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BOOK III. - Geoffrey Chaucer, The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, vol. 2 (Boethius, Troilus) [1899]

Edition used:

The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, edited from numerous manuscripts by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat (2nd ed.) (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1899). 7 vols.

Part of: The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, 7 vols.

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BOOK III.

Rubric;from Cp.

1-56. Lost in Cm.

Incipit Prohemium Tercii Libri.

    • 1.

      O BLISFUL light, of whiche the bemes clere[ ]1
    • Adorneth al the thridde hevene faire![ ]
    • O sonnes leef , O Ioves doughter dere,[ ]
    • Plesaunce of love, O goodly debonaire,
    • In gentil hertes ay redy to repaire!5
    • O verray cause of hele and of gladnesse,
    • Y-heried be thy might and thy goodnesse!

    • 2.

      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 tree10
    • Theefele 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.

    • 3.

      Ye Ioves first to thilke effectes glade,[ ]15
    • Thorugh which that thinges liven alle and be,
    • Comeveden , and amoroushim made
    • On mortal thing, and as yow list, ay ye
    • Yeve him in love ese or adversitee;
    • And in a thousand formes doun him sente20
    • For love in erthe, and whom yow liste, he hente.

    • 4.

      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;25
    • 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.

    • 5.

      Ye holden regne and hous in unitee;[ ]
    • Ye soothfast cause of frendship been also;30
    • 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, cometh to were.[ ]35

    • 6.

      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,40
    • Whos clerk I am, so techeth me devyse
    • Som Ioye of that is felt in thyservyse .

    • 7.

      Ye in my naked herte sentement
    • Inhelde , and do me shewe of thy swetnesse.—[ ]
    • Caliope, thy vois be now present,45
    • 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.

Explicit Liber Tercius.

[P. 260, Book III, 522.]Delete the comma after laft.

[P. 260, Book III, 535.]For made read mad or maad.

[P. 261, Book III, 558.]For lengere read lenger.

[3. ]H2. leef; Ed. lefe; Cl. lyef; Cp. H. lief.

[7. ]Cl. thin (for 2nd thy).

[9. ]Cl. of; rest if. Cp. Ed. wel; H2. wil; Cl. wole; H. wol.

[10. ]Cl. Cp. beste.

[11. ]Cl. H. Ed. The; H2. To. Cl. feld (for fele).

[12. ]Cl. nough (!).

[13. ]Cl. word; H. world; Cp. Ed. worlde; H2. wirk.

[17. ]Cl. H. Comeueden (rightly); Cp. Comended; Ed. Comenden; H2. Commodious (!). Cp. Ed. amorous; H2. amerous; Cl. H. amoreux. All hem (wrongly); read him; see l. 19.

[20. ]Cp. H. H2. hym; Ed. him; Cl. hem.

[22. ]H. apasen; Ed. apeasen; H2. apesyn. Cl. Iire.

[23. ]Cl. lyste rest list.

[28. ]H2. hym; rest it.

[32. ]Cl. thing.

[33. ]Cl. constreue. Cl. H. Cp. Io; H2. io; Ed. go; (Io = jo).

[36. ]Cl. vniuersite (!).

[38. ]Cl. H. worse.

[42. ]Cl. this (for thy). Cl. seruyce.

[44. ]Cp. H. Inhielde.

[49. ]H2. gladnes; rest om.

[51. ]All lesson.

[56. ]H2. leve (sic); rest leue. Cp. H. Ed. werken; Cl. werke.

[57. ]Cm. how; rest so. Cl. om. that.

[58. ]Cp. Ed. Cm. shorte; rest short.

[59. ]Cl. lad.

[60. ]Cl. om. in.

[65. ]Cl. rufully; Ed. routhfully.

[66. ]thou] Cl. yow.

[74. ]H2. Ed. ey; rest I.

[76. ]lordshipe] Cl. mercy.

[77. ]Cl. beseche.

[79. ]H. Cm. wex; Cl. Cp. wax.

[81. ]Cl. smyte.

[83. ]Cl. om. he.

[90. ]Cp. H. Ed. resons; Cl. resones; Cm. werkis; H2. wordis.

[92. ]Cl. An; H2. Hym; rest In.

