NOTES

LIB. V. (continued)

1980. F has a stop after ‘Avarice,’ but see note on l. 3966.

1982 ff. The meaning seems to be that they make no distinction of day or night when there is work of this kind to be done.

2004.overhippeth, i. e. leaps over or omits something, so that he has not all that he desires. The word is used inPiers Plowman, xv. 379, of omitting passages in the services of the Church.

2015 ff. Cp.Mirour de l’Omme, 6253 ff.,

‘Sicomme le Luce en l’eaue glouteDu piscon la menuse toute,Qu’il presde luy verra noer,Ensi ly riches,’ &c.

‘Sicomme le Luce en l’eaue gloute

Du piscon la menuse toute,

Qu’il presde luy verra noer,

Ensi ly riches,’ &c.

2031 ff. The tale of Virgil’s Mirror is from the French proseRoman des Sept Sages, as published by Le Roux de Lincy. It might easily be shown that Gower did not follow either the French metrical version or the LatinHistoria Septem Sapientum. The English metrical version published by Weber is from a source similar to that of Gower’s story, but it differs in some points. Gower seems to be responsible for the introduction of Carthage and Hannibal.

2099.slepende a nyht, i. e. while they slept.

2101. Cp. Prol. 182.

2115.he his oghne body, i. e. ‘he himself.’

2150 f. This point is omitted in the English metrical version.

2157 f. The English metrical version is very similar, ‘We schulle the ymage so undersette, That we ne schal hit nothing lette.’

2168. That is, the timber having been set up.

2198 ff. This about Hannibal is introduced here as if taken from a different source, ‘For this I finde,’ &c.

2238f. Cp.Mirour, 10651, ‘Plus que gaigners son augst attent.’

2273 ff. The tale of the Two Coffers is essentially the same story as that which we have in BoccaccioDecam.x. i, and essentially different from that which is told inVit. Barlaam et Josaphat, cap. vi, as a sequel to the story of the Trump of Death. The story which we have here and in Boccaccio is not at all connected with the idea of choosingby the outward appearance. The coffers are exactly alike, and the very point of the situation lies in the fact that the choice is a purely fortuitous one. The object was to show that they who complained were persons who had fortune against them, and that this was the cause of their having failed of reward, and not any neglect on the part of the king. I cannot say what the source was for Gower; certainly not Boccaccio, whose story is altogether different in its details.

2391 ff. With this story may be compared that in theGesta Romanorum, 109, where by a choice between three pasties, one containing money, a decision is come to as to whether it is God’s will that a certain sum shall be restored to its owner, who is a miser.

2476.tall, i. e. comely, elegant.

2481. Cp. Chaucer,Cant. Tales, D 259.

2507.His thonkes, ‘of his own good will’: cp. Chaucer,Cant. Tales, A 1626, &c.

2543 ff. SeeHist. Alexandri Magni de Preliis, f 1, ed. Argent. 1489.

2547 ff.Rom. de Troie, 23283 ff.

2563. Cp. ii. 2025.

2587. ‘If men shall estimate her value.’ The reading of the text is also that of S.

2643 ff. This story is to be found in theRoman des Sept Sages. Gower follows the same French prose version as before, 2031 ff.

2677.it stod.In this kind of expression the verb is usually subjunctive, as Prol. 481, i. 991, iv. 182, &c.

2752.a weie.This is also the reading of S.

2815 f. A rather more violent displacement than usual of the conjunction, ‘And fled away with all the haste,’ &c. Cp. l. 3947.

2835.heleseems here to mean ‘profit,’ in a worldly sense.

2872. According to theNew Engl. Dict.this is the same as the Dutch ‘heepe,’ ‘heep,’ meaning a pruning-hook. ‘As there is no cognate word in O. E., its appearance in Gower, and this apparently in a proverbial phrase, is not easy to account for.’ In any case the phrase here seems equivalent to ‘by hook or by crook.’

2937. F has punctuation after ‘dai,’ but this is clearly a case of the inverted order of the conjunction: cp. note on Prol. 155, and below on l. 3966.

2961 ff. The story is probably taken from Statius,Achill.i. 197 ff., where however it is told at much greater length. For Gower’s acquaintance with theAchilleis, cp. iv. 1968 ff.

3002 ff. Cp.Achill.i. 338 ff.

3004 f. That is, howsoever his behaviour might be watched.

3082.Protheüs.According to Statius,Achill.i. 494 ff., Protesilaus rebuked Calchas for not having discovered Achilles, upon which Calchas revealed the truth. Perhaps the mention of Protesilaus suggested to Gower the idea of Proteus, of whom he had heard as one who could change his form at will, see l. 6672, and perhaps ashaving prophesied the birth and greatness of Achilles (Ovid,Metam.xi. 221 ff.).

3119.topseilcole, see note on viii. 1890.

3138 f. Cp.Achill.i. 812 ff.

