|
Dame Pertelote, I sey yow trewely, |
| Macrobeus, that writ the avisioun |
| In Affrike of the worhty Cipioun, |
| Affermeth dremes, and seith that they been |
| 360 | Warnynge of thynges, that men after seen. |
| And forther-moore I pray yow looketh wel |
| In the olde testament of Daniel, |
| If he heeld dremes any vanitee! |
| Reed eek of Joseph, and ther shul ye see |
| 365 | Wher dremes be somtyme - I sey nat alle - |
| Warnynge of thynges that shul after falle. |
| Looke of Egipte the kyng, daun Pharao, |
| His baker and his butiller also, |
| Wher they ne felte noon effect in dremes! |
| 370 | Whoso wol seken actes of sondry remes |
| May rede of dremes many a wonder thyng. |
| Lo Cresus, which that was of Lyde kyng, |
| Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree, |
| Which signified, he sholde anhanged bee? |
| 375 | Lo her Adromacha, Ectores wyf, |
| That day that Ector sholde lese his lyf |
| She dremed on the same nyght biforn |
| How that the lyf of Ector sholde be lorn, |
| If thilke day he wente into bataille. |
| 380 | She warned hym, but it myghte nat availle; |
| He wente for to fighte natheles, |
| But he was slayn anon of Achilles. |
| But thilke is al to longe for to telle, |
| And eek it is ny day, I may nat dwelle. |
| 385 | Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun, |
| That I shal han of this avisioun |
| Adversitee, and I seye forthermoor |
| That I ne telle of laxatyves no stoor, |
| For they been venymes, I woot it weel, |
| 390 | I hem diffye, I love hem never a deel. |
|
|
Dame Pertelote, I tell you verily, |
| Macrobius, who wrote of Scipio |
| The African a vision long ago, |
| He holds by dreams, saying that they have been |
| 360 | Warnings of things that men have later seen. |
| And furthermore, I pray you to look well |
| In the Old Testament at Daniel, |
| Whether he held dreams for mere vanity. |
| Read, too, of Joseph, and you there shall see |
| 365 | Where dreams have sometimes been - I say not all - |
| Warnings of things that, after did befall. |
| Consider Egypt's king, Dan Pharaoh, |
| His baker and his butler, these also, |
| Whether they knew of no effect from dreams. |
| 370 | Whoso will read of sundry realms the themes |
| May learn of dreams full many a wondrous thing. |
| Lo, Croesus, who was once of Lydia king, |
| Dreamed he not that he sat upon a tree, |
| Which signified that hanged high he should be? |
| 375 | Lo, how Andromache, great Hector's wife, |
| On that same day when Hector lost his life, |
| She dreamed upon the very night before |
| That Hector's life should be lost evermore, |
| If on that day he battled, without fail. |
| 380 | She warned him, but no warning could avail; |
| He went to fight, despite all auspices, |
| And so was shortly slain by Achilles. |
| But that same tale is all too long to tell, |
| And, too, it's nearly day, I must not dwell |
| 385 | Upon this; I but say, concluding here, |
| That from this vision I have cause to fear |
| Adversity; and I say, furthermore, |
| That I do set by laxatives no store, |
| For they are poisonous, I know it well. |
| 390 | Them I defy and love not, truth to tell. |
|
