Comparison of Geoffrey Chaucer Consolatione Philosophie 1 Metre 5 to Geoffrey Chaucer

and seken there thilke good that sormounteth the hevene that

bereth the sterres. What preyere may I maken that be digne

Ful brighter was the shyning of hir hewe

sterres that ben lesse; and somtyme, whan the mone, pale with [continues next]

hir derke hornes, approcheth the sonne, leseth hir lightes; and [continues next]

alle thinges. He yaf to the sonne hise bemes; he yaf to the [continues next]

mone hir hornes. He yaf the men to the erthe; he yaf the [continues next]

The bente mone with hir hornes pale, [continues next]

firste strengthe. And, right by ensaumple as the sonne is hid [continues next]

whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn, whan sterres ben [continues next]

[continues previous] sterres that ben lesse; and somtyme, whan the mone, pale with [continues next]

[continues previous] hir derke hornes, approcheth the sonne, leseth hir lightes; and

ben wikkid. The sterres shynen more agreably whan the wind [continues next]

[continues previous] alle thinges. He yaf to the sonne hise bemes; he yaf to the [continues next]

he shal wel seyn, that the whyte bemes of the sonne ne ben nat

Thurgh brightnesse of the sonne bemes

That yeveth to hir ageyn hir lemes.

[continues previous] The bente mone with hir hornes pale, [continues next]

[continues previous] whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn, whan sterres ben

thy lawe; so that the mone som-tyme shyning with hir ful hornes, [continues next]

[continues previous] meting with alle the bemes of the sonne hir brother, hydeth the [continues next]

wexeth pale, and leseth hir light for the grete brightnesse of the [continues next]

[continues previous] Hony is the more swete, yif mouthes han first tasted savoures that

[continues previous] ben wikkid. The sterres shynen more agreably whan the wind

[continues previous] alle thinges. He yaf to the sonne hise bemes; he yaf to the [continues next]

[continues previous] mone hir hornes. He yaf the men to the erthe; he yaf the [continues next]

And eek, yif that he ne knowe nat why that the hornes of the fulle [continues next]

mone wexen pale and infect by the boundes of the derke night; [continues next]

... north arysen rather than the degree of hir longitude, and alle the sterres of the south arysen after the degree of hir longitude; this is to seyn, sterres fixed in thyn Astrolabie. The mesure of this longitude of sterres is taken in the lyne ecliptik of hevene, under which lyne, whan that the sonne and the mone ben lyne-right or elles in the superfice of this lyne, than is the eclips of the sonne or of the mone; as I shal declare, and eek the cause why. But sothly the Ecliptik Lyne of thy zodiak is the outtereste bordure of thy zodiak, ther the degrees ben marked. Thy ...

[continues previous] The bente mone with hir hornes pale, [continues next]

[continues previous] Saturne, and Iove, in Cancro ioyned were, [continues next]

To ben defet, and pale, and waxen lesse

[continues previous] thy lawe; so that the mone som-tyme shyning with hir ful hornes,

[continues previous] meting with alle the bemes of the sonne hir brother, hydeth the

[continues previous] sterre-light. This is to seyn, whan the sonne is risen, the dey-sterre

[continues previous] wexeth pale, and leseth hir light for the grete brightnesse of the

[continues previous] alle thinges. He yaf to the sonne hise bemes; he yaf to the

[continues previous] mone hir hornes. He yaf the men to the erthe; he yaf the

[continues previous] And eek, yif that he ne knowe nat why that the hornes of the fulle

And hir hornes to shewe derke,

[continues previous] The bente mone with hir hornes pale,

over the nightes, which nightes Hesperus the eve-sterre

hath brought; that the see, greedy to flowen, constreyneth

And was the firste tyme he shulde hir preye [continues next]

Of love; O mighty god, what shal he seye? [continues next]

path, ther-as it is wont aryse. Alle thinges seken ayein to hir [continues next]

[continues previous] And was the firste tyme he shulde hir preye

[continues previous] path, ther-as it is wont aryse. Alle thinges seken ayein to hir

[continues previous] propre cours, and alle thinges reioysen hem of hir retorninge ayein