3247 ff. The first part of the story of Jason and Medea (ll. 3247-3926) is taken from Benoît (Rom. de Troie, 703-2062), and not from Guido, as may be easily shown by comparison of the texts. For example, Guido tells all the conditions of the enterprise, about the fire-breathing bulls, the serpent’s teeth and so on, at the beginning of the story, whereas Benoît more dramatically introduces them into the instructions given to Jason by Medea (Rom. de Troie, 1337-1374, 1691-1748), and in this he is followed by Gower (3505-3540). Guido says nothing about the sleeplessness of the serpent (Rom. de Troie, 1357 f.,Conf. Am.v. 3514), nor about repeating the charm ‘contre orient’ (Rom. de Troie, 1700), nor does he mention the thanksgiving which Jason is to offer up to the gods after his victory and before he takes the fleece (Rom. de Troie, 1735 f.,Conf. Am.v. 3626 ff.). The sleep of Jason after leaving Medea is omitted by Guido (Rom. de Troie, 1755 ff.,Conf. Am.v. 3665 ff.), and also the bath which he took after his adventure (Rom. de Troie, 1999,Conf. Am.v. 3801). There is no need to multiply instances, which will be observed by every careful reader. We have seen on other occasions that Gower prefers Benoît to Guido, and not without excellent reasons. Guido indeed makes this story even more prosaic than usual, and combines it with matter-of-fact discussions about the magic powers of Medea and the virtues of the various stones which she used.

Gower, however, does not follow Benoît in a slavish manner. He omits or alters the details of the story very happily at times, and he adds much of his own. Thus he omits all mention of the evil motives of Peleus (or Pelias), and makes the proposal to seek the golden fleece come from Jason; he passes over the story of the dispute with Laomedon, which was necessary to theRoman de Troie, but not to the story of Jason taken separately; he adds the discourse of Jason with Oëtes on his arrival; he omits the details about Medea’s hair and eyes, her arms and her chin (Rom. de Troie, 1254 ff.), and dwells rather upon the feelings which the two lovers had for one another at first sight (3376 ff.). When they are together at night, it is Medea, according to our author, and not Jason, who suggests that it is time to rise and to speak of what has to be done (3547 ff.); and Gower adds the scene of parting (3634-3659), the description of Jason’s return over the sea and of Medea’s feelings meanwhile upon her tower, and the sending of the maid to inquire how he did. Finally, he much improves the story by making the flight take place at once, instead of prolonging Jason’s stay for a month.

Chaucer, who tells the story in a rather perfunctory manner, follows Guido (Leg. of Good Women, 1396 ff.).

3291.And schop anon, &c. This might be understood of Peleus,who, according to the original story, gave orders for the building of the ship; but better perhaps of Jason, ‘And schop’ for ‘And he schop,’ cp. l. 4590 and vi. 1636.

3376.herd spoke: cp. 4485, ‘I have herd seid.’

3388. That is, ‘they took heed each of other.’ For the plural verb cp. 3439.

3416. That is, ‘he took St. John as his pledge’ of a good issue, ‘he committed himself to the care of St. John.’ The expression was often used in connexion with setting out on a journey: cp. Chaucer,Compl. of Mars, 9.

3422. Cp. iv. 3273, vi. 2104. The expression in vi. 1621 f., ‘to ful age, That he can reson and langage,’ that is, ‘till he is of full age and knows reason,’ &c., is much of the same kind.

3488.dede him helpe.We must take this second ‘helpe’ as a substantive, otherwise the rhyme would not be good. The rule is that words identical in form can only be combined in rhyme when they have some difference of meaning.

3509.to thyle.The idea was that the golden fleece was guarded in a small island adjacent to the larger ‘isle of Colchos.’ SeeRom. de Troie, 1791 ff.,

‘Ilec li covient à passer,Ou voille ou non, un bras de mer;Mès estreiz est, ne dure mieGaires plus de lieue et demie.De l’altre part est li isliax,Non mie granz, mès molt est biax.’

‘Ilec li covient à passer,

Ou voille ou non, un bras de mer;

Mès estreiz est, ne dure mie

Gaires plus de lieue et demie.

De l’altre part est li isliax,

Non mie granz, mès molt est biax.’

3533.dethes wounde, ‘deadly wound’: cp. iii. 2657, ‘And smot him with a dethes wounde,’ and also the genitives ‘lyves’ for ‘living’ and ‘worldes’ for ‘worldly,’ i. 1771, iv. 382, &c.

3573.hold, i. e. let him hold: cp. viii. 1128, 1420.

3579 ff. According to Benoît Medea gave him first the magic figure, ‘une figure Fete par art et par conjure’ (cp. 3580), then the ointment and the ring, and after that a writing, the words of which he was to repeat three times when he came to the place. Gower changes the order of things, and combines the writing with the ‘hevenely figure,’ describing it as written over with names which he is to repeat in the manner mentioned.

3632.That thanne he were, &c., that is, she prayed that he would soon be gone.

3654. ‘It shall not be owing to any sloth of mine if I do not,’ &c.

3665 ff.

‘Dedanz son lit s’est tost cochiezEndormi sei en eslepas;Car tot esteit de veiller las:Et quant il ot dormi grant piece,Tant qu’il estoit ja halte tierce,Levez s’est,’ &c.Rom. de Troie, 1756 ff.

