Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — The Monk's Tale - Part Two
DE PETRO REGE DE CIPRO.
O worthy Petro, king of Cypre, also, (401) That Alisaundre wan by heigh maistrye, Ful many a hethen wroghtestow ful wo, Of which thyn owene liges hadde envye, And, for no thing but for thy chivalrye, 3585 They in thy bedde han slayn thee by the morwe.
Thus can fortune hir wheel governe and gye, And out of Ioye bringe men to sorwe.
[T.
14708. [257: T.
14709-14740. ] DE BARNABO DE LUMBARDIA.
Of Melan grete Barnabo Viscounte, God of delyt, and scourge of Lumbardye, 3590 Why sholde I nat thyn infortune acounte, (411) Sith in estaat thou clombe were so hye?
Thy brother sone, that was thy double allye, For he thy nevew was, and sone-in-lawe, With-inne his prisoun made thee to dye; 3595 But why, ne how, noot I that thou were slawe.
DE HUGELINO, COMITE DE PIZE.
Of the erl Hugelyn of Pyse the langour Ther may no tonge telle for pitee;
But litel out of Pyse stant a tour, In whiche tour in prisoun put was he, 3600 And with him been his litel children three.
(421) The eldeste scarsly fyf yeer was of age.
Allas, fortune!
it was greet crueltee Swiche briddes for to putte in swiche a cage!
3597. E.
Pyze; Hn.
Pize; Cp.
Pyse; Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
Pise.
3599. E.
Hn.
Cm.
Pize; Cp.
Pyse; Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
Pise.
Dampned was he to deye in that prisoun, 3605 For Roger, which that bisshop was of Pyse, Hadde on him maad a fals suggestioun, Thurgh which the peple gan upon him ryse, And putten him to prisoun in swich wyse As ye han herd, and mete and drink he hadde 3610 So smal, that wel unnethe it may suffyse, (431) And therwith-al it was ful povre and badde.
3606. E.
Hn.
Pize; Cm.
Pyze; Cp.
Pyse; Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
Pise.
3611. E.
Pt.
_omit_ wel.
And on a day bifil that, in that hour, Whan that his mete wont was to be broght, The gayler shette the dores of the tour.
3615 He herde it wel,—but he spak right noght, And in his herte anon ther fil a thoght, That they for hunger wolde doon him dyen.
‘Allas!
’ quod he, ‘allas!
that I was wroght!
’ Therwith the teres fillen from his yën. 3620 3616. E.
Hn.
spak right; Cp.
Hl.
saugh it; Pt.
seegh it; Ln.
sawe it.
[258: T.
14741-14772. ] His yonge sone, that three yeer was of age, (441) Un-to him seyde, ‘fader, why do ye wepe?
Whan wol the gayler bringen our potage, Is ther no morsel breed that ye do kepe?
I am so hungry that I may nat slepe, 3625 Now wolde god that I mighte slepen ever!
Than sholde nat hunger in my wombe crepe;
Ther is no thing, save breed, that me were lever.
’ 3622. E.
Hn.
_repeat_ fader.
3628. Ln.
Hl.
saue; Cp.
Pt.
sauf; E. Hn.
but.
Thus day by day this child bigan to crye, Til in his fadres barme adoun it lay, 3630 And seyde, ‘far-wel, fader, I moot dye,’ (451) And kiste his fader, and deyde the same day.
And whan the woful fader deed it sey, For wo his armes two he gan to byte, And seyde, ‘allas, fortune!
and weylaway!
3635 Thy false wheel my wo al may I wyte!
’ 3632. E.
Hl.
dyde; Hn.
Cp.
deyde; _see_ l. 3644. His children wende that it for hunger was That he his armes gnow, and nat for wo, And seyde, ‘fader, do nat so, allas!
But rather eet the flesh upon us two; 3640 Our flesh thou yaf us, tak our flesh us fro (461) And eet y-nough:’ right thus they to him seyde, And after that, with-in a day or two, They leyde hem in his lappe adoun, and deyde.
