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

by Boethius

[The .12. prose.] TUM EGO PLATONI INQUAM.

THanne seide I thus // I acorde me gretly to plato / for thow remenbrist and recordist me thise thinges yit] þe seconde tyme. þat is to seyn. first whan I lost[e] my memorie by þe contagioũs coniunccioun of þe body wiþ þe soule. and eftsones afterward whan I lost[e] it confounded by þe charge and by þe burden of my sorwe. ¶ And þan sayde she þus. ¶ If þou look[e] quod she firste þe þinges þat þou hast graunted it ne shal nat ben ryȝt feer þat þou ne shalt remembren þilke þing þat þou seidest þat þou nistest nat. what þing quod I. ¶ by whiche gouerment quod she þat þis worlde is gouerned. Me remembriþ it wel quod I. and I confesse wel þat I ne wist[e] it nat ¶ But al be it so þat I se now from afer what þou purposest ¶ Algates I desire ȝit to herkene it of þe more pleynely. ¶ þou ne wendest nat quod she a litel here byforne þat men sholden doute þat þis worlde is gouerned by god. ¶ Certys quod I ne ȝitte doute I it nauȝt. ne I nil neuer wene þat it were to doute. as who seiþ. but I wot wel þat god gouerneþ þis worlde. ¶ And I shal shortly answere þe by what resouns I am brouȝt to þis. ¶ þis worlde quod I of so many dyuerse and contrarious parties ne myȝten neuer han ben assembled in o forme. but yif þere ne were oon þat conioigned so many[e diuerse] þinges. ¶ And þe same diuersite of hire natures þat so discordeden þat oon fro þat oþer most[e] departen and vnioignen þe þinges þat ben conioigned. yif þere ne were oon þat contened[e] þat he haþ conioigned and ybounde. ne þe certein ordre of nature ne sholde. nat brynge furþe so ordinee moeuynge. by places. by tymes. by doynges. by spaces. by qualites. yif þere ne were oon þat were ay stedfast dwellynge. þat ordeyned[e] and disposed[e] þise diuersites of moeuynges. ¶ and þilke þinge what so euer it be. by whiche þat alle þinges ben maked and ylad. I clepe hym god þat is a worde þat is vsed to alle folke. þan seide she. syn þou felest þus þise þinges quod she. I trowe þat I haue lytel more to done. þat þou myȝty of wilfulnesse hool and sounde ne se eftsones þi contre. ¶ But lat vs loken þe þinges þat we han purposed her-byforn. ¶ Haue I nat noumbred and seid quod she þat suffisaunce is in blisfulnesse. and we han accorded þat god is and þilke same blisfulnesse. ¶ yis forsoþe quod I. and þat to gouerne þis worlde quod she. ne shal he neuer han nede of none helpe fro wiþoute. for ellys yif he had[de] nede of any helpe. he ne sholde not haue [no] ful suffisaunce. ȝis þus it mot nedes be quod I. ¶ þan ordeyneþ he by hym self al oon alle þinges quod she. þat may nat ben denied quod I. ¶ And I haue shewed þat god is þe same good. ¶ It remembreþ me wel quod I. ¶ þan ordeineþ he alle þinges by þilke goode quod she. Syn he whiche we han accorded to ben good gouerneþ alle þingus by hym self. and he is a keye and a stiere by whiche þat þe edifice of þis worlde is ykept stable and wiþ oute corumpynge ¶ I accorde me gretly quod I. and I aperceiuede a litel here byforn þat þou woldest seyne þus. Al be it so þat it were by a þinne suspecioun. I trowe it wel quod she. ¶ For as I trowe þou leedest nowe more ententifly þine eyen to loken þe verray goodes ¶ but naþeles þe þinges þat I shal telle þe ȝit ne sheweþ nat lasse to loken. what is þat quod I. ¶ So as men trowen quod she and þat ryȝtfully þat god gouerneþ alle þinges by þe keye of his goodnesse. ¶ And alle þise same þinges as I [haue] tauȝt þe. hasten hem by naturel entencioun to comen to goode þer may no man douten. þat þei ne ben gouerned uoluntariely. and þat þei ne conuerten [hem] nat of her owen wille to þe wille of hire ordenour. as þei þat ben accordyng and enclinynge to her gouernour and her kyng. ¶ It mot nedys be so quod. I. ¶ For þe realme ne sholde not seme blisful ȝif þere were a ȝok of mysdrawynges in diuerse parties ne þe sauynge of obedient þinges ne sholde nat be. þan is þere no þing quod she þat kepiþ hys