The Canterbury Tales [220]
*noble qualities Of the king's blood of Perse* is she descended; *Persia I say not that she hadde most fairness, But of her shape she might not he amended.
From her childhood I finde that she fled Office of woman, and to woods she went, And many a wilde harte's blood she shed With arrows broad that she against them sent; She was so swift, that she anon them hent.* *caught And when that she was older, she would kill Lions, leopards, and beares all to-rent,* *torn to pieces And in her armes wield them at her will.
She durst the wilde beastes' dennes seek, And runnen in the mountains all the night, And sleep under a bush; and she could eke Wrestle by very force and very might With any young man, were he ne'er so wight;* *active, nimble There mighte nothing in her armes stond. She kept her maidenhood from every wight, To no man deigned she for to be bond.
But at the last her friendes have her married To Odenate, <13> a prince of that country; All were it so, that she them longe tarried. And ye shall understande how that he Hadde such fantasies as hadde she; But natheless, when they were knit in fere,* *together They liv'd in joy, and in felicity, For each of them had other lefe* and dear. *loved
Save one thing, that she never would assent, By no way, that he shoulde by her lie But ones, for it was her plain intent To have a child, the world to multiply; And all so soon as that she might espy That she was not with childe by that deed, Then would she suffer him do his fantasy Eftsoon,* and not but ones, *out of dread.* *again *without doubt*
And if she were with child at thilke* cast, *that No more should he playe thilke game Till fully forty dayes were past; Then would she once suffer him do the same. All* were this Odenatus wild or tame, *whether He got no more of her; for thus she said, It was to wives lechery and shame In other case* if that men with them play'd. on other terms
Two sones, by this Odenate had she, The which she kept in virtue and lettrure.* *learning But now unto our tale turne we; I say, so worshipful a creature, And wise therewith, and large* with measure,** *bountiful **moderation So penible* in the war, and courteous eke, *laborious Nor more labour might in war endure, Was none, though all this worlde men should seek.
Her rich array it mighte not be told, As well in vessel as in her clothing: She was all clad in pierrie* and in gold, *jewellery And eke she *lefte not,* for no hunting, *did not neglect* To have of sundry tongues full knowing, When that she leisure had, and for t'intend* *apply To learne bookes was all her liking, How she in virtue might her life dispend.
And, shortly of this story for to treat, So doughty was her husband and eke she, That they conquered many regnes great In th'Orient, with many a fair city Appertinent unto the majesty Of Rome, and with strong hande held them fast, Nor ever might their foemen do* them flee, *make Aye while that Odenatus' dayes last'.
Her battles, whoso list them for to read, Against Sapor the king, <14> and other mo', And how that all this process fell in deed, Why she conquer'd, and what title thereto, And after of her mischief* and her woe, *misfortune How that she was besieged and y-take, Let him unto my master Petrarch go, That writes enough of this, I undertake.
When Odenate was dead, she mightily The regne held, and with her proper hand Against her foes she fought so cruelly, That there n'as* king nor prince in all that land, *was not That was not glad, if be that grace fand That she would not upon his land warray;* *make war With her they maden alliance by bond, To be in peace, and let her ride and play.
The emperor of Rome, Claudius, Nor, him before, the Roman Gallien,
From her childhood I finde that she fled Office of woman, and to woods she went, And many a wilde harte's blood she shed With arrows broad that she against them sent; She was so swift, that she anon them hent.* *caught And when that she was older, she would kill Lions, leopards, and beares all to-rent,* *torn to pieces And in her armes wield them at her will.
She durst the wilde beastes' dennes seek, And runnen in the mountains all the night, And sleep under a bush; and she could eke Wrestle by very force and very might With any young man, were he ne'er so wight;* *active, nimble There mighte nothing in her armes stond. She kept her maidenhood from every wight, To no man deigned she for to be bond.
But at the last her friendes have her married To Odenate, <13> a prince of that country; All were it so, that she them longe tarried. And ye shall understande how that he Hadde such fantasies as hadde she; But natheless, when they were knit in fere,* *together They liv'd in joy, and in felicity, For each of them had other lefe* and dear. *loved
Save one thing, that she never would assent, By no way, that he shoulde by her lie But ones, for it was her plain intent To have a child, the world to multiply; And all so soon as that she might espy That she was not with childe by that deed, Then would she suffer him do his fantasy Eftsoon,* and not but ones, *out of dread.* *again *without doubt*
And if she were with child at thilke* cast, *that No more should he playe thilke game Till fully forty dayes were past; Then would she once suffer him do the same. All* were this Odenatus wild or tame, *whether He got no more of her; for thus she said, It was to wives lechery and shame In other case* if that men with them play'd. on other terms
Two sones, by this Odenate had she, The which she kept in virtue and lettrure.* *learning But now unto our tale turne we; I say, so worshipful a creature, And wise therewith, and large* with measure,** *bountiful **moderation So penible* in the war, and courteous eke, *laborious Nor more labour might in war endure, Was none, though all this worlde men should seek.
Her rich array it mighte not be told, As well in vessel as in her clothing: She was all clad in pierrie* and in gold, *jewellery And eke she *lefte not,* for no hunting, *did not neglect* To have of sundry tongues full knowing, When that she leisure had, and for t'intend* *apply To learne bookes was all her liking, How she in virtue might her life dispend.
And, shortly of this story for to treat, So doughty was her husband and eke she, That they conquered many regnes great In th'Orient, with many a fair city Appertinent unto the majesty Of Rome, and with strong hande held them fast, Nor ever might their foemen do* them flee, *make Aye while that Odenatus' dayes last'.
Her battles, whoso list them for to read, Against Sapor the king, <14> and other mo', And how that all this process fell in deed, Why she conquer'd, and what title thereto, And after of her mischief* and her woe, *misfortune How that she was besieged and y-take, Let him unto my master Petrarch go, That writes enough of this, I undertake.
When Odenate was dead, she mightily The regne held, and with her proper hand Against her foes she fought so cruelly, That there n'as* king nor prince in all that land, *was not That was not glad, if be that grace fand That she would not upon his land warray;* *make war With her they maden alliance by bond, To be in peace, and let her ride and play.
The emperor of Rome, Claudius, Nor, him before, the Roman Gallien,