Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"

by Boethius

[The 2^de prose.] TUNC DEFIXO PAULULUM.

ÞO fastned[e] she a lytel þe syȝt of hir eyen and wiþdrow hir ryȝt as it were in to þe streite sete of hir þouȝt. and bygan to speke ryȝt þus. Alle þe cures quod she of mortal folk whiche þat trauaylen hem in many manere studies gon certys by diuerse weies. ¶ But naþeles þei enforced hem to comen oonly to on ende of blisfulnesse [And blysfulnesse] is swiche a goode þat who so haþ geten it he ne may ouer þat no þing more desiire. and þis þing for soþe is þe souereyne good þat conteiniþ in hym self al manere goodes. to þe whiche goode yif þere failed[e] any þing. it myȝt[e] nat ben souereyne goode. ¶ For þan were þere som goode out of þis ilke souereyne goode þat myȝt[e] ben desired. Now is it clere and certeyne þan þat blisfulnesse is a perfit estat by þe congregacioun of alle goodes. ¶ þe whiche blisfulnesse as I haue seid alle mortal folke enforcen hem to geten by dyuerse weyes. ¶ For-whi þe couetise of verray goode is naturely y-plaunted in þe hertys of men. ¶ But þe myswandryng errour myslediþ hem in to fals[e] goodes. ¶ of þe whiche men some of hem wenen þat souereygne goode is to lyue wiþ outen nede of any þing. and traueilen hem to ben habundaunt of rycchesse. and some oþer men demen. þat souerein goode be forto be ryȝt digne of reuerences. and enforcen hem to ben reuerenced among hir neyȝbours. by þe honours þat þei han ygeten ¶ and some folk þer ben þat halden þat ryȝt heyȝe power to be souereyn goode. and enforcen hem forto regnen or ellys to ioignen hem to hem þat regnen. ¶ And it semeþ to some oþer folk þat noblesse of renoun be þe souerein goode. and hasten hem to geten glorious name by þe artes of werre or of pees. and many folke mesuren and gessen þat souerein goode be ioye and gladnesse and wenen þat it be ryȝt blisful [thynge] to ploungen hem in uoluptuous delit. ¶ And þer ben folk þat enterchaungen þe causes and þe endes of þise forseide goodes as þei þat desiren rycchesse to han power and delices. Or ellis þei desiren power forto han moneye or for cause of renoun. ¶ In þise þinges and in swyche oþer þinges is tourned al þe entencioun of desirynges and [of] werkes of men. ¶ As þus. ¶ Noblesse and fauour of poeple whiche þat ȝiueþ as it semeþ a manere clernesse of renoun. ¶ and wijf and children þat men desiren for cause of delit and mirinesse. ¶ But forsoþe frendes ne shollen nat ben rekkened among þe goodes of fortune but of vertue. for it is a ful holy manere þing. alle þise oþer þinges forsoþe ben taken for cause of power. or ellis for cause of delit. ¶ Certis now am I redy to referen þe goodes of þe body to þise forseide þinges abouen. ¶ For it semeþ þat strengþe and gretnesse of body ȝeuen power and worþinesse. ¶ and þat beaute and swiftenesse ȝeuen noblesse and glorie of renoun. and hele of body semeþ ȝiuen delit. ¶ In alle þise þingus it semeþ oonly þat blisfulnesse is desired. ¶ For-whi þilke þing þat euery man desireþ moost ouer alle þinges. he demiþ þat be þe souereyne goode. ¶ But I haue diffined þat blisfulnesse is þe souereyne goode. for whiche euery wyȝt demiþ þat þilke estat þat he desireþ ouer alle þinges þat it be þe blisfulnesse. ¶ Now hast þou þan byforne [thy eyen] almost al þe purposed forme of þe welfulnesse of mankynde. þat is to seyne rycchesse. honours. power. glorie. and delitȝ. þe whiche delit oonly considered Epicurus Iuged and establissed. þat delit is þe souereyne goode. for as myche as alle oþer þinges as hym þouȝt[e] by-refte awey ioie and myrþe from þe herte. ¶ But I retourne aȝeyne to þe studies of meen. of whiche men þe corage alwey rehersiþ and seekeþ þe souereyne goode of alle be it so þat it be wiþ a derke memorie [but he not by whiche paath]. ¶ Ryȝt as a dronke man not nat by whiche paþe he may retourne home to hys house. ¶ Semeþ it þanne þat folk folyen and erren þat enforcen hem to haue nede of no þing ¶ Certys þer nys non oþer þing þat may so weel perfourny blisfulnesse as an estat plenteuous of alle goodes þat ne haþ nede of none oþer þing. but þat it is suffisant of hym self. vnto hym self. and foleyen swyche folk þanne. þat wenen þat þilk þing þat is ryȝt goode. þat it be eke ryȝt worþi of honour and of reuerence. ¶ Certis nay. for þat þing nys neyþer foule ne worþi to ben dispised þat al þe entencioun of mortel folke trauaille forto geten it. ¶ And power auȝt[e] nat þat eke to be rekened amonges goodes what ellis. for it nys nat to wene þat þilke þing þat is most worþi of alle þinges be feble and wiþ out strengþe and clernesse of renoun auȝte þat to ben dispised. ¶ Certys þer may no man forsake þat al þing þat is ryȝt excellent and noble. þat it ne semeþ to be ryȝt clere and renomed. ¶ For certis it nediþ nat to seie. þat blisfulnesse be anguissous ne dreri ne subgit to greuances ne to sorwes. syn þat in ryȝt litel þingus folk seken to haue and to vsen þat may deliten hem. ¶ Certys þise ben þe þinges þat men wolen and desyren to geten. and for þis cause desiren þei rycches. dignites. regnes. glorie and delices ¶ For þerby wenen þei to han suffisaunce honour power. renoun and gladnesse. ¶ þanne is it goode. þat men seken þus by so many dyuerse studies. In whiche desijr it may lyȝtly be shewed. how grete is þe strengþe of nature. ¶ For how so þat men han dyuerse sentences and discordyng algates men accordyn alle in lyuynge þe ende of goode.

