From Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales", The Monk's Tale, lines 295-358

Previous:
From The Monk's Tale, lines 255-294:
Nabugodonosor

From The Canterbury Tales:
The Monk's Tale
lines 295-358: Balthasar

Balthasar

295 His sone which that highte Balthasar,

That heeld the regne after his fader day,

He by his fader koude noght be war,

For proud he was of herte and of array;

And eek an ydolastre he was ay.

300 His hye estaat assured hym in pryde;

But Fortune caste hym doun and ther he lay,

And sodeynly his regne gan divide.

295 His son, called Belshazzar, or Balthasar,

Who held the realm after his father's day,

He for his father's fate would not beware,

For proud, he was of heart and of array;

He was a worshipper of idols aye.

300 His high estate assured him in his pride.

But Fortune cast him down and there he lay,

And suddenly his kingdom did divide.

A feeste he made unto hise lordes alle

Upon a tyme, and bad hem blithe bee,

305 And thanne hise officeres gan he calle,

"Gooth, bryngeth forth the vesseles," quod he,

"Whiche that my fader, in his prosperitee,

Out of the temple of Jerusalem birafte,

And to oure hye goddes thanke we

310 Of honour, that oure eldres with us lafte."

A feast he made unto a thousand lords,

Upon a time, and bade them merry be.

305 Then to his officers he said these words:

"Go fetch me forth the vessels all," said he,

"Of which my father, in prosperity,

The temple in Jerusalem bereft,

And unto our high gods give thanks that we

310 Retain the honour that our elders left."

Hys wyf, hise lordes, and hise concubynes

Ay dronken, whil hire appetites laste,

Out of thise noble vessels sondry wynes.

And on a wal this kyng hise eyen caste,

315 And saugh an hand armlees that wroot ful faste,

For feere of which he quook and siked soore.

This hand, that Balthasar so soore agaste,

Wroot Mane, techel, phares, and na moore.

His wife, his lords, and all his concubines,

They drank then, while that mighty feast did last,

Out of those noble vessels sundry wines.

But on a wall this king his eyes did cast

315 And saw an armless hand that wrote full fast,

For fear whereof he shook with trouble sore.

This hand that held Belshazzar so aghast

Wrote Mene, mene, tekel, and no more.

In al that land magicien was noon

320 That koude expounde what this lettre mente.

But Daniel expowned it anon,

And seyde, "Kyng, God to thy fader lente

Glorie and honour, regne, tresour, rente;

And he was proud, and nothyng God ne dradde,

325 And therfore God greet wreche upon hym sente,

And hym birafte the regne that he hadde.

In all that land magician was there none

320 Who could explain what thing this writing meant;

But when they sent for Daniel it was done,

Who said: "O king, God to your father lent

Glory and honour, treasure, government,

And he was proud, nor feared God, being mad,

325 Wherefore Lord God great misery on him sent,

And him bereft of all the realm he had.

He was out-cast of mannes compaignye,

With asses was his habitacioun,

And eet hey as a beest in weet and drye,

330 Til that he knew by grace and by resoun

That God of hevene hath domynacioun

Over every regne and every creature,

And thanne hadde God of hym compassioun

And hym restored his regne and his figure.

"He was cast out of human company;

With asses was his habitation known;

He ate hay like a beast, through wet and dry,

330 Until he learned, by grace and reason shown,

That Heaven's God has dominion, up and down,

Over all realms and everything therein;

And then did God to him compassion own

And gave him back his kingdom and his kin.

335 Eek thou that art his sone art proud also,

And knowest alle thise thynges verraily,

And art rebel to God and art his foo.

Thou drank eek of hise vessels boldely,

Thy wyf eek, and thy wenches, synfully

340 Dronke of the same vessels sondry wynys,

And heryest false goddes cursedly;

Therfore to thee yshapen ful greet pyne ys.

335 "Now you, who are his son, are proud also,

Though you knew all these things, aye verily;

You are a rebel and you are God's foe.

You drank from out His vessels boastfully;

Your wife and all your wenches sinfully

340 Drank from those sacred vessels sundry wines,

And praised false gods, and hailed them, wickedly;

Whereof toward you the wrath of God inclines.

This hand was sent from God, that on the wal

Wroot Mane, techel, phares, truste me!

345 Thy regne is doon, thou weyest noght at al,

Dyvyded is thy regne, and it shal be

To Medes and to Perses yeve," quod he.

And thilke same nyght this kyng was slawe

And Darius occupieth his degree,

350 Thogh he therto hadde neither right ne lawe.

"That hand was sent from God which on the wall

Wrote Mene, mene, tekel. Oh, trust me,

345 Your reign is done, you have no worth at all,

Divided is your realm, and it shall be

To Medes and Persians given now," said he.

And that night went the king to fill death's maw,

And so Darius took his high degree,

350 Though he thereto had naught of right in law.

Lordynges, ensample heerby may ye take

How that in lordshipe is no sikernesse;

For whan Fortune wole a man forsake,

She bereth awey his regne and his richesse,

355 And eek hise freendes, bothe moore and lesse,

For what man that hath freendes thurgh Fortune

Mishap wol maken hem enemys, as I gesse;

This proverbe is ful sooth and ful commune.

Masters, therefrom a moral may you take,

That in dominion is no certainness;

For when Fortune will any man forsake,

She takes his realm and all he may possess,

355 And all his friends, too, both the great and less;

For when a man has friends that Fortune gave,

Mishap but turns them enemies, as I guess:

This word is true for king as well as slave.

Next:
From The Monk's Tale, lines 359-486:
Cenobia