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From Troilus and Criseyde, Book III, lines 1744-1771:
Canticus Troili: Troilus sings about love
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Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400):
Troilus and Criseyde
Book III, lines 1772-1820: About Troilus and Ector


In alle nedes, for the tounes werre,
He was, and ay the firste in armes dight;
And certeynly, but-if that bokes erre,
1775Save Ector, most y-drad of any wight;
And this encrees of hardynesse and might
Cam him of love, his ladies thank to winne,
That altered his spirit so withinne.

In tyme of trewe, on haukinge wolde he ryde,
1780Or elles hunten boor, bere, or lyoun;
The smale bestes leet he gon bi-syde.
And whan that he com rydinge into toun,
Ful ofte his lady, from hir window doun,
As fresh as faucon comen out of muwe,
1785Ful redy was, him goodly to saluwe.

And most of love and vertu was his speche,
And in despyt hadde alle wrecchednesse;
And doutelees, no nede was him biseche
To honouren hem that hadde worthynesse,
1790And esen hem that weren in distresse.
And glad was he if any wight wel ferde,
That lover was, whan he it wiste or herde.

For sooth to seyn, he lost held every wight
But-if he were in loves heigh servyse,
1795I mene folk that oughte it been of right.
And over al this, so wel coude he devyse
Of sentement, and in so unkouth wyse
Al his array, that every lover thoughte,
That al was wel, what so he seyde or wroughte.

1800And though that he be come of blood royal,
Him liste of pryde at no wight for to chase;
Benigne he was to ech in general,
For which he gat him thank in every place.
Thus wolde love, yheried be his grace,
1805That Pryde, Envye, Ire, and Avaryce
He gan to flee, and every other vyce.

Thou lady bright, the doughter to Dione,
Thy blinde and winged sone eek, daun Cupyde;
Ye sustren nyne eek, that by Elicone
1810In hil Parnaso listen for to abyde,
That ye thus fer han deyned me to gyde,
I can no more, but syn that ye wol wende,
Ye heried been for ay, withouten ende!

Thurgh yow have I seyd fully in my song
1815The effect and joye of Troilus servyse,
Al be that ther was som disese among,
As to myn auctor listeth to devyse.
My thridde book now ende ich in this wyse;
And Troilus in luste and in quiete
1820Is with Criseyde, his owne herte swete.

Explicit Liber Tercius.



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