Comparison of Geoffrey Chaucer Consolatione Philosophie 2 Prose 8 to Geoffrey Chaucer

'That shal I telle,' quod she, 'er I go. [continues next]

vilenye. And for as mochel as thou mowe knowe that thilke

'Thanne,' quod she, 'for as mochel as thou hast knowen

Philosophie. 'How mochel wilt thou preysen it,' quod she,

'yif that thou knowe what thilke good is?'

'I ne may nat denye that,' quod I.

'Hast thou nat knowen wel,' quod she, 'that al thing that is

'What was that?' quod I.

'That thou ne wistest nat,' quod she, 'which was the ende

'No, forsothe,' quod I.

'Ne thou ne doutest nat,' quod she, 'that thilke naturel office

'Ne it nis no mervaile,' quod she, 'though that men wenen that

aperceyvest wel, of what weight they ben. But for as mochel

as the knowinge of thise thinges is a maner porcioun of the

'As thou wolt,' quod I.

'Demestow nat,' quod she, 'that al thing that profiteth is good?'

a ful egre bataile in thy corage ayeins every fortune: for that the [continues next]

that ther be no prescience. Thanne axe I,' quod she, 'in as

mochel as apertieneth to that, sholden thanne thinges that comen

thus. Certes, thou mayst wel chaunge thy purpos; but, for as

mochel as the present soothnesse of the devyne purviaunce biholdeth

[continues previous] And now of three how maystow bere witnesse?'

[continues previous] a ful egre bataile in thy corage ayeins every fortune: for that the

That at Cartage birafte hir-self hir lyf?

For whan she saugh that Romayns wan the toun,

to thee-ward, hir propre stablenesse in the chaunginge of hir-self.

Right swich was she whan she flatered thee, and deceived

forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth [continues next]

hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune [continues next]

Yif thou aprovest hir and thenkest that she is good, use hir [continues next]

maneres and pleyne thee nat. And yif thou agrysest hir false [continues next]

of him-self, seyde at the laste right thus: "understondest [continues next]

[continues previous] forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth

[continues previous] hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune

Now shal a man understonde, in which manere shal been his contricion. I seye, that it shal been universal and total; this is to seyn, a man shal be verray repentant for alle hise sinnes that he hath doon in delyt of his thoght; for delyt is ful perilous. For ther been two manere of consentinges; that oon of hem is cleped consentinge of affeccion, when a ...

... parcel to another; that is to understonde, in entente to departe thy confessioun as for shame or drede; for it nis but stranglinge of thy soule. For certes, Iesu Crist is entierly al good; in him nis noon inperfeccioun; and therfore outher he foryeveth al parfitly or never a deel. I seye nat that if thou be assigned to the penitauncer for certein sinne, that thou art bounde to shewen him al the remenaunt of thy sinnes, of whiche thou hast be shriven to thy curat, but-if it lyke to thee of thyn humilitee; this is no departinge of shrifte. Ne I seye nat, ther-as I ...

[continues previous] maneres and pleyne thee nat. And yif thou agrysest hir false

[continues previous] thou nat that I am a philosophre?" That other man answerde

She may have bettre fortune than yow semeth; [continues next]

me whan it remembreth me. For in alle adversitee of fortune, [continues next]

the most unsely kinde of contrarious fortune is to han ben [continues next]

Fortune debonaire. For alwey, whan Fortune semeth debonaire, [continues next]

than she lyeth falsly in bihetinge the hope of welefulnesse; but [continues next]

fortune maketh freendes, contrarious fortune maketh hem [continues next]

[continues previous] She may have bettre fortune than yow semeth; [continues next]

[continues previous] And whan that ye han herd the tale, demeth. [continues next]

[continues previous] me whan it remembreth me. For in alle adversitee of fortune, [continues next]

[continues previous] the most unsely kinde of contrarious fortune is to han ben [continues next]

[continues previous] I deme that contrarious Fortune profiteth more to men than [continues next]

[continues previous] Fortune debonaire. For alwey, whan Fortune semeth debonaire, [continues next]

[continues previous] forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth [continues next]

[continues previous] fortune maketh freendes, contrarious fortune maketh hem

Lasteth swich Ioye, y-thonked be Fortune! [continues next]

That semeth trewest, whan she wol bygyle, [continues next]

[continues previous] She may have bettre fortune than yow semeth;