[The 2^de Metur.] QUANTAS RERUM FLECTAT.

IT likeþ me to shew[e] by subtil songe wiþ slakke and delitable soun of strenges how þat nature myȝty enclineþ and flitteþ gouernementȝ of þinges ¶ and by whiche lawes she purueiable kepiþ þe grete worlde. and how she bindynge restreineþ alle þingus by a bonde þat may nat be vnbounden. [j] ¶ Al be it so þat þe liouns of þe contree of pene beren þe fair[e] cheines. and taken metes of þe handes of folk þat ȝeuen it hem. and dreden her sturdy maystres of whiche þei ben wont to suffren [betinges]. yif þat hir horrible mouþes ben bi-bled. þat is to sein of bestes devoured. ¶ Hir corage of tyme passeþ þat haþ ben ydel and rested. repaireþ aȝein þat þei roren greuously. and remembren on hir nature. and slaken hir nekkes from hir cheins vnbounden. and hir maistre first to-teren wiþ blody toþe assaieþ þe woode wraþþes of hem. ¶ þis is to sein þei freten hir maister. [ij] ¶ And þe Iangland brid þat syngiþ on þe heye braunches. þis is to sein in þe wode and after is inclosed in a streit cage. ¶ al þouȝ [þat] þe pleiyng besines of men ȝeueþ hem honied[e] drinkes and large metes. wiþ swete studie. ¶ ȝit naþeles yif þilke brid skippynge oute of hir streite cage seeþ þe agreable shadewes of þe wodes. she defouleþ wiþ hir fete hir metes yshad and sekeþ mournyng oonly þe wode and twitriþ desirynge þe wode wiþ hir swete voys. [iij] ¶ þe ȝerde of a tree þat is haled adoun by myȝty strengþe bowiþ redely þe croppe adoun. but yif þat þe hande of hym þat it bente lat it gon aȝein. ¶ An oon þe crop lokeþ vp ryȝt to heuene. [iiij] ¶ þe sonne phebus þat failleþ at euene in þe westrene wawes retorniþ aȝein eftsones his cart by a priue paþe þere as it is wont aryse. ¶ Alle þinges seken aȝein in to hir propre cours. and alle þinges reioisen hem of hir retournynge aȝein to hir nature ne noon ordinaunce nis bytaken to þinges but þat. þat haþ ioignynge þe endynge to þe bygynnynge. and haþ makid þe cours of it self stable þat it chaungeþ nat from hys propre kynde.

[The 3^de prose.] VOSQUE TERRENA ANIMALIA.

