward iii. about . , , . a triplet, i.e., three successive verses with the same rhyme; one device of dryden's to avoid monotony. . platonic year. a great cycle of years, at the end of which it was supposed that the celestial bodies will occupy the same positions as at the creation. . westward. the duchess' visit to ireland. . benighted britain. deprived of the light of her grace's presence. . triton. a son of neptune, generally represented with the body of a man and the tail of a fish. his duty was to calm the sea by a blast on his conch-shell horn. . nereids. nymphs of the sea as distinguished from the naiads, nymphs of streams and lakes. . etesian gale. the etesian winds were any steady periodical winds. . portunus. a lesser sea-god, more particularly the harbor-god. , . in these verses dryden shows us that he had not shaken off entirely the conceits of his early verse. . hibernia. ireland. . his father and his grandsire. ormond's father was the gallant earl of ossory, and his grandsire, the first duke of ormond, lord lieutenant of ireland, the famous supporter of the stuart cause. . kerns. the irish peasantry. . venus is the promise of the sun. venus, as morning star, is visible in the east just before sunrise. . pales. a roman divinity of flocks and shepherds. ceres. the goddess of agriculture. . three campaigns. the jacobites had found sympathy in ireland and made a stand there. vigorous efforts were made by william to dislodge them and subjugate the island; but years passed before civil strife was ended and peace restored. . relics of mankind. the human beings preserved in the ark, all that was left of mankind after the flood. , . dryden copies virgil's golden age,_eclogue iv_., , . . venom never known. this refers to the absence of reptiles in ireland. . new from her sickness. recently recovered from a serious illness. . four ingredients. earth, air, fire, water, then supposed to be the elements of all created substances. . young vespasian. titus vespasianus, the conqueror of jerusalem, was so impressed by the beauty of the temple that he wept as it was destroyed. . a most detested act of gratitude. the elegy which the danger of her death rendered imminent. detested because the occasion for the act would fill him with grief. . morley. a celebrated physician of the seventeenth century. s . macedon. thessalus, the son of hippocrates, a famous physician of antiquity, who resided at the macedonian court. . ptolemy. one of alexander the great's generals, who became, after the great conqueror's death, the ruler of egypt. . you. used here as a noun. . daughter of the rose. the duchess of ormond was a descendant of somerset, who plucked the red rose in the temple garden when plantagenet plucked the white,--an incident which badged the houses of york and lancaster during the war of the roses. . penelope. the wife of ulysses, during the long years of her lord's absence, steadfastly withstood the persuasions of suitors, and remained true to her husband. . ascanius. the son of aeneas. elissa. another name for dido. it is andromache, not dido, who in virgil's narrative presents ascanius with the elaborately embroidered mantle. aeneid, bk. iii., , etc. . wear the garter. become a knight of the garter. book i. . theseus. a legendary hero of greece, son of aegeus. he freed athens from human tribute to the cretan minotaur, with the assistance of ariadne, whom he deserted. succeeded aegeus as king of athens. expedition against the amazons resulted in a victory for him, and he married their queen, antiope, not hippolyta, as in chaucer, shakspere, and dryden. he joined in caledonian hunt, fought the centaurs, attempted to carry off proserpina for pirithous. on his return found his kingdom usurped, and, retiring to scyros, was treacherously killed by lycomedes. . warrior queen. hippolyta, daughter of mars, queen of the amazons, here confused with her sister antiope, whom legend makes the bride of theseus. . spousals. espousal, marriage. . tilts and turneys. notice the anachronism of the transfer of the mediaeval sport to legendary greece. dryden follows chaucer's general method, though here the elder poet makes no such statement. . accidents. happenings, literal derivation from _accidere_, to happen. . enjoined us by mine host. the host of the tabard, whence chaucer led his canterbury pilgrims, had proposed that each member of the company tell two stories on the way to canterbury, and two on the return, and that the best narrator should receive a supper at the expense of the others. the plan was not fulfilled, but such stories as were told form chaucer's _canterbury tales_. . weeds. garments, not restricted to mourning garments. . capaneus. one of the seven heroes who marched from argos (not athens) against thebes. he defied jupiter and was struck by lightning as he was scaling the walls. his wife, evadne, leaped into the flames ahd perished. in presenting her here, dryden followed chaucer. . creon. king of thebes, surrendered the city to aedipus, who had freed it from the sphinx, resumed rule after