nature; þat enforceþ hym to gone aȝeyne god. ¶ No quod. I. ¶ And if þat any þing enforced[e] hym to wiþstonde god. myȝt[e] it auayle at þe laste aȝeyns hym þat we han graunted to ben al myȝty by þe ryȝt of blisfulnesse. ¶ Certis quod I al outerly it ne myȝt[e] nat auaylen hym. þan is þere no þing quod she þat eyþer wol or may wiþstonde to þis souereyne good. ¶ I trowe nat quod. I ¶ þan is þilke þe souereyne good quod she þat alle þingus gouerneþ strongly and ordeyneþ hem softly. þan seide I þus. I delite me quod I nat oonly in þe endes or in þe sommes of [the] resouns þat þou hast concludid and proued. ¶ But þilke wordes þat þou vsest deliten me moche more. ¶ So at þe last[e] fooles þat somtyme renden greet[e] þinges auȝten ben asshamed of hem self. ¶ þat is to seyne þat we fooles þat reprehenden wickedly þe þingus þat touchen goddes gouernaunce we auȝten ben asshamed of oure self. As I þat seide god refuseþ oonly þe werkes of men. and ne entremetiþ nat of hem. p. þou hast wel herd quod she þe fables of þe poetes. how þe geauntes assailden þe heuene wiþ þe goddes. but for soþe þe debonaire force of god disposed[e] hem so as it was worþi. þat is to seyne distroied[e] þe geauntes. as it was worþi. ¶ But wilt þou þat we ioygnen togedre þilke same resouns. for perauenture of swiche coniunccioun may sterten vp some faire sperkele of soþe ¶ Do quod I as þe list. wenest þou quod she þat god ne is almyȝty. no man is in doute of it. Certys quod I no wyȝt ne defendiþ it if he be in hys mynde. but he quod she þat is al myȝty þere nis no þing þat he ne may do. þat is soþe quod I. May god done yuel quod she. nay for soþe quod. I. ¶ þan is yuel no þing quod she. ¶ Syn þat he ne may not done yuel þat may done alle þinges. scornest þou me quod. I. or ellys pleyest þou or deceiuest þou me. þat hast so wouen me wiþ þi resouns. þe house of didalus so entrelaced. þat it is vnable to ben vnlaced. þou þat oþer while entrest þere þou issest and oþer while issest þere þou entrest. ne fooldest þou nat to gidre by replicacioun of wordes a maner wondirful cercle or envirounynge of symplicite deuyne. ¶ For certys a litel her byforne whan þou bygunne atte blisfulnesse þou seidest þat it is souereyne good. and seidest þat it is set in souereyne god. and þat god is þe ful[le] blisfulnesse. for whiche þou ȝaf[e] me as a couenable ȝifte. þat is to seyne þat no wyȝt nis blisful. but yif he be good al so þer wiþ and seidest eke þat þe forme of goode is þe substaunce of god. and of blisfulnesse. and seidest þat þilke same oone is þilke same goode þat is requered and desired of al þe kynde of þinges. and þou proeuedest in disputynge þat god gouerneþ alle [the] þinges of þe worlde by þe gouernementys of bountee. and seydest þat alle þinges wolen ybeyen to hym. and seidest þat þe nature of yuel nis no þing. and þise þinges ne shewedest þou nat wiþ no resouns ytake fro wiþoute but by proues in cercles and homelyche knowen. ¶ þe whiche proeues drawen to hem self hir feiþ and hir accorde eueriche [of] hem of oþer. þan seide she þus. I ne scorne þe nat ne pleye ne desseyue þe. but I haue shewed to þe þinge þat is grettest ouer alle þinges by þe ȝifte of god þat we some tyme prayden ¶ For þis is þe forme of [the] deuyne substaunce. þat is swiche þat it ne slydeþ nat in to outerest foreine þinges. ne ne rec[e]yueþ no strange þinges in hym. but ryȝt as parmaynws seide in grek of þilke deuyne substaunce. he seide þus þat þilke deuyne substaunce torneþ þe worlde and þilke cercle moeueable of þinges while þilke dyuyne substaunce kepiþ it self wiþ outen moeuynge. þat is to seyne þat it ne moeuiþ neuere mo. and ȝitte it moeueþ alle oþer þinges. but na-þeles yif I [haue] stered resouns þat ne ben nat taken fro wiþ oute þe compas of þe þinge of whiche we treten. but resouns þat ben bystowed wiþ inne þat compas þere nis nat whi þat þou sholde[st] merueylen. sen þou hast lerned by þe sentence of plato þat nedes þe wordes moten ben cosynes to þo þinges of whiche þei speken.

