The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works

Name: The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works
Author: Gower, John

Gower, John

Poetry

[Sidenote: [EVIL EXAMPLE OF SARDANAPALUS.]]
                                             [Sidenote: =P. iii. 237=]
    These olde gestes tellen thus,
  That whilom Sardana Pallus,[1348]
      [Sidenote: Hic ponit exemplum qualiter, pro eo quod
      Sardana Pallus[1349] Assiriorum Princeps muliebri[1350]
      oblectamento effeminatus sue concupiscencie torporem quasi
      ex consuetudine adhibebat, a Barbaro Rege Medorum super hoc
      insidiante in sui feruoris maiori voluptate[1351] subitis
      mutacionibus extinctus est.]
  Which hield al hol in his empire
  The grete kingdom of Assire,
  Was thurgh the slouthe of his corage
  Falle into thilke fyri rage
  Of love, which the men assoteth,
  Wherof himself he so rioteth,                                   4320
  And wax so ferforth womannyssh,[1352]
  That ayein kinde, as if a fissh
  Abide wolde upon the lond,
  In wommen such a lust he fond,
  That he duelte evere in chambre stille,
  And only wroghte after the wille
  Of wommen, so as he was bede,
  That selden whanne in other stede
  If that he wolde wenden oute,
  To sen hou that it stod aboute.                                 4330
  Bot ther he keste and there he pleide,[1353]
  Thei tawhten him a Las to breide,
  And weve a Pours, and to enfile
  A Perle: and fell that ilke while,
  On Barbarus the Prince of Mede
  Sih hou this king in wommanhede[1354]
  Was falle fro chivalerie,
  And gat him help and compaignie,
  And wroghte so, that ate laste
  This king out of his regne he caste,                            4340
  Which was undon for everemo:
  And yit men speken of him so,
                                             [Sidenote: =P. iii. 238=]
  That it is schame forto hiere.
                                                  [Sidenote: [DAVID.]]
    Forthi to love is in manere.
      [Sidenote: Nota qualiter Dauid amans mulieres propter hoc
      probitatem Armorum non minus excercuit.]
  King David hadde many a love,
  Bot natheles alwey above
  Knyhthode he kepte in such a wise,
  That for no fleisshli covoitise
  Of lust to ligge in ladi armes
  He lefte noght the lust of armes.                               4350
  For where a Prince hise lustes suieth,
  That he the werre noght poursuieth,                          (4550*)
  Whan it is time to ben armed,
  His contre stant fulofte harmed,
  Whan thenemis ben woxe bolde,
  That thei defence non beholde.
  Ful many a lond hath so be lore,[1355]
  As men mai rede of time afore
  Of hem that so here eses soghten,
  Which after thei full diere aboghten.                           4360

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English worksGower, John

History

The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works

Gower, John

Poetry

[Sidenote: [EVIL EXAMPLE OF SARDANAPALUS.]]
                                             [Sidenote: =P. iii. 237=]
    These olde gestes tellen thus,
  That whilom Sardana Pallus,[1348]
      [Sidenote: Hic ponit exemplum qualiter, pro eo quod
      Sardana Pallus[1349] Assiriorum Princeps muliebri[1350]
      oblectamento effeminatus sue concupiscencie torporem quasi
      ex consuetudine adhibebat, a Barbaro Rege Medorum super hoc
      insidiante in sui feruoris maiori voluptate[1351] subitis
      mutacionibus extinctus est.]
  Which hield al hol in his empire
  The grete kingdom of Assire,
  Was thurgh the slouthe of his corage
  Falle into thilke fyri rage
  Of love, which the men assoteth,
  Wherof himself he so rioteth,                                   4320
  And wax so ferforth womannyssh,[1352]
  That ayein kinde, as if a fissh
  Abide wolde upon the lond,
  In wommen such a lust he fond,
  That he duelte evere in chambre stille,
  And only wroghte after the wille
  Of wommen, so as he was bede,
  That selden whanne in other stede
  If that he wolde wenden oute,
  To sen hou that it stod aboute.                                 4330
  Bot ther he keste and there he pleide,[1353]
  Thei tawhten him a Las to breide,
  And weve a Pours, and to enfile
  A Perle: and fell that ilke while,
  On Barbarus the Prince of Mede
  Sih hou this king in wommanhede[1354]
  Was falle fro chivalerie,
  And gat him help and compaignie,
  And wroghte so, that ate laste
  This king out of his regne he caste,                            4340
  Which was undon for everemo:
  And yit men speken of him so,
                                             [Sidenote: =P. iii. 238=]
  That it is schame forto hiere.
                                                  [Sidenote: [DAVID.]]
    Forthi to love is in manere.
      [Sidenote: Nota qualiter Dauid amans mulieres propter hoc
      probitatem Armorum non minus excercuit.]
  King David hadde many a love,
  Bot natheles alwey above
  Knyhthode he kepte in such a wise,
  That for no fleisshli covoitise
  Of lust to ligge in ladi armes
  He lefte noght the lust of armes.                               4350
  For where a Prince hise lustes suieth,
  That he the werre noght poursuieth,                          (4550*)
  Whan it is time to ben armed,
  His contre stant fulofte harmed,
  Whan thenemis ben woxe bolde,
  That thei defence non beholde.
  Ful many a lond hath so be lore,[1355]
  As men mai rede of time afore
  Of hem that so here eses soghten,
  Which after thei full diere aboghten.                           4360

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works

The complete works of John Gower, volume 3 : $b The English works

No reviews yet