Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 17

Hir maydens, that she thider with hir ladde, 2275 Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde, Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al That to the sacrifyce longen shal; (1420) The hornes fulle of meth, as was the gyse; Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifyse. 2280 Smoking the temple, ful of clothes faire, This Emelye, with herte debonaire, Hir body wessh with water of a welle; But how she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle, But it be any thing in general; 2285 [66: T. 2288-2324.]

And yet it were a game to heren al; To him that meneth wel, it were no charge: But it is good a man ben at his large. (1430) Hir brighte heer was kempt, untressed al; A coroune of a grene ook cerial 2290 Up-on hir heed was set ful fair and mete.

Two fyres on the auter gan she bete, And dide hir thinges, as men may biholde In Stace of Thebes, and thise bokes olde.

Whan kindled was the fyr, with pitous chere 2295 Un-to Diane she spak, as ye may here.

2274. Pt. Hl. _ins._ she _after_ gan. 2276. E. ladde; _rest_ hadde.

2279. Cp. Pt. Ln. methe; Hl. meth; E. meeth; Hn. mede. 2287. were]

Hn. Cp. Ln. nere. 2289. E. kempd.

'O chaste G.o.ddesse of the wodes grene, To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene, (1440) Quene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe, G.o.ddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe 2300 Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desire, As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire, That Attheon aboughte cruelly.

Chaste G.o.ddesse, wel wostow that I Desire to been a mayden al my lyf, 2305 Ne never wol I be no love ne wyf.

I am, thou woost, yet of thy companye, A mayde, and love hunting and venerye, (1450) And for to walken in the wodes wilde, And noght to been a wyf, and be with childe. 2310 Noght wol I knowe companye of man.

Now help me, lady, sith ye may and can, For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee.

And Palamon, that hath swich love to me, And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore, 2315 This grace I preye thee with-oute more, As sende love and pees bitwixe hem two; And fro me turne awey hir hertes so, (1460) That al hir hote love, and hir desyr, And al hir bisy torment, and hir fyr 2320 Be queynt, or turned in another place; And if so be thou wolt not do me grace, [67: T. 2325-2360.]

Or if my destinee be shapen so, That I shal nedes have oon of hem two, As sende me him that most desireth me. 2325 Bihold, G.o.ddesse of clene chast.i.tee, The bittre teres that on my chekes falle.

Sin thou are mayde, and keper of us alle, (1470) My maydenhede thou kepe and wel conserve, And whyl I live a mayde, I wol thee serve.' 2330

2303. Hl. Atheon. cruelly] Hl. trewely. 2311. E. Hl. _ins._ the _after_ knowe. 2317. Hn. As; _rest_ And; _see_ l. 2325. 2322. not do me] E. Hl. Pt. do me no. 2323. E. And; _rest_ Or. 2328. E. Cm.

Cp. kepere.

The fyres brenne up-on the auter clere, Whyl Emelye was thus in hir preyere; But sodeinly she saugh a sighte queynte, For right anon oon of the fyres queynte, And quiked agayn, and after that anon 2335 That other fyr was queynt, and al agon; And as it queynte, it made a whistelinge, As doon thise wete brondes in hir brenninge, (1480) And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon As it were blody dropes many oon; 2340 For which so sore agast was Emelye, That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye, For she ne wiste what it signifyed; But only for the fere thus hath she cryed, And weep, that it was pitee for to here. 2345 And ther-with-al Diane gan appere, With bowe in hond, right as an hunteresse, And seyde: 'Doghter, stint thyn hevinesse. (1490) Among the G.o.ddes hye it is affermed, And by eterne word write and confermed, 2350 Thou shalt ben wedded un-to oon of tho That han for thee so muchel care and wo; But un-to which of hem I may nat telle.

Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle.

The fyres which that on myn auter brenne 2355 Shul thee declaren, er that thou go henne, Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas.'

And with that word, the arwes in the cas (1500) [68: T. 2361-2398.]

Of the G.o.ddesse clateren faste and ringe, And forth she wente, and made a vanisshinge; 2360 For which this Emelye astoned was, And seyde, 'What amounteth this, allas!

I putte me in thy proteccioun, Diane, and in thy disposicioun.'

And hoom she gooth anon the nexte weye. 2365 This is theffect, ther is namore to seye.

2337. E. Hn. Cp. whistlynge. 2338. Hl. (_only_) As doth a wete brond in his. 2344. Pt Hl. _om._ hath. 2350. Hl. write; Pt. writt; _rest_ writen. 2356. E. Cp. Hl. declare. 2358. E. caas.

