Comparison of Geoffrey Chaucer Consolatione Philosophie 1 Metre 6 to Geoffrey Chaucer

sterre that highte Arcturus saw, ben waxen heye cornes whan the

sterre Sirius eschaufeth hem. Ther nis no-thing unbounde from

from his outereste arysinge til he hyde his bemes under the [continues next]

Caste up his eyen to the brighte sonne, [continues next]

That in the signe of Taurus hadde y-ronne [continues next]

... god and in hise seintes, to acheve and acomplice the gode werkes in the whiche he purposeth fermely to continue. Thanne comth seuretee or sikernesse; and that is, whan a man ne douteth no travaille in tyme cominge of the gode werkes that a man hath bigonne. Thanne comth Magnificence, that is to seyn, whan a man dooth and perfourneth grete werkes of goodnesse that he hath bigonne; and that is the ende why that men sholde do gode werkes; for in the acomplissinge of grete goode werkes lyth the grete guerdoun. Thanne is ther Constaunce, that is, stablenesse of corage; and this sholde been ...

Muses, that they ne weren felawes, and folweden my wey, that is

to seyn, whan I was exyled; they that weren glorie of my youthe,

whan the sterres ben clustred (that is to seyn, whan sterres ben

Whan Phebus, the sonne, biginneth to spreden his cleernesse [continues next]

whyte cheres, by the flambes of the sonne that overcometh the [continues next]

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

man; that is to seyn, whan the soule departeth fro the body? For,

[continues previous] ceptre alle the poeples that Phebus the sonne may seen, cominge

[continues previous] from his outereste arysinge til he hyde his bemes under the

[continues previous] wawes; that is to seyn, he governed alle the poeples by ceptre imperial

aliaunce perdurable; that Phebus the sonne with his goldene [continues next]

up-right to hevene. The sonne Phebus, that falleth at even in [continues next]

the westrene wawes, retorneth ayein eftsones his carte, by privee [continues next]

mede of the hevene? For the erthe, overcomen, yeveth the sterres';

this is to seyn, that, whan that erthely lust is overcomen, a man is

necessitee to be; this is to seyn, that, whan that god knoweth any

thinges that I purposede thee a litel heer-biforn, that is to seyn,

the sonne arysinge and the man walkinge, that, ther-whyles that

... 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 ... [continues next]

... of the day. I took the altitude of my sonne, and fond that it was 25 degrees and 30 of minutes of heyghte in the bordure on the bak-syde. Tho turnede I myn Astrolabie, and by-cause that it was by-forn midday, I turnede my riet, and sette the degree of the sonne, that is to seyn, the 1 degree of Aries, on the right syde of myn Astrolabie, up-on that 25 degrees and 30 of minutes of heyghte among myn almikanteras; tho leide I my label up-on the degree of my sonne, and fond the poynte of my label in the bordure, up-on a capital lettre that ...

... a-mong thyn almikanteras on the est side, and ley over thy label up-on the degree of the sonne, and with the point of thy label find in the bordure the ende of the evening, that is, verrey night. The nadir of the sonne is thilke degree that is opposit to the degree of the sonne, in the seventhe signe, as thus: every degree of Aries by ordre is nadir to every degree of Libra by ordre; and Taurus to Scorpion; Gemini to Sagittare; Cancer to Capricorne; Leo to Aquarie; Virgo to Pisces; and yif any degree in thy zodiak be dirk, his nadir shal declare him. And ... [continues next]

... of almikanteras ben by-twixe thyn est orisonte and the degree of the sonne. And tak ther thyn altitude meridian; this is to seyne, the heyest of the sonne as for that day. So maystow knowe in the same lyne, the heyest cours that any sterre fix climbeth by night; this is to seyn, that whan any sterre fix is passed the lyne meridional, than by-ginneth it to descende, and so doth the sonne. And for the more declaracioun, lo here thy figure. [continues next]

... of thy zodiak acording with the prikke, this is to seyn, sittinge on the prikke; and in sooth, thou shalt finde but two degrees in al the zodiak of that condicioun; and yit thilke two degrees ben in diverse signes; than maistow lightly by the sesoun of the yere knowe the signe in whiche that is the sonne. And for the more declaracioun, lo here thy figure. [continues next]

Whan Phebus doth his brighte bemes sprede

Bifel that, whan that Phebus shyning is

Up-on the brest of Hercules Lyoun,

[continues previous] Caste up his eyen to the brighte sonne,

[continues previous] That in the signe of Taurus hadde y-ronne

wind shoveth thee. Yif thou castest thy sedes in-to the feldes, [continues next]

[continues previous] Whan Phebus, the sonne, biginneth to spreden his cleernesse

[continues previous] whyte cheres, by the flambes of the sonne that overcometh the

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

[continues previous] aliaunce perdurable; that Phebus the sonne with his goldene

[continues previous] up-right to hevene. The sonne Phebus, that falleth at even in [continues next]

[continues previous] the westrene wawes, retorneth ayein eftsones his carte, by privee

[continues previous] ... 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 ...