3640. E.
flessh.
3641. E.
flessh.
E.
Hn.
_omit_ vs _after_ yaf.
Him-self, despeired, eek for hunger starf; 3645 Thus ended is this mighty Erl of Pyse;
From heigh estaat fortune awey him carf.
Of this Tragedie it oghte y-nough suffyse.
Who-so wol here it in a lenger wyse, Redeth the grete poete of Itaille, 3650 That highte Dant, for he can al devyse (471) Fro point to point, nat o word wol he faille.
[T.
14772. 3646. _See note to _ l. 3597. [259: T.
14381-14412. ] (_For_ T. 14773, _see_ p. 269; _for_ T. 14380, _see_ p. 256. ) NERO.
Al-though that Nero were as vicious [T. 14381. As any feend that lyth ful lowe adoun, Yet he, as telleth us Swetonius, 3655 This wyde world hadde in subieccioun, Both Est and West, South and Septemtrioun;
Of rubies, saphires, and of perles whyte Were alle his clothes brouded up and doun;
For he in gemmes greetly gan delyte.
3660 3653. E.
Hn.
Cm.
_omit_ as.
3654. E.
in helle; _rest_ full lowe.
3657. E.
Hn.
Cm.
North (_but read_ South); Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl _omit_!
More delicat, more pompous of array, (481) More proud was never emperour than he;
That ilke cloth, that he had wered o day, After that tyme he nolde it never see.
Nettes of gold-thred hadde he gret plentee 3665 To fisshe in Tybre, whan him liste pleye.
His lustes were al lawe in his decree, For fortune as his freend him wolde obeye.
He Rome brende for his delicacye;
The senatours he slow up-on a day.
3670 To here how men wolde wepe and crye; (491) And slow his brother, and by his sister lay.
His moder made he in pitous array;
For he hir wombe slitte, to biholde Wher he conceyved was; so weilawey!
3675 That he so litel of his moder tolde!
3673, 6. E.
mooder.
No tere out of his yën for that sighte Ne cam, but seyde, ‘a fair womman was she.
’ Gret wonder is, how that he coude or mighte Be domesman of hir dede beautee.
3680 The wyn to bringen him comaunded he, (501) And drank anon; non other wo he made.
Whan might is Ioyned un-to crueltee, Allas!
to depe wol the venim wade!
3682. E.
noon oother.
[260: T.
14413-14444. ] In youthe a maister hadde this emperour, 3685 To teche him letterure and curteisye, For of moralitee he was the flour, As in his tyme, but-if bokes lye;
And whyl this maister hadde of him maistrye, He maked him so conning and so souple 3690 That longe tyme it was er tirannye (511) Or any vyce dorste on him uncouple.
This Seneca, of which that I devyse, By-cause Nero hadde of him swich drede, For he fro vyces wolde him ay chastyse 3695 Discreetly as by worde and nat by dede;— ‘Sir,’ wolde he seyn, ‘an emperour moot nede Be vertuous, and hate tirannye’— For which he in a bath made him to blede On bothe his armes, til he moste dye.
3700 3694. Cm.
Bycause that.
3695. Hn.
Cm.
ay; _rest omit.
_ [3699. _Misnumbered_ 520 _in the_ Aldine Edition; _but corrected further on.
_] This Nero hadde eek of acustumaunce (521) In youthe ageyn his maister for to ryse, Which afterward him thoughte a greet grevaunce;
Therfor he made him deyen in this wyse.
But natheles this Seneca the wyse 3705 Chees in a bath to deye in this manere Rather than han another tormentyse;
And thus hath Nero slayn his maister dere.
3703. E.
(_only_) _omits_ a. 3707. E.
any oother.
Now fil it so that fortune list no lenger The hye pryde of Nero to cheryce; 3710 For though that he were strong, yet was she strenger; (531) She thoughte thus, ‘by god, I am to nyce To sette a man that is fulfild of vyce In heigh degree, and emperour him calle.