[The .12. Metur.] FELIX QUI POTERIT. ET CETERA.

Blisful is þat man þat may seen þe clere welle of good. blisful is he þat may vnbynde hym fro þe bonde of heuy erþe. ¶ þe poete of trace [orpheus] þat somtyme hadde ryȝt greet sorowe for þe deeþ of hys wijf. aftir þat he hadde maked by hys wepely songes þe wodes meueable to rennen. and hadde ymaked þe ryueres to stonden stille. and maked þe hertys and hyndes to ioignen dredles hir sides to cruel lyouns to herkene his songe. and had[de] maked þat þe hare was nat agast of þe hounde whiche þat was plesed by hys songe. so þat whane þe most[e] ardaunt loue of hys wijf brende þe entrailes of his brest. ne þe songes þat hadde ouer comen alle þinges ne myȝten nat assuage hir lorde orpheus. ¶ He pleyned[e] hym of þe godes þat weren cruel to hym. he wente hym to þe houses of helle and þere he tempred[e] hys blaundissyng songes by resounyng of hys strenges. ¶ And spak and song in wepynge alle þat euer he hadde resceyued and laued oute of þe noble welles of hys modir calliope þe goddesse. and he song wiþ as mychel as he myȝt[e] of wepynge. and wiþ as myche as loue þat doubled[e] his sorwe myȝt[e] ȝeuen hym and teche hym in his seke herte. ¶ And he commoeuede þe helle and requered[e] and souȝte by swete preiere þe lordes of soules in helle of relesynge. þat is to seyne to ȝelden hym hys wif. ¶ Cerberus þe porter of helle wiþ his þre heuedes was cauȝt and al abaist for þe new[e] songe. and þe þre goddesses furijs and vengerisse of felonies þat tourmenten and agasten þe soules by anoye wexen sorweful and sory and wepen teres for pitee. þan was nat þe heued of Ixione ytourmented by þe ouerþrowing whele. ¶ And tantalus þat was destroied by þe woodnesse of longe þrust dispiseþ þe flodes to drynke. þe fowel þat hyȝt voltor þat etiþ þe stomak or þe giser of ticius is so fulfilled of his songe þat it nil etyn ne tyren no more. ¶ Atte þe laste þe lorde and Iuge of soules was moeued to misericordes and cried[e] we ben ouer comen quod he. yif[e] we to orpheus his wijf to bere hym compaignye he haþ welle I-bouȝt hir by his faire songe and his ditee. but we wil putten a lawe in þis. and couenaunt in þe ȝifte. þat is to seyne. þat til he be out of helle yif he loke byhynden hym [þat] hys wijf shal comen aȝeine to vs ¶ but what is he þat may ȝeue a lawe to loueres. loue is a gretter lawe and a strengere to hym self þan any lawe þat men may ȝeuen. ¶ Allas whan Orpheus and his wijf were al most at þe termes of þe nyȝt. þat is to seyne at þe last[e] boundes of helle. Orpheus loked[e] abakwarde on Erudice his wijf and lost[e] hir and was deed. ¶ þis fable apperteineþ to ȝow alle who so euer desireþ or sekiþ to lede his þouȝte in to þe souereyne day. þat is to seyne to clerenes[se] of souereyne goode. ¶ For who so þat euere be so ouer comen þat he fycche hys eyen in to þe put[te] of helle. þat is to seyne who so setteþ his þouȝtes in erþely þinges. al þat euer he haþ drawen of þe noble good celestial he lesiþ it whan he lokeþ þe helles. þat is to seyne to lowe þinges of þe erþe.

EXPLICIT LIBER TERCIUS.

INCIPIT LIBER QUARTUS.

[The 1^ma prose.] HEC CUM PHILOSOPHIA DIGNITATE UULTUS.

