(578)
¶ "Seye hem, Marcus Curcïus leuer is
Line 4040
Richë men haue at his commandëment,
Than to be riche hym-self; tellë hem this:
He may with gold not be corrupt, ne blent;
Of force of men eek, þey ben impotent
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To venqwisshe hym; for þere hir art schal faile,
Hir blyndë profers schal hem noght auaile."
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(579)
¶ To Alisaundre, as I schal tellen here,
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A knyght, whiche was vnto hym specïal, [¶ Refert Va|lerius quali|ter quidam miles Alex|andri argue|bat eum de sua cupidi|tate.]
Thus spake, and blamed hym in þis manere:
He seide, "if oure goddës [goddes R, gooddes H.] thy body smal,
To thi gredy desire had maad egal, [folio 71a]
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Al þe world haddë nouȝt be súffisant
To han receyuëd so large a Geaunt.
Line 4053
(580)
¶ "ffor with þi riȝt honde, thow þe orient
Line 4054
Shuldest han touchid, I am sure of þat;
And with þi lift honde, eke þe occident;
Now, syn þat þy [þy R, om. H.] body answérith nat
Vnto þi willë, what may [shall R.] I sey, what?
Line 4058
Ethir þou art a man, or god, or nouȝt;
Mechil of þe, merueyle I in my þought.
Line 4060
(581)
¶ "If þou be god, thow folow most his trace,
Line 4061
And nouȝt men of her gode robbe or be-reue, [nor reue R.]
But hem releue, & do hem ese and grace.
If þou be man, considere eke, by thy leue,
Þou art mortél, þou mayst be dede or eue.
Line 4065
If þou be no þing, þe putte out of mynde,
Os [As R.] he þat is of no nature or kynde.
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