CErtis also ȝe men þat ben erþeliche bestes dremen alwey [yowre bygynnynge] al þouȝ it be wiþ a þinne ymaginacioun. and by a maner þouȝt al be it nat clerly ne perfitly ȝe looken from a fer til þilk verray fyn of blisfulnesse. and þerfore þe naturel entencioun ledeþ ȝow to þilk verray good ¶ But many manere errours mistourniþ ȝow þer fro. ¶ Considere now yif þat be þilke þinges by whiche a man weniþ to gete hym blysfulnesse. yif þat he may comen to þilke ende þat he weneþ to come by nature ¶ For yif þat moneye or honours or þise oþer forseide þinges bryngen to men swiche a þing þat no goode ne faille hem. ne semeþ faille. ¶ Certys þan wil I graunt[e] þat þei ben maked blisful. by þilke þinges þat þei han geten. ¶ but yif so be þat þilke þinges ne mowe nat perfourmen þat þei by-heten and þat þer be defaute of many goodes. ¶ Sheweþ it nat þan clerely þat fals beaute of blisfulnesse is knowe and a-teint in þilke þinges. ¶ First and forward þou þi self þat haddest haboundaunces of rycchesses nat long agon. ¶ I axe ȝif þat in þe haboundaunce of alle þilk[e] rycchesses þou were neuer anguissous or sory in þi corage of any wrong or greuaunce þat by-tidde þe on any syde. ¶ Certys quod I it remembreþ me nat þat euere I was so free of my þouȝt. þat I ne was al-wey in anguyshe of somwhat. þat was þat þou lakkedest þat þou noldest han lakked. or ellys þou haddest þat þou noldest han had. ryȝt so is it quod I þan. desiredest þou þe presence of þat oon and þe absence of þat oþer. I graunt[e] wel quod .I. for soþe quod she þan nediþ þer somwhat þat euery man desireþ. ȝe þer nediþ quod I. ¶ Certis quod she and he þat haþ lakke or nede of a wyȝt nis nat in euery way suffisaunt to hym self. no quod .I. and þou quod she in alle þe plente of þi rycchesse haddest þilke lak of suffisaunce. ¶ what ellis quod .I. ¶ þanne may nat rycchesse maken þat a man nis nedy. ne þat he be suffisaunt to hym self. and þat was it þat þei byhyȝten as it semeþ. ¶ and eke certys I trowe þat þis be gretly to consydere þat moneye ne haþ nat in hys owen kynde þat it ne may ben by-nomen of hem þat han it maugre hem. ¶ I by-knowe it wel quod I ¶ whi sholdest þou nat by-knowen it quod she. whan euery day þe strenger folke by-nymen it fram þe febler maugre hem. ¶ Fro whennes comen ellys alle þise foreine compleintes or quereles of pletyngus. ¶ But for þat men axen aȝeine her moneye þat haþ be by-nomen hem by force or by gyle. and alwey maugre hem. ¶ Ryȝt so it is quod I. þan quod she haþ a man nede to seken hym foreyne helpe by whiche he may defende hys moneye. who may say nay quod .I. ¶ Certis quod she and hym nediþ no helpe yif he ne hadde no moneye þat he myȝt[e] leese. ¶ þat is doutles quod .I. þanne is þis þing turned in to þe contrarie quod she ¶ For rycchesse þat men wenen sholde make suffisaunce. þei maken a man raþer han nede of foreine helpe. ¶ whiche is þe manere or þe gise quod she þat rycches may dryuen awey nede. ¶ Riche folk may þei neiþer han hungre ne þrest. þise ryche men may þei feele no colde on hir lymes in wynter. ¶ But þou wilt answere þat ryche men han y-nouȝ wher wiþ þei may staunchen her hunger. and slaken her þrest and don awey colde. ¶ In þis wise may nede be conforted by rycchesses. but certys nede ne may nat al outerly be don awey. for þouȝ þis nede þat is alwey gapyng and gredy be fulfilled wiþ rycchesses. and axe any þing ȝit dwelleþ þanne a nede þat myȝt[e] ben fulfilled. ¶ I holde me stille and telle nat how þat litel þing suffiseþ to nature. but certys to auarice ynouȝ ne suffiseþ no þinge. ¶ For syn þat rychesse ne may nat al don awey nede. but rychesse maken nede. what may it þanne be þat ȝe wenen þat rychesses mowen ȝeuen ȝow suffisaunce.

[The 3^de Metur.] QUAMUIS FLUENTER DIUES.

Al were it so þat a ryche couetous man hadde riuer fletynge alle of golde ȝitte sholde it neuer staunche hys couetise. ¶ And þouȝ he hadde his nekke I-charged wiþ preciouse stones of þe rede see. and þouȝ he do erye his feldes plentiuous wiþ an hundreþ oxen neuere ne shal his bytyng bysynesse forleten hym while he lyueþ. ne þe lyȝt[e] rychesses ne shal nat beren hym compaignie whanne he is dede.

[The 4^the prose.] SET DIGNITATIBUS.