Whanne philosophie hadde songen softly and delitably þe forseide þinges kepynge þe dignitee of hir choere in þe weyȝte of hir wordes. I þan þat ne hadde nat al outerly forȝeten þe wepyng and mournyng þat was set in myne herte for-brek þe entencioun of hir þat entended[e] ȝitte to seyne oþer þinges. ¶ Se quod I. þou þat art gideresse of verray lyȝte þe þinges þat þou hast seid [me] hider to ben to me so clere and so shewyng by þe deuyne lokyng of hem and by þi resouns þat þei ne mowe nat ben ouercomen. ¶ And þilke þingus þat þou toldest me. al be it so þat I hadde som tyme fo[r]ȝeten hem for [the] sorwe of þe wronge þat haþ ben don to me. ȝit naþeles þei ne were nat alouterly vnknowen to me. but þis same is namly a gret cause of my sorwe. þat so as þe gouernoure of þinges is goode. yif þat yuelys mowen ben by any weyes. or ellys yif þat yuelys passen wiþ outen punyssheinge. þe whiche þinge oonly how worþi it is to ben wondred vpon. þou considerest it weel þi self certeynly. but ȝitte to þis þing þere is an oþer þing y-ioigned more to ben ywondred vpon. ¶ For felonie is emperisse and flowreþ ful of rycchesse. and vertues nis nat al oonly wiþ outen medes. but it is cast vndir and fortroden vndir þe feet of felonous folk. and it abieþ þe tourmentes in sted of wicked felouns ¶ Of al[le] whiche þing þer nis no wyȝt þat [may] merueyllen ynouȝ ne compleyne þat swiche þinges ben don in þe regne of god þat alle þinges woot. and alle þinges may and ne wool nat but only goode þinges. ¶ þan seide she þus. certys quod she þat were a grete meruayle and an enbaissynge wiþouten ende. and wel more horrible þan alle monstres yif it were as þou wenest. þat is to sein. þat in þe ryȝt ordeyne house of so mochel a fader and an ordenour of meyne. þat þe vesseles þat ben foule and vyle sholde ben honoured and heried. and þe precious uesseles sholde ben defouled and vyle. but it nis nat so. For yif þe þinges þat I haue concluded a litel here byforne ben kept hoole and vnraced. þou shalt wel knowe by þe auctorite of god. of þe whos regne I speke þat certys þe good[e] folk ben alwey myȝty. and shrewes ben alwey yuel and feble. ne þe vices ben neuere mo wiþ outen peyne; ne þe vertues ne ben nat wiþ outen mede. and þat blisfulnesses comen alwey to goode folke. and infortune comeþ alwey to wicked folke. ¶ And þou shalt wel knowe many[e] þinges of þis kynde þat sholle cessen þi pleyntes. and stedfast þe wiþ stedfast saddenesse. ¶ And for þou hast seyn þe forme of þe verray blisfulnesse by me þat [haue] somtyme I-shewed it þe. And þou hast knowen in whom blysfulnesse is set. alle þinges I treted þat I trowe ben nessessarie to put[te] furþe ¶ I shal shewe þe. þe weye þat shal brynge þe aȝeyne vnto þi house and I shal ficche feþeres in þi þouȝt by whiche it may arysen in heyȝte. so þat al tribulacioun don awey þou by my gidyng & by my paþe and by my sledes shalt mowen retourne hool and sounde in to þi contre.

[The fyrste metur.] SUNT ETENIM PENNE. ET CETERA.

I Haue for soþe swifte feþeres þat surmounten þe heyȝt of þe heuene whan þe swifte þouȝt haþ cloþed it self. in þo feþeres it dispiseþ þe hat[e]ful erþes. and surmounteþ þe heyȝenesse of þe greet[e] eyir. and it seiþ þe cloudes by-hynde hir bak and passeþ þe heyȝt of þe regioun of þe fire þat eschaufiþ by þe swifte moeuyng of þe firmament. til þat she a-reisiþ hir in til þe houses þat beren þe sterres. and ioygneþ hir weyes wiþ þe sonne phebus. and felawshipeþ þe weye of þe olde colde saturnus. and she ymaked a knyȝt of þe clere sterre. þat is to seyne þat þe soule is maked goddys knyȝt by þe sekyng of treuþe to comen to þe verray knowlege of god. and þilke soule renne[þ] by þe cercle of þe sterres in alle þe places þere as þe shynyng nyȝt is depeynted. þat is to seyne þe nyȝt þat is cloudeles. for on nyȝtes þat ben cloudeles it semeþ as þe heuene were peynted wiþ dyuerse ymages of sterres. and whan þe soule haþ gon ynouȝ she shal forleten þe last[e] poynt of þe heuene. and she shal pressen and wenden on þe bak of þe swifte firmament. and she shal ben maked perfit of þe dredefulle clerenesse of god. ¶ þere haldeþ þe lorde of kynges þe ceptre of his myȝt and attempereþ þe gouernementes of þis worlde. and þe shynynge iuge of þinges stable in hym self gouerneþ þe swifte carte. þat is to seyne þe circuler moeuyng of [the] sonne. and yif þi weye ledeþ þe aȝeyne so þat þou be brouȝt þider. þan wilt þou seye now þat þat is þe contre þat þou requeredest of whiche þou ne haddest no mynde. but now it remenbreþ me wel here was I born. here wil I fastne my degree. here wil I dwelle. but yif þe lyke þan to loken on þe derkenesse of þe erþe þat þou hast for-leten. þan shalt þou seen þat þise felonous tyrauntes þat þe wrecched[e] poeple dredeþ now shule ben exiled from þilke faire contre.