Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde

Stanzas 151 through 160

"ffor al-though that, for thynge shal come, y-wys, Line 1051 Therfore is it purueyed, certeynly -- Line 1052 Nat that it comth for it purueyed is -- Line 1053 Ȝet natheles bihoueth it nedfully Line 1054 That thing to come be purueyd, trewely; Line 1055 Or elles thynges that purueyed be, Line 1056 That they bitiden by necessite. Line 1057

"And this suffiseth right ynough, certeyn, Line 1058 fforto destruye oure fre chois euery del. Line 1059 But now is this abusioun to seyn Line 1060 That fallyng of the thynges temporel Line 1061 Is cause of goddes prescience eternel. Line 1062 Now trewely, that is a fals sentence, Line 1063 That thyng to come sholde cause his prescience. Line 1064

"What myght I wene, and I hadde swich a thought, Line 1065 But that god purueyeth thyng that is to come Line 1066 ffor that it is to come, and ellis nought? Line 1067 So myghte I wene that thynges alle and some, Line 1068 That whilom ben byfalle and ouercome, Line 1069 Ben cause of thilke souereyne purueyaunce Line 1070 That for-woot al with-outen ignoraunce. Line 1071

"And ouere al this, ȝet sey I more herto, Line 1072 That right as whan I wot ther is a thyng, Line 1073 I-wys, that thyng moot nedfully be so; Line 1074 Ek right so whan I woot a thyng comyng, Line 1075 So mot it come; and thus the bifallyng Line 1076 Of thynges that ben wist bifore the tyde, Line 1077 They mowe nat ben eschued on no syde." Line 1078

Thanne seyde he thus, "al-myghty Ioue in trone, Line 1079 That woost of al thys thyng the sothfastnesse, Line 1080 Rewe on my sorwe and do me deyen sone, Line 1081 Or bryng Criseyde and me fro this destresse." Line 1082 And whil he was in al this heuynesse, Line 1083 Disputyng with hym self in matere, Line 1084 Com Pandare in and seyde as ȝe may here. Line 1085

"O myghty god," quod Pandarus, "in trone, Line 1086 I! who say euere a wis man faren so? Line 1087 Whi Troilus, what thinkestow to doone? Line 1088 Hastow swich lust to ben thyn owen fo? Line 1089 What, perde, ȝet is nat Criseyde a-go! Line 1090 Whi list the so thi self fordoon for drede, Line 1091 That in thyn hed thyne eyen semen dede? Line 1092

"Hastow nat lyued many a ȝer byforn Line 1093 With-outen hire and ferd ful wel at ese? Line 1094 Artow for hire and for noon other born? Line 1095 Hath kynde the wrought al only hire to plese? Line 1096 Lat be, and thynk right thus in thi disese: Line 1097 That in the dees right as ther fallen chaunces, Line 1098 Right so in loue ther come and gon plesaunces. Line 1099

"And ȝet this is my wonder moste of alle, Line 1100 Whi thow thus sorwest, syn thow nost nat ȝit, Line 1101 Touchyng hire goyng, how that it shal falle, Line 1102 Ne ȝif she kan hire self destourben it. Line 1103 Thow hast nat ȝet assayed al hire wit; Line 1104 A man may al by-tyme his nekke beede Line 1105 Whan it shal of, and sorwen at the nede. Line 1106

"ffor-thi tak hede of that I shal the seye: Line 1107 I haue with hire y-spoke and longe y-be, Line 1108 So as acorded was bitwixe vs tweye. Line 1109 And euere mor me thynketh thus that she Line 1110 Hath somwhat in hire hertes priuete, Line 1111 Wher-with she kan, if I shal right arede, Line 1112 Destourbe al this of which thow art in drede. Line 1113

"ffor which my counseil is, what it is nyght, Line 1114 Thow to hire go and make of this an ende, Line 1115 And blisful Iuno thorugh hire grete myght Line 1116 Shal as I hope hire grace vnto vs sende. Line 1117 Myn herte seyth certeyn she shal nat wende; Line 1118 And forthi put thyn herte a while in reste, Line 1119 And holde this purpos, for it is the beste." Line 1120