[93. ]Cl. quooke.

[97. ]Cm. ferste; rest first (ferst).

[99. ]Cl. whily. Cl. ho (for he).

[100. ]Cl. that; rest for.

[101. ]Cl. om. I.

[110. ]Cm. wrethe (for herte). Cm. I; H2. y; rest om.

[114. ]Cl. for to; rest to.

[116. ]H. puked; H2. procurid (!).

[119. ]Cm. H2. om. that.

[121. ]Cp. H. Ed. wilne; Cm. wiln; Cl. wille. Cl. shal seye; rest om. shal.

[125. ]of] Cl. on.

[135. ]Cl. deligence.

[136. ]Cl. Cp. H. Ed. om. I; see l. 141.

[138. ]Cl. defende (!).

[139. ]Cl. Cm. digne; rest deigne.

[142. ]Cl. Cp. myn; Cm. myne.

[144. ]H2. serve; rest seruen. Cl. Cp. H. ben ay I-lyke; Ed. to ben aye ylike; H2. bene y-lyke; Cm. ay ben I-lik; but read been y-lyke ay.

[149. ]And] Cl. A. Cl. om. a.

[150. ]Cl. Cp. H. feste.

[152. ]Cl. that this; rest om. that.

[160. ]Cl. But (for And).

[167. ]Cp. H. hennes; Cm. henys; Cl. hens.

[172. ]MSS. soueraynte.

[173. ]Cp. Ny (for Ne I).

[176. ]Cl. my dere; rest om. my.

[179. ]Cl. Ed. to; rest in-to.

[180. ]yow] Cl. now.

[183. ]H. yen; Cm. eyȝyn; rest eyen.

[188. ]Cl. Cp. H. in the; rest om. the.

[190. ]Cl. Cm. H2. Ed. om. as.

[193. ]Cl. and on; Ed. H2. and one; H. and oon; Cp. an oon; Cm. a-non; read as oon?

[194. ]Cm. H2. the; Cp. to; rest two.

[195. ]my] Cl. Cm. myn.

[205. ]H2. They come vpwardis at.

[207. ]Cl. blynde.

[208. ]Cl. it is tyme.

[213. ]Cl. ins. hire bef. diden. Cp. H. diden; Cl. deden.

[214. ]Cm. spekyn wondir wel; Cl. (and rest) wonder wel spaken (speken).

[221. ]Cl. gardeyn.

[223. ]Cl. lyste; Cp. Ed. H. leste.

[229. ]Cp. Ed. paillet; rest pailet.

[237. ]Cl. speke; rest speken (spekyn).

[240. ]Cl. om. so.

[242. ]Cp. Cm. waxeth; Ed. woxe; rest wax (but read wex).

[244. ]Cl. sethen do.

[250. ]Cl. a game bygonne to.

[254. ]Cp. H. Bitwixen; Cl. Bytwene.

[260. ]Cl. alle; rest al.

[262. ]Cl. for to abrygge; Cp. H. for tabregge; Cm. to abregge. Cl. destresse.

[268. ]Cl. alwed.

[269. ]Cl. dar I; rest I dar wel.

[270. ]Cl. om. that.

[279. ]Cl. bygone.

[280. ]Cl. wonne.

[281. ]Cl. om. wol. Cl. H2. go.

[283. ]Cl. preuete.

[290. ]Cl. Cm. Ed. om. ther.

[293. ]H. Ed. this (for yet); Cp. thus.

[299. ]Cl. selue; Cm. seluyn.

[300. ]H2. as for to; blabbe.

[301. ]Cl. the (for they).

[308. ]Cl. kyng (for kynde). Cl. auauntures (!).

[310. ]As. Cl. A.

[312. ]Cl. H2. holde; rest holden.

[313. ]Cl. om. it.

[315. ]Cl. Cp. H2. And a; rest And. Cl. heste; H2. hest; rest byhesto.

[319. ]Cl. byhight; Cp. bihyghte.

[320. ]Cl. no more; rest om. no.

[322. ]Cl. womman (!).

[323. ]Cl. this not.

[324. ]Cm. wis man; H2. wyse man; rest wyse men.

[327. ]Cl. wys.