‘Dedanz son lit s’est tost cochiez

Endormi sei en eslepas;

Car tot esteit de veiller las:

Et quant il ot dormi grant piece,

Tant qu’il estoit ja halte tierce,

Levez s’est,’ &c.Rom. de Troie, 1756 ff.

‘undren hih’ is in the French ‘halte tierce.’

3681.recorde, ‘take note of.’

3688. The reading of X here, ‘And forth with all his wey he fongeth,’ is also that of GOAd₂.

3707.scherded: perhaps the word is suggested by Benoît’s expression, ‘Les escherdes hérice’ (Rom. de Troie, 1905).

3711. A literal translation ofRom. de Troie, 1906, ‘Feu et venin gitot ensenble.’ With the lines that follow cp.Rom. de Troie, 1911 ff.

3731 ff. The picturesque elements here are perhaps partly suggested byRom. de Troie, 1869 ff.

3747.That he ne were, expressing a wish: cp. iv. 3414, ‘Helas, that I nere of this lif,’ equivalent to ‘why ne were I,’ l. 5979.

3781 f. ‘leyhe’ seems to be modified in form for the sake of the rhyme, the usual form in Gower being ‘lawhe.’

3786.naght, in rhyme for ‘noght’: cp. ‘awht,’ ‘auht,’ i. 2770, v. 6073.

3789. So Ovid,Metam.vii. 144 ff.,

‘Tu quoque victorem complecti, barbara, velles,Obstitit incepto pudor,’ &c.,

‘Tu quoque victorem complecti, barbara, velles,

Obstitit incepto pudor,’ &c.,

but it is also in Benoît,Rom. de Troie, 1991 f.

3793 ff. The sending of the maid, with the pretty touch in l. 3800, is an addition by Gower.

3890. Cp. i. 1516.

3904.this was conseil, ‘this was a secret’: cp. iii. 778, vi. 2326; so Chaucer,Cant. Tales, C 819, ‘Shal it be conseil?’ cp. D 966, E 2431.

3927 ff. Benoît tells no more of Jason’s life after his return to Greece, saying that Dares relates no more, and he does not wish to tell stories that may not be true, ‘N’en velt fere acreire mençonge.’ From this point then Gower follows Ovid,Metam.vii. 159-293, and it must be understood that the illustrative quotations in the notes are from this passage.

3947. ‘And prayed her that by the magic art which she knew,’ &c. For the order of words cp. 2815 f.

3957 f. Ovid makes it full moon, l. 180, but afterwards, l. 188, says ‘Sidera sola micant.’

3962 ff.

‘Egreditur tectis vestes induta recinctas,Nuda pedem, nudos humeris infusa capillos,Fertque vagos mediae per muta silentia noctisIncomitata gradus.’Metam.vii. 182 ff.

‘Egreditur tectis vestes induta recinctas,

Nuda pedem, nudos humeris infusa capillos,

Fertque vagos mediae per muta silentia noctis

Incomitata gradus.’Metam.vii. 182 ff.

The comparison to the adder in l. 3967 is Gower’s own.

3966. F has a stop after ‘specheles,’ there being a natural tendency even in the best copies to treat ‘and’ or ‘for’ as the beginning of a new clause: so (to take examples from the fifth book only) v. 231, 410, 444, 2318, 2937, 5096, in all which places F has apparently wrong punctuation in connexion with this kind of inverted order.

3971 ff.

‘Ter se convertit, ter sumptis flumine crinemIrroravit aquis, ternis ululatibus oraSolvit’: 189 f.

‘Ter se convertit, ter sumptis flumine crinem

Irroravit aquis, ternis ululatibus ora

Solvit’: 189 f.

3981. The punctuation is that of F, but perhaps we ought rather to read,

‘Sche preide and ek hield up hir hond,To Echates and gan to crie.’

‘Sche preide and ek hield up hir hond,

To Echates and gan to crie.’

3986.help.For this use of the imperat. sing, (with ‘helpeth’ just above) see Introduction, p. cxviii.

3994.

‘Sublimis rapitur, subiectaque Thessala TempeDespicit, et Creteis regionibus applicat angues:’ 222 f.

‘Sublimis rapitur, subiectaque Thessala Tempe

Despicit, et Creteis regionibus applicat angues:’ 222 f.

Gower very naturally understood this to mean that Medea visited Crete, and hence the confusion of geography. He could not be expected to know that Othrys and Olympus were mountains of Thessaly, and hence that the ‘Creteis’ or ‘cretis’ of his manuscript was probably a corruption.

4000 f.

‘et placitas partim radice revellit,Partim succidit curvamine falcis ahenae.’ 226 f.

‘et placitas partim radice revellit,

Partim succidit curvamine falcis ahenae.’ 226 f.

4005.Eridian, i. e. Apidanus.

4006.

‘Necnon Peneus, necnon Spercheïdes undaeContribuere aliquid.’ 230 f.

‘Necnon Peneus, necnon Spercheïdes undae

Contribuere aliquid.’ 230 f.

4011.the rede See.Perhaps Gower read ‘rubrum mare’ for ‘refluum mare’ inMetam.vii. 258.

4031 ff.

