Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The Knight's Tale, Third Part (A Minimalist Translation) Poem by Forrest Hainline

Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The Knight's Tale, Third Part (A Minimalist Translation)

Sequitur pars tercia

I think men would deem it negligence
If I forget to tell the dispense
1025 Of Theseus, that goes so busily
To make up the lists royally,
That such a noble theater as it was
I dare well say in this world never was.
The circuit a mile was about,
1030 Walled of stone, and ditched all without.
Round was the shape, in manner of compass,
Full of degrees, the height of sixty paces,
That when a man was set on a degree,
He let not his fellow for to see.

1035 Eastward there stood a gate of marble white,
Westward right such another in the opposite.
And shortly to conclude, such a place
Was none on earth, as in so little space;
For in the land there was no crafty man
1040 That geometry or arithmetic can,
Nor painter, nor carver of images,
That Theseus not give him meat and wages
The theater for to make and devise.
And for to do his rite and sacrifice,
1045 He eastward has, upon the gate above,
In worship of Venus, goddess of love,
Did make an altar and an oratory;
And on the gate westward, in memory
Of Mars, he had made right such another,
1050 That cost largely of gold a fother.
And northward, in a turret on the wall,
Of alabaster white and red coral,
An oratory, rich for to see,
In worship of Dianne, of chastity,
1055 Has Theseus done wrought in noble wise.

But yet had I forgotten to devise
The noble carving and the portraitures
The shape, the countenance, and the figures,
That were in these oratories there.

1060 First in the temple of Venus may you see
Wrought on the wall, full piteous to behold,
The broken sleeps and the sighs cold,
The sacred tears and the lamenting,
The fiery strokes of the desiring
1065 That love's servants in this life endure;
The oaths that their covenants assure;
Pleasure and Hope, Desire, Foolhardiness,
Beauty and Youth, Bawdry, Riches,
Charms and Force, Lying, Flattery,
1070 Dispense, Business, and Jealousy
That wore of yellow gold a garland
And a cuckoo sitting on her hand;
Feasts, instruments, carols, dances,
Lust and array, and all the circumstances
1075 Of love, which that I reckoned, and reckon shall,
By order were painted on the wall,
And more than I can make of mention,
For truly, all the mount of Citheron,
Where Venus has her principal dwelling,
1080 Was shown on the wall in portraying,
With all the garden and the lustiness.
Not was forgotten the porter, Idleness,
Nor Narcissus the fair, of yore agone,
Nor yet the folly of King Solomon,
1085 Nor yet the great strength of Hercules,
The enchantments of Medea and Circe,
Nor of Turnus, with the hardy fierce courage,
The rich Croesus, caitiff in bondage;
Thus may you see that wisdom nor riches,
1090 Beauty nor sleight, strength nor hardiness,
Not may with Venus hold authority,
For as she likes the world then may she guide.
Lo, all these folk so caught were in her lash,
Til they for woe full oft said "alas! "
1095 Sufficeth here examples one or two -
And though, I could reckon a thousand more.

The statue of Venus, glorious for to see,
Was naked, floating in the large sea,
And from the navel down all covered was
1100 With waves green, and bright as any glass.
A citole in her right hand had she,
And on her head, full seemly for to see,
A rose garland, fresh and well smelling,
Above her head her doves flickering.
1105 Before her stood her son, Cupido,
Upon his shoulders wings had he two,
And blind he was, as it was often seen.
A bow he bore and arrows bright and keen.

Why should I not as well too tell you all
1110 The portraiture that was upon the wall
Within the temple of mighty Mars the red?
All painted was the wall, in length and breadth,
Like to the inside of the grisly place
That called the great temple of Mars in Thrace,
1115 In that cold, frosty region
There as Mars has his sovereign mansion.

First on the wall was painted a forest
In which there dwelleth neither man nor beast,
With knotty, gnarled, barren trees old,
1120 Of stumps sharp and hideous to behold,
In which there ran a rumble and a sough
As though a storm should burst every bough.
And downward from a hill, under a bent,
There stood the temple of Mars armipotent,
1125 Wrought all of burned steel, of which the entry
Was long and straight, and ghastly for to see,
And thereout came a rage and such a feeze,
That it made all the gate for to rese.
The northern light in at the doors shone,
1130 For windows on the wall nor was there none,
Through which men might any light discern.
The door was all of adamant eterne,
Clenched overthwart and end-long
With iron tough; and for to make it strong
1135 Every pillar, the temple to sustain,
Was tun-great, of iron bright and sheen.

