Chaucer's Translation of Boethius's "De Consolatione Philosophiae" · Boethius
V[E]LA NARICII DUCIS.
Oonly hir{e} þouȝt dwelleþ wiþ hem stable þ{a}t wepiþ {and} bywailiþ þe monstruous chaungynge þat þei suffren. ¶ O ouer lyȝt hand. as who seiþ. ¶ O feble {and} lyȝt is þe hand of Circes þe enchaunteresse þat chaungeþ þe bodies of folk in to bestes to regarde {and} to co{m}parisou{n} of mutac{i}ou{n} þat is makid by vices. ne þe herbes of circes ne ben nat myȝty. for al be it so þat þei may chau{n}gen þe lymes of þe body. ¶ algates ȝit þei may nat chau{n}ge þe hertes. for wiþ inne is yhid þe strengþe {and} þe vigour of me{n} in þe secre toure of hire hertys. þat is to seyn þe strengþe of resou{n}. but þilke uenyms of vices to-drawen a man to hem more myȝtily þan þe venym of circes. ¶ For vices ben so cruel þat þei percen {and} þoruȝ passen þe corage wiþ i{n}ne. {and} þouȝ þei ne anoye nat þe body. ȝitte vices wooden to distroien men by wounde of þouȝt.
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