From Geoffrey Chaucer's "Troilus and Criseyde", Book I, lines 540-581

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From Troilus and Criseyde, Book I, lines 470-539:
Troilus becomes lovesick

Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400):
Troilus and Criseyde
Book I, lines 540-581: Pandarus visits his friend Troilus

540	This wordes and ful manye an other to
	He spak, and called ever in his compleynte
	Hir name, for to tellen hir his wo,
	Til neigh that he in salte teeres dreynte.
	Al was for nought, she herde nought his pleynte;
545	And whan that he bithoughte on that folye,
	A thousand fold his wo gan multiplye.

Biwayling in his chambre thus allone,

A freend of his, that called was Pandare,

Com ones in unwar, and herde him grone,

550 And say his freend in swich distresse and care:

`Allas!' quod he, `who causeth al this fare?

O mercy, God! What unhap may this mene?

Han now thus sone Grekes maad yow lene?

`Or hastow som remors of conscience,

555 And art now falle in som devocioun,

And waylest for thy synne and thyn offence,

And hast for ferde caught attricioun?

God save hem that bi-seged han our toun,

And so can leye our jolyte on presse,

560 And bring our lusty folk to holinesse!'

These wordes seyde he for the nones alle,

That with swich thing he mighte him angry maken,

And with an angre don his sorwe falle,

As for the tyme, and his corage awaken;

565 But wel he wist, as fer as tonges spaken,

Ther nas a man of gretter hardynesse

Than he, ne more desired worthynesse.

`What cas,' quod Troilus, `or what aventure

Hath gyded thee to see my languisshinge,

570 That am refus of every creature?

But for the love of God, at my preyinge,

Go henne a-way, for certes, my deyinge

Wol thee disese, and I mot nedes deye;

Therfore go wey, ther is no more to seye.

575 `But if thou wene I be thus sik for drede,

It is not so, and therfor scorne nought;

Ther is another thing I take of hede

Wel more than ought the Grekes han ywrought,

Which cause is of my deeth, for sorwe and thought.

580 But though that I now telle thee it ne leste,

Be thou nought wrooth; I hyde it for the beste.'

Next:
From Troilus and Criseyde, Book I, lines 582-679:
Pandarus tries to comfort Troilus

	Biwayling in his chambre thus allone,
	A freend of his, that called was Pandare,
	Com ones in unwar, and herde him grone,
550	And say his freend in swich distresse and care:
	`Allas!' quod he, `who causeth al this fare?
	O mercy, God! What unhap may this mene?
	Han now thus sone Grekes maad yow lene?

	`Or hastow som remors of conscience,
555	And art now falle in som devocioun,
	And waylest for thy synne and thyn offence,
	And hast for ferde caught attricioun?
	God save hem that bi-seged han our toun,
	And so can leye our jolyte on presse,
560	And bring our lusty folk to holinesse!'

	These wordes seyde he for the nones alle,
	That with swich thing he mighte him angry maken,
	And with an angre don his sorwe falle,
	As for the tyme, and his corage awaken;
565	But wel he wist, as fer as tonges spaken,
	Ther nas a man of gretter hardynesse
	Than he, ne more desired worthynesse.

	`What cas,' quod Troilus, `or what aventure
	Hath gyded thee to see my languisshinge,
570	That am refus of every creature?
	But for the love of God, at my preyinge,
	Go henne a-way, for certes, my deyinge
	Wol thee disese, and I mot nedes deye;
	Therfore go wey, ther is no more to seye.

575	`But if thou wene I be thus sik for drede,
	It is not so, and therfor scorne nought;
	Ther is another thing I take of hede
	Wel more than ought the Grekes han ywrought,
	Which cause is of my deeth, for sorwe and thought.
580	But though that I now telle thee it ne leste,
	Be thou nought wrooth; I hyde it for the beste.'