‘statuitque aras e caespite binas,Dexteriore Hecates, at laeva parte Iuventae.’ 240 f.

‘statuitque aras e caespite binas,

Dexteriore Hecates, at laeva parte Iuventae.’ 240 f.

4039. ‘verbenis, silvaque incinxit agresti,’ 242. Gower took ‘silva agrestis’ as the name of a herb and ingeniously translated it into ‘fieldwode.’

4052 f. ‘Umbrarumque rogat rapta cum coniuge regem,’ 249. Our author is able to supply the names correctly.

4064-4114. This picturesque passage is for the most part original.

4127 ff. ‘Nec defuit illic Squamea Cinyphii tenuis membrana chelydri,’ 272. Gower understood this to mean ‘the scales of Cinyphius (or Cimphius) andtheskin of Chelidrus.’

4134. ‘novem cornicis saecula passae,’ 274.

4137. Ovid speaks of the entrails of a werwolf, ‘Ambigui prosecta lupi,’ &c.

4156. For omission of relative cp. l. 4205 and note on i. 10.

4175 ff. The story here is only summarized by Ovid,Metam.vii. 394-401. Gower of course knew it from other sources.

4219. ‘intrat Palladias arces,’Metam.vii. 398. This means Athens, but it is misunderstood by Gower.

4251.Philen, i. e. Nephele. Hyginus tells this story much as it is told here (except that it was the mother of the children who provided the ram), but he gives the name in its Latin form, as ‘Nebula.’ Note the mistake as to this name in the margin, appearing in all MSS. except SΔΛ.

4299 ff. Note the confused construction of the sentence: cp. note on i. 98.

4391. The metaphor of hunting is still kept up: the gain which they pursue is started like a hare and driven into the net.

4399.Outward, that is, when he gives things out, cp. ‘withinne’ below.

4452.I were a goddeshalf.This seems to mean, ‘I should be content,’ that is, I should be ready to say ‘In God’s name let it be so.’ For the expression cp. l. 5016, ‘Thanne a goddes half The thridde time assaie I schal.’ In theNew Engl. Dict.(‘half’) it is said to be used ‘to add emphasistoa petition, command, or expression of consent or resignation’: cp. Chaucer,Book of the Duchess, 370, 757.

4455.I biede nevere ... Bot, ‘I demand only.’ In this expression ‘biede’ and ‘bidde’ have been confused, as often. Thus we have ‘I bidde nevere a betre taxe,’ i. 1556, ‘That I ne bede nevere awake,’ iv. 2905, in the latter of which ‘bede’ may be either pret. subj. of ‘bidde,’ or pres. ind. equivalent to ‘biede,’ and vi. 1356, ‘He bede nevere fare bet’ where ‘bede’ is apparently pret. subj. of bidde; while in the EnglishRom. of the Rose, 791, we have ‘Ne bode I nevere thennes go,’ in which ‘bode’ must be pret. subj. of ‘biede.’

4465.lete: see note on i. 3365.

4549 ff. Cp. i. 42 ff.

4557 f. ‘No law may control him either by severity or by mildness.’ For the use of ‘compaignie’ in the sense of ‘friendliness’ cp. i. 1478, and below, l. 7759.

4583 ff. Ovid,Metam.iii. 362 ff., but the circumstances are somewhat modified to suit Gower’s purpose. According to Ovid Echo’s fault was that she talked too much and diverted Juno’s attention, and her punishment was that her speech was confined to a mere repetition of what she heard. Here the crime is rather that she cunningly concealed in her speech what she ought to have told, and the punishment is that she is obliged to tell everything that comes to her ears.

4590. ‘And through such brocage he was untrue,’ &c. For the omission of the pronoun see note on i. 1895.

4623.maken it so queinte, ‘be so cunning’: cp. iv. 2314, where however ‘queinte’ has a different meaning.

4642.hire mouth ascape, i. e. escape being repeated by her mouth.

4661. The aspiration of ‘hem,’ so as to prevent elision, is very unusual: cp. Introduction, p. cxxv.

4668 ff. ‘I shall arrange in their due order those branches of Avarice on which no wealth is well bestowed,’ that is, those which make no return for what is bestowed upon them, viz. Usury and Ingratitude.

4708.of som reprise, i. e. ‘of some cost,’ cp. i. 3414,

‘Which most is worth, and no repriseIt takth ayein,’

‘Which most is worth, and no reprise

It takth ayein,’

that is, it costs nothing.

4724.with ydel hand, ‘with empty hand,’ that is, without a lure. This seems to be the original meaning of the adjective: seeNew Eng. Dict.‘idle.’

4731.the gold Octovien.The treasures of Octovien (or Octavian) were proverbial: cp.Rom. de Troie, 1684 f.,

‘Unques Oteviens de RomeNe pot conquerre tel aveir,’

‘Unques Oteviens de Rome

Ne pot conquerre tel aveir,’

and again 28594,

‘Se li tresors OctoviensFust lor, si lor donassent il.’

‘Se li tresors Octoviens

Fust lor, si lor donassent il.’

The expression here seems to be in imitation of the French form without preposition, as in the latter of the above quotations.

