Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 94

Hath nat Lucresse y-slayn hir-self, allas! 1405 At Rome, whanne she oppressed was Of Tarquin, for hir thoughte it was a shame [502: T. 11720-11753.]

To liven whan she hadde lost hir name? (680)

1406. Hl. whanne; E. Hn. Cm. whan; Cp. Pt. there; Ln. thare. 1408.

Hn. Cm. Hl. hadde; _rest_ had.

The sevene maydens of Milesie also Han slayn hem-self, for verray drede and wo, 1410 Rather than folk of Gaule hem sholde oppresse.

Mo than a thousand stories, as I gesse, Coude I now telle as touchinge this matere.

1409. Hn. Cp. Ln. Milesie; E. Cm. Melesie. 1410. Hn. Cm. Hl. verray; _rest om._

Whan Habradate was slayn, his wyf so dere Hirselven slow, and leet hir blood to glyde 1415 In Habradates woundes depe and wyde, And seyde, "my body, at the leeste way, Ther shal no wight defoulen, if I may." (690)

1414. Hn. Hl. habradace; Cp. Pt. habradas; Ln. Abradas.

What sholde I mo ensamples heer-of sayn, Sith that so manye han hem-selven slayn 1420 Wel rather than they wolde defouled be?

I wol conclude, that it is bet for me To sleen my-self, than been defouled thus.

I wol be trewe un-to Arveragus, Or rather sleen my-self in som manere, 1425 As dide Demociones doghter dere, By-cause that she wolde nat defouled be.

O Cedasus! it is ful greet pitee, (700) To reden how thy doghtren deyde, allas!

That slowe hem-selven for swich maner cas. 1430

1430. _All_ hem-self; _see_ l. 1420.

As greet a pitee was it, or wel more, The Theban mayden, that for Nichanore Hir-selven slow, right for swich maner wo.

Another Theban mayden dide right so; For oon of Macedoine hadde hir oppressed, 1435 She with hir deeth hir maydenhede redressed.

1435. Cm. Ma.s.sedoyne; Ln. Macedoyne; Cp. Macedoigne; Pt. Masidoigne; Hl. Macidone; E. Hn. Macidonye.

What shal I seye of Nicerates wyf, That for swich cas birafte hir-self hir lyf? (710)

1437. Hn. Hl. Niceratis; Cm. Nycherates.

How trewe eek was to Alcebiades His love, that rather for to dyen chees 1440 Than for to suffre his body unburied be!

[503: T. 11754-11785.]

Lo which a wyf was Alceste,' quod she.

1440. Cm. al (_for_ that); E. _om._ 1442. Cp. Ln. Alcestem; Pt.

Alcesteyn; _rest_ Alceste.

'What seith Omer of G.o.de Penalopee?

Al Grece knoweth of hir chast.i.tee.

1443. E. Penalopee; _rest_ Penolopee (-pe).

Pardee, of Laodomya is writen thus, 1445 That whan at Troye was slayn Protheselaus, No lenger wolde she live after his day.

1445. Hn. Hl. Laodomya; E. Cm. Lacedomya; _rest_ Leodamya.

The same of n.o.ble Porcia telle I may; (720) With-oute Brutus coude she nat live, To whom she hadde al hool hir herte yive. 1450

1450. Cp. Cm. Hl. yiue; E. Hn. Pt. yeue.

The parfit wyfhod of Arthemesye Honoured is thurgh al the Barbarye,

1452. E. Honured.

O Teuta, queen! thy wyfly chast.i.tee To alle wyves may a mirour be.

The same thing I seye of Bilia, [T. _om._ Of Rodogone, and eek Valeria.' [T. _om._

1453. Cm. Cp. Hl. queen; _rest_ queene (quene). 1455, 1456. _These two lines are in_ E. _and_ edd. _only_. E. Bilyea (_edd._ Bilia; _see note_).

Thus pleyned Dorigene a day or tweye, Purposinge ever that she wolde deye. (730)

1457. E. pleyne; _rest_ pleyned.

But nathelees, upon the thridde night, Hom cam Arveragus, this worthy knight, 1460 And asked hir, why that she weep so sore?

And she gan wepen ever lenger the more.

'Allas!' quod she, 'that ever was I born!

Thus have I seyd,' quod she, 'thus have I sworn'-- And told him al as ye han herd bifore; 1465 It nedeth nat reherce it yow na-more.

1463. E. I was; _rest_ was I.

This housbond with glad chere, in freendly wyse, Answerde and seyde as I shal yow devyse: (740) 'Is ther oght elles, Dorigen, but this?'

1467. E. Hl. chiere.

'Nay, nay,' quod she, 'G.o.d help me so, as wis; 1470 This is to muche, and it were G.o.ddes wille.'

'Ye, wyf,' quod he, 'lat slepen that is stille; It may be wel, paraventure, yet to-day.

Ye shul your trouthe holden, by my fay!

For G.o.d so wisly have mercy on me, 1475 [504: T. 11786-11816.]

I hadde wel lever y-stiked for to be, For verray love which that I to yow have, But-if ye sholde your trouthe kepe and save. (750) Trouthe is the hyeste thing that man may kepe':-- But with that word he brast anon to wepe, 1480 And seyde, 'I yow forbede, up peyne of deeth, That never, whyl thee lasteth lyf ne breeth, To no wight tel thou of this aventure.

As I may best, I wol my wo endure, Ne make no contenance of hevinesse, 1485 That folk of yow may demen harm or gesse.'

1475. Hl. on; E. Hn. Cm. vp on. 1481. E. _om._ of. 1483. Hn. tel; _rest_ telle; _see_ l. 1591.

And forth he cleped a squyer and a mayde: 'Goth forth anon with Dorigen,' he sayde, (760) 'And bringeth hir to swich a place anon.'

They take hir leve, and on hir wey they gon; 1490 But they ne wiste why she thider wente.

He nolde no wight tellen his entente. (764)

Paraventure an heep of yow, y-wis, [T. _om._ Wol holden him a lewed man in this, [T. _om._ That he wol putte his wyf in Iupartye; [T. _om._ Herkneth the tale, er ye up-on hir crye. [T. _om._ She may have bettre fortune than yow semeth; [T. _om._ And whan that ye han herd the tale, demeth. [T. _om._

1493-98. _found in_ E. _only_.

This squyer, which that highte Aurelius, (771) On Dorigen that was so amorous, 1500 Of aventure happed hir to mete Amidde the toun, right in the quikkest strete, As she was boun to goon the wey forth-right Toward the gardin ther-as she had hight.

And he was to the gardinward also; 1505 For wel he spyed, whan she wolde go Out of hir hous to any maner place.