From Geoffrey Chaucer's "Troilus and Criseyde", Book II, lines 1492-1568

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From Troilus and Criseyde, Book II, lines 1401-1491:
Pandarus asks Deiphebus to organise a dinner at his hous and to invite Troilus and Criseyde and some other people

Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400):
Troilus and Criseyde
Book II, lines 1492-1568: The gathering at Deiphebus' house

	Whanne this was doon, this Pandare up anon,
	To telle in short, and forth gan for to wende
	To Troilus, as stille as any stoon;
1495	And al this thing he tolde him, word and ende;
	And how that he Deiphebus gan to blende;
	And seyde him, `Now is tyme, if that thou conne,
	To bere thee wel to-morwe, and al is wonne.

`Now spek, now prey, now pitously compleyne;

1500 Lat not for nyce shame, or drede, or slouthe;

Somtyme a man mot telle his owene peyne;

Bileve it, and she shal han on thee routhe;

Thou shalt be saved by thy feyth, in trouthe.

But wel wot I, thou art now in a drede;

1505 And what it is, I leye, I can arede.

`Thow thinkest now, "How sholde I doon al this?

For by my cheres mosten folk aspye,

That for hir love is that I fare amis;

Yet hadde I levere unwist for sorwe dye."

1510 Now thenk not so, for thou dost greet folye.

For I right now have founden o manere

Of sleighte, for to coveren al thy chere.

`Thow shalt gon over night, and that as blyve,

Unto Deiphebus hous, as thee to pleye,

1515 Thy maladye awey the bet to dryve,

For-why thou semest sik, sooth for to seye.

Sone after that, doun in thy bed thee leye,

And sey, thow mayst no lenger up endure,

And ly right there, and byde thyn aventure.

1520 `Sey that thy fever is wont thee for to take

The same tyme, and lasten til a-morwe;

And lat see now how wel thou canst it make,

For, pardee, sik is he that is in sorwe.

Go now, farwel! And, Venus here to borwe,

1525 I hope, and thou this purpos holde ferme,

Thy grace she shal fully ther conferme.'

Quod Troilus, `Ywis, thou nedelees

Conseylest me, that sykliche I me feyne,

For I am sik in ernest, doutelees,

1530 So that wel neigh I sterve for the peyne.'

Quod Pandarus, `Thou shalt the bettre pleyne,

And hast the lasse need to countrefete;

For him men demen hoot that men seen swete.

`Lo, holde thee at thy triste cloos, and I

1535 Shal wel the deer unto thy bowe dryve.'

Therwith he took his leve al softely,

And Troilus to paleys wente blyve.

So glad ne was he never in al his lyve;

And to Pandarus reed gan al assente,

1540 And to Deiphebus hous at night he wente.

What nedeth yow to tellen al the chere

That Deiphebus unto his brother made,

Or his accesse, or his siklych manere,

How men gan him with clothes for to lade,

1545 Whan he was leyd, and how men wolde him glade?

But al for nought; he held forth ay the wyse

That ye han herd Pandare er this devyse.

But certeyn is, er Troilus him leyde,

Deiphebus had him prayed, over night,

1550 To been a freend and helping to Criseyde.

God woot, that he it grauntede anon-right,

To been hir fulle freend with al his might.

But swich a nede was to preye him thenne,

As for to bidde a wood man for to renne.

1555 The morwen com, and neighen gan the tyme

Of meeltyd, that the faire quene Eleyne

Shoop hir to been, an houre after the pryme,

With Deiphebus, to whom she nolde feyne;

But as his suster, hoomly, sooth to seyne,

1560 She com to diner in hir playn entente.

But God and Pandare wiste al what this mente.

Com eek Criseyde, al innocent of this,

Antigone, hir sister Tarbe also;

But flee we now prolixitee best is,

1565 For love of God, and lat us faste go

Right to the effect, withoute tales mo,

Why al this folk assembled in this place;

And lat us of hir saluinges pace.

Next:
From Troilus and Criseyde, Book II, lines 1569-1596:
Troilus lays sick

	`Now spek, now prey, now pitously compleyne;
1500	Lat not for nyce shame, or drede, or slouthe;
	Somtyme a man mot telle his owene peyne;
	Bileve it, and she shal han on thee routhe;
	Thou shalt be saved by thy feyth, in trouthe.
	But wel wot I, thou art now in a drede;
1505	And what it is, I leye, I can arede.

	`Thow thinkest now, "How sholde I doon al this?
	For by my cheres mosten folk aspye,
	That for hir love is that I fare amis;
	Yet hadde I levere unwist for sorwe dye."
1510	Now thenk not so, for thou dost greet folye.
	For I right now have founden o manere
	Of sleighte, for to coveren al thy chere.

	`Thow shalt gon over night, and that as blyve,
	Unto Deiphebus hous, as thee to pleye,
1515	Thy maladye awey the bet to dryve,
	For-why thou semest sik, sooth for to seye.
	Sone after that, doun in thy bed thee leye,
	And sey, thow mayst no lenger up endure,
	And ly right there, and byde thyn aventure.

1520	`Sey that thy fever is wont thee for to take
	The same tyme, and lasten til a-morwe;
	And lat see now how wel thou canst it make,
	For, pardee, sik is he that is in sorwe.
	Go now, farwel! And, Venus here to borwe,
1525	I hope, and thou this purpos holde ferme,
	Thy grace she shal fully ther conferme.'

	Quod Troilus, `Ywis, thou nedelees
	Conseylest me, that sykliche I me feyne,
	For I am sik in ernest, doutelees,
1530	So that wel neigh I sterve for the peyne.'
	Quod Pandarus, `Thou shalt the bettre pleyne,
	And hast the lasse need to countrefete;
	For him men demen hoot that men seen swete.

	`Lo, holde thee at thy triste cloos, and I
1535	Shal wel the deer unto thy bowe dryve.'
	Therwith he took his leve al softely,
	And Troilus to paleys wente blyve.
	So glad ne was he never in al his lyve;
	And to Pandarus reed gan al assente,
1540	And to Deiphebus hous at night he wente.

	What nedeth yow to tellen al the chere
	That Deiphebus unto his brother made,
	Or his accesse, or his siklych manere,
	How men gan him with clothes for to lade,
1545	Whan he was leyd, and how men wolde him glade?
	But al for nought; he held forth ay the wyse
	That ye han herd Pandare er this devyse.

	But certeyn is, er Troilus him leyde,
	Deiphebus had him prayed, over night,
1550	To been a freend and helping to Criseyde.
	God woot, that he it grauntede anon-right,
	To been hir fulle freend with al his might.
	But swich a nede was to preye him thenne,
	As for to bidde a wood man for to renne.

1555	The morwen com, and neighen gan the tyme
	Of meeltyd, that the faire quene Eleyne
	Shoop hir to been, an houre after the pryme,
	With Deiphebus, to whom she nolde feyne;
	But as his suster, hoomly, sooth to seyne,
1560	She com to diner in hir playn entente.
	But God and Pandare wiste al what this mente.

	Com eek Criseyde, al innocent of this,
	Antigone, hir sister Tarbe also;
	But flee we now prolixitee best is,
1565	For love of God, and lat us faste go
	Right to the effect, withoute tales mo,
	Why al this folk assembled in this place;
	And lat us of hir saluinges pace.