Troilus and Criseyde Read online

340 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,

  345 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:

  350 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

  355 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,

  360 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.

  365 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

  370 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,

  375 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,

  380 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

  385 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,

  390 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,

  395 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.

  400 `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

  405 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?

  410 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

  415 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?

  420 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;

  425 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;

  430 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.'

  435 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,

  440 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;

  445 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,

  450 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

  455 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,

  460 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;

  465 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!

  470 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
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  475 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,

  480 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,

  485 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

  490 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;

  495 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

  500 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.

  505 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;

  510 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,

  515 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,

  520 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,

  525 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.

  530 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!

  535 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!'

  540 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;

  545 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:

  551 `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,

  555 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,

  560 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;

  565 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,

  570 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.

  575 `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.

  580 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

  585 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,

  590 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;

  595 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;

  600 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,

  605 With disespeir so sorwfully me offendeth,

  That streyght un-to the deeth myn herte sayleth.

  Ther-to desyr so brenningly m
e assaylleth,

  That to ben slayn it were a gretter Ioye

  To me than king of Grece been and Troye!

  610 `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,

  615 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,

  620 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,

  625 `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;

  630 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;

  635 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?

  640 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.

  645 `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,

  650 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,

  655 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,'

  660 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,

  665 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.

  670 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,

  675 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.

  680 `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,

  685 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,

  690 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,