death of aedipus' sons, killed by his son haeemon for cruelty to antigone, daughter of aedipus. . minotaur. a monster lurking in the labyrinth of crete, which devoured the tribute of seven youths and seven maidens sent by athens every ninth year. it was slain by theseus. . an alexandrine verse. . an alexandrine verse. . an alexandrine verse. . morn of cheerful may. the conventional month for love in the old poets. dryden followed chaucer. . aurora. goddess of the morning-red. each morning she rose from the couch of tithonus, and drove swiftly from oceanus to olympus to announce to gods and mortals the coming of day. . philomel. nightingale. philomela, dishonored by her brother-in-law, was changed to a nightingale. . hateful eyes. eyes full of hate. . horoscope. a diagram of the heavens by which astrologers calculated nativities. dryden resembled chaucer in his belief in astrology. . saturn in the dungeon of the sky. arcite declares that the horoscope of their birth predicted chains, for it showed the planet saturn, an evil star at best, in the dungeon of the sky. . unhappy planets. planets that were thought to cause unhappiness. . actaeon. he unintentionally came upon diana and her nymphs while they were bathing in the stream, was transformed into a stag by the goddess, and was coursed to death by his own hounds. . cyprian queen. venus; cyprus was a chief seat of her worship. . habit. dress. we retain the word with same meaning in riding-habit. . appeach. to impeach. old form. , , , . alexandrines, possibly used by dryden in such close succession to show arcite's violent emotions. aesop's hounds. the hounds of the fable by aesop. their story is told in succeeding verses. , . these verses indicate a condition with which both chaucer and dryden were very familiar. . pirithous. a legendary hero, between theseus and whom existed strong friendship. a centaur's discourtesy to the bride at the wedding of pirithous was avenged by theseus in the battle with the centaurs. . his fellow to redeem him went to hell. chaucer and dryden have here confused the story of theseus and pirithous with account of castor and pollux. theseus did not go to the lower world to rescue pirithous; but went with him to abduct proserpina, and they were both seized and held by pluto, till hercules rescued theseus. . finds his dear purchase. finds his purchase to be dear, i.e., expensive. . fire, water, air, and earth. these were regarded by the ancients as the primary elements of created matter. . a certain home. the house is a definite existence. . uncertain place. it is uncertain in the sense that the drunkard has difficulty in finding it. . forelays. awaits before, a survival of an old english compound. . thrids. threads, as in the phrase, "threads the mazes of the dance." . saturn, seated in a luckless place. a second reference to the planet of his nativity and its unlucky position in heaven at the hour of his birth. . mars and venus in a quartil move. mars and venus are here the planets. when their longitudes differ by ° they move in a quartile. it was regarded in astrology as an omen of ill. . slumbering as he lay. as he lay slumbering. a favorite inversion with chaucer. . hermes. lat. mercury, son of jupiter. one of his chief duties, to act as a messenger of jupiter to carry sleep and dreams to mortals. . sleep-compelling rod. hermes carried a staff, the caduceus, given him by apollo, about which two serpents were twined. its touch induced sleep. . argus. he had a hundred eyes and was sent by juno to guard the cow into which lo had been transformed. he was killed by mercury at the command of jupiter, and juno transferred his eyes to the tail of her peacock. . a labouring hind in show. in appearance a laboring peasant. . philostratus. in chaucer written philostrate, and so in shakspere's _midsummer night's dream_, the characters of which plainly followed chaucer. book ii. . and may within the twins received the sun. in may the sun is in the sign of the zodiac known as gemini, or the twins. dryden here copies a favorite phrasing of chaucer, though not used by him in this particular instance. . notice the enjambment, i.e., the overflow of this verse into the next. it very rarely occurs in dryden's later poems. . style. pen, from _stylus_. . graces. three sisters, aglaia (the brilliant), euphrosyne (cheerfulness), and thalia (bloom of life). they were the daughters of jupiter and aurora. . the sultry tropic fears. at the end of may the sun, approaching the summer solstice, gives the longest days; hence its slowness. . roundelay. it is technically a lyric in which a phrase or idea is continually repeated. . friday. named from frigga, a teutonic goddess, identified with venus. this day of the week among the latin races is still named from venus. italian, _venerdì_; french,_vendredi_. . cadmus. he was the son of agenor, king of phoenicia. his sister europa had been carried off by jupiter and he suffered from the consequent jealousy of juno. while searching for his sister he founded thebes, with the aid of minerva, and was