[509] Text in "Complete Works," vol. iii. It is divided into five books and written in stanzas of seven lines, rhyming _a b a b b c c_. See the different texts of this poem published by the Chaucer Society; also Kitredge, "Chaucer's Language in his Troilus," Chaucer Society, 1891. For a comparison between the English and the Italian texts see Rossetti "Troylus and Cressida, compared with Boccaccio's Filostrato," Chaucer Society, 1875. About one-third of Chaucer's poem is derived from Boccaccio. It is dedicated to Gower and to "philosophical Strode" (see above, p. 290), both friends of the poet. [510] Book i. st. 28. [511] And, as the nurse, gets out of breath, so that he cannot speak: ... O veray God, so have I ronne! Lo, nece myn, see ye nought how I swete? Book ii. st. 210. Says the Nurse: Jesu, what haste! can you not stay awhile? Do you not see that I am out of breath? [512] Turned later into English verse by Lydgate, to be read as a supplementary Tale of Canterbury: "Here begynneth the sege of Thebes, ful lamentably told by Johnn Lidgate monke of Bury, annexynge it to ye tallys of Canterbury," MS. Royal 18 D ii. in the British Museum. The exquisite miniatures of this MS. represent Thebes besieged with great guns, fol. 158; Creon's coronation by two bishops wearing mitres and gold copes, fol. 160, see below, p. 499. [513] Book ii. st. 46. [514] Book ii. st. 100 ff. [515] Book ii. st. 182. [516] Book iii. st. 163 and 170. [517] Book iii. st 173. Boccaccio's Griselda has nothing to be compared to those degrees in feeling and tenderness. She laughs at the newly wedded ones, and ignores blushes as well as doubts ("Filostrato," iii. st. 29 ff.). [518] Book iii. st. 188. [519] What me is wo That day of us mot make desseveraunce! (Book iii. st. 203, 204.) [520] Book iv. st. 98 ff. [521] Yet preye I yow on yvel ye ne take, That it is short which that I to yow wryte; I dar not, ther I am, wel lettres make, Ne never yet ne coude I wel endyte. Eek greet effect men wryte in place lyte. Thentente is al, and nought the lettres space And fareth now wel, God have you in his grace. La vostre C. Book v. st. 233. Troilus had written at great length, of course, "the papyr al y-pleynted." St. 229. [522] Book v. st. 263. [523] Pierre de Beauveau's translation of the passage (in Moland and d'Hericault, "Nouvelles francoises en prose, du XIVe Siecle," 1858, p. 303) does not differ much from the original. Here is the Italian text: Giovane donna e mobile, e vogliosa E negli amanti molti, e sua bellezza Estima piu ch'allo specchio, e pomposa Ha vanagloria di sua giovinezza; La qual quanto piaccevole e vezzosa E piu, cotanto piu seco l'apprezza; Virtu non sente ni conoscimento, Volubil sempre come foglia al vento. ("Opere Volgari," Florence, 1831, vol. xiii. p. 253.)