The FrenchRoman d’Othevien, found in the Bodleian MS. Hatton 100, and reproduced in two English versions, has nothing to do with the treasures of Octovien, for which see William of Malmesbury,Gesta Regum, ii. § 169 f. The treasures were supposed to be buried at Rome or elsewhere, and several persons, especially the Pope Silvester (Gerbert), were said to have seen them, but not to have been permitted to carry them away. They appear also in theRoman des Sept Sages.

4748.eschu of.The adjective is used by Chaucer with ‘to’ (or ‘for to’) and infin.,Cant. Tales, E 1812, I 971. We may note the spelling here with reference to Chaucer’s rhyme in the former passage.

4763. ‘It may not by any means be avoided that,’ &c.

4774.as to tho pars, ‘as regards those matters’: ‘pars’ is the French plural form, cp.Mirour, 7386, where apparently ‘pars’ means ‘duties.’

4787. Cp. l. 7716, where the saying has a different application. The proverb is here used of those who are, as we say, penny wise and pound foolish. In the other passage it is applied to the opposite case of gaining the coat for the hood.

4808 ff. This story is founded on the so-calledComedia Babionis, one of those Latin elegiac poems in a quasi-dramatic form which were popular in the fourteenth century. Others of the same class areGetaandPamphilus. In the original, Viöla is Babio’s step-daughter, with whom he is in love, and who is taken in marriage against his will by Croceus. The serving-man is Fodius, not Spodius, and most of the piece is concerned with an intrigue between him and the wife of Babio. See Wright’sEarly Mysteries, p. 65.

4899.comth to londe, ‘appears’: cp. l. 18.

4921.who that it kan, that is, as any one who knows it will witness: cp. l. 4927, ‘For, as any one who observes may know, a beast is,’ &c.

4937 ff. This story, which is of Eastern origin, is told near the end of theSpeculum Stultorum(i. e.Burnellus), with which Gower was acquainted, as we know from theVox Clamantis. The names there are Bernardus and Dryānus, and the animals are three, a serpent, an ape, and a lion. A similar tale is told by Matthew Paris, under the year 1195, as related by King Richard I in order to recommendliberality in the cause of Christendom. In this the rich man is Vitalis, a Venetian, and the poor man’s name is not given. The animals in the pit are a lion and a serpent. Vitalis thanks his deliverer, and appoints a time for him to come to his palace in Venice and receive the promised reward of half his goods; but when he comes, he is refused with contumely. The magic qualities of the gem which the serpent brings are not mentioned in the story of Vitalis.

5010 f. So in theSpeculum Stultorum, ‘Tunc ita Bernardus, Sathanae phantasmate lusum Se reputans, dixit,’ &c.

5022.blessed, i. e. crossed himself. This ceremony plays a considerable part in the story of Vitalis, for by it he is preserved from the wild beasts while in the pit.

5025.Betwen him and his Asse, that is, he and his ass together: cp. l. 5381. The expression is imitated from the French, cp.Roman de Troie, 5837.

5093. There is a stop after ‘Purs,’ no doubt rightly, in F. On the other hand the stop after ‘wif’ in l. 5096 must be wrong.

5123 f. Cp. 4597 ff.

5215.standt.For this spelling cp. ‘bidt,’ iv. 1162.

5231 ff. The outline of this story might have been got from Ovid and from Hyginus,Fab.40-43, but several points of detail suggest a different source. These are, for example, the idea that the son of Minos went to Athens to study philosophy, the statement of the number of persons sent as a tribute to Minos, the incident of the ball of pitch given by Ariadne to Theseus to be used against the Minotaur, and the name of the island where Ariadne was deserted. In the first and third of these Gower agrees with Chaucer,Legend of Good Women, 1894 ff., but his story is apparently quite independent, so that in regard to, these matters we must assume a common source: cp. L. Bech inAnglia, v. 337 ff.

as telleth the Poete.The authority referred to here must be Ovid (cp. i. 386, ii. 121, v. 6713, 6804, &c.). He slightly mentions the death of Androgeus,Metam.vii. 458, and relates the war of Minos against Megara at some length (Metam.viii. 1 ff), very briefly summarising the remainder of the story. Chaucer follows Ovid more fully here, telling the story of Nisus, to which Gower does not think it necessary to refer.

5248.dighte.This is the form of spelling here in S as well as F: so also in l. 5352.

5264 f. Hyginus says seven persons each year: Chaucer seems to conceive it as one every third year. The usual account is seven youths and seven maidens either every year or once in nine years.

5302.many on.Perhaps we should read ‘manye on’ with S and F, as vii. 2191, ‘manye an other.’

5319. This expression occurs also in ll. 5598 and 7553.

5360.fawht.Elsewhere this verb has preterite ‘foghte,’ as iii. 2651, iv. 2095, but the strong form ‘faught’ is used by Chaucer, e. g.Cant. Tales, B 3519, and this in fact is the originally correct form.

5413.Chyo.Ovid says ‘Dia,’ that is Naxos.

5507.His rihte name: cp.Mirour, 409, ‘par son droit noun Je l’oi nommer Temptacioun,’ 4243, ‘Si ot a noun par droit nommant,’ &c. and other similar expressions.

