The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems Part 97

Troilus, however, still begs his friend to leave him to mourn in peace, for all his proverbs can avail nothing. But Pandarus insists on plying the lover with wise saws, arguments, reproaches; hints that, if he should die of love, his lady may impute his death to fear of the Greeks; and finally induces Troilus to admit that the well of all his woe, his sweetest foe, is called Cressida. Pandarus breaks into praises of the lady, and congratulations of his friend for so well fixing his heart; he makes Troilus utter a formal confession of his sin in jesting at lovers and bids him think well that she of whom rises all his woe, hereafter may his comfort be also.

"For thilke* ground, that bears the weedes wick' *that same Bears eke the wholesome herbes, and full oft Next to the foule nettle, rough and thick, The lily waxeth,* white, and smooth, and soft; *grows And next the valley is the hill aloft, And next the darke night is the glad morrow, And also joy is next the fine* of sorrow." *end, border

Pandarus holds out to Troilus good hope of achieving his desire; and tells him that, since he has been converted from his wicked rebellion against Love, he shall be made the best post of all Love's law, and most grieve Love's enemies. Troilus gives utterance to a hint of fear; but he is silenced by Pandarus with another proverb -- "Thou hast full great care, lest that the carl should fall out of the moon." Then the lovesick youth breaks into a joyous boast that some of the Greeks shall smart; he mounts his horse, and plays the lion in the field; while Pandarus retires to consider how he may best recommend to his niece the suit of Troilus.

THE SECOND BOOK.

IN the Proem to the Second Book, the poet hails the clear weather that enables him to sail out of those black waves in which his boat so laboured that he could scarcely steer -- that is, "the tempestuous matter of despair, that Troilus was in; but now of hope the kalendes begin." He invokes the aid of Clio; excuses himself to every lover for what may be found amiss in a book which he only translates; and, obviating any lover's objection to the way in which Troilus obtained his lady's grace - - through Pandarus' mediation -- says it seems to him no wonderful thing:

"For ev'ry wighte that to Rome went Held not one path, nor alway one mannere; Eke in some lands were all the game y-shent If that men far'd in love as men do here, As thus, in open dealing and in cheer, In visiting, in form, or saying their saws;* *speeches For thus men say: Each country hath its laws.

"Eke scarcely be there in this place three That have in love done or said *like in all;"* *alike in all respects*

And so that which the poem relates may not please the reader -- but it actually was done, or it shall yet be done. The Book sets out with the visit of Pandarus to Cressida:--

In May, that mother is of monthes glade,* *glad When all the freshe flowers, green and red, Be quick* again, that winter deade made, *alive And full of balm is floating ev'ry mead; When Phoebus doth his brighte beames spread Right in the white Bull, so it betid* *happened As I shall sing, on Maye's day the thrid, <11>

That Pandarus, for all his wise speech, Felt eke his part of Love's shottes keen, That, could he ne'er so well of Love preach, It made yet his hue all day full green;* *pale So *shope it,* that him fell that day a teen* *it happened* *access In love, for which full woe to bed he went, And made ere it were day full many a went.* *turning <12>

The swallow Progne, <13> with a sorrowful lay, When morrow came, gan make her waimenting,* *lamenting Why she foshapen* was; and ever lay *transformed Pandare a-bed, half in a slumbering, Till she so nigh him made her chittering, How Tereus gan forth her sister take, That with the noise of her he did awake,

And gan to call, and dress* him to arise, *prepare Rememb'ring him his errand was to do'n From Troilus, and eke his great emprise; And cast, and knew in *good plight* was the Moon *favourable aspect*

To do voyage, and took his way full soon Unto his niece's palace there beside Now Ja.n.u.s, G.o.d of entry, thou him guide!

Pandarus finds his niece, with two other ladies, in a paved parlour, listening to a maiden who reads aloud the story of the Siege of Thebes. Greeting the company, he is welcomed by Cressida, who tells him that for three nights she has dreamed of him. After some lively talk about the book they had been reading, Pandarus asks his niece to do away her hood, to show her face bare, to lay aside the book, to rise up and dance, "and let us do to May some observance." Cressida cries out, "G.o.d forbid!" and asks if he is mad -- if that is a widow's life, whom it better becomes to sit in a cave and read of holy saints' lives.

