The Canterbury Tales [45]
the blissful Cithera benign, I meane Venus, honourable and digne*. *worthy And in her hour <62> he walketh forth a pace Unto the listes, where her temple was, And down he kneeleth, and with humble cheer* *demeanour And hearte sore, he said as ye shall hear.
"Fairest of fair, O lady mine Venus, Daughter to Jove, and spouse of Vulcanus, Thou gladder of the mount of Citheron!<41> For thilke love thou haddest to Adon <63> Have pity on my bitter teares smart, And take mine humble prayer to thine heart. Alas! I have no language to tell Th'effecte, nor the torment of mine hell; Mine hearte may mine harmes not betray; I am so confused, that I cannot say. But mercy, lady bright, that knowest well My thought, and seest what harm that I feel. Consider all this, and *rue upon* my sore, *take pity on* As wisly* as I shall for evermore *truly Enforce my might, thy true servant to be, And holde war alway with chastity: That make I mine avow*, so ye me help. *vow, promise I keepe not of armes for to yelp,* *boast Nor ask I not to-morrow to have victory, Nor renown in this case, nor vaine glory Of *prize of armes*, blowing up and down, *praise for valour* But I would have fully possessioun Of Emily, and die in her service; Find thou the manner how, and in what wise. I *recke not but* it may better be *do not know whether* To have vict'ry of them, or they of me, So that I have my lady in mine arms. For though so be that Mars is god of arms, Your virtue is so great in heaven above, That, if you list, I shall well have my love. Thy temple will I worship evermo', And on thine altar, where I ride or go, I will do sacrifice, and fires bete*. *make, kindle And if ye will not so, my lady sweet, Then pray I you, to-morrow with a spear That Arcita me through the hearte bear Then reck I not, when I have lost my life, Though that Arcita win her to his wife. This is th' effect and end of my prayere, -- Give me my love, thou blissful lady dear." When th' orison was done of Palamon, His sacrifice he did, and that anon, Full piteously, with alle circumstances, *All tell I not as now* his observances. *although I tell not now* But at the last the statue of Venus shook, And made a signe, whereby that he took That his prayer accepted was that day. For though the signe shewed a delay, Yet wist he well that granted was his boon; And with glad heart he went him home full soon.
The third hour unequal <64> that Palamon Began to Venus' temple for to gon, Up rose the sun, and up rose Emily, And to the temple of Dian gan hie. Her maidens, that she thither with her lad*, *led Th' incense, the clothes, and the remnant all That to the sacrifice belonge shall, The hornes full of mead, as was the guise; There lacked nought to do her sacrifice. Smoking* the temple full of clothes fair, *draping <65> This Emily with hearte debonnair* *gentle Her body wash'd with water of a well. But how she did her rite I dare not tell; But* it be any thing in general; *unless And yet it were a game* to hearen all *pleasure To him that meaneth well it were no charge: But it is good a man to *be at large*. *do as he will* Her bright hair combed was, untressed all. A coronet of green oak cerriall <66> Upon her head was set full fair and meet. Two fires on the altar gan she bete, And did her thinges, as men may behold In Stace of Thebes <67>, and these bookes old. When kindled was the fire, with piteous cheer Unto Dian she spake as ye may hear.
"O chaste goddess of the woodes green, To whom both heav'n and earth and sea is seen, Queen of the realm of Pluto dark and low, Goddess of maidens, that mine heart hast know Full many a year, and wost* what I desire, *knowest To keep me from the vengeance of thine ire, That Actaeon aboughte*
"Fairest of fair, O lady mine Venus, Daughter to Jove, and spouse of Vulcanus, Thou gladder of the mount of Citheron!<41> For thilke love thou haddest to Adon <63> Have pity on my bitter teares smart, And take mine humble prayer to thine heart. Alas! I have no language to tell Th'effecte, nor the torment of mine hell; Mine hearte may mine harmes not betray; I am so confused, that I cannot say. But mercy, lady bright, that knowest well My thought, and seest what harm that I feel. Consider all this, and *rue upon* my sore, *take pity on* As wisly* as I shall for evermore *truly Enforce my might, thy true servant to be, And holde war alway with chastity: That make I mine avow*, so ye me help. *vow, promise I keepe not of armes for to yelp,* *boast Nor ask I not to-morrow to have victory, Nor renown in this case, nor vaine glory Of *prize of armes*, blowing up and down, *praise for valour* But I would have fully possessioun Of Emily, and die in her service; Find thou the manner how, and in what wise. I *recke not but* it may better be *do not know whether* To have vict'ry of them, or they of me, So that I have my lady in mine arms. For though so be that Mars is god of arms, Your virtue is so great in heaven above, That, if you list, I shall well have my love. Thy temple will I worship evermo', And on thine altar, where I ride or go, I will do sacrifice, and fires bete*. *make, kindle And if ye will not so, my lady sweet, Then pray I you, to-morrow with a spear That Arcita me through the hearte bear Then reck I not, when I have lost my life, Though that Arcita win her to his wife. This is th' effect and end of my prayere, -- Give me my love, thou blissful lady dear." When th' orison was done of Palamon, His sacrifice he did, and that anon, Full piteously, with alle circumstances, *All tell I not as now* his observances. *although I tell not now* But at the last the statue of Venus shook, And made a signe, whereby that he took That his prayer accepted was that day. For though the signe shewed a delay, Yet wist he well that granted was his boon; And with glad heart he went him home full soon.
The third hour unequal <64> that Palamon Began to Venus' temple for to gon, Up rose the sun, and up rose Emily, And to the temple of Dian gan hie. Her maidens, that she thither with her lad*, *led Th' incense, the clothes, and the remnant all That to the sacrifice belonge shall, The hornes full of mead, as was the guise; There lacked nought to do her sacrifice. Smoking* the temple full of clothes fair, *draping <65> This Emily with hearte debonnair* *gentle Her body wash'd with water of a well. But how she did her rite I dare not tell; But* it be any thing in general; *unless And yet it were a game* to hearen all *pleasure To him that meaneth well it were no charge: But it is good a man to *be at large*. *do as he will* Her bright hair combed was, untressed all. A coronet of green oak cerriall <66> Upon her head was set full fair and meet. Two fires on the altar gan she bete, And did her thinges, as men may behold In Stace of Thebes <67>, and these bookes old. When kindled was the fire, with piteous cheer Unto Dian she spake as ye may hear.
"O chaste goddess of the woodes green, To whom both heav'n and earth and sea is seen, Queen of the realm of Pluto dark and low, Goddess of maidens, that mine heart hast know Full many a year, and wost* what I desire, *knowest To keep me from the vengeance of thine ire, That Actaeon aboughte*