The complete works of John Gower, volume 2 : $b The English worksGower, John
General
The complete works of John Gower, volume 2 : $b The English works
Gower, John
Poetry
I beseech you, father, to tell me some example of this in the cause of
love.
My son, in love as well as in other things this vice should be
eschewed, as a tale shows which Ovid told.
There was one _Narcissus_, who had such pride that he thought no woman
worthy of him. On a day he went to hunt in the forest, and being hot
and thirsty lay down to drink from a spring. There he saw the image of
his face in the water and thought it was a nymph. Love for her came
upon him and he in vain entreated her to come out to him: at length in
despair he smote himself against a rock till he was dead. The nymphs of
the springs and of the woods in pity buried his body, and from it there
sprang flowers which bloom in the winter, against the course of nature,
as his folly was. (2254-2366.)
My father, I shall ever avoid this vice. I would my lady were as humble
towards me as I am towards her. Ask me therefore further, if there be
ought else.
God forgive thee, my son, if thou have sinned in this: but there is
moreover another vice of Pride which cannot rule his tongue, and this
also is an evil. (2367-2398.)
2399-2680. AVANTANCE. This vice turns praise into blame by loud
proclaiming of his own merit; and so some lovers do. Tell me then if
thou hast ever received a favour in love and boasted of it afterwards.
Nay, father, for I never received any favour of which I could boast.
Ask further then, for here I am not guilty.
That is well, my son, but know that love hates this vice above all
others, as thou mayest learn by an example. (2399-2458.)
_Alboin and Rosemund._ Albinus was king of the Lombards, and he in war
with the Geptes killed their king Gurmond in battle, and made a cup
of his skull. Also he took Gurmond’s daughter Rosemund as his wife.
When the wars were over, he made a great feast, that his queen might
make acquaintance with the lords of his kingdom; and at the banquet
his pride arose, and he sent for this cup, which was richly set in
gold and gems, and bade his wife drink of it, saying, ‘Drink with thy
father.’ She, not knowing what cup it was, took it and drank; and then
the king told how he had won it by his victory, and had won also his
wife’s love, who had thus drunk of the skull. She said nothing, but
thought of the unkindness of her lord in thus boasting, as he sat by
her side, that he had killed her father and made a cup of his skull.
Then after the feast she planned vengeance with Glodeside her maid.
A knight named Helmege, the king’s butler, loved Glodeside. To him
the queen gave herself in place of her maid, and then making herself
known, she compelled him to help her. They slew Albinus, but were
themselves compelled to flee, taking refuge with the Duke of Ravenna,
who afterwards caused them to be put to death by poison. (2459-2646.)
It is good therefore that a man hide his own praise, both in other
things and also in love, or else he may fail of his purpose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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