5510.as men telleth: cp. l. 6045, ‘men seith.’

5511. According to the margin Extortion is themotherof Ravine.

5550.femeline, used repeatedly both as adjective and as substantive in theMirour de l’Omme.

5551 ff. The tale of Tereus is from Ovid,Metam.vi. 424-674, in some parts abbreviated and in others expanded, with good judgement usually in both cases, so that this is one of Gower’s best-told tales. He omits the long account given by Ovid of the way in which Pandion was persuaded to allow Philomela to accompany Tereus (Metam.vi. 447-510), the incidents of the rescue of Philomela from her imprisonment, which no doubt he felt would be unintelligible to his readers (587-600), and many of the more shocking details connected with the death of Itys and the feast upon his flesh. On the other hand he has added the prayer and reflections of Philomene in her prison (ll. 5734-5768), the prayers of the two sisters (5817-5860), the words of Progne to Tereus (5915-5927), and especially the reflections on the nightingale and the swallow at the end of the story (5943-6029). This latter part is quite characteristic of our author, and as usual it is prettily conceived.

Chaucer, who tells the story in theLegend of Good Women, 2228-2393, was weary of it even from the beginning (2257 f.), and omits the conclusion altogether, either as too shocking or as not suiting with his design. So far as he goes, however, he follows Ovid more closely than Gower.

5555. See note on Prol. 460.

5598. So also ll. 5319, 7553.

5623. Ovid’s comparison is to fire catching dry straw and leaves,Metam.vi. 456 f.

5643 ff. Ovid compares her state after the deed was done to that of a lamb hurt by a wolf and still trembling, or a dove which has escaped wounded from a bird of prey (527-530). Here, on the other hand, the idea is of being held fast, so that she cannot move or escape; while Chaucer, using the same similes as Ovid, applies the comparison less appropriately to her fear of the violence yet to come.

5651. Cp.Metam.vi. 531, ‘Mox ubi mens rediit.’

5663 ff.

‘si copia detur,In populos veniam; si silvis clausa tenebor,Implebo silvas, et conscia saxa movebo.’Metam.vi. 545 ff.

‘si copia detur,

In populos veniam; si silvis clausa tenebor,

Implebo silvas, et conscia saxa movebo.’Metam.vi. 545 ff.

5670. I suspect the combination ‘tale and ende’ may have arisen from some such phrase as ‘to sette tale on ende’ (or ‘an ende’), meaning to begin a speech: seeNew Engl. Dict.under ‘ende.’

5676.where is thi fere?that is, ‘where is thy fear of the gods?’We must not take ‘fere’ in the sense of ‘companion’ or ‘equal,’ because in that case it could not properly rhyme with ‘Ere.’

5690 f.

‘comprensam forcipe linguamAbstulit ense fero.’Metam.vi. 556 f.

‘comprensam forcipe linguam

Abstulit ense fero.’Metam.vi. 556 f.

Gower must be commended for omitting the tasteless lines which follow in Ovid about the severed tongue, and still more the shocking statement, which even Ovid accompanies with ‘vix ausim credere,’ of 561 f.

5709.tyh, preterite of ‘ten,’ from OE. ‘tēon,’ meaning ‘draw,’ and hence ‘come.’

5724. The punctuation follows F, ‘To hire’ meaning ‘in her case,’ cp. l. 4182, vii. 4937. It would suit the sense better perhaps to set the comma after ‘forsake,’ and to take ‘To hire’ with what follows: cp. note on l. 3966, where it is shown that the punctuation of F is often wrong in such cases as this.

5726.hir Sostres mynde, ‘her sister’s memory.’

5730.guile under the gore, that is, deceit concealed, as it were, under a cloak: cp. l. 6680. The expression ‘under gore’ is common enough, meaning the same as ‘under wede,’ and this alliterative form looks like a proverbial expression.

5734-5768. All this is original.

5737.so grete a wo: cp. l. 6452, and see Introduction, p. cx.

5778. ‘nec scit quid tradat in illis,’Metam.vi. 580.

5793. ‘Non est lacrimis hic, inquit, agendum, Sed ferro,’Metam.vi. 611.

5802 ff. According to Ovid this was done under cover of a Bacchic festival (587 ff.).

5816-5860. This is all original.

5840.to lytel of me let: see note on l. 1004.

5891 ff. Gower does well in omitting the circumstances of this which Ovid gives (619-646), and in partially covering the horror of it by the excuse of madness, but there is one touch which ought to have been brought in, ‘Ah, quam Es similis patri!’ (621).

5910 ff. Ovid says that Philomela threw the gory head into the father’s face, and that Tereus endeavoured to vomit up that which he had eaten. Our author has shown good taste in not following him.

5915 ff. This speech is not in Ovid.

5943-6029. Nearly all this is Gower’s own. Ovid only says, ‘Quarum petit altera silvas: Altera tecta subit’ (668 f.). We have already observed upon our author’s tendency to make additions of this symbolical kind to the stories which he takes from Ovid: see note on i. 2355.