The nexte houre of Mars folwinge this, Arcite un-to the temple walked is (1510) Of fierse Mars, to doon his sacrifyse, With alle the rytes of his payen wyse. 2370 With pitous herte and heigh devocioun, Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun:

2369. E. Hn. fierse; Cm. ferse; Hl. fyry.

'O stronge G.o.d, that in the regnes colde Of Trace honoured art, and lord y-holde, And hast in every regne and every lond 2375 Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond, And hem fortunest as thee list devyse, Accept of me my pitous sacrifyse. (1520) If so be that my youthe may deserve, And that my might be worthy for to serve 2380 Thy G.o.dhede, that I may been oon of thyne, Than preye I thee to rewe up-on my pyne.

For thilke peyne, and thilke hote fyr, In which thou whylom brendest for desyr, Whan that thou usedest the grete beautee 2385 Of fayre yonge fresshe Venus free, And haddest hir in armes at thy wille, Al-though thee ones on a tyme misfille (1530) Whan Vulca.n.u.s had caught thee in his las, And fond thee ligging by his wyf, allas! 2390 For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte, Have routhe as wel up-on my peynes smerte.

I am yong and unkonning, as thou wost, And, as I trowe, with love offended most, That ever was any lyves creature; 2395 For she, that dooth me al this wo endure, [69: T. 2399-2436.]

Ne reccheth never wher I sinke or flete.

And wel I woot, er she me mercy hete, (1540) I moot with strengthe winne hir in the place; And wel I woot, withouten help or grace 2400 Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle.

Than help me, lord, to-morwe in my bataille, For thilke fyr that whylom brente thee, As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me; And do that I to-morwe have victorie. 2405 Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie!

Thy soverein temple wol I most honouren Of any place, and alwey most labouren (1550) In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge, And in thy temple I wol my baner honge, 2410 And alle the armes of my companye; And evere-mo, un-to that day I dye, Eterne fyr I wol biforn thee finde.

And eek to this avow I wol me binde: My berd, myn heer that hongeth long adoun, 2415 That never yet ne felte offensioun Of rasour nor of shere, I wol thee yive, And ben thy trewe servant whyl I live. (1560) Now lord, have routhe up-on my sorwes sore, Yif me victorie, I aske thee namore.' 2420

2385. Hl. the gret; _rest om._ gret. 2402. E. Hn. Thanne. 2420.

_All ins._ the (Hl. thy) _after_ me; (_read_ victorie).

The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge, The ringes on the temple-dore that honge, And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, Of which Arcita som-what him agaste.

The fyres brende up-on the auter brighte, 2425 That it gan al the temple for to lighte; And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf, And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, (1570) And more encens in-to the fyr he caste, With othere rytes mo; and atte laste 2430 The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe.

And with that soun he herde a murmuringe Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, 'Victorie:'

For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie.

[70: T. 2437-2473.]

And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare, 2435 Arcite anon un-to his inne is fare, As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.

2425. Hn. Cm. brende; E. Cp. Hl. brenden. 2433. E. Hn. Hl. and; _rest_ that. 2436. E. Hn. Cm. in.

And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne (1580) For thilke graunting, in the hevene above, Bitwixe Venus, the G.o.ddesse of love, 2440 And Mars, the sterne G.o.d armipotente, That Iupiter was bisy it to stente; Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, That knew so manye of aventures olde, Fond in his olde experience an art, 2445 That he ful sone hath plesed every part.

As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage; In elde is bothe wisdom and usage; (1590) Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede.

Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, 2450 Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde.

2441. E. stierne. 2445. an] E. Pt. and. 2449. Hl. Pt. but; _rest_ and.

'My dere doghter Venus,' quod Saturne, 'My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne, Hath more power than wot any man. 2455 Myn is the drenching in the see so wan; Myn is the prison in the derke cote; Myn is the strangling and hanging by the throte; (1600) The murmure, and the cherles rebelling, The groyning, and the pryvee empoysoning: 2460 I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun Whyl I dwelle in the signe of the leoun.

Myn is the ruine of the hye halles, The falling of the toures and of the walles Up-on the mynour or the carpenter. 2465 I slow Sampsoun in shaking the piler; And myne be the maladyes colde, The derke tresons, and the castes olde; (1610) My loking is the fader of pestilence.

Now weep namore, I shal doon diligence 2470 That Palamon, that is thyn owne knight, [71: T. 2474-2506.]

Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight.

Though Mars shal helpe his knight, yet nathelees Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees, Al be ye noght of o complexioun, 2475 That causeth al day swich divisioun.

