The Canterbury Tales [330]
Full muche press of folk there n'as,* *was not Nor crowding for too muche press. But all on high, above a dais, Set on a see* imperial, <55> *seat That made was of ruby all, Which that carbuncle is y-call'd, I saw perpetually install'd A feminine creature; That never formed by Nature Was such another thing y-sey.* *seen For altherfirst,* sooth to say, *first of all Me thoughte that she was so lite,* *little That the length of a cubite Was longer than she seem'd to be; But thus soon in a while she Herself then wonderfully stretch'd, That with her feet the earth she reach'd, And with her head she touched heaven, Where as shine the starres seven. <56> And thereto* eke, as to my wit, *moreover I saw a greater wonder yet, Upon her eyen to behold; But certes I them never told. For *as fele eyen* hadde she, *as many eyes* As feathers upon fowles be, Or were on the beastes four That Godde's throne gan honour, As John writ in th'Apocalypse. <57> Her hair, that *oundy was and crips,* *wavy <58> and crisp* As burnish'd gold it shone to see; And, sooth to tellen, also she Had all so fele* upstanding ears, *many And tongues, as on beasts be hairs; And on her feet waxen saw I Partridges' winges readily.<59> But, Lord! the pierrie* and richess *gems, jewellery I saw sitting on this goddess, And the heavenly melody Of songes full of harmony, I heard about her throne y-sung, That all the palace walles rung! (So sung the mighty Muse, she That called is Calliope, And her eight sisteren* eke, *sisters That in their faces seeme meek); And evermore eternally They sang of Fame as then heard I: "Heried* be thou and thy name, *praised Goddess of Renown and Fame!" Then was I ware, lo! at the last, As I mine eyen gan upcast, That this ilke noble queen On her shoulders gan sustene* *sustain Both the armes, and the name Of those that hadde large fame; Alexander, and Hercules, That with a shirt his life lese.* <60> *lost Thus found I sitting this goddess, In noble honour and richess; Of which I stint* a while now, *refrain (from speaking) Of other things to telle you.
Then saw I stand on either side, Straight down unto the doores wide, From the dais, many a pillere Of metal, that shone not full clear; But though they were of no richess, Yet were they made for great nobless, And in them greate sentence.* *significance And folk of digne* reverence, *worthy, lofty Of which *I will you telle fand,* *I will try to tell you* Upon the pillars saw I stand. Altherfirst, lo! there I sigh* *saw Upon a pillar stand on high, That was of lead and iron fine, Him of the secte Saturnine, <61> The Hebrew Josephus the old, That of Jewes' gestes* told; *deeds of braver And he bare on his shoulders high All the fame up of Jewry. And by him stooden other seven, Full wise and worthy for to neven,* *name To help him bearen up the charge,* *burden It was so heavy and so large. And, for they writen of battailes, As well as other old marvailes, Therefore was, lo! this pillere, Of which that I you telle here, Of lead and iron both, y-wis; For iron Marte's metal is, <62> Which that god is of battaile; And eke the lead, withoute fail, Is, lo! the metal of Saturn, That hath full large wheel* to turn. *orbit Then stoode forth, on either row, Of them which I coulde know, Though I them not by order tell, To make you too longe dwell. These, of the which I gin you read, There saw I standen, out of dread, Upon an iron pillar strong, That painted
Then saw I stand on either side, Straight down unto the doores wide, From the dais, many a pillere Of metal, that shone not full clear; But though they were of no richess, Yet were they made for great nobless, And in them greate sentence.* *significance And folk of digne* reverence, *worthy, lofty Of which *I will you telle fand,* *I will try to tell you* Upon the pillars saw I stand. Altherfirst, lo! there I sigh* *saw Upon a pillar stand on high, That was of lead and iron fine, Him of the secte Saturnine, <61> The Hebrew Josephus the old, That of Jewes' gestes* told; *deeds of braver And he bare on his shoulders high All the fame up of Jewry. And by him stooden other seven, Full wise and worthy for to neven,* *name To help him bearen up the charge,* *burden It was so heavy and so large. And, for they writen of battailes, As well as other old marvailes, Therefore was, lo! this pillere, Of which that I you telle here, Of lead and iron both, y-wis; For iron Marte's metal is, <62> Which that god is of battaile; And eke the lead, withoute fail, Is, lo! the metal of Saturn, That hath full large wheel* to turn. *orbit Then stoode forth, on either row, Of them which I coulde know, Though I them not by order tell, To make you too longe dwell. These, of the which I gin you read, There saw I standen, out of dread, Upon an iron pillar strong, That painted