Pandarus intimates that he could tell her something which could make her merry; but he refuses to gratify her curiosity; and, by way of the siege and of Hector, "that was the towne's wall, and Greekes' yerd" or scourging-rod, the conversation is brought round to Troilus, whom Pandarus highly extols as "the wise worthy Hector the second." She has, she says, already heard Troilus praised for his bravery "of them that her were liefest praised be" [by whom it would be most welcome to her to be praised].

"Ye say right sooth, y-wis," quoth Pandarus; For yesterday, who so had with him been, Might have wonder'd upon Troilus; For never yet so thick a swarm of been* *bees Ne flew, as did of Greekes from him flee'n; And through the field, in ev'ry wighte's ear, There was no cry but 'Troilus is here.'

"Now here, now there, he hunted them so fast, There was but Greekes' blood; and Troilus Now him he hurt, now him adown he cast; Ay where he went it was arrayed thus: He was their death, and s.h.i.+eld of life for us, That as that day there durst him none withstand, While that he held his b.l.o.o.d.y sword in hand."

Pandarus makes now a show of taking leave, but Cressida detains him, to speak of her affairs; then, the business talked over, he would again go, but first again asks his niece to arise and dance, and cast her widow's garments to mischance, because of the glad fortune that has befallen her. More curious than ever, she seeks to find out Pandarus' secret; but he still parries her curiosity, skilfully hinting all the time at her good fortune, and the wisdom of seizing on it when offered. In the end he tells her that the n.o.ble Troilus so loves her, that with her it lies to make him live or die -- but if Troilus dies, Pandarus shall die with him; and then she will have "fished fair." <14> He beseeches mercy for his friend:

"*Woe worth* the faire gemme virtueless! <15> *evil befall!*

Woe worth the herb also that *doth no boot!* *has no remedial power*

Woe worth the beauty that is rutheless!* *merciless Woe worth that wight that treads each under foot!

And ye that be of beauty *crop and root* *perfection <16> If therewithal in you there be no ruth,* *pity Then is it harm ye live, by my truth!"

Pandarus makes only the slight request that she will show Troilus somewhat better cheer, and receive visits from him, that his life may be saved; urging that, although a man be soon going to the temple, n.o.body will think that he eats the images; and that "such love of friends reigneth in all this town."

Cressida, which that heard him in this wise, Thought: "I shall feele* what he means, y-wis;" *test "Now, eme* quoth she, "what would ye me devise? *uncle What is your rede* that I should do of this?" *counsel, opinion "That is well said," quoth he;" certain best it is That ye him love again for his loving, As love for love is *skilful guerdoning.* *reasonable recompense*

"Think eke how elde* wasteth ev'ry hour *age In each of you a part of your beauty; And therefore, ere that age do you devour, Go love, for, old, there will no wight love thee Let this proverb a lore* unto you be: *lesson '"Too late I was ware," quoth beauty when it past; And *elde daunteth danger* at the last.' *old age overcomes disdain*

"The kinge's fool is wont to cry aloud, When that he thinks a woman bears her high, 'So longe may ye liven, and all proud, Till crowes' feet be wox* under your eye! *grown And send you then a mirror *in to pry* *to look in*

In which ye may your face see a-morrow!* *in the morning *I keep then wishe you no more sorrow.'"* *I care to wish you nothing worse*

Weeping, Cressida reproaches her uncle for giving her such counsel; whereupon Pandarus, starting up, threatens to kill himself, and would fain depart, but that his niece detains him, and, with much reluctance, promises to "make Troilus good cheer in honour." Invited by Cressida to tell how first he know her lover's woe, Pandarus then relates two soliloquies which he had accidentally overheard, and in which Troilus had poured out all the sorrow of his pa.s.sion.

With this he took his leave, and home he went Ah! Lord, so was he glad and well-begone!* *happy Cresside arose, no longer would she stent,* *stay But straight into her chamber went anon, And sat her down, as still as any stone, And ev'ry word gan up and down to wind That he had said, as it came to her mind.