its first king. the legend of cadmus indicates the introduction of written language from the east, the theban city was. compare "_ilium fuit_" of virgil, aeneid, bk. ii., . . our arms shall plead the titles of our love. we will make good our right to love by strife in arms. . pawn. pledge,i.e., each has pledged his faith. . hopes. hopes for, syncope. . foin. to thrust with a weapon, a term used in fencing. . lively. bright, like the living green of vegetation. . the tuneful cry. compare _midsummer night's dream,_ act iv., sc. i. . goddess of the silver bow. diana, goddess of the chase,--her symbol, the crescent moon; hence the silver bow. . forth-right. straight forward; an archaism. . strook. archaic for struck. . listed field. a field properly arranged for a tournament. . quire. group. this is the proper spelling, not choir; see bk. i., v. . . contended maid. the maid contended for. , . in these verses dryden follows chaucer, but states the thought more forcibly. he was undoubtedly glad of the chance to slap the powers that were. . share a single bed. two lovers cannot marry the same woman. . from out the bars. beyond the barriers,i.e., out of the lists. . recreant. acknowledging defeat. . degrees. with the seats raised in tiers. . myrtle wand. the myrtle was sacred to venus. . queen of wight. diana, because she was goddess of the moon. . oratories. places for prayer. . sigils. literally, a seal or sign; here an occult sign or mark in astrology, another evidence of dryden's leaning toward that so-called science, for chaucer makes no such statement here. . idalian mount. idalium, a town in cyprus sacred to venus; here, as often, confused with mount ida. . citheron. cythera, not citheron, is the island near which venus rose from the sea, and a famous seat of her worship. cithaeron is a mountain in boeotia sacred to zeus. . medea's charms. medea, daughter of aetes, king of colchis, was a famous sorceress of antiquity. she aided jason to get the golden fleece, and fled with him. deserted by him, she subsequently became involved with theseus and hercules, eventually going to asia. from her sprung the medes. . circean feasts. a mythical sorceress, who feasted mariners landed on her shores, and by charmed drinks changed them to swine. ulysses spent a year with her, and frustrated her arts. . bare below the breast. bare from the shoulders to a point below the breasts. . scurf. scaly matter on the surface,--scum. . knares. knots on, a tree; an archaism. . bent. a declivity or slope. . tun. a huge cask for holding wine, ale, etc. . overlaid. lain upon by the nurse to smother it. . mars his ides. the ides of march, the date of caesar's assassination. the month was named from the god. . antony, infatuated with cleopatra, he lost his empire. dryden had previously told the story in his best play,_all for love_. . geomantic. pertaining to geomancy, the art of divining future events by means of signs connected with the earth. the figure here represents two constellations, rubeus, which signifies mars direct, puella, mars retrograde. . direct... retrograde. the motion of a planet is direct when it seems to move from west to east in the zodiac, and retrograde when its apparent motion is reversed. . calisto. properly callisto, one of diana's nymphs. jupiter loved her and changed her to a bear to escape the notice of juno; but the latter discovered the ruse, and caused diana to kill the bear. thereupon jupiter transferred her to heaven as the constellation of arctos, in which is the pole-star. . peneian daphne. daughter of the river-god peneus. loved by apollo and pursued by him, she prayed for assistance, and was changed into a laurel tree. thenceforth the laurel became apollo's favorite tree. . calydonian beast. a huge boar sent by diana to devastate the territory of aeneus, king of calydon in atolia, because he had not paid her due honor. theseus, jason, peleus, telamon, nestor, all the famous heroes gathered to destroy the beast, and with them the swift-footed maiden atalanta. her arrow gave the first wound. the story is exquisitely told by swinburne in atalanta in calydon. . aenides. meleager, son of aeneus, who actually killed the boar. he loved atalanta and gave to her the head and hide of the animal as a trophy. jealously attacked by his uncles, he slew them. at his birth, the fates had prophesied his death when a certain brand upon the hearth should have burned. thereupon his mother plucked it from the fire, quenched it, and put it away. angered by the death of her brothers, she throws this brand upon the fire. it is consumed, and meleager dies. . the volscian queen. camilla, an amazon, allied with turnus in his strife with aeneas in italy. she was treacherously killed by aruns, while pursuing a fleeing enemy. as aruns was stealthily withdrawing, he was slain by an arrow, fired by one of diana's nymphs. . lucina. the name given to diana as one of the goddesses who presides at childbirth. , . inserted by dryden, a satirical reference to the wretched whig poets then in favor, and to his own removal