By god, out of his sete I wol him tryce; 3715 When he leest weneth, sonest shal he falle.
’ 3711. E.
Hn.
was; _the rest_ were.
[261: T.
14445-14476. ] The peple roos up-on him on a night For his defaute, and whan he it espyed, Out of his dores anon he hath him dight Alone, and, ther he wende han ben allyed, 3720 He knokked faste, and ay, the more he cryed, (541) The faster shette they the dores alle;
Tho wiste he wel he hadde him-self misgyed, And wente his wey, no lenger dorste he calle.
3723. E.
Hn.
_wrongly repeat_ l. 3731 _here.
_ The peple cryde and rombled up and doun, 3725 That with his eres herde he how they seyde, ‘Wher is this false tyraunt, this Neroun?
’ For fere almost out of his wit he breyde, And to his goddes pitously he preyde For socour, but it mighte nat bityde.
3730 For drede of this, him thoughte that he deyde, (551) And ran in-to a gardin, him to hyde.
And in this gardin fond he cherles tweye That seten by a fyr ful greet and reed, And to thise cherles two he gan to preye 3735 To sleen him, and to girden of his heed, That to his body, whan that he were deed, Were no despyt y-doon, for his defame.
Him-self he slow, he coude no better reed, Of which fortune lough, and hadde a game.
3740 3733. E.
Hn.
foond.
3734. E.
Hn.
Cm.
_omit_ ful.
DE OLOFERNO (HOLOFERNES).
Was never capitayn under a king (561) That regnes mo putte in subieccioun, Ne strenger was in feeld of alle thing, As in his tyme, ne gretter of renoun, Ne more pompous in heigh presumpcioun 3745 Than Oloferne, which fortune ay kiste So likerously, and ladde him up and doun Til that his heed was of, er that he wiste.
[262: T.
14477-14508. ] Nat only that this world hadde him in awe For lesinge of richesse or libertee, 3750 But he made every man reneye his lawe.
(571) ‘Nabugodonosor was god,’ seyde he, ‘Noon other god sholde adoured be.
’ Ageyns his heste no wight dar trespace Save in Bethulia, a strong citee, 3755 Wher Eliachim a prest was of that place.
3751. E.
Hn.
Cm.
Hl.
_omit_ he.
3753. E.
Hn.
Cm.
adoured; Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
honoured.
3754. E.
Hn.
dorste; _rest_ dar.
But tak kepe of the deeth of Olofern;
Amidde his host he dronke lay a night, With-inne his tente, large as is a bern, And yit, for al his pompe and al his might, 3760 Iudith, a womman, as he lay upright, (581) Sleping, his heed of smoot, and from his tente Ful prively she stal from every wight, And with his heed unto hir toun she wente.
DE REGE ANTHIOCHO ILLUSTRI.
What nedeth it of King Anthiochus 3765 To telle his hye royal magestee, His hye pryde, his werkes venimous?
For swich another was ther noon as he.
Rede which that he was in Machabee, And rede the proude wordes that he seyde, 3770 And why he fil fro heigh prosperitee, (591) And in an hil how wrechedly he deyde.
Fortune him hadde enhaunced so in pryde That verraily he wende he mighte attayne Unto the sterres, upon every syde, 3775 And in balance weyen ech montayne, And alle the flodes of the see restrayne.
And goddes peple hadde he most in hate, Hem wolde he sleen in torment and in payne, Wening that god ne mighte his pryde abate.
3780 3777. Cm.
flodys; _rest_ floodes.
3778. E.
Hn.
moost.
[263: T.
14509-14540. ] And for that Nichanor and Thimothee (601) Of Iewes weren venquisshed mightily, Unto the Iewes swich an hate hadde he That he bad greithe his char ful hastily, And swoor, and seyde, ful despitously, 3785 Unto Ierusalem he wolde eft-sone, To wreken his ire on it ful cruelly;
But of his purpos he was let ful sone.
3784. E.
greithen; Hn.
greithe; Cm.
ordeyne.
E.
