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From Troilus and Criseyde, Book II, lines 1709-1757:
Pandarus asks Criseyde to come with him to see Troilus
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Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400):
Troilus and Criseyde
Book III, lines 1-49: Prologue

Incipit prohemium tercii libri.


O blisful light of whiche the bemes clere
Adorneth al the thridde hevene faire!
O sonnes lief, O Joves doughter dere,
Plesaunce of love, O goodly debonaire,
5In gentil hertes ay redy to repaire!
O verray cause of hele and of gladnesse,
Yheried be thy might and thy goodnesse!

In hevene and helle, in erthe and salte see
Is felt thy might, if that I wel descerne;
10As man, brid, best, fish, herbe and grene tree
Thee fele in tymes with vapour eterne.
God loveth, and to love wol nought werne;
And in this world no lyves creature,
Withouten love, is worth, or may endure.

15Ye Joves first to thilke effectes glade,
Thorugh which that thinges liven alle and be,
Comeveden, and amorous him made
On mortal thing, and as yow list, ay ye
Yeve him in love ese or adversitee;
20And in a thousand formes doun him sente
For love in erthe, and whom yow liste, he hente.

Ye fierse Mars apeysen of his ire,
And, as yow list, ye maken hertes digne;
Algates, hem that ye wol sette a-fyre,
25They dreden shame, and vices they resigne;
Ye do hem corteys be, fresshe and benigne,
And hye or lowe, after a wight entendeth;
The joyes that he hath, your might him sendeth.

Ye holden regne and hous in unitee;
30Ye soothfast cause of frendship been also;
Ye knowe al thilke covered qualitee
Of thinges which that folk on wondren so,
Whan they can not construe how it may jo,
She loveth him, or why he loveth here;
35As why this fish, and nought that, comth to were.

Ye folk a lawe han set in universe,
And this knowe I by hem that loveres be,
That whoso stryveth with yow hath the werse:
Now, lady bright, for thy benignitee,
40At reverence of hem that serven thee,
Whos clerk I am, so techeth me devyse
Som joye of that is felt in thy servyse.

Ye in my naked herte sentement
Inhelde, and do me shewe of thy swetnesse. --
45Caliope, thy vois be now present,
For now is nede; sestow not my destresse,
How I mot telle anonright the gladnesse
Of Troilus, to Venus heryinge?
To which gladnes, who nede hath, God him bringe!

Explicit prohemium Tercii Libri.



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From Troilus and Criseyde, Book III, lines 50-112:
Pandarus and Criseyde enter Troilus' room
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