Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" · Boethius
QUAM UARIIS FIGURIS.
Onlyche þe lynage of man heueþ heyest hys 4968 heyȝe heued {and} stondeþ lyȝt wiþ hys vpryȝt body {and} byholdeþ þe erþe vndir hym. [Sidenote: Thou art admonished by this figure then, unless by sense deceived, that whilst taught by thy lofty mien to look above, thou shouldst elevate thy mind lest it sink below its proper level.] [and] but-ȝif þou erþely man wexest yuel oute of þi witte. þis figure amonesteþ þe þ{a}t axest þe heuene wiþ þi ryȝt[e] visage. {and} hast areised 4972 þi forhede to beren vp on heye þi corage so þat þi þouȝt ne be nat yheuied ne put lowe vndir foot. sen þat þi body is so heye areised. [Linenotes: 4957 _somme_--som 4959 _forghe contynued_--forwh Ikonntynued _addres_--nadris 4960 [_the_]--from C. 4963 _hem_--hem self _stappes_--steppis 4964 _or to gone_--{and} to gon _eyþe[r]_--eyther 4965 [_elles_]--from C. 4967 [_faces_]--from C. _algate_--algates _enclini[n]g_--enclynyd 4968 _Onlyche_--Oonly _heyest_--heyeste 4970 _erþe_--erthes 4971 _oute_--owt _witte_--wit 4972 _ryȝt[e]_--ryhte _hast_--MS. haþe, C. hast 4973 _forhede_--foreheuyd _on heye_--a heygh 4974 _foot sen_--foote syn] [Headnote: DEFINITION OF ETERNITY.]
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