Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"Boethius
ReligionComparative
Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae"
Boethius
Happiness; Philosophy and religion
On dit la mort des ho{m}es estre eureuse
Qui ne vie{n}t pas en saiso{n} pla{n}tureuse
Mais des tristes mo{u}lt souue{n}t appellee
Elle y affuit nue / seche et pelee.
_Querimoniam lacrymabilem._ Wepli compleynte (p. 5). Fr. ma
complainte moy esmouuant a pleurs.
_Styli officio._ Wiþ office of poyntel (p. 5). Fr. (que ie
reduisse) p{ar} escript.
_Inexhaustus._ Swiche . . . þat it ne myȝt[e] not be emptid (p.
5). Fr. inconsumptible.
_Scenicas meretriculas._ Comune strumpetis of siche a place þat
men clepen þe theatre (p. 6). Fr. ces ribaudelles fardees.
_Præcipiti profundo._ In ouer-þrowyng depnesse (p. 7).
[L]As que la pensee de lomme
Est troublee et plongie comme
En _abisme precipitee_
Sa propre lumiere gastee.
_Nec pervetusta nec incelebris._ Neyþer ouer-oolde ne vnsolempne
(p. 11). Fr. desquelz la memoire nest pas trop ancienne ou no{n}
recitee.
_Inter secreta otia._ Among my secre restyng whiles (p. 14). Fr.
entre mes secrettes {et} oyseuses estudes.
_Palatini canes._ Þe houndys of þe palays (p. 15). Fr. les chiens
du palais.
_Masculæ prolis._ Of þi masculyn children (p. 37). Fr. de ta
lignie masculine.
_Ad singularem felicitatis tuæ cumulum venire delectat._ It
deliteþ me to comen now to þe singuler vphepyng of þi welefulnesse
(p. 37). Fr. Il me plait venir au singulier monceau de ta
felicite.
_Consulare imperium._ Emperie of consulers (p. 51). Fr. le{m}pire
consulaire.
_Hoc ipsum brevis habitaculi._ Of þilke litel habitacle (p. 57).
Fr. de cest trespetit habitacle.
_Late patentes plagas._ Þe brode shewyng contreys (p. 60).
QVico{n}ques tend a gloire vaine
Et le croit estre souueraine
Voye _les regions pate{n}tes_
Du ciel . . . . . .
_Ludens hominum cura._ Þe pleiyng besines of men (p. 68).
Si quil tollist par doulz estude
Des hommes la solicitude . .
_Hausi cœlum._ I took heuene (p. 10). Fr. ie . . . regarday le
ciel.
_Certamen adversum præfectum prætorii communis commodi ratione
suscepi._ I took strif aȝeins þe prouost of þe pretorie for comune
profit (p. 15). Fr. ie entrepris lestrif a lencontre du prefect du
parlement royal a cause de la commune vtilite.
_At cujus criminis arguimur summam quæris?_ But axest þou in somme
of what gilt I am accused? (p. 17). Fr. Mais demandes tu la somme
du pechie duquel pechie nous so{m}mes arguez?
_Fortuita temeritate._ By fortunouse fortune (p. 26). Fr. par
fortuite folie.
_Quos premunt septem gelidi triones._ Alle þe peoples þat ben
vndir þe colde sterres þat hyȝten þe seuene triones (p. 55). Fr.
ceulx de septentrion.
_Ita ego quoque tibi veluti corollarium dabo._ Ryȝt so wil I ȝeue
þe here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune (p. 91). Fr.
semblablement ie te donneray ainsi que vng correlaire.
_In stadio._ In þe stadie or in þe forlonge (p. 119). Fr. ou (for
au) champ.
_Conjecto._ I coniecte (p. 154). Fr. ie coniecture.
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