Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" · Boethius
HACTENUS MENDACIS FORMA{M}.
Suffisaunce and power ben þan of on kynde ¶ So semeþ it q{uod} I. ¶ And demyst þou q{uo}d she þat a þing þat is of þis manere. þat is to seine suffisau{n}t {and} myȝty auȝt[e] to ben dispised. or ellys þ{a}t it be ryȝt digne of reuerences abouen alle þinges. ¶ Certys q{uo}d I it nys no doute þat it nis ryȝt worþi to ben reuerenced. ¶ Lat vs q{uo}d she þan adden reuerence to suffisaunce {and} to power ¶ So þat we demen þat þise þre þinges ben alle o þing. ¶ Certis q{uo}d I lat vs adden it. yif we willen graunten þe soþe. what demest þou þan q{uo}d she is þat a dirke þing {and} nat noble þat is suffisau{n}t reu{er}ent {and} myȝty. or ellys þat is ryȝt clere {and} ryȝt noble of celebrete of renou{n}. ¶ Considere þan q{uo}d she as we han grau{n}tid her byforne. þat he þat ne haþ ne[de] of no þing {and} is most myȝty {and} most digne of hono{ur} yif hym nediþ any clernesse of renou{n} whiche clernesse he myȝt[e] nat graunten of hym self. ¶ So þat for lakke of þilke clerenesse he myȝt[e] seme febler on any syde or þe more outcaste. _Glosa._ þis is to seyne nay. ¶ For who so þat is suffisau{n}t myȝty {and} reuerent. clernesse of renou{n} folweþ of þe forseide þinges. he haþ it alredy of hys suffisaunce. boice.
I graunt[e] wel q{uo}d .I. ne no soþer þing ne may nat ben said. _P._ ¶ Now hast þou þan q{uo}d she þe forme {and} þe causes of false welefulnesse. ¶ Now turne {and} flitte þe eyen of þi þouȝt. for þere shalt þou seen an oon þilk verray blysfulnesse þ{a}t I haue byhyȝt þee. _b._ Certys q{uo}d .I. it is cler {and} opyn. þouȝ þat it were to a blynde man. {and} þat shewedest þou me [ful wel] a lytel her byforne. whan þou enforcedest þe to shewe me þe causes of þe false blysfulnesse ¶ For but yif I be by-giled. þan is þilke þe verray p{er}fit blisfulnesse þat p{er}fitly makiþ a man suffisau{n}t. myȝty. hono{ur}able noble. {and} ful of gladnesse. {and} for þou shalt wel knowe þat I haue wel vndirstonden þise þinges wiþ i{n}ne myne herte. I knowe wel þilke blisfulnesse þat may verrayly ȝeuen on of þe forseide þinges syn þei ben al oon .I. knowe douteles þat þilke þing is þe fulle of blysfulnesse. _P._ O my nurry q{uod} she by þis oppiniou{n} q{uo}d she I sey[e] þat þou art blisful yif þou putte þis þer to þat I shal seine. what is þat q{uo}d .I. ¶ Trowest þou þat þer be any þing in þis erþely mortal toumblyng þinges þat may bryngen þis estat.
Certys q{uo}d I trowe it nat. {and} þou hast shewed me wel þat ouer þilke goode þer is no þing more to ben desired. _P._ þise þinges þan q{uo}d she. þat is to seyne erþely suffisaunce {and} power. {and} swiche þinges eyþer þei semen likenesse of verray goode. or ellys it semeþ þat þei ȝeuen to mortal folk a maner of goodes þat ne ben nat perfit. ¶ But þilke goode þat is verray {and} p{er}fit. þat may þei nat ȝeuen. _boice._ I. accorde me wel q{uo}d .I. þan q{uo}d she for as moche as þou hast knowen whiche is þilke verray blisfulnesse. {and} eke whiche þilke þinges ben þat lien falsly blisfulnesse. þat is to seyne. þat by desceit seme{n} verray goodes. ¶ Now byhoueþ þe to knowe{n} whennes {and} where þou mowe seek[e] þilke verray blisfulnesse. ¶ Certys q{uo}d I þat desijr I gretly {and} haue abiden longe tyme to herkene it. ¶ But for as moche q{uo}d she as it likeþ to my disciple plato in his book of i{n} thimeo. þat in ryȝt lytel þinges men sholde bysechen þe helpe of god. ¶ what iugest þou þat be [now] to done so þat we may deserue to fynde þe sete of þilke souereyne goode. _B._ ¶ Certys q{uo}d .I. I. deme þat we shulle clepen to þe fadir of alle goodes. ¶ For wiþ outen hym nis þer no þing founden aryȝt. þou seist a-ryȝt q{uo}d she. and bygan on-one to syngen ryȝt þus.
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