From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Franklin's Tale, lines 323-373

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Franklin's Tale
lines 323-373: Aurelius pities himself and asks the gods for help

	He seyde, "Appollo, god and governour
	Of every plaunte, herbe, tree, and flour
325	That yevest after thy declinacioun
	To ech of hem his tyme and his sesoun,
	As thyn herberwe chaungeth lowe or heighe,
	Lord Phebus, cast thy mericiable eighe
	On wrecche Aurelie, which that am but lorn.
330	Lo, lord, my lady hath my deeth ysworn
	Withoute gilt, but thy benignytee
	Upon my dedly herte have som pitee.
	For wel I woot, lord Phebus, if yow lest,
	Ye may me helpen, save my lady, best.
335	Now voucheth sauf that I may yow devyse
	How that I may been holpen and in what wyse.

	He said: "Apollo, governor and god
	Of every plant, herb, tree, and flower in sod,
325	That givest, according to thy declination,
	To each of them its time of foliation,
	All as thy habitation's low or high,
	Lord Phoebus, cast thy merciful bright eye
	On wretched Aurelius, who is lost and lorn.
330	Lo, Lord! My lady has my swift death sworn,
	Without my guilt, save thy benignity
	Upon my dying heart have some pity!
	For well I know, Lord Phoebus, if you lest,
	You can thus aid me, save my lady, best.
335	Now vouchsafe that I may for you devise
	A plan to help me, telling in what wise.

	"Your blisful suster, Lucina the sheene,
	That of the see is chief goddesse and queene,
	(Though Neptunus have deitee in the see,
340	Yet emperisse aboven hym is she),
	Ye knowen wel, lord, that right as hir desir
	Is to be quyked and lightned of youre fir,
	For which she folweth yow ful bisily,
	Right so the see desireth naturelly
345	To folwen hir, as she that is goddesse
	Bothe in the see and ryveres moore and lesse.
	Wherfore, lord Phebus, this is my requeste -
	Do this miracle, or do myn herte breste, -
	That now next at this opposicioun
350	Which in the signe shal be of the Leoun,
	As preieth hir, so greet a flood to brynge
	That fyve fadme at the leeste it oversprynge
	The hyeste rokke in Armorik Briteyne,
	And lat this flood endure yeres tweyne.
355	Thanne, certes, to my lady may I seye
	'Holdeth youre heste, the rokkes been aweye.'

	"Your blessed sister, Lucina, serene,
	That of the sea is goddess chief and queen
	(Though Neptune is the deity in the sea,
340	Yet empress set above him there is she).
	You know well, Lord, that just as her desire
	Is to be quickened and lighted by your fire,
	For which she follows you right busily,
	Just so the sea desires, and naturally,
345	To follow her, she being high goddess
	Both of the sea and rivers, great and less.
	Wherefore, Lord Phoebus, this request I make -
	Without this miracle, my heart will break -
	That at the time of your next opposition,
350	Which will be in the Lion, make petition
	To her that she so great a flood will bring
	That full five fathoms shall it over-spring
	The highest rock in Armoric Brittany;
	And let this flood endure two years for me;
355	Then truly to my lady may I say:
	'Now keep your word, the rocks are gone away.'

	Lord Phebus, dooth this miracle for me,
	Preye hir she go no faster cours than ye.
	I seye, preyeth your suster that she go
360	No faster cours than ye thise yeres two.
	Thanne shal she been evene atte fulle alway;
	And spryng flood laste bothe nyght and day;
	And but she vouche sauf in swich manere
	To graunte me my sovereyn lady deere,
365	Prey hir to synken every rok adoun
	Into hir owene dirke regioun
	Under the ground ther Pluto dwelleth inne,
	Or nevere mo shal I my lady wynne.
	Thy temple in Delphos wol I barefoot seke,
370	Lord Phebus; se the teeris on my cheke,
	And of my peyne have som compassioun!"
	And with that word in swowne he fil adoun,
	And longe tyme he lay forth in a traunce.

	"Lord Phoebus, do this miracle for me;
	Pray her she run no faster course, being free-
	I say, Lord, pray your sister that she go
360	No faster course than you these next years two.
	Then shall she be even at the full alway,
	And spring-flood shall endure both night and day.
	And save she vouchsafe, Lord, in such manner
	To grant to me my sovereign lady dear,
365	Pray her to sink, then, every rock far down
	Into that region dark and cold, her own,
	Under the earth, the place Pluto dwells in,
	Or nevermore shall I my lady win.
	Thy temple in Delphi will I, barefoot, seek;
370	Lord Phoebus, see the tears upon my cheek,
	And on my pain be some compassion shown."
	And with that word in swoon he tumbled down,
	And for a long time lay there in a trance.