The Canterbury Tales [335]
*that ilke shrew,* y-wis, *the same wretch* That burnt the temple of Isidis, In Athenes, lo! that city." <79> "And wherefore didst thou so?" quoth she. "By my thrift!" quoth he, "Madame, I woulde fain have had a name As other folk had in the town; Although they were of great renown For their virtue and their thews,* *good qualities Thought I, as great fame have shrews (Though it be naught) for shrewdeness, As good folk have for goodeness; And since I may not have the one, The other will I not forgo'n. So for to gette *fame's hire,* *the reward of fame* The temple set I all afire. *Now do our los be blowen swithe, As wisly be thou ever blithe."* *see note <80> "Gladly," quoth she; "thou Aeolus, Hear'st thou what these folk prayen us?" "Madame, I hear full well," quoth he, "And I will trumpen it, pardie!" And took his blacke trumpet fast, And gan to puffen and to blast, Till it was at the worlde's end.
With that I gan *aboute wend,* *turn* For one that stood right at my back Me thought full goodly* to me spake, *courteously, fairly And saide, "Friend, what is thy name? Art thou come hither to have fame?" "Nay, *for soothe,* friend!" quoth I; *surely* "I came not hither, *grand mercy,* *great thanks* For no such cause, by my head! Sufficeth me, as I were dead, That no wight have my name in hand. I wot myself best how I stand, For what I dree,* or what I think, *suffer I will myself it alle drink, Certain, for the more part, As far forth as I know mine art." "What doest thou here, then," quoth he. Quoth I, "That will I telle thee; The cause why I stande here, Is some new tidings for to lear,* *learn Some newe thing, I know not what, Tidings either this or that, Of love, or suche thinges glad. For, certainly, he that me made To come hither, said to me I shoulde bothe hear and see In this place wondrous things; But these be not such tidings As I meant of." "No?" quoth he. And I answered, "No, pardie! For well I wot ever yet, Since that first I hadde wit, That some folk have desired fame Diversely, and los, and name; But certainly I knew not how Nor where that Fame dwelled, ere now Nor eke of her description, Nor also her condition, Nor *the order of her doom,* *the principle of her judgments* Knew I not till I hither come." "Why, then, lo! be these tidings, That thou nowe hither brings, That thou hast heard?" quoth he to me. "But now *no force,* for well I see *no matter* What thou desirest for to lear." Come forth, and stand no longer here. And I will thee, withoute dread,* *doubt Into another place lead, Where thou shalt hear many a one."
Then gan I forth with him to go'n Out of the castle, sooth to say. Then saw I stand in a vally, Under the castle faste by, A house, that domus Daedali, That Labyrinthus <81> called is, N'as* made so wondrously, y-wis, *was not Nor half so quaintly* was y-wrought. *strangely And evermore, as swift as thought, This quainte* house aboute went, *strange That nevermore it *stille stent;* *ceased to move* And thereout came so great a noise, That had it stooden upon Oise, <82> Men might have heard it easily To Rome, I *trowe sickerly.* *confidently believe* And the noise which I heard, For all the world right so it far'd As doth the routing* of the stone *rushing noise* That from the engine<83> is let go'n. And all this house of which I read* *tell you Was made of twigges sallow,* red, *willow And green eke, and some were white, Such as men *to the cages twight,* *pull to make cages* Or maken of these panniers, Or elles hutches or dossers;*
With that I gan *aboute wend,* *turn* For one that stood right at my back Me thought full goodly* to me spake, *courteously, fairly And saide, "Friend, what is thy name? Art thou come hither to have fame?" "Nay, *for soothe,* friend!" quoth I; *surely* "I came not hither, *grand mercy,* *great thanks* For no such cause, by my head! Sufficeth me, as I were dead, That no wight have my name in hand. I wot myself best how I stand, For what I dree,* or what I think, *suffer I will myself it alle drink, Certain, for the more part, As far forth as I know mine art." "What doest thou here, then," quoth he. Quoth I, "That will I telle thee; The cause why I stande here, Is some new tidings for to lear,* *learn Some newe thing, I know not what, Tidings either this or that, Of love, or suche thinges glad. For, certainly, he that me made To come hither, said to me I shoulde bothe hear and see In this place wondrous things; But these be not such tidings As I meant of." "No?" quoth he. And I answered, "No, pardie! For well I wot ever yet, Since that first I hadde wit, That some folk have desired fame Diversely, and los, and name; But certainly I knew not how Nor where that Fame dwelled, ere now Nor eke of her description, Nor also her condition, Nor *the order of her doom,* *the principle of her judgments* Knew I not till I hither come." "Why, then, lo! be these tidings, That thou nowe hither brings, That thou hast heard?" quoth he to me. "But now *no force,* for well I see *no matter* What thou desirest for to lear." Come forth, and stand no longer here. And I will thee, withoute dread,* *doubt Into another place lead, Where thou shalt hear many a one."
Then gan I forth with him to go'n Out of the castle, sooth to say. Then saw I stand in a vally, Under the castle faste by, A house, that domus Daedali, That Labyrinthus <81> called is, N'as* made so wondrously, y-wis, *was not Nor half so quaintly* was y-wrought. *strangely And evermore, as swift as thought, This quainte* house aboute went, *strange That nevermore it *stille stent;* *ceased to move* And thereout came so great a noise, That had it stooden upon Oise, <82> Men might have heard it easily To Rome, I *trowe sickerly.* *confidently believe* And the noise which I heard, For all the world right so it far'd As doth the routing* of the stone *rushing noise* That from the engine<83> is let go'n. And all this house of which I read* *tell you Was made of twigges sallow,* red, *willow And green eke, and some were white, Such as men *to the cages twight,* *pull to make cages* Or maken of these panniers, Or elles hutches or dossers;*