from royal patronage. book iii. . juppon. a light coat worn over armor, reaching to mid-thigh and finished in points at the bottom. . pruce. prussia. . jambeux. armor for the legs, from the french _jambé_, leg. . lycurgus. king of thrace; he persecuted bacchus, and was made mad by that god. in his madness he slew his son under the impression that he was cutting down vines. the country now produced no fruit, and the inhabitants carried the impious king to mount pangaeus, where he was torn to pieces by horses. . emetrius. a creation of chaucer's whom dryden follows. notice the poet's unusual representation of an indian prince with fair complexion and yellow hair. . upon his fist he bore. it was customary in the time of chaucer to hunt with tame falcons, which were carried perched upon the wrist when not after quarry. . so bacchus through the conquered indies rode. bacchus, a son of jupiter, was the god of wine. his birth and up-bringing were attended with dangers bred by the jealousy of juno. when full grown, juno drove him mad, and in this state he journeyed over the earth. he spent several years in india, introducing the vine and elements of civilization. it was on his return that he was expelled from thrace by lycurgus. . prime. early morning, the first hour after sunrise. . harbinger. one who provides or secures lodgings for another, from the old french herbegtsr, whence harbor. . phosphor. light bringer, from phos and phero. . preventing. with the literal significance of the word, coming before, i.e., he rose before day. . thy month. may referred to as the month of venus, since it is, in the poets, particularly a season for love-making. . gladder. thou who makest glad. . increase. offspring of jove. . adonis. a beautiful youth, loved by venus, with whom he spent eight months of the year. when he was killed by a boar, so great was the sorrow of the goddess, that the deities of the nether world allowed her to possess him for half of each year. . notice the force of palamon's request. he cares not so much for glory of conquest as for the delights of possession. his prayer is answered, for, though conquered, he eventually weds emilia. . your fifth orb. the heavens werel supposed to consist of concentric hollow spheres called orbs, and the sun, moon, stars, and planets moved in their respective orbs, the planet venus in the fifth. . clue. thread. . and let the sisters cut below your line. the sisters are the three fates. clotho spun the thread of life, lachesis held it, and atropos cut it. palamon is willing that the fates end his life, if they will first allow him to enjoy love. . cynthia. another name for diana, from mount cynthus, her birthplace. . vests. vestments, robes. . uncouth. literally, unknown, hence strange. . well-meaners think no harm. compare the famous epigram adopted by the order of the garter: "_honi soit qui mal y pense_" (shamed be he who thinks evil of it). this order was founded during chaucer's life, and this sentiment may have been in his mind. . mastless oak. oak leaves without acorns, i.e., without the fruit, hence an appropriate garland for a maid. . statius. a latin author who died a.d. among his works was an heroic poem in twelve books, embodying the legends touching the expedition of the seven against thebes. . niobe. she was the mother of seven sons and seven daughters, and so thought herself superior to latona, who had given birth to only two, apollo and diana. to avenge their mother, they slew all of niobe's children with their darts. hence the "devoted" children, i.e., devoted to death. . gust. the sense or pleasure of tasting, hence relish; more common form, gusto. . thy triple shape. diana is often confused with hecate, a most mysterious divinity. hecate is represented with three heads and three bodies, and possessed the attributes of luna in heaven, of diana on earth, and of proserpina in the lower world. . frowning stars. if the stars at her birth were such and so placed that they boded ill, they might be said to frown. - . the omen foretells the event. one altar seems extinguished and then relights when the other goes out entirely. so palamon seems to fail, but eventually wins emilia after the death of arcite. . planetary hour. this was the fourth hour of the day. . heptarchy. a rule by seven. it refers here to the seven great gods, jupiter, neptune, pluto, mars, vulcan, apollo, mercury. . hyperborean. beyond the north. applied originally to a blessed people who dwelt beyond the north wind. . vulcan had thee in his net enthralled. vulcan, the husband of venus, once discovered improper relations between her and mars, and he entrapped the guilty pair in the meshes of an invisible net and exposed them to the laughter of the gods. this passage would appeal to the taste of dryden's restoration readers, and is developed with a light grace, characteristic of the period. - . in these verses the poet brings out the character of arcite, a more mannish man than palamon. , . arcite prays for victory; nothing else will satisfy. he obtains his prayer, but loses