6020. The reading ‘here’ is given both by S and F, but ‘hire’ (‘hir’), supported by AJMXGCB₂, BT, W, seems to be required by the sense. She informs them of the falseness of her husband, that they also may learn to beware of them, that is of husbands. The combination of ‘here’with the singular ‘housebonde,’ meaning ‘their husbands,’ would be very harsh.

6041 ff.

‘Ille dolore suo, poenaeque cupidine velox,Vertitur in volucrem, cui stant in vertice cristae,Prominet immodicum pro longa cuspide rostrum.Nomen Epops volucri, facies armata videtur.’

‘Ille dolore suo, poenaeque cupidine velox,

Vertitur in volucrem, cui stant in vertice cristae,

Prominet immodicum pro longa cuspide rostrum.

Nomen Epops volucri, facies armata videtur.’

Metam.vi. 671 ff.

The lapwing is identified with the hoopoe because of its crest. In theTraitié, xii, where this story is shortly told, Tereus is changed into a ‘hupe,’

‘Dont dieus lui ad en hupe transformée,En signe qu’il fuist fals et avoltier,’

‘Dont dieus lui ad en hupe transformée,

En signe qu’il fuist fals et avoltier,’

while at the same time in theMirour, 8869 ff., the ‘hupe’ is represented as the bird which tries to deceive those who search for its nest, a description which obviously belongs to the lapwing.

6047. Cp. Chaucer,Parl. of Foules, 347, ‘The false lapwyng ful of trecherye.’

6053.goddes forebode: cp. Chaucer,Leg. of Good Women, 10,

‘But goddes forbode but men schulde leve,’

where the second form of text has

‘But god forbede but men shulde leve.’

We must take ‘forebode’ as a substantive.

6073.auht: modified to suit the rhyme: so ‘awht,’ i. 2770, and ‘naght,’ l. 3786, rhyming with ‘straght.’ The regular forms for Gower are ‘oght,’ ‘noght.’

6145 ff. This is from Ovid,Metam.ii. 569-588. Gower has judiciously kept it apart from the story of Coronis and the raven, told by him in the second book, with which it is combined in rather a confusing manner by Ovid. The story is somewhat expanded by Gower.

6150.wif to Marte: cp. 1214 f.

6169.And caste: cp. l. 4590, and see note on i. 1895.

6197. ‘mota est pro virgine virgo, Auxiliumque tulit,’Metam.ii. 579 f., but Ovid says nothing of any special prayer to Pallas for help, nor does he represent that Cornix was before in attendance upon that goddess.

6207 ff. This is original and characteristic of our author.

6225 ff. This story is from Ovid,Metam.ii. 409-507, but Gower evidently knew it from other sources also, for the name Calistona (or Callisto) is not given by Ovid, who calls her ‘virgo Nonacrina’ and ‘Parrhasis.’ Hyginus tells it in various forms,Fab.177 andPoet. Astr.ii. 2.

6255. According to Ovid, Diana was quite ignorant of the fact, though the nymphs suspected it.

6258.in a ragerie, that is ‘in sport’: cp. Chaucer,Cant. Tales,E 1847, and the use of the verb ‘rage,’ e. g. i. 1764 andCant. Tales, A 257, 3273, 3958.

6275 ff. ‘I procul hinc, dixit, nec sacros pollue fontes,’Metam.ii. 464.

6281. F has a stop after ‘schame.’

6291 ff. This address is mostly original: cp.Metam.ii. 471 ff.

6334 ff.

‘Arcuit omnipotens, pariterque ipsosque nefasqueSustulit, et celeri raptos per inania ventoImposuit caelo vicinaque sidera fecit.’

‘Arcuit omnipotens, pariterque ipsosque nefasque

Sustulit, et celeri raptos per inania vento

Imposuit caelo vicinaque sidera fecit.’

Metam.ii. 505 ff.

Latin Verses, x. The idea expressed is that though examples of virginity can only be produced through marriage, yet virginity is nobler than marriage, as the flower of a rose is nobler than the stock from which it springs. Marriage, in fact, replenishes the earth, but virginity heaven: cp.Trait.ii.

6359 ff. Cp.Mirour, 17119 ff., where the saying is attributed to Jerome, who says in fact that precedence was given in the streets to the Vestal Virgins by the highest magistrates, and even by victors riding in the triumphal car (adv. Jovin.ii. 41).

6372 ff. Cp.Mirour, 18301 ff. The anecdote is taken from Valerius Maximus,Mem.iv. 5, but the name in the original is ‘Spurina,’ and he does not thrust out his eyes, but merely destroys the beauty of his face. In theMirourit is ‘Coupa ses membres.’

6385 ff. ‘So may I prove that, if a man will weigh the virtues, he will find that virginity is to be praised above all others.’ The sentence is disordered for the sake of the rhymes: cp. ii. 709 ff.

6389. The quotation from the Apocalypse is given in the margin of SΔ and inMirour, 17053 ff. The reference is to Rev. xiv. 4.

6395* ff. Cp.Mirour, 17067 and note.

6398 ff. This also appears inMirour, 17089 ff., andTraitié, xvi. It may have been taken from theEpistola Valerii ad Rufinum.

