From Geoffrey Chaucer's "Troilus and Criseyde", Book I, lines 680-721

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

Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400):
Troilus and Criseyde
Book I, lines 680-721: Pandarus urges Troilus to tell him what is wrong

680	`Therfore, as freend fullich in me assure,
	And tel me plat what is thyn enchesoun,
	And final cause of wo that ye endure;
	For douteth nothing, myn entencioun
	Nis nought to yow of reprehencioun,
685	To speke as now, for no wight may bireve
	A man to love, til that him list to leve.

`And witeth wel, that bothe two ben vyces,

Mistrusten alle, or elles alle leve;

But wel I woot, the mene of it no vyce is,

690 For to trusten sum wight is a preve

Of trouthe, and forthy wolde I fayn remeve

Thy wrong conseyte, and do thee som wight triste,

Thy wo to telle; and tel me, if thee liste.

`The wyse seyth, "Wo him that is allone,

695 For, and he falle, he hath noon help to ryse;"

And sith thou hast a felawe, tel thy mone;

For this nis not, certeyn, the nexte wyse

To winnen love, as techen us the wyse,

To walwe and wepe as Niobe the quene,

700 Whos teeres yet in marbel been ysene.

`Lat be thy weping and thi drerinesse,

And lat us lissen wo with other speche;

So may thy woful tyme seme lesse.

Delyte not in wo thy wo to seche,

705 As doon thise foles that hir sorwes eche

With sorwe, whan they han misaventure,

And listen nought to seche hem other cure.

`Men seyn, "To wrecche is consolacioun

To have another felawe in his peyne;"

710 That oughte wel ben our opinioun,

For, bothe thou and I, of love we pleyne;

So ful of sorwe am I, sooth for to seyne,

That certeynly no more harde grace

May sitte on me, for-why ther is no space.

715 `If God wole thou art not agast of me,

Lest I wolde of thy lady thee bigyle,

Thow wost thyself whom that I love, pardee,

As I best can, gon sithen longe whyle.

And sith thou wost I do it for no wyle,

720 And sith I am he that thou tristest most,

Tel me sumwhat, syn al my wo thou wost.'

Next:
From Troilus and Criseyde, Book I, lines 722-819:
Pandarus tells Troilus he has to reveal his love instead of killing himself

	`And witeth wel, that bothe two ben vyces,
	Mistrusten alle, or elles alle leve;
	But wel I woot, the mene of it no vyce is,
690	For to trusten sum wight is a preve
	Of trouthe, and forthy wolde I fayn remeve
	Thy wrong conseyte, and do thee som wight triste,
	Thy wo to telle; and tel me, if thee liste.

	`The wyse seyth, "Wo him that is allone,
695	For, and he falle, he hath noon help to ryse;"
	And sith thou hast a felawe, tel thy mone;
	For this nis not, certeyn, the nexte wyse
	To winnen love, as techen us the wyse,
	To walwe and wepe as Niobe the quene,
700	Whos teeres yet in marbel been ysene.

	`Lat be thy weping and thi drerinesse,
	And lat us lissen wo with other speche;
	So may thy woful tyme seme lesse.
	Delyte not in wo thy wo to seche,
705	As doon thise foles that hir sorwes eche
	With sorwe, whan they han misaventure,
	And listen nought to seche hem other cure.

	`Men seyn, "To wrecche is consolacioun
	To have another felawe in his peyne;"
710	That oughte wel ben our opinioun,
	For, bothe thou and I, of love we pleyne;
	So ful of sorwe am I, sooth for to seyne,
	That certeynly no more harde grace
	May sitte on me, for-why ther is no space.

715	`If God wole thou art not agast of me,
	Lest I wolde of thy lady thee bigyle,
	Thow wost thyself whom that I love, pardee,
	As I best can, gon sithen longe whyle.
	And sith thou wost I do it for no wyle,
720	And sith I am he that thou tristest most,
	Tel me sumwhat, syn al my wo thou wost.'