BOOK III.
The following scheme gives a general idea of the relationship of this Book to the original.
| Chaucer: Book III. | Filostrato: Book III. |
| ll. 1-38. | st. 74-79. |
| 239-287. | 5-10. |
| 344-441. | 11-20. |
| 813-833. | [Boethius, II. Pr. 4. 86-120.] |
| 1310-1426. | 31-43. |
| 1443-1451. | 44. |
| 1471-1492. | 44-48. |
| 1513-1555. | 50-56. |
| 1588-1624. | 56-60. |
| 1625-1629. | [Boethius, II. Pr. 4. 4-10.] |
| 1639-1680. | 61-65. |
| 1695-1743. | 70-73. |
| 1744-1768. | [Boethius, II. Met. 8.] |
| 1772-1806. | 90-93. |
| 1807-1813. | Bk. I, st. 3. 1. |
[1-38]. This is an exceptionally difficult passage, and some of the editions make great nonsense of it, especially of ll. 15-21. It is, however, imitated from stanzas 74-79 of the Filostrato, Book III; where the invocation is put into the mouth of Troilus.
The key to it is that it is an address to Venus, both the planet and the goddess.
[2]. The planet Venus was considered to be in 'the third heaven.' The 'heavens' or spheres were named, respectively, after the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the 'fixed stars;' beyond which was the Primum Mobile, the earth being in the centre of all, and immoveable. Sometimes the spheres of the seven planets were reckoned backwards from Saturn, Venus being then in the fifth heaven; see Lenvoy a Scogan, 9, and the note.
[3]. 'O favourite of the Sun, O dear daughter of Jove!' Venus was considered a fortunate planet. Perhaps it is best to quote the Italian text here:—
585
'O luce eterna, il cui lieto splendore
Fa bello il terzo ciel, dal qual ne piove