The plate under thy riet is descryved with 3 principal cercles; of which the leste is cleped the cercle of Cancer, by-cause that the heved of Cancer turneth evermor consentrik up-on the same cercle. In this heved of Cancer is the grettest declinacioun northward of the sonne. And ther-for is he cleped the Solsticioun of Somer; whiche declinacioun, aftur Ptholome, is 23 degrees and 50 minutes, as wel in Cancer as in Capricorne. This signe of Cancre is cleped the Tropik of Somer, of tropos, that is to seyn 'agaynward'; for thanne by-ginneth the sonne to passe fro us-ward. And for the more declaracioun, lo here the figure. The middel cercle in wydnesse, of thise 3, is cleped the Cercle Equinoxial; up-on whiche turneth evermo the hedes of Aries and Libra. And understond wel, that evermo this Cercle Equinoxial turneth iustly fro verrey est to verrey west; as I have shewed thee in the spere solide. This same cercle is cleped also the Weyere, equator, of the day; for whan the sonne is in the hevedes of Aries and Libra, than ben the dayes and the nightes ilyke of lengthe in al the world. And ther-fore ben thise two signes called the Equinoxies. And alle that moeveth with-in the hevedes of thise Aries and Libra, his moeving is cleped northward; and alle that moeveth with-oute thise hevedes, his moeving is cleped south-ward as fro the equinoxial. Tak keep of thise latitudes north and sowth, and forget it nat. By this Cercle Equinoxial ben considered the 24 houres of the clokke; for everemo the arysing of 15 degrees of the equinoxial maketh an houre equal of the clokke. This equinoxial is cleped the girdel of the firste moeving, or elles of the angulus primi motus vel primi mobilis. And nota, that firste moeving is cleped 'moeving' of the firste moevable of the 8 spere, whiche moeving is fro est to west, and eft agayn in-to est; also it is clepid 'girdel' of the first moeving, for it departeth the firste moevable, that is to seyn, the spere, in two ilyke parties, evene-distantz fro the poles of this world. The wydeste of thise three principal cercles is cleped the Cercle of Capricorne, by-cause that the heved of Capricorne turneth evermo consentrik up-on the same cercle. In the heved of this for-seide Capricorne is the grettest declinacioun southward of the sonne, and ther-for is it cleped the Solsticioun of Winter. This signe of Capricorne is also cleped the Tropik of Winter, for thanne byginneth the sonne to come agayn to us-ward. And for the more declaracioun, lo here thy figure. [continues next]

... for that Setterday. Thanne sheweth the verrey degree of the sonne the houre of Mercurie entring under my west orisonte at eve; and next him succedeth the Mone; and so forth by ordre, planete after planete, in houre after houre, al the night longe til the sonne aryse. Now ryseth the sonne that Sonday by the morwe; and the nadir of the sonne, up-on the west orizonte, sheweth me the entring of the houre of the forseide sonne. And in this maner succedeth planete under planete, fro Saturne un-to the Mone, and fro the Mone up a-gayn to Saturne, houre after houre generaly. And thus knowe I this conclusioun. And for the more declaracioun, lo ... [continues next]

