The epistle of Othea to Hector; or, The boke of knyghthodeChristine, de Pisan
Philosophy
The epistle of Othea to Hector; or, The boke of knyghthode
Christine, de Pisan
Fastolf, John, 1378?-1459; French poetry -- To 1500 -- Translations into English
Appollo or Phebus, that is the sone, to whom the Sonday is yoven and
allsoo the metall that is callyd golde. The sonne by hys clerenes
shewyth thynges that be hidde; and therefore trewth, the whiche is clere
and shewith secrete thynges, may be yofe to hyme. The which vertue
shulde be in the herte and in the mowthe of euery good knyghte. And to
this purpose seyth Hermes, “Love Godde, trowthe euer, and gyffe good
counsell.”
Apollo, the whiche is to sey the sonne, by whom we notyfye trowthe, we
may take that man shulde haue in hys mouth the trwthe of the very knyght
Jhesu Cryst and flee all falsenes. As Cassiodyr seyth in the booke of
Praysyng of Seynt Powle,[184] “The condicion of falsenes ys swche that,
where as it hath no geyneseyyng, yit it falleth in hym selphe; butte the
condycion of trowth is to the contrary, ffor it is so sete that the more
geyneseynges of aduersytes that it hath, the more it encresyth and
reysyth hym selphe.” To this purpose seith Holy Scripture, “Super [omnia
vincit veritas].”[185]
X.
Vnto Phebe resemble not. For why?
He[186] is to chaungable and enemye
To stedefastnes and to courage strong,
Malencolius is and full of wronge.
Phebe is called the mone, off whom the Moneday hath his name; and to
hyme is yoven the metall that we calle syluyr. The mone resteth non oure
in a ryghte poynte and yiffeth influens of vnstefastenes and foly, and
therefore it is seyde þat a goode knyght shulde kepe hym from which
vicys. And to this purpose Hermes seith, “Vse wisedome and be
stedefast.”
Phebe the moone, that we not for vnstedefastnes, the whiche a goode
knyght shulde not haue; on the same wyse the good sperit. As Seynt
Ambrose seith in the pistil of Simpliciain,[187] that a foole is
schawnegeable as the moone, but a wyse man is euer stedefast in o state,
where he neythir brekyth for fere ner schawngyth for no myght; he
reyseth hym notte in prosperite ner plangeth not in heuynes.[188] “There
where wysedome is, there is vertue, strengh and stedefastnes. The wise
man is euer of oon corage; it lessyth it notte, ne encressyth not, for
[he] schawngyth notte in no maner wyse for no thyng; he flotereth not in
dyuers opynions, but abydyth perfythe in Jhesu Cryst, gon growndid in
charite and roted in feyth.” And to this purpose seythe Holy Scripture,
“Homo sanctus [in sapientia manet sicut sol, nam stultus sicut luna
mutatur”].[189]
XI.
I dowte notte in no wyse Mars thi fadyr.
Thow shalt folowe hyme in heuery matyr;
For thy hy and nobil condycion
Draweth therto thyne inclynacion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account