6402. The margin makes him ‘octogenarius,’ and so it is also in theMirourandTraitié, as well as in theEpistola Valerii.

6435 ff. This shows more knowledge than could have been got from theRoman de Troie. The story is told by Hyginus,Fab.121, but not exactly as we have it here. This ‘Criseide douhter of Crisis’ should be distinguished from the Criseide daughter of Calchas (Briseïda in theRoman de Troie), who is associated with Troilus, if it is worth while making distinctions where so much confusion prevails.

6442.dangerous, that is, ‘grudging’ or ‘reluctant’: cp. Chaucer,Cant. Tales, D 1090, and see note on i. 2443.

6452.So grete a lust: cp. l. 5737 and Introduction, p. cx.

6498.as a Pocok doth.It is difficult to see the appropriateness of the comparison, for to ‘stalke’ is to go cautiously or secretly, and that is evidently the meaning here, so that any idea of display is out of the question. The peacock was supposed to be ashamed of itsugly feet, cp.Mirour, 23459, and in theSecretum Secretorumwe actually have the expression ‘humilis et obediens ut pavo,’ translated by Lydgate (or Burgh) ‘Meeke as a pecock.’ Albertus Magnus says, ‘Cum aspicitur ad solem, decorem ostentat, et alio tempore occultat quantum poterit’ (De Animalibus, 23). There seems to have been a notion that it was liable to have its pride humbled and to slink away ashamed.

6526.bile under the winge, that is, concealed, as a bird’s head under its wing: apparently proverbial.

6541.I mai remene ... mene.This is apparently the reading of the MSS. The meaning of ‘remene’ is properly to bring back. It is used earlier, i. 279, with reference to the application of the teaching about vices generally to the case of love, and here it seems to have much the same sense. ‘So that I may apply what has been said about this craft directly’ (‘Withouten help of eny mene’) to the case of lovers, they being very evidently offenders in this way.

6581.hire it is: but in l. 4470, ‘It schal ben hires.’

6608 ff. For the construction see note on i. 718.

6620.Danger: see note on i. 2443.

6634.slyke: cp. l. 7092*, ‘He can so wel hise wordes slyke.’ The word means properly to smoothe, hence to flatter: cp. the modern ‘sleek.’

6635.Be him, &c., i. e. by his own resources or by the help of any other.

6636.To whom: see note on i. 771.

6654.a nyht, i. e. by night, also written ‘anyht,’ ii. 2857.

6672.Protheüs, that is Proteus: cp. note on l. 3082.

6674.in what liknesse, ‘into any form whatsoever.’

6680.under the palle, ‘in secret,’ like ‘under the gore,’ l. 5730.

6713 ff. From Ovid,Metam.iv. 192-255, but with several changes. In the original story the Sun-god came to Leucothoe by night and in the form of her mother. Clytie (not Clymene) discovered the fact (without the aid of Venus) and told it to the father; and it was an incense plant which grew from the place where Leucothoe was buried.

6757. For the expression cp. iii. 2555, ‘Achastus, which with Venus was Hire priest.’

6779. This change into a flower which follows the sun is suggested byMetam.iv. 266 ff., where we are told that Clytie was changed into a heliotrope. Here it is a sun-flower apparently.

6807 ff. From Ovid,Fasti, ii. 305-358. The ‘mistress’ of whom Ovid speaks is Omphale, but Gower supposed it to be Iole. He gets ‘Thophis’ as the name of the cave from a misunderstanding of l. 317, and apparently he read ‘Saba’ for ‘Lyda’ in l. 356, out of which he has got his idea of a goddess Saba with attendant nymphs. This feature, though based on a mistake, is a decided improvement of the story, which is told by Gower in a spirited and humorous manner.

6848 ff. The reading of X in this passage is also that of GOAd₂.

6899. The punctuation is that of F.

6932.al a route: so iv. 2145, cp. l. 6257, ‘al a compainie.’

7013. Cp.Mirour, 7181 ff.

7048. This is a nautical metaphor, ‘so near the wind will they steer.’ The verb ‘love’ is the modern ‘luff,’ meaning to bring a ship’s head towards the wind. The substantive ‘lof’ (genit. ‘loves’) means in ME. a rudder or some similar contrivance for turning the ship, and ‘love’ here seems to mean simply to steer. The rhyme with ‘glove’ makes ‘love’ from ‘lufian’ out of the question, even if it gave a satisfactory sense.

7140.gon offre.The ceremony of ‘offering’ after mass was one which involved a good deal of etiquette as regards precedence and so on, cp. Chaucer,Cant. Tales, A 449 ff., and ladies apparently were led up to the altar on these occasions by their cavaliers.

7179. ‘If I might manage in any other way,’ like the expression ‘(I cannot) away with,’ &c.

7195 ff. The story comes no doubt from Benoît,Rom. de Troie, 2851-4916, where it is told at much greater length. Guido does not differ much as regards the incidents related by Gower, but by comparing the two texts in some particular places we can tell without much difficulty which was Gower’s source. For example, in the speech of Hector Benoît has,

Back to Index Next