[continues previous] ... a-mong thyn almikanteras on the est side, and ley over thy label up-on the degree of the sonne, and with the point of thy label find in the bordure the ende of the evening, that is, verrey night. The nadir of the sonne is thilke degree that is opposit to the degree of the sonne, in the seventhe signe, as thus: every degree of Aries by ordre is nadir to every degree of Libra by ordre; and Taurus to Scorpion; Gemini to Sagittare; Cancer to Capricorne; Leo to Aquarie; Virgo to Pisces; and yif any degree in thy zodiak be dirk, his nadir shal declare him. And for the ...

[continues previous] ... of thy zodiak acording with the prikke, this is to seyn, sittinge on the prikke; and in sooth, thou shalt finde but two degrees in al the zodiak of that condicioun; and yit thilke two degrees ben in diverse signes; than maistow lightly by the sesoun of the yere knowe the signe in whiche that is the sonne. And for the more declaracioun, lo here thy figure.

For which this marchant is to Paris gon, [continues next]

To borwe of certein frendes that he hadde [continues next]

... prophete seith: 'I have loved thy lawe and hated wikkednesse and hate'; he that loveth god kepeth his lawe and his word. This tree saugh the prophete Daniel in spirit, up-on the avision of the king Nabugodonosor, whan he conseiled him to do penitence. Penaunce is the tree of lyf to hem that it receiven, and he that holdeth him in verray penitence is blessed; after the sentence of Salomon.

[continues previous] wind shoveth thee. Yif thou castest thy sedes in-to the feldes,

[continues previous] hand of him that it bente lat it gon ayein, anon the crop loketh [continues next]

[continues previous] To borwe of certein frendes that he hadde

Aquilon. Yif thou desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seke thou nat, [continues next]

[continues previous] hand of him that it bente lat it gon ayein, anon the crop loketh

[continues previous] Aquilon. Yif thou desirest or wolt usen grapes, ne seke thou nat,

covered with cloudes) by a swifte winde that highte Chorus, and

trust that he hadde to his corn, to acorns of okes. Yif thou wolt

gadre violettes, ne go thou not to the purpur wode whan the feld,

thorugh humblesse of axinge. Yif thou desirest power, thou

'Ne wolt thou nat,' quod he, this cruel man,

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

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

the wind that highte Boreas hath reft awey in autumpne, that [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] wind bringeth ayein, in the first somer sesoun, the leves that

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

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

somer-sesoun warminge; and the hote somer dryeth the cornes; [continues next]

and autumpne comth ayein, hevy of apples; and the fletinge reyn [continues next]

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

suffreth him nat to ben weleful. Or yif he lese it, he weneth to [continues next]

[continues previous] somer-sesoun warminge; and the hote somer dryeth the cornes;

[continues previous] and autumpne comth ayein, hevy of apples; and the fletinge reyn

Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offence.

[continues previous] may lese it. For which, the continuel dreed that he hath ne [continues next]

[continues previous] suffreth him nat to ben weleful. Or yif he lese it, he weneth to [continues next]

avarice unstaunched; ne power ne maketh nat a man mighty [continues next]

over him-self, whiche that vicious lustes holden destreyned with [continues next]

that thilke resouns of hem that assoilen this questioun ne ben

nat speedful y-nough ne sufficient: the whiche solucioun, or the

[continues previous] may lese it. For which, the continuel dreed that he hath ne

[continues previous] over him-self, whiche that vicious lustes holden destreyned with

a-wey, he forleteth to ben mighty, and that is the thing that [continues next]

bountee and prowesse, he forleteth to ben a man; sin he may [continues next]

'Allas! how the thought of man, dreint in over-throwinge

deepnesse, dulleth, and forleteth his propre cleernesse, mintinge

[continues previous] a-wey, he forleteth to ben mighty, and that is the thing that

[continues previous] foule delyces of the foule sowe. Thanne folweth it, that he that forleteth

[continues previous] bountee and prowesse, he forleteth to ben a man; sin he may