And wax'd somedeal astonish'd in her thought, Right for the newe case; but when that she *Was full advised,* then she found right naught *had fully considered*

Of peril, why she should afeared be: For a man may love, of possibility, A woman so, that his heart may to-brest,* *break utterly And she not love again, *but if her lest.* *unless it so please her*

But as she sat alone, and thoughte thus, In field arose a skirmish all without; And men cried in the street then:"

Troilus hath right now put to flight the Greekes' rout."* *host With that gan all the meinie* for to shout: *(Cressida's) household "Ah! go we see, cast up the lattice wide, For through this street he must to palace ride;

"For other way is from the gates none, Of Darda.n.u.s,<18> where open is the chain." <19> With that came he, and all his folk anon, An easy pace riding, in *routes twain,* *two troops*

Right as his *happy day* was, sooth to sayn: *good fortune <20>*

For which men say may not disturbed be What shall betiden* of necessity. *happen

This Troilus sat upon his bay steed All armed, save his head, full richely, And wounded was his horse, and gan to bleed, For which he rode a pace full softely But such a knightly sighte* truly *aspect As was on him, was not, withoute fail, To look on Mars, that G.o.d is of Battaile.

So like a man of armes, and a knight, He was to see, full fill'd of high prowess; For both he had a body, and a might To do that thing, as well as hardiness;* *courage And eke to see him in his gear* him dress, *armour So fresh, so young, so wieldy* seemed he, *active It was a heaven on him for to see.* *look

His helmet was to-hewn in twenty places, That by a tissue* hung his back behind; *riband His s.h.i.+eld to-dashed was with swords and maces, In which men might many an arrow find, That thirled* had both horn, and nerve, and rind; <21> *pierced And ay the people cried, "Here comes our joy, And, next his brother, <22> holder up of Troy."

For which he wax'd a little red for shame, When he so heard the people on him cryen That to behold it was a n.o.ble game, How soberly he cast adown his eyen: Cresside anon gan all his cheer espien, And let it in her heart so softly sink, That to herself she said, "Who gives me drink?"<23>

For of her owen thought she wax'd all red, Rememb'ring her right thus: "Lo! this is he Which that mine uncle swears he might be dead, But* I on him have mercy and pity:" *unless And with that thought for pure shame she Gan in her head to pull, and that full fast, While he and all the people forth by pa.s.s'd.

And gan to cast,* and rollen up and down *ponder Within her thought his excellent prowess, And his estate, and also his renown, His wit, his shape, and eke his gentleness But most her favour was, for his distress Was all for her, and thought it were ruth To slay such one, if that he meant but truth.

And, Lord! so gan she in her heart argue Of this mattere, of which I have you told And what to do best were, and what t'eschew, That plaited she full oft in many a fold.<24> Now was her hearte warm, now was it cold.

And what she thought of, somewhat shall I write, As to mine author listeth to endite.

She thoughte first, that Troilus' person She knew by sight, and eke his gentleness; And saide thus: *"All were it not to do'n,'* *although it were To grant him love, yet for the worthiness impossible*

It were honour, with play* and with gladness, *pleasing entertainment In honesty with such a lord to deal, For mine estate,* and also for his heal.** *reputation **health

"Eke well I wot* my kinge's son is he; *know And, since he hath to see me such delight, If I would utterly his sighte flee, Parauntre* he might have me in despite, *peradventure Through which I mighte stand in worse plight. <25> Now were I fool, me hate to purchase* *obtain for myself Withoute need, where I may stand in grace,* *favour

"In ev'rything, I wot, there lies measure;* *a happy medium For though a man forbidde drunkenness, He not forbids that ev'ry creature Be drinkeless for alway, as I guess; Eke, since I know for me is his distress, I oughte not for that thing him despise, Since it is so he meaneth in good wise.

"Now set a case, that hardest is, y-wis, Men mighte deeme* that he loveth me; *believe What dishonour were it unto me, this?

May I *him let of* that? Why, nay, pardie! *prevent him from*

I know also, and alway hear and see, Men love women all this town about; Be they the worse? Why, nay, withoute doubt!

"Nor me to love a wonder is it not; For well wot I myself, so G.o.d me speed! -- *All would I* that no man wist of this thought -- *although I would*

I am one of the fairest, without drede,* *doubt And goodlieste, who so taketh heed; And so men say in all the town of Troy; What wonder is, though he on me have joy?

"I am mine owen woman, well at ease, I thank it G.o.d, as after mine estate, Right young, and stand untied in *l.u.s.ty leas,* *pleasant leash Withoute jealousy, or such debate: (of love)*

Shall none husband say to me checkmate; For either they be full of jealousy, Or masterful, or love novelty.

"What shall I do? to what fine* live I thus? *end Shall I not love, in case if that me lest?

What? pardie! I am not religious;<26> And though that I mine hearte set at rest And keep alway mine honour and my name, By all right I may do to me no shame."