emily. . trined. an astrological term, meaning that the planets saturn and venus were distant from each other °, or one-third of the zodiac, a benign aspect. . with stern mars in capricorn was joined. both mars and saturn were in the sign of the zodiac, capricorn. . watery sign. the so-called watery signs of the zodiac were cancer, scorpio, and pisces. when saturn is in one of these signs, look out for shipwreck. . earthy. the so-called earthy signs were taurus, virgo, and capricornus. when saturn is in one of these signs, look out for the dungeon. , . though these verses are taken from chaucer, they fitted dryden's times and sentiment; for he had seen his own king, james ii., ousted from his throne and supplanted by william and mary. he was not in sympathy with the revolution. . housing in the lion's hateful sign. saturn in the sign leo was regarded as baleful. . this verse is dryden's own, and contains satirical reference to whig disloyalty at the time of the revolution of ' . . pestilence. both chaucer and dryden had experienced great plagues in london, the black death in the fourteenth century and the great plague of . . gladded. made glad. . morions with their plumy pride. a helmet with a crest of feathers. . retinue. here accented on the penult. . palfrey. a small horse in contrast with the mighty war horse. . clowns. the peasants, the common people. . double-biting axe. two-edged battle-ax. . armed cap-a-pe. from head to foot. from the old french, _de cap a pie_. . king-at-arms. the chief of the heralds, an important office in the middle ages. . the turney is allowed but one career. the two bands of knights shall rush together on horseback but once. . at mischief taken. caught at a disadvantage. . equipage. so well equipped. . justling. an archaism for jostling. . hauberks. a part of mail armor, originally intended to protect neck and shoulders; later it reached to the knees. . the rightful titan failed. the titans were the six sons and six daughters of ccelus and terra. one of them, saturn, indignant at the tyranny of his father, dethroned him with the others' aid. the titans then ruled in heaven with saturn at their head. a prophecy to the effect that one of his children would dethrone him caused him to swallow each one as it was born; but jupiter was concealed at his birth and grew to manhood. he compelled saturn to disgorge his brothers and sisters, and in company with them waged a ten years' war against the titans. they were overcome and hurled to the depths below tartarus, while jupiter usurped the throne of heaven. , . a touch of light satire in chaucer which dryden repeats with gusto, for it tallied well with the sentiments of his day. . lanced a vein. the sovereign remedy in the olden time was blood-letting. . charms. they played an important part in medical practice, not only in chaucer's time, but later even than dryden. . leech's cares. leech was a common name for doctor. . breathing veins nor cupping. two different methods of bleeding. to breathe a vein was to open the vein directly. to cup was to apply the cupping glass, which, being a partial vacuum, caused the flesh to puff up in it, and then the lancet was used. . against right. arcite is said to have gained emily against right, because palamon, having seen and loved her first, had priority of claim. aegeus. according to the generally accepted legend, aegeus, theseus' father, had died when theseus returned from crete, years before. , . these verses are an insertion by dryden, and are another reference to the change of dynasty at the revolution of , when james ii. was dethroned, and william, prince of orange, succeeded him. . conscious laund. knowing lawn or glade, i.e., the spot that had been familiar with their first encounter. laund is, of course, an archaism. . sere-wood. modern form, searwood, wood dry enough to burn well. . doddered oaks. oaks covered with dodder, that is, with parasitic plants, and therefore dead or dying. . vulcanian food. food for fire, vulcan being the god of fire. . master-street. main street of the town. . parthian bow. the parthians were famous bowmen. . fathom. a fathom is a measure of six feet. . strowed. archaism for strewn. . wakes. a wake is, literally, an all-night watch by the body of the dead, sometimes attended by unseemly revelry. here it refers to the celebration of funeral rites for arcite. . theseus held his parliament. theseus is reputed to have introduced constitutional government in attica. . the principle of the indestructibility of matter, a result of scientific investigation, which in dryden's time was attracting much attention. . suborn. to procure by indirect means. . vegetive. growing, having the power of growth. nil. annoy. annoyance. . while we live, to live. to live happily while life lasts. . eros and anteros. both different names for the god of love, eros signifying direct, sensual love, and anteros, return love. . long-attending hymen. hymen, the god of marriage, had waited long to consummate this match. , . this couplet is original with dryden, and forms a