Bvt dignitees to whom þei ben comen make þei hym honorable and reuerent. han þei nat so grete strengþe þat þei may putte vertues in þe hertis of folk. þat vsen þe lordshipes of hem. or ellys may þei don awey þe vices. Certys þei [ne] ben nat wont to don awey wikkednesses. but þei ben wont raþer to shew[en] wikkednesses. and þer of comeþ it þat I haue ryȝt grete desdeyne. þat dignites ben ȝeuen ofte to wicked men. ¶ For whiche þing catullus clepid a consul of Rome þat hyȝt nonius postum. or boch. as who seiþ he clepiþ hym a congregacioun of uices in his brest as a postum is ful of corrupcioun. al were þis nonius set in a chayere of dignitee. Sest þou nat þan how gret vylenye dignitees don to wikked men. ¶ Certys vnworþines of wikked men sholde ben þe lasse ysen yif þei nere renomed of none honours. ¶ Certys þou þi self ne myȝtest nat ben brouȝt wiþ as many perils as þou myȝtest suffren þat þou woldest bere þi magistrat wiþ decorat. þat is to seyn. þat for no peril þat myȝt[e] bifallen þe by þe offence of þe kyng theodorik þou noldest nat ben felawe in gouernaunce with decorat. whanne þou say[e] þat he had[de] wikkid corage of a likerous shrewe and of an acusor. ¶ Ne I ne may nat for swiche honours Iugen hem worþi of reuerence þat I deme and holde vnworþi to han þilke same honours. ¶ Now yif þou saie a man þat were fulfilled of wisdom. certys þou ne myȝtest nat demen þat he were vnworþi to þe honour. or ellys to þe wisdom of whiche he is fulfilled. No quod .I. ¶ Certys dignitees quod she appertienen properly to vertue. and uertue transporteþ dignite anon to þilke man to whiche she hir self is conioigned. ¶ And for as moche as honours of poeple ne may nat maken folk digne of honour. it is wel seyn clerly þat þei ne han no propre beaute of dignite. ¶ And ȝit men auȝten take more hede in þis. ¶ For if it so be þat he is most out cast þat most folk dispisen. or as dignite ne may nat maken shrewes worþi of no reuerences. þan makeþ dignites shrewes more dispised þan preised. þe whiche shrewes dignit[e] scheweþ to moche folk ¶ and for soþe nat vnpunissed. þat is forto sein. þat shrewes reuengen hem aȝeinward vpon dignites. for þei ȝelden aȝein to dignites as gret gerdoun whan þei byspotten and defoulen dignites wiþ hire vylenie. ¶ And for as moche as þou mow[e] knowe þat þilke verray reuerence ne may nat comen by þe shadewy transitorie dignitees. vndirstonde now þis. yif þat a man hadde vsed and hadde many manere dignites of consules and were comen perauenture amonges straunge naciouns. sholde þilke honour maken hym worshipful and redouted of straunge folk ¶ Certys yif þat honour of poeple were a naturel ȝifte to dignites. it ne myȝte neuer cesen nowher amonges no maner folke to done hys office. ¶ Ryȝt as fire in euery contre ne stinteþ nat to enchaufen and to ben hote. but for as myche as forto be holden honorable or reuerent ne comeþ nat to folk of hir propre strengþe of nature. but only of þe fals[e] opinioun of folk. þat is to sein. þat wenen þat dignites maken folk digne of honour. An on þerfore whan þat þei comen þer as folk ne knowen nat þilke dignites. her honours vanissen awey and þat on oon. but þat is a-mong straung folk. maist þou sein. but amongus hem þat þei weren born duren þilk[e] dignites alwey. ¶ Certys þe dignite of þe prouostrie of Rome was somtyme a grete power. now is it no þing but an ydel name. and þe rente of þe senatorie a gret charge. and yif a whiȝt somtyme hadde þe office to taken he[de] to þe vitailes of þe poeple as of corne and what oþer þinges he was holden amonges grete. but what þing is more nowe out cast þanne þilke prouostrie ¶ And as I haue seid a litel here byforne. þat þilke þing þat haþ no propre beaute of hym self resceyueþ somtyme pris and shinynge and somtyme lesiþ it by þe opinioun of vsaunces. ¶ Now yif þat dignites þanne ne mowen nat maken folk digne of reuerence. and yif þat dignites wexen foule of hir wille by þe filþe of shrewes. ¶ and yif þat dignites lesen hir shynynge by chaungyng of tymes. and yif þei wexen foule by estimacioun of poeple. what is it þat þei han in hem self of beaute þat auȝte ben desired. as who seiþ none. þanne ne mowen þei ȝiuen no beaute of dignite to none oþer.