[continues previous] the most unsely kinde of contrarious fortune is to han ben [continues next]

'But that thou,' quod she, 'abyest thus the torment of thy

[continues previous] I deme that contrarious Fortune profiteth more to men than [continues next]

[continues previous] forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth [continues next]

knowinge of freele welefulnesse. The amiable Fortune mayst [continues next]

[continues previous] That semeth trewest, whan she wol bygyle,

For whan she saugh that Romayns wan the toun, [continues next]

I seye, that the laste charge of contrarious fortune is this: that,

whan that any blame is leyd upon a caitif, men wenen that he

Right swich was she whan she flatered thee, and deceived [continues next]

[continues previous] the most unsely kinde of contrarious fortune is to han ben

that is, whan she hir-self opneth, and whan she descovereth hir [continues next]

frount, and sheweth hir maneres. Peraventure yit understondest [continues next]

[continues previous] Fortune debonaire. For alwey, whan Fortune semeth debonaire,

[continues previous] than she lyeth falsly in bihetinge the hope of welefulnesse; but

[continues previous] knowinge of freele welefulnesse. The amiable Fortune mayst [continues next]

[continues previous] thou seen alwey windinge and flowinge, and ever misknowinge of

good; the contrarious Fortune ledeth ofte folk ayein to soothfast [continues next]

[continues previous] That at Cartage birafte hir-self hir lyf?

[continues previous] to thee-ward, hir propre stablenesse in the chaunginge of hir-self.

[continues previous] that is, whan she hir-self opneth, and whan she descovereth hir

[continues previous] frount, and sheweth hir maneres. Peraventure yit understondest

deceyveth folk; the contrarie Fortune techeth. The amiable [continues next]

Fortune bindeth with the beautee of false goodes the hertes of [continues next]

[continues previous] folk that usen hem; the contrarie Fortune unbindeth hem by the [continues next]

thorugh exercise of hir adversitee. At the laste, amiable Fortune [continues next]

[continues previous] with hir flateringes draweth miswandringe men fro the sovereyne [continues next]

[continues previous] hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune [continues next]

[continues previous] deceyveth folk; the contrarie Fortune techeth. The amiable [continues next]

[continues previous] Fortune bindeth with the beautee of false goodes the hertes of [continues next]

[continues previous] folk that usen hem; the contrarie Fortune unbindeth hem by the [continues next]

[continues previous] thorugh exercise of hir adversitee. At the laste, amiable Fortune [continues next]

[continues previous] hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune [continues next]

[continues previous] deceyveth folk; the contrarie Fortune techeth. The amiable [continues next]

[continues previous] folk that usen hem; the contrarie Fortune unbindeth hem by the [continues next]

[continues previous] thorugh exercise of hir adversitee. At the laste, amiable Fortune

[continues previous] with hir flateringes draweth miswandringe men fro the sovereyne

good is naturelly y-plaunted in the hertes of men; but the miswandringe [continues next]

errour mis-ledeth hem in-to false goodes. Of the [continues next]

they may putte vertues in the hertes of folk that usen the lordshipes [continues next]

of hem? Or elles may they don a-wey the vyces? Certes, they [continues next]

wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem! Of whiche [continues next]

... And as the same Salomon seith: "bettre it is to dye of bitter deeth than for to liven in swich wyse." By thise resons that I have seid un-to yow, and by manye othere resons that I coude seye, I graunte yow that richesses been goode to hem that geten hem wel, and to hem that wel usen tho richesses. And therfore wol I shewe yow how ye shul have yow, and how ye shul here yow in gaderinge of richesses, and in what manere ye shul usen hem.

[continues previous] hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune [continues next]

[continues previous] deceyveth folk; the contrarie Fortune techeth. The amiable

[continues previous] Fortune bindeth with the beautee of false goodes the hertes of

[continues previous] errour mis-ledeth hem in-to false goodes. Of the

[continues previous] they may putte vertues in the hertes of folk that usen the lordshipes

[continues previous] of hem? Or elles may they don a-wey the vyces? Certes, they

[continues previous] wont to bringen to the bodies of folk that usen hem! Of whiche

And for to make yow hem perceyven,

That usen folk thus to disceyven,

than she lyeth falsly in bihetinge the hope of welefulnesse; but [continues next]

[continues previous] forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth [continues next]

by imaginacioun of erthely thinges, thou mayst nat yit seen thilke [continues next]

selve welefulnesse.' [continues next]