[continues previous] The plate under thy riet is descryved with 3 principal cercles; of which the leste is cleped the cercle of Cancer, by-cause that the heved of Cancer turneth evermor consentrik up-on the same cercle. In this heved of Cancer is the grettest declinacioun northward of the sonne. And ther-for is he cleped the Solsticioun of Somer; whiche declinacioun, aftur Ptholome, is 23 degrees and 50 minutes, as wel in Cancer as in Capricorne. This signe of Cancre is cleped the Tropik of Somer, of tropos, that is to seyn 'agaynward'; for thanne by-ginneth the sonne to passe fro us-ward. And for the more declaracioun, lo here the figure. The middel cercle in wydnesse, of thise 3, is cleped the Cercle Equinoxial; up-on whiche turneth evermo the hedes of Aries and Libra. And understond wel, that evermo this Cercle Equinoxial turneth iustly fro verrey est to verrey west; as I have shewed thee in the spere solide. This same cercle is cleped also the Weyere, equator, of the day; for whan the sonne is in the hevedes of Aries and Libra, than ben the dayes and the nightes ilyke of lengthe in al the world. And ther-fore ben thise two signes called the Equinoxies. And alle that moeveth with-in the hevedes of thise Aries and Libra, his moeving is cleped northward; and alle that moeveth with-oute thise hevedes, his moeving is cleped south-ward as fro the equinoxial. Tak keep of thise latitudes north and sowth, and forget it nat. By this Cercle Equinoxial ben considered the 24 houres of the clokke; for everemo the arysing of 15 degrees of the equinoxial maketh an houre equal of the clokke. This equinoxial is cleped the girdel of the firste moeving, or elles of the angulus primi motus vel primi mobilis. And nota, that firste moeving is cleped 'moeving' of the firste moevable of the 8 spere, whiche moeving is fro est to west, and eft agayn in-to est; also it is clepid 'girdel' of the first moeving, for it departeth the firste moevable, that is to seyn, the spere, in two ilyke parties, evene-distantz fro the poles of this world. The wydeste of thise three principal cercles is cleped the Cercle of Capricorne, by-cause that the heved of Capricorne turneth evermo consentrik up-on the same cercle. In the heved of this for-seide Capricorne is the grettest declinacioun southward of the sonne, and ther-for is it cleped the Solsticioun of Winter. This signe of Capricorne is also cleped the Tropik of Winter, for thanne byginneth the sonne to come agayn to us-ward. And for the more declaracioun, lo here thy figure.

[continues previous] ... that Setterday. Thanne sheweth the verrey degree of the sonne the houre of Mercurie entring under my west orisonte at eve; and next him succedeth the Mone; and so forth by ordre, planete after planete, in houre after houre, al the night longe til the sonne aryse. Now ryseth the sonne that Sonday by the morwe; and the nadir of the sonne, up-on the west orizonte, sheweth me the entring of the houre of the forseide sonne. And in this maner succedeth planete under planete, fro Saturne un-to the Mone, and fro the Mone up a-gayn to Saturne, houre after houre generaly. And thus knowe I this conclusioun. And for the more ...

'And whan the night is comen, anon [continues next]

The hote somer had maad his hewe al broun;

somer-sesoun warminge; and the hote somer dryeth the cornes;

[continues previous] 'And whan the night is comen, anon

wawes; and what atempreth the lusty houres of the firste somer [continues next]

sesoun, that highteth and apparaileth the erthe with rosene flowres; [continues next]

is to seyn, in the laste ende of somer; and the sedes that the [continues next]

sterre that highte Arcturus saw, ben waxen heye cornes whan the [continues next]

with a glotonous hond, to streyne and presse the stalkes of the [continues next]

vine in the ferst somer sesoun; for Bachus, the god of wyne, hath [continues next]

Whan the wode wexeth rody of rosene floures, in the first somer [continues next]

sesoun, thorugh the brethe of the winde Zephirus that wexeth [continues next]

swiche thinges? Art thou distingwed and embelised by the [continues next]

springinge floures of the first somer sesoun, or swelleth thy [continues next]

plentee in the fruites of somer? Why art thou ravisshed with [continues next]

[continues previous] wawes; and what atempreth the lusty houres of the firste somer

[continues previous] sesoun, that highteth and apparaileth the erthe with rosene flowres;

[continues previous] is to seyn, in the laste ende of somer; and the sedes that the [continues next]

[continues previous] sterre that highte Arcturus saw, ben waxen heye cornes whan the

[continues previous] with a glotonous hond, to streyne and presse the stalkes of the

[continues previous] vine in the ferst somer sesoun; for Bachus, the god of wyne, hath [continues next]

[continues previous] Whan the wode wexeth rody of rosene floures, in the first somer

[continues previous] sesoun, thorugh the brethe of the winde Zephirus that wexeth

[continues previous] swiche thinges? Art thou distingwed and embelised by the

[continues previous] springinge floures of the first somer sesoun, or swelleth thy

[continues previous] plentee in the fruites of somer? Why art thou ravisshed with

termes of the night, that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle, [continues next]

wind bringeth ayein, in the first somer sesoun, the leves that [continues next]

[continues previous] the wind that highte Boreas hath reft awey in autumpne, that [continues next]

[continues previous] rather yeven hise yiftes to autumpne, the later ende of somer.

