Chaucer's Works, Volume 2 — Boethius and Troilus

by Geoffrey Chaucer

[481-3]. gabbestow, liest thou. Ll. 482, 3 are a reproduction of Pandarus' own saying, in Bk. iii. 1625-8.

[493]. Deficient in the first foot; read—'I | that liv'd' | &c.

[497]. formely; Cm. formaly; for formelly, i.e. formally.

[503]. From Boethius, Bk. i. Met. 1. 13, 14 (p. 1).

[506]. Troilus speaks as if dead already. 'Well wot I, whilst I lived in peace, before thou (death) didst slay me, I would have given (thee) hire;' i.e. a bribe, not to attack me.

[520]. alambyk, alembic; i.e. a retort, or vessel used in distilling; in Cant. Ta. G 794, MS. E. has the pl. alambikes, and most other MSS. have alembikes. The word was afterwards split up into a lembick or a limbeck; see Macb. i. 7. 67. Chaucer took this from Le Rom. de la Rose, 6406-7:—

'Je vois maintes fois que tu plores

Cum alambic sus alutel.'

[556]. 'Then think I, this would injure her reputation.'

[583]. 'But if I had so ardent a love, and had thy rank.'