3475 þan—MS. þat, C. thanne
3477 passe—passen
*[V[E]LA NARICII DUCIS.] [* fol. 27 b.]
Evrus þe Ulysses was driven by the eastern winds upon the shores of that isle where Circe dwelt, who, having entertained her guests with magic draughts, transformed them into divers shapes—one into a boar, another into a lion; wynde aryueþ þe sayles of vlixes duc of þe
contre of narice. and hys wandryng shippes by þe [3480]
see in to þe isle þere as Circe þe fayre goddesse douȝter
of þe sonne dwelleþ þat medlyþ to hir newe gestes
drynkes þat ben touched and maked wiþ enchauntmentȝ.
and after þat hir hande myȝty of þe herbes [3484]
had[de] chaunged hir gestes in to dyuerse maneres. þat
oon of hem is couered his face wiþ forme of a boor. þat
oþer is chaunged in to a lyoun of þe contre of marmorike.
and his nayles and his teþe wexen. some into howling wolves, and others into Indian tigers. ¶ þat [3488]
oþer of hem is newliche chaunged in to a wolf. and
howeliþ whan he wolde wepe. þat oþer goþ debonairly
in þe house as a tigre of Inde. But Mercury, the Arcadian god, rescued Ulysses from the Circean charms. Yet his mariners, having drunk of her infected drinks, were changed to swine, and fed on acorns. but al be it so þat þe
godhed of mercurie þat is cleped þe bride of arcadie haþ [3492]
had mercie of þe duc vlixes byseged wiþ diuerse yueles
and haþ vnbounden hym fro þe pestilence of hys
oosteresse algates þe rowers and þe maryners hadden by
þis ydrawen in to hir mouþes and dronken þe wicked[e] [3496]
drynkes þei þat were woxen swyne hadden by þis
chaunged hire mete of brede forto ete acorns of ookes.
All traces of the human form were lost, and they were bereft of speech. non of hir lymes ne dwelliþ wiþ hem hoole. but
þei han lost þe voys and þe body. Their souls, unchanged, bewailed their dreadful fate. Oonly hire þouȝt [3500]
dwelleþ wiþ hem stable þat wepiþ and bywailiþ þe
monstruous chaungynge þat þei suffren. O most weak, are Circe’s powers compared with the potency of vice, to transform the human shape! ¶ O ouer lyȝt
hand. as who seiþ. ¶ O feble and lyȝt is þe hand of
Circes þe enchaunteresse þat chaungeþ þe bodies of folk [3504]
in to bestes to regarde and to comparisoun of mutacioun
þat is makid by vices. Circe’s herbs may change the body, but cannot touch the mind, the inward strength of man. ne þe herbes of circes ne ben nat
myȝty. for al be it so þat þei may chaungen þe lymes
of þe body. ¶ algates ȝit þei may nat chaunge þe [3508]
hertes. for wiþ inne is yhid þe strengþe and þe vigour
of men in þe secre toure of hire hertys. þat is to seyn
þe strengþe of resoun. But vice is more potent than Circe’s poisonous charms. but þilke uenyms of vices to-drawen
a man to hem more myȝtily þan þe venym of [3512]
circes. Though it leaves the body whole, it pierces the inner man, and inflicts a deadly wound upon the soul. ¶ For vices ben so cruel þat þei percen and
þoruȝ passen þe corage wiþ inne. and þouȝ þei ne anoye
nat þe body. ȝitte vices wooden to distroien men by
wounde of þouȝt. [3516]
3479 aryueþ—aryuede
vlixes—MS. vluxies, C. vlixes
3481 Circe—Circes
3483 enchauntmentȝ—enchauntementȝ
3484 hande—hand
of—ouer
3485 had[de]—hadde
gestes—MS. goostes, C. gestes
3486 boor—boere