Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde

Stanzas 31 through 40

O blynde world, O blynde entencioun! Line 211 How often falleth al the effect contraire Line 212 Of surquidrie and foul presumpcioun! Line 213 ffor kaught is proud, and kau ȝt is debonaire: Line 214 This Troilus is clomben on the staire Line 215 And litel weneth that he moot descenden -- Line 216 But alday faileth thing that fooles wenden. Line 217

As proude Bayard gynneth forto skippe Line 218 Out of the weye, so pryketh him his corn, Line 219 Til he a lasshe haue of the longe whippe, Line 220 Than thynketh he, ""though I praunce al byforn Line 221 ffirst in the trays, ful fat and newe shorn, Line 222 Ȝet am I but an hors, and horses lawe Line 223 I moot endure, and with my feres drawe." Line 224

So ferde it by this fierse and proude knyght: Line 225 Though he a worthy kynges sone were, Line 226 And wende no thing hadde had swich myght Line 227 A ȝeyns his wille that shuld his herte stere, Line 228 Ȝet with a look his herte wax a-fere, Line 229 That he that now was moost in pride a-boue Line 230 Wax sodeynly moost subgit vnto loue. Line 231

fforthy ensample taketh of this man, Line 232 Ȝe wise, proude, and worthi folkes alle, Line 233 To scornen loue, which that so soone kan Line 234 The fredom of ȝoure hertes to him thralle -- Line 235 ffor euere it was and euere it shal byfalle Line 236 That loue is he that alle thing may bynde Line 237 ffor may no man fordon the lawe of kynde. Line 238

That this be soth, hath preued and doth ȝit; Line 239 ffor this trowe I ȝe knowen alle or some: Line 240 Men reden nat that folk han gretter wit Line 241 Than they that han be most with loue ynome; Line 242 And strengest folk bien ther-with ouerecome, Line 243 The worthiest and grettest of degree -- Line 244 This was, and is, and ȝet men shall it see. Line 245

And trewelich it sit wel to be so, Line 246 ffor alderwisest han ther-with ben plesed, Line 247 And they that han ben aldermost in wo Line 248 With loue han ben comforted moost and esed; Line 249 And ofte it hath the cruel herte apesed, Line 250 And worthi folk maad worthier of name, Line 251 And causeth moost to dreden vice and shame. Line 252

Now sith it may nat goodly ben with-stonde, Line 253 And is a thing so vertuouse in kynde, Line 254 Refuseth nat to loue forto ben bonde, Line 255 Syn as hym seluen liste he may ȝow bynde: Line 256 The ȝerde is bet that bowen wole and wynde Line 257 Than that that brest; and therfore I ȝow rede Line 258 To folowen hym that so wel kan ȝow lede. Line 259

But forto tellen forth in special Line 260 As of this kynges sone of which I tolde, Line 261 And leten other thing collateral, Line 262 Of hym thenke I my tale forth to holde, Line 263 Both of his ioie and of his cares colde; Line 264 And al his werk as touching this matere, Line 265 ffor I it gan, I wol therto refere. Line 266

With-inne the temple he wente hym forth pleyinge, Line 267 This Troilus, of euery wight aboute, Line 268 On this lady, and now on that, lokynge, Line 269 Where so she were of town or of with-oute; Line 270 And vp-on cas bifel that thorugh a route Line 271 His eye percede, and so depe it wente, Line 272 Til on Criseyde it smote, and ther it stente. Line 273

And sodeynly he wax ther-with astoned, Line 274 And gan hir bet biholde in thrifty wise. Line 275 "O mercy god," thoughte he, "wher hastow woned, Line 276 That art so feyre and goodly to deuise?" Line 277 Therwith his herte gan to sprede and rise, Line 278 And softe sighed, lest men myghte hym here, Line 279 And cau ȝt a ȝeyn his firste pleyinge chere. Line 280