[continues previous] forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth

[continues previous] by imaginacioun of erthely thinges, thou mayst nat yit seen thilke

hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune [continues next]

deceyveth folk; the contrarie Fortune techeth. The amiable [continues next]

Fortune bindeth with the beautee of false goodes the hertes of [continues next]

[continues previous] hir-self unstable thorugh hir chaunginge. The amiable Fortune [continues next]

[continues previous] Fortune bindeth with the beautee of false goodes the hertes of

[continues previous] forsothe contrarious Fortune is alwey soothfast, whan she sheweth

fortune and nat by vertu? Certes, swiche folk as weleful

fortune maketh freendes, contrarious fortune maketh hem

som newe thing and uncouth. Thou wenest that Fortune be [continues next]

chaunged ayein thee; but thou wenest wrong, yif thou that [continues next]

hem that he hadde whylom overcomen. Wenest thou thanne [continues next]

[continues previous] som newe thing and uncouth. Thou wenest that Fortune be

[continues previous] chaunged ayein thee; but thou wenest wrong, yif thou that

[continues previous] hem that he hadde whylom overcomen. Wenest thou thanne

[continues previous] that he be mighty, that hath no power to don a thing, that othre

... is doon; blessed be the name of our lord."' To thise foreseide thinges answerde Melibeus un-to his wyf Prudence: 'Alle thy wordes,' quod he, 'been sothe, and ther-to profitable; but trewely myn herte is troubled with this sorwe so grevously, that I noot what to done.' 'Lat calle,' quod Prudence, 'thy trewe freendes alle, and thy linage whiche that been wyse; telleth your cas, and herkneth what they seye in conseiling, and yow governe after hir sentence. Salomon seith: "werk alle thy thinges by conseil, and thou shalt never repente."' [continues next]

[continues previous] ... doon; blessed be the name of our lord."' To thise foreseide thinges answerde Melibeus un-to his wyf Prudence: 'Alle thy wordes,' quod he, 'been sothe, and ther-to profitable; but trewely myn herte is troubled with this sorwe so grevously, that I noot what to done.' 'Lat calle,' quod Prudence, 'thy trewe freendes alle, and thy linage whiche that been wyse; telleth your cas, and herkneth what they seye in conseiling, and yow governe after hir sentence. Salomon seith: "werk alle thy thinges by conseil, and thou shalt never repente."'

nis nat feithful for to dwelle; and, whan she goth awey, that [continues next]

she bringeth a wight in sorwe? For sin she may nat ben withholden [continues next]

... of grete lordes; for they enforcen hem alwey rather to speken plesante wordes, enclyninge to the lordes lust, than wordes that been trewe or profitable. And therfore men seyn, that "the riche man hath seld good conseil but-if he have it of him-self." And after that, thou shalt considere thy freendes and thyne enemys. And as touchinge thy freendes, thou shalt considere whiche of hem been most feithful and most wyse, and eldest and most approved in conseilling. And of hem shalt thou aske thy conseil, as the caas requireth.

[continues previous] nis nat feithful for to dwelle; and, whan she goth awey, that

That first thee broghte un-to religioun; [continues next]

how greet scorn woldest thou han of it! Glosa. So fareth it by [continues next]

[continues previous] Thou woldest han been a trede-foul aright.

[continues previous] how greet scorn woldest thou han of it! Glosa. So fareth it by

swiche hertes as ben y-brought to the fulle perfeccioun of vertu, [continues next]

that is to seyn, coveitise of glorie and renoun to han wel administred [continues next]

of richesses, that is to seyn, thy verray freendes. [continues next]

to the knowinge of universalitee, for that the knowinge of [continues next]

[continues previous] swiche hertes as ben y-brought to the fulle perfeccioun of vertu,

[continues previous] of richesses, that is to seyn, thy verray freendes.

[continues previous] to the knowinge of universalitee, for that the knowinge of

bokes worthy of prys or precious, that is to seyn, the sentence of [continues next]

[continues previous] bokes worthy of prys or precious, that is to seyn, the sentence of

of the goode syde, that is to seyn, of my richesses and prosperites;

woldest thou han bought the fulle knowinge of this, that is to seyn,

the knowinge of thy verray freendes? Now pleyne thee nat thanne

forme of the welefulnesse of man-kinde, that is to seyn, richesses,

thise two soothfast or verray thinges, that is to seyn,