[329. ]Cl. om. harm.

[335. ]Cl. suffice; rest suffise.

[337. ]Cl. om. wel.

[340. ]the] Cl. H2. thi.

[341. ]Cl. make (for may).

[344. ]or] Cl. and.

[346. ]theffect] Cl. the feyth.

[347. ]Cl. sorwe (for herte).

[351. ]Cl. om. as.

[352. ]Cp. H. H2. dede; Cl. Cm. ded.

[355. ]Cl. Cp. H. for to (for to).

[356. ]Cm. Wex; Cl. Cp. H. Wax.

[360. ]Cm. aprille; H. aperil; rest April.

[361. ]remembre] Cl. remembreth.

[363. ]H. didest; Cl. Cp. dedest.

[366. ]Cl. I to; rest om. to.

[368. ]Cm. Ed. tel; rest telle.

[380. ]Cl. thenketh.

[382. ]Cp. H. Caytif; Cl. Castif; rest Captif. All Agamenoun.

[385. ]Ed. the lyketh; H2. it lyke the; Cl. it lyketh; Cp. H. Cm. it liketh the.

[386. ]Cl. meche; Cp. muche. Cl. Cm. don; rest I-do (y-do, ydon).

[389. ]Cl. In; rest on.

[390. ]Cl. the wole.

[391. ]Cp. H. sclaue; Ed. slaue; Cl. knaue (with sl altered to kn).

[397. ]Cl. baudery.

[398. ]Cl. om. wood.

[412. ]All Tel. Cl. Cp. H. om. me.

[414. ]Cl. seruyce.

[417. ]Ed. moste; rest most.

[425. ]Cp. Ed. though; H2. thogh; Cl. H. thought; Cm. tho.

[441. ]Cl. he (for her).

[442. ]All lay; perhaps read laye (subjunctive).

[443. ]Cl. dishesed.

[446. ]Cm. man; Cl. Cp. H. men. Ed. men be. Cl. yplesed; rest plesed.

[450. ]Cp. H. writen; Cl. wreten.

[451. ]Cl. om. and.

[452. ]or] Cl. Ed. and.

[453. ]Cl. as it; rest om. it.

[457. ]Cl. om. awayt.

[462. ]Cl. make; a (for an).

[463. ]Cm. speke; rest spake.

[475. ]Cl. seruyce.

[476. ]Cp. H. auyse; rest deuyse.

[481. ]Cm. goode; rest good.

[485. ]Cp. Ed. y-like; H. yhold; rest ylyk.

[491. ]wayten] Cl. wene.

[496. ]Cl. stont; Cp. H. Cm. stant.

[497. ]Cl. Cp. Cm. Hise.

[507. ]Cm. These; rest This.

[509. ]Cl. myght; Cp. H. Cm. myghte.

[510. ]Ed. fulfell; rest fulfille.

[514. ]Cl. And; rest As.

[516. ]Cl. There-as; rest Wher-as.

[520. ]Cl. om. -to.

[525. ]Cp. H. H2. impossible.

[526. ]Cp. H. Cm. Dredeles; Cl. Dredles. Cm. cler; rest clere.

[527. ]Of] Cl. From.

[531. ]Cp. H. H2. witen; rest weten.

[533. ]Cl. puruyaunce.

[540. ]H. moste; Cm. Ed. muste; Cl. most.

[545. ]Cl. om. -thy.

[547. ]Cl. there but; rest om. but.

[548. ]Cl. shortely.

[551. ]Ed. H2. welken; Cp. wolken; rest walkene (walken).

[552. ]Cl. straught; H. H2. streight; Cp. streght.

[555. ]Cl. woned; rest wont.

[558. ]Cp. H. cape.

[562. ]sholde] Cl. shal.

[563. ]Cl. om. ne.

[572. ]Cp. H. thruste (!); Cm. thourrste (for thurfte); H2. Ed. durst; Cl. dorste (but read thurfte). Cl. haue neuere.

[1-38.]This is an exceptionally difficult passage, and some of the editions make great nonsense of it, especially of ll. 15-21. It is, however, imitated from stanzas 74-79 of the Filostrato, Book III; where the invocation is put into the mouth of Troilus.