I am thin ayel, redy at thy wille; Weep thou namore, I wol thy l.u.s.t fulfille.' (1620)

2462. E. _om. 1st_ the. 2466. Hl. in; _rest om._ 2468. Hl. tresoun.

Now wol I stinten of the G.o.ddes above, Of Mars, and of Venus, G.o.ddesse of love, 2480 And telle yow, as pleynly as I can, The grete effect, for which that I bigan.

EXPLICIT TERCIA PARS. SEQUITUR PARS QUARTA.

Greet was the feste in Athenes that day, And eek the l.u.s.ty seson of that May Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce, 2485 That al that Monday Iusten they and daunce, And spenden it in Venus heigh servyse.

But by the cause that they sholde ryse (1630) Erly, for to seen the grete fight, Unto hir reste wente they at night. 2490 And on the morwe, whan that day gan springe, Of hors and harneys, noyse and clateringe Ther was in hostelryes al aboute; And to the paleys rood ther many a route Of lordes, up-on stedes and palfreys. 2495 Ther maystow seen devysing of herneys So uncouth and so riche, and wroght so weel Of goldsmithrie, of browding, and of steel; (1640) The sheeldes brighte, testers, and trappures; Gold-hewen helmes, hauberks, cote-armures; 2500 Lordes in paraments on hir courseres, Knightes of retenue, and eek squyeres Nailinge the speres, and helmes bokelinge, Gigginge of sheeldes, with layneres lacinge; [72: T. 2507-2543.]

Ther as need is, they weren no-thing ydel; 2505 The fomy stedes on the golden brydel Gnawinge, and faste the armurers also With fyle and hamer prikinge to and fro; (1650) Yemen on fote, and communes many oon With shorte staves, thikke as they may goon; 2510 Pypes, trompes, nakers, clariounes, That in the bataille blowen blody sounes; The paleys ful of peples up and doun, Heer three, ther ten, holding hir questioun, Divyninge of thise Thebane knightes two. 2515 Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so; Somme helden with him with the blake berd, Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke-herd; (1660) Somme sayde, he loked grim and he wolde fighte; He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte. 2520 Thus was the halle ful of divyninge, Longe after that the sonne gan to springe.

2489. Hl. Erly a-morwe for to see that fight. 2493. E. _ins._ the _after_ in. 2500. Hl. Gold-beten. 2503. Nailinge] Hl. Rayhyng.

2504. Hl. Girdyng. 2511. E. nakerers (_wrongly_). 2513. Hl. pepul; Pt. puple; Ln. peple.

The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked With minstralcye and noyse that was maked, Held yet the chambre of his paleys riche, 2525 Til that the Thebane knightes, bothe y-liche Honoured, were into the paleys fet.

Duk Theseus was at a window set, (1670) Arrayed right as he were a G.o.d in trone.

The peple preesseth thider-ward ful sone 2530 Him for to seen, and doon heigh reverence, And eek to herkne his hest and his sentence.

An heraud on a scaffold made an ho, Til al the noyse of the peple was y-do; And whan he saugh the peple of noyse al stille, 2535 Tho showed he the mighty dukes wille.

2533. E. Hn. Pt. oo. 2534. E. _om. 2nd_ the. 2535. E. Cm. the noyse of peple.

'The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun Considered, that it were destruccioun (1680) To gentil blood, to fighten in the gyse Of mortal bataille now in this empryse; 2540 Wherfore, to shapen that they shul not dye, [73: T. 2544-2579.]

He wol his firste purpos modifye.

No man therfor, up peyne of los of lyf, No maner shot, ne pollax, ne short knyf Into the listes sende, or thider bringe; 2545 Ne short swerd for to stoke, with poynt bytinge, No man ne drawe, ne bere it by his syde.

Ne no man shal un-to his felawe ryde (1690) But o cours, with a sharp y-grounde spere; Foyne, if him list, on fote, him-self to were. 2550 And he that is at meschief, shal be take, And noght slayn, but be broght un-to the stake That shal ben ordeyned on either syde; But thider he shal by force, and ther abyde.

And if so falle, the chieftayn be take 2555 On either syde, or elles slee his make, No lenger shal the turneyinge laste.

G.o.d spede yow; goth forth, and ley on faste. (1700) With long swerd and with maces fight your fille.

Goth now your wey; this is the lordes wille.' 2560

2544. E. Cm. _om. 1st_ ne. 2545. or] E. Cm. Ln. ne. 2547. E. Hl.

_om._ it. 2555. falle] E. be. Cm. cheuynteyn; Cp. cheuentein; Hl.

cheuenten. 2556. Hl. sle; _rest_ sleen (sclayn). 2559. Hl. fight; Ln. fihten; _rest_ fighteth.