Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" · Boethius
ITA EST INQ{UA}M.
For whiche it folweþ þat yif þou loke þe p{ur}ueaunce ordeynynge þe þinges þat men wenen ben haboundaunt in erþes. þou ne shalt not seen in no place no þing of yuel. [Sidenote: But you are exhausted and weary with the prolixity of my reasoning, and look for relief from the harmony of my verse.] ¶ but I se now þat 4112 þou art charged wiþ þe weyȝte of þe questiou[n] {and} [[pg 143]] wery wiþ lengþe of my resou{n}. {and} þat þou abidest som swetnesse of songe. [Sidenote: Take, then, this draught, with which when refreshed, you may more strongly proceed to higher matters.] tak þa{n} þis drauȝt {and} whan þou art wel refresshed {and} refet þou shalt ben more stedfast 4116 to stye in to heyere questiou{n}s. [Linenotes: 4089-90 _good_--goode 4092 _þilk_--thilke 4093 [_þat_]--from C. 4094 _þe_ (2)--thilke _whiche_--which 4096 _realme_--Reame 4099 _strong[e]_--stronge _worlde_--world 4100 _no_--omitted _witte_--wit 4101 _worde alle_--word al 4102 _auȝt[e]_--owhte 4104 _good while_--goode wyl 4105 _haþ_--MS. haþe 4108 _of_ (1)--fro 4109 _whiche_--which 4111 _ben haboundaunt_--ben out{ra}ious / or habowndant 4115 _tak_--MS. take, C. tak 4116 _refet_--refect _shalt ben_--shal be _stedfast_--stydefast] [Headnote: LOVE TEMPERS ALL THINGS.]
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.