The key to it is that it is an address to Venus, both the planet and the goddess.

[2.]The planet Venus was considered to be in ‘the third heaven.’ The ‘heavens’ or spheres were named, respectively, after the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the ‘fixed stars;’ beyond which was the Primum Mobile, the earth being in the centre of all, and immoveable. Sometimes the spheres of the seven planets were reckoned backwards from Saturn, Venus being then in the fifth heaven; see Lenvoy a Scogan, 9, and the note.

[3.]‘O favourite of the Sun, O dear daughter of Jove!’ Venus was considered a fortunate planet. Perhaps it is best to quote the Italian text here:—

    • ‘O luce eterna, il cui lieto splendore
    • Fa bello il terzo ciel, dal qual ne piove
    • Piacer, vaghezza, pietade ed amore;
    • Del sole amica, e figliuola di Giove,
    • Benigna donna d’ogni gentil core,
    • Certa cagion del valor che mi muove
    • A’ sospir dolci della mia salute,
    • Sempre lodata sia la tua virtute.
    • Il ciel, la terra, lo mare e l’inferno
    • Ciascuno in sè la tua potenzia sente,
    • O chiara luce; e s’io il ver discerno,
    • Le piante, i semi, e l’erbe puramente,
    • Gli uccei, le fiere, i pesci con eterno
    • Vapor ti senton nel tempo piacente,
    • E gli uomini e gli dei, nè creatura
    • Senza di te nel mondo vale o dura.
    • Tu Giove prima agli alti affetti lieto,
    • Pe’ qua’ vivono e son tutte le cose,
    • Movesti, o bella dea; e mansueto
    • Sovente il rendi all’ opere noiose
    • Di noi mortali; e il meritato fleto
    • In liete feste volgi e dilettose;
    • E in mille forme già quaggiù il mandasti,
    • Quand’ ora d’una ed or d’altra il pregasti.

[11.]vapour, influence; Ital. Vapor (l. 598).

[15.]The readings in this stanza are settled by the Ital. text. Thus, in ll. 17, 19, 20, read him, not hem. Comeveden, didst move or instigate; agreeing with ye, for which Mod. E. uses thou. ‘Thou didst first instigate Jove to those glad effects (influences), through which all things live and exist; and didst make him amorous of mortal things; and, at thy pleasure, didst ever give him, in love, success or trouble; and, in a thousand forms, didst send him down to (gain) love on earth; and he caught those whom it pleased you (he should catch).’

In l. 17 we find Comeveden sometimes turned into Comenden, or even Commodious! The Italian text has Movesti (l. 603).

[22.]Venus was supposed to appease the angry planet Mars; see Compl. of Mars, 36-42.

[27.]‘According as a man wishes.’

[29.]‘Tu in unità le case e li cittadi, Li regni, . . . Tien.’

[31-34.]

  • ‘Tu sola le nascosi qualitadi
  • Delle cose conosci, onde ’l costrutto
  • Vi metti tal, che fai maravigliare
  • Chi tua potenza non sa riguardare.’

I. e. ‘Thou only knowest the hidden qualities of things, whence thou formest such a construction, that thou makest to marvel any one who knows not how to estimate thy power.’ Chaucer seems to have used construe because suggested by construtto, but he really uses it as answering to sa (in the fourth line), and omits the words ’l costrutto vi metti tal altogether. Hence ll. 33-35 mean: ‘when they cannot explain how it may come to pass that she loves him, or why he loves her; (so as to shew) why this fish, and not that one, comes to the weir.’

Io (= jo), come to pass. This word is not in the dictionaries, and has been coolly altered into go (!) in various editions. But it answers to O.F. joer (F. jouer), to play, hence, to play a game, to make a move (as in a game); here, to come about, come to pass.

[35.]were, weir, pool where fish are caught; see Parl. Foules, 138, and note.

[36.]‘You have imposed a law on folks in this universe;’ Ital. ‘Tu legge, o dea, poni all’ universo.’

[44, 45.]Inhelde, pour in. Caliope, Calliope, muse of epic poetry; similarly invoked by Dante, Purg. i. 9.