Hn.
chaar; Cm.
char.
God for his manace him so sore smoot With invisible wounde, ay incurable, 3790 That in his guttes carf it so and boot (611) That his peynes weren importable.
And certeinly, the wreche was resonable, For many a mannes guttes dide he peyne;
But from his purpos cursed and dampnable 3795 For al his smert he wolde him nat restreyne;
But bad anon apparaillen his host, And sodeynly, er he of it was war, God daunted al his pryde and al his bost.
For he so sore fil out of his char, 3800 That it his limes and his skin to-tar, (621) So that he neither mighte go ne ryde, But in a chayer men aboute him bar, Al for-brused, bothe bak and syde.
3797, 9. E.
hoost, boost.
3801. E.
lemes; Hn.
Cp.
Hl.
lymes; Cm.
lymys; Ln.
limes.
The wreche of god him smoot so cruelly 3805 That thurgh his body wikked wormes crepte;
And ther-with-al he stank so horribly, That noon of al his meynee that him kepte, Whether so he wook or elles slepte, Ne mighte noght for stink of him endure.
3810 In this meschief he wayled and eek wepte, (631) And knew god lord of every creature.
3807. E.
_om.
_ so; E. horriblely.
3809. E.
Hn.
Cm.
so; Pt.
Hl.
that;
Cp.
Ln.
so that.
3810. E.
Hn.
for; _rest_ the.
[264: T.
14541-14572. ] To al his host and to him-self also Ful wlatsom was the stink of his careyne;
No man ne mighte him bere to ne fro.
3815 And in this stink and this horrible peyne He starf ful wrecchedly in a monteyne.
Thus hath this robbour and this homicyde, That many a man made to wepe and pleyne, Swich guerdon as bilongeth unto pryde.
3820 DE ALEXANDRO.
The storie of Alisaundre is so comune, (641) That every wight that hath discrecioun Hath herd somwhat or al of his fortune.
This wyde world, as in conclusioun, He wan by strengthe, or for his hye renoun 3825 They weren glad for pees un-to him sende.
The pryde of man and beste he leyde adoun, Wher-so he cam, un-to the worldes ende.
3827. beste] Hl.
bost.
Comparisoun might never yit be maked Bitwixe him and another conquerour; 3830 For al this world for drede of him hath quaked, (651) He was of knighthode and of fredom flour;
Fortune him made the heir of hir honour;
Save wyn and wommen, no-thing mighte aswage His hye entente in armes and labour; 3835 So was he ful of leonyn corage.
3830. E.
Hn.
Bitwixen.
3832. E.
Hn.
Cm.
_omit_ was.
3834. E.
man: _rest_ thing.
What preys were it to him, though I yow tolde Of Darius, and an hundred thousand mo, Of kinges, princes, erles, dukes bolde, Whiche he conquered, and broghte hem in-to wo?
3840 I seye, as fer as man may ryde or go, (661) The world was his, what sholde I more devyse?
For though I write or tolde you evermo Of his knighthode, it mighte nat suffyse.
3837. Cm.
preys; E. Hn.
pris: Cp.
Pt.
Ln.
Hl.
pite.
3843. Hl.
_omits.
_ [265: T.
14573-14604. ] Twelf yeer he regned, as seith Machabee; 3845 Philippes sone of Macedoyne he was, That first was king in Grece the contree.
O worthy gentil Alisaundre, allas!
That ever sholde fallen swich a cas!
Empoisoned of thyn owene folk thou were; 3850 Thy _sys_ fortune hath turned into _as;_ (671) And yit for thee ne weep she never a tere!
3851. E.
Hn.
Cm.
aas; Cp.
Pt.
Hl.
an aas; Ln.
an as.
3852. E.
Hn.
Cm.
_omit_ yit; Hl.
_has_ right.
Who shal me yeven teres to compleyne The deeth of gentillesse and of fraunchyse, That al the world welded in his demeyne, 3855 And yit him thoughte it mighte nat suffyse?
So ful was his corage of heigh empryse.