God tokneth and assigneth the tymes, ablinge hem to hir

[continues previous] termes of the night, that is to seyn, at the laste boundes of helle,

[continues previous] wind bringeth ayein, in the first somer sesoun, the leves that

[continues previous] the wind that highte Boreas hath reft awey in autumpne, that

Whan that the hevy sterre of the Cancre eschaufeth by the [continues next]

Ther nis no-thing in gree superlatyf,

... strenger resoun he defendeth and forbedeth a man to yeven him-self to his enemy. And nathelees I conseille you, that ye mistruste nat my lord. For I wool wel and knowe verraily, that he is debonaire and meke, large, curteys, and nothing desyrous ne coveitous of good ne richesse. For ther nis no-thing in this world that he desyreth, save only worship and honour. Forther-more I knowe wel, and am right seur, that he shal no-thing doon in this nede with-outen my conseil. And I shal so werken in this cause, that, by grace of our lord god, ye shul been reconsiled un-to ... [continues next]

... quod she, 'ye han wel and goodly answered. For right as by the conseil, assent, and help of your freendes, ye han been stired to venge yow and maken werre, right so with-outen hir conseil shul ye nat accorden yow, ne have pees with your adversaries. For the lawe seith: "ther nis no-thing so good by wey of kinde, as a thing to been unbounde by him that it was y-bounde."' [continues next]

[continues previous] Whan that the hevy sterre of the Cancre eschaufeth by the

It is certein and establisshed by lawe perdurable, that no-thing that [continues next]

is engendred nis stedefast ne stable.' [continues next]

me wel that over thilke good ther nis no-thing more to ben

of alle goodes; for with-outen him nis ther no-thing founden

don yvel. For ther nis no-thing so late in so shorte boundes of

thinge, dressinge hem to goode, disponeth hem alle. [continues next]

For ther nis no-thing don for cause of yvel; ne thilke thing [continues next]

'How shal it thanne be?' quod I. 'Nis ther thanne no-thing

to seyn, fro tyme passed in-to tyme cominge; ne ther nis no-thing [continues next]

[And] Iohan bitokeneth hem [that] prechen, [continues next]

That ther nis lawe covenable [continues next]

[continues previous] ... body, by a strenger resoun he defendeth and forbedeth a man to yeven him-self to his enemy. And nathelees I conseille you, that ye mistruste nat my lord. For I wool wel and knowe verraily, that he is debonaire and meke, large, curteys, and nothing desyrous ne coveitous of good ne richesse. For ther nis no-thing in this world that he desyreth, save only worship and honour. Forther-more I knowe wel, and am right seur, that he shal no-thing doon in this nede with-outen my conseil. And I shal so werken in this cause, that, by grace of our lord god, ...

[continues previous] ... 'Certes, sir,' quod she, 'ye han wel and goodly answered. For right as by the conseil, assent, and help of your freendes, ye han been stired to venge yow and maken werre, right so with-outen hir conseil shul ye nat accorden yow, ne have pees with your adversaries. For the lawe seith: "ther nis no-thing so good by wey of kinde, as a thing to been unbounde by him that it was y-bounde."'

[continues previous] It is certein and establisshed by lawe perdurable, that no-thing that

a free corage? Mayst thou remuen fro the estat of his propre [continues next]

[continues previous] For ther nis no-thing don for cause of yvel; ne thilke thing

[continues previous] to seyn, fro tyme passed in-to tyme cominge; ne ther nis no-thing

[continues previous] That ther nis lawe covenable

[continues previous] a free corage? Mayst thou remuen fro the estat of his propre