[87.]‘Though he was not pert, nor made difficulties; nor was he too bold, (as if about) to sing a mass for a fool.’ The last expression was probably proverbial; it seems to mean to speak without hesitation or a feeling of respect.

[115.]to watre wolde, would turn to water; cf. Squi. Ta. F 496.

[120.]‘I? what? i. e. ‘I? what (am I to do)?’ In l. 122, Pandarus repeats her words, mockingly: ‘You say I? what? why, of course you should pity him.’

[136-138.]‘And I (am) to have comfort, as it pleases you, (being at the same time) under your correction, (so as to have what is) equal to my offence, as (for instance) death.’ See Cant. Ta. B 1287.

[150.]‘By the feast of Jupiter, who presides over nativities.’ The reason for the use of natal is not obvious. Cf. ‘Scit Genius, natale comes qui temperat astrum;’ Horat. Ep. ii. 2. 187.

[188.]‘I seem to hear the town-bells ringing for this miracle, though no hand pulls the ropes.’

[193, 194.]and oon, And two, ‘both the one of you and the other.’

[198.]bere the belle, take the former place, take precedence; like the bell-wether that heads the flock. See the New E. Dict.

[228.]‘Straight as a line,’ i. e. directly, at once.

[294.]See Manc. Ta. H 333, and note.

[299.]‘Thou understandest and knowest enough proverbs against the vice of gossiping, even if men spoke truth as often as they lie.’

[308.]‘No boaster is to be believed, in the natural course of things.’

[328, 329.]drat, dreadeth. Cf. ‘Felix, quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum.’ But Chaucer took it from Le Rom. de la Rose, 8041-2: ‘Moult a benéurée vie Cil qui par autrui se chastie.’

[340.]‘And a day is appointed for making up the charters’ (which will particularise what she has granted you); metaphorical.

[349.]richesse, abundance; not a happy word, but suggested by the Ital. text: ‘I sospir ch’egli aveva a gran dovizia;’ Fil. iii. 11. Dovisia (Lat. diuitiae) is precisely ‘richesse.’ Bell has rehetyng, i. e. comforting (from O. F. rehaiter, reheiter), which gives no sense; and explains it by ‘reheating!’

[354.]lusty, lusty person; cf. Cant. Ta. A 165, 208.

[377.]‘Or durst (do so), or should know (how).’

[380.]stokked, fastened in the stocks; cf. Acts xvi. 24.

[404.]Departe it so, make this distinction.

[410.]frape, company, troop. Marked by Tyrwhitt as not understood. Other examples occur. ‘With hem a god gret frape;’ Adam Davy, &c., ed. Furnivall, p. 60, col. 1, text 3, l. 390; and see Allit. Morte Arthure, ed. Brock, 2163, 2804, 3548. Godefroy gives O. F. frap, a multitude, and frapaille, rabble.

[445.]‘And wished to be seised of that which he lacked.’

[497.]‘Or to enumerate all the looks and words of one that is in such uncertainty.’

[502.]as seith; but it does not appear that Boccaccio says anything of the kind. The same remark applies to l. 575.

[510.]Fulfelle is a Kentish form, the e answering to A. S. y. Similar forms occur in Gower. See note to Book Duch. 438.

[526.]Scan: Dréd | elées | it cleer,’ &c. The sense is: ‘it was clear, in the direction of the wind, from every magpie and every spoil-sport.’ I. e. no one could detect them; they kept (like hunters) well to leeward, and there were no magpies or telltale birds to windward, to give an alarm.

[529.]Scan: In this matér-e, both-e frem’d. fremed, strange, wild.

[542.]holy, i. e. sacred to Apollo. From Ovid, Met. i. 566: ‘laurea . . uisa est agitasse cacumen.’

[545.]‘And therefore let no one hinder him.’

[572.]The readings all shew various corruptions of thurfte, which none of the scribes understood; see thurfen, tharf, in Stratmann. This is not the only place where thurfte has been ousted from the text. Cf. thar (for tharf) in the Reves Ta. A 4320, &c. Yow thurfte have, you would need (to) have. Yow is the dat. case, governed by the impers. verb. The reading yow durste turns yow (an accusative) into an imaginary nominative; but the nom. form is ye, which the cribes did not venture to substitute.