152 hid—MS. hidde, C. hid
when—whan
153 sey—seyn
when—whan
154 hyȝt—heyhte
chorus—MS. thorus
stont—MS. stonde, C. stant
157 þan—thanne
wynde—wynd
hyȝt—hyhte
158 sent—isent
160 þan—thanne
161 sodeyne—sodeyn
THE TRIALS OF PHILOSOPHY AND PHILOSOPHERS.
[HAUT][1][ ALITER TRISTICIE.] [1] MS. hanc.
Ryȝt so The clouds of sorrow being dispelled, Boethius recollects the features of his Physician, whom he discovers to be Philosophy. and none oþer wyse þe cloudes of sorowe
dissolued and don awey. ¶ I took heuene. and [164]
receyuede mynde to knowe þe face of my fyciscien.
¶ So þat I sette myne eyen on hir and festned[e] my
lokyng. I byholde my norice philosophie. in whos
houses I hadde conuersed and haunted fro my ȝouþe. [168]
and I seide þus. He addresses her. ¶ O þou maistresse of alle uertues
descendid fro þe souereyne sete. Whi art þou comen
in to þis solitarie place of myn exil. ¶ Art þou comen
for þou art mad coupable wiþ me of fals[e] blames. [172]
She expresses her concern for him, and tells him that she is willing to share his misfortunes. ¶ O quod sche my norry scholde I forsake þe now. and
scholde I not parte wiþ þe by comune trauaille þe charge
þat þou hast suffred for envie of my name. ¶ Certis
it nar[e] not leueful ne sittyng to philosophie to leten [176]
wiþ-outen compaignie þe wey of hym þat is innocent.
She fears not any accusation, as if it were a new thing. ¶ Scholde I þan redoute my blame and agrisen as þouȝ
þer were byfallen a newe þing. q. d. non. ¶ For
trowest þou þat philosophi be now alþerfirst assailed [180]
in perils by folk of wicked[e] maneres. For before the age of Plato she contended against folly, and by her help Socrates triumphed over an unjust death. ¶ Haue I not
stryuen wiþ ful greet strife in olde tyme byfore þe
age of my plato aȝeins þe foolhardines of foly and
eke þe same plato lyuyng. hys maistre socrates [184]
deserued[e] victorie of vnryȝtful deeþ in my presence.
Of the inheritance of Socrates the rout of Epicureans and Stoics wanted to get a part. ¶ Þe heritage of wyche socrates. þe heritage is to seyne
þe doctrine of þe whiche socrates in hys oppinioun of
felicite þat I clepe welfulnesse ¶ Whan þat þe people [188]
of epicuriens and stoyciens and many oþer enforceden
hem to go rauische eueryche man for his part þat is
to seyne. þat to eueryche of hem wolde drawen to þe
defence of his oppinioun þe wordes of socrates. Philosophy withstood them, whereupon they tore her robe, and, departing with the shreds, imagined that they had got possession of her. ¶ Þei [192]
as in partie of hir preye todrowen me criynge and
debatyng þer aȝeins. and tornen and torenten my cloþes
þat I hadde wouen wiþ myn handes. and wiþ þe
cloutes þat þei hadden arased oute of my cloþes. þei [196]
wenten awey wenyng þat I hadde gon wiþ hem euery
dele. Thus, clothed with her spoils, they deceived many. In whiche epicuryens and stoyciens. for as
myche as þer semed[e] somme traces and steppes of
myne habit. þe folye of men wenyng þo epicuryens [200]
[* fol. 5.] and stoyciens my *familers peruertede (.s. persequendo)
somme þoruȝ þe errour of þe wikked[e] or vnkunnyng[e]
multitude of hem. Philosophy adduces examples of wise men, who had laboured under difficulties on account of being her disciples. ¶ Þis is to seyne for þei
semeden philosophres: þei weren pursued to þe deeþ [204]
and slayn. ¶ So yif þou hast not knowen þe exilynge
of anaxogore. ne þe empoysenyng of socrates. ne þe
tourmentȝ of ȝeno for þei [weren] straungers.
¶ Ȝit myȝtest þou haue knowen þe senectiens and þe Canyos [208]
and þe sorancis of wyche folk þe renoun is neyþer ouer
oolde ne vnsolempne. ¶ Þe whiche men no þing ellys
ne brouȝt[e] hem to þe deeþ but oonly for þei weren
enfourmed of my maneres. and semeden moste vnlyke [212]
to þe studies of wicked folk. ¶ And forþi þou auȝtest
not to wondre þouȝ þat I in þe bitter see of þis lijf be
fordryuen wiþ tempestes blowyng aboute. It is the aim of Philosophy to displease the wicked, who are more to be despised than dreaded, for they have no leader. in þe whiche
tempeste þis is my most purpos þat is to seyn to displese [216]
to wikked[e] men. ¶ Of whiche schrews al be
þe oost neuer so grete it is to dispyse. for it nis gouerned
wiþ no leder of resoune. but it is rauysched only by
flityng errour folyly and lyȝtly. If Philosophy is attacked by the wicked, she retires within her fortress, leaving the enemy busy among the useless baggage, and laughing to scorn such hunters of trifles. ¶ And if þei somtyme [220]
makyng an ost aȝeynest vs assaile vs as strengere. oure
leder draweþ to gedir hys rycchesse in to hys toure.
and þei ben ententif aboute sarpulers or sachels vnprofitable
forto taken. but we þat ben heyȝ abouen syker [224]
fro al tumulte and wode noise. ben stored and enclosed
in syche a palays. whider as þat chateryng or anoying
folye ne may not attayne. ¶ We scorne swiche
rauiners and honters of foulest[e] þinges. [228]