Agayns this horrible sinne of Accidie, and the branches of the same, ther is a vertu that is called Fortitudo or Strengthe; that is, an affeccioun thurgh which a man despyseth anoyous thinges. This vertu is so mighty and so vigorous, that it dar withstonde mightily and wysely kepen him-self fro perils that been wikked, and wrastle agayn the assautes of the devel. For it enhaunceth and enforceth the soule, right as Accidie abateth it and maketh it feble. For this Fortitudo may endure by long suffraunce the travailles that ... [continues next]

of the erthe and the flowinge ordre of the slydinge water governeth. [continues next]

Right so Fortune, that semeth as that it fleteth with slaked or [continues next]

Why suffrest thou that Tereus was bore,

That is in love so fals and so forswore,

[continues previous] Agayns this horrible sinne of Accidie, and the branches of the same, ther is a vertu that is called Fortitudo or Strengthe; that is, an affeccioun thurgh which a man despyseth anoyous thinges. This vertu is so mighty and so vigorous, that it dar withstonde mightily and wysely kepen him-self fro perils that been wikked, and wrastle agayn the assautes of the devel. For it enhaunceth and enforceth the soule, right as Accidie abateth it and maketh it feble. For this Fortitudo may endure by long suffraunce the travailles that ...

[continues previous] of the erthe and the flowinge ordre of the slydinge water governeth.

be now alderfirst assailed in perils by folk of wikkede maneres? [continues next]

and semeden most unlyke to the studies of wikkede folk. And

[continues previous] be now alderfirst assailed in perils by folk of wikkede maneres?

Him nedeth nat his colour for to dyen [continues next]

With brasil, ne with greyn of Portingale. [continues next]

[continues previous] Him nedeth nat his colour for to dyen

[continues previous] With brasil, ne with greyn of Portingale.

propre cours, and alle thinges reioysen hem of hir retorninge ayein [continues next]

soverein good: Ne shrewes ne requeren nat lighte medes ne veyne

to acomplisshen that. For shrewes don that hem list, whan, by

manere, that shrewes ben more unsely whan they ne ben nat

gode folk and shrewes, ne shrewes ne mowen nat acorden amonges

Wel rather than han graunted him hir grace;

And hem reioysen in hir cruel pryde,

Or with hir meynee putten hem to flighte. [continues next]

[continues previous] propre cours, and alle thinges reioysen hem of hir retorninge ayein

[continues previous] to hir nature. Ne non ordinaunce nis bitaken to thinges, but that

[continues previous] In kinges habit wente hir sones two,

Wher dremes ben somtyme (I sey nat alle) [continues next]

Warning of thinges that shul after falle. [continues next]

... rightful lord. This Ire is a ful greet plesaunce to the devel; for it is the develes fourneys, that is eschaufed with the fyr of helle. For certes, right so as fyr is more mighty to destroyen erthely thinges than any other element, right so Ire is mighty to destroyen alle spirituel thinges. Loke how that fyr of smale gledes, that been almost dede under asshen, wollen quike agayn whan they been touched with brimstoon; right so Ire wol everemo quiken agayn, whan it is touched by the pryde that is covered in mannes herte. For certes fyr ne may nat comen out of no-thing, but-if it were ... [continues next]

[continues previous] Warning of thinges that shul after falle.

[continues previous] Loke of Egipt the king, daun Pharao,

[continues previous] ... This Ire is a ful greet plesaunce to the devel; for it is the develes fourneys, that is eschaufed with the fyr of helle. For certes, right so as fyr is more mighty to destroyen erthely thinges than any other element, right so Ire is mighty to destroyen alle spirituel thinges. Loke how that fyr of smale gledes, that been almost dede under asshen, wollen quike agayn whan they been touched with brimstoon; right so Ire wol everemo quiken agayn, whan it is touched by the pryde that is covered in mannes herte. For certes fyr ne may nat comen out of ...

nat adoun over-lowe the erthes that ben plounged in the wateres.

fleten with-oute governour. Thise ben grete causes not only [continues next]

[continues previous] governed, for-thy wenestow that thise mutaciouns of fortune

[continues previous] fleten with-oute governour. Thise ben grete causes not only

'O thou fader, creator of hevene and of erthes, that governest [continues next]

[continues previous] 'O thou fader, creator of hevene and of erthes, that governest