There saw I first the dark imagining
Of Felony, and all the compassing,
The cruel Ire, red as any gleed,
1140 The pick-purse, and too the pale Dread,
The smiler with the knife under the cloak,
The stable burning with the black smoke,
The treason of the murdering in the bed,
The open war, with wounds all be bled;
1145 Contest, with bloody knife and sharp menace;
All full of creaking was that sorry place.
The slayer of himself yet saw I there -
His heart-blood has bathed all his hair -
The nail driven in the shode at night;
1150 The cold death, with mouth gaping upright.
Amidst of the temple sat Mischance.
With discomfort and sorry countenance.
Yet saw I Madness, laughing in his rage,
Armed Complaint, Outcry, and fierce Outrage;
1155 The carrion in the bush, with throat carved;
A thousand slain, and not of qualm starved;
The tyrant, with the prey by force bereft
The town destroyed, there was nothing left.
Yet I saw the ships burn like dancers;
1160 The hunter strangled with the wild bears;
The sow eating the child right in the cradle;
The cook scalded, for all his long ladle.
Naught was forgotten by the misfortune of Mars.
The carter overridden with his cart -
1165 Under the wheel full low he lay adown.
There were also, of Mars' division,
The barber, and the butcher, and the smith,
Who forges sharp swords on his stith.
And all above, painted in a tower,
1170 Saw I Conquest, sitting in great honor.
With the sharp sword over his head
Hanging by a subtle twine's thread.
Depainted was the slaughter of Julius,
Of great Nero, and of Antonius;
1175 Albe that at this time they were unborn,
Yet was their death depainted there before
By menacing of Mars, right by figure;
So was it showed in that portraiture.
As is depainted in the stars above
1180 Who shall be slain or else dead for love.
Sufficeth one example in stories old;
I may not reckon them all though I would.

The statue of Mars upon a cart stood
Armed, and looked grim as he were wood;
1185 And over his head there shine two figures
Of stars, that be called in scriptures,
That one Puella, that other Rubeus -
This god of arms was arrayed thus.
A wolf there stood before him at his feet
1190 With eyes red, and of a man he eat;
With subtle pencil was depainted this story
In respect of Mars and of his glory.

Now to the temple of Diane the chaste
As shortly as I can, I will me haste,
1195 To tell you all the description.
Depainted are the walls up and down
Of hunting and of modest chastity.
There saw I how woeful Calistopee
When that Diane aggrieved was with her
1200 Was turned from a woman to a bear,
And after was she made the lodestar.
Thus was it painted; I can say you no more
Her son is too a star, as men may see.
There saw I Daphne, turned to a tree,
1205 I mean not the goddess Diane,
But Peneus' daughter, which that called Daphne.
There I saw Actaeon made into a hart,
For vengeance that he saw Diane all naked.
I saw how that his hounds have him caught
1210 And eaten him, for that they knew him not.
Yet painted was a little furthermore
How Atalanta hunted the wild boar,
And Meleager, and many another more,
For which Diane wrought him care and woe.
1215 There saw I many another wondrous story,
The which I like not draw to memory.

This goddess on a hart full high seat,
With small hounds all about her feet;
And underneath her feet she had a moon,
1220 Waxing it was and should wane soon.
In gaudy green her statue clothed was,
With bow in hand and arrows in a case.
Her eyes cast she full low down,
Where Pluto has his dark region.
1225 A woman travailing was her before;
But for her child so long was unborn
Full piteously Lucina did she call,
And said, "Help, for thou mayest best of all! "
Well could he paint lively that it wrought,
1230 With many a florin he the hues bought.

Now be these lists made, and Theseus,
That at his great cost arrayed thus
The temples and the theatre every detail,
When it was done, he liked wonder well.-
1235 But stop I will of Theseus a lite,
And speak of Palamon and of Arcite.

The day approaches of their returning,
That each should a hundred knights bring
The battle to deraign, as I you told.
1240 And to Athens, their covenant for to hold,
Has each of them brought a hundred knights,
Well armed for the war at all rights.
And certainly, there thought many a man,
That never, since that the world began,
1245 As for to speak of knighthood of their hand,
As far as God has made sea or land,
Never so few so noble a company.
For everyone that loved chivalry,
And would, his thanks, have a passant name,
1250 Has prayed that he might be of that game;
And well was him that thereto chosen was.
For if there fall tomorrow such a case
You know well that every lusty knight
That loves paramours and has his might,
1255 Were it in England or elsewhere,
They would, their thanks, will to be there,
To fight for a lady, benedicitee!
It were a lusty sight for to see.

And right so fared they with Palamon,
1260 With him there went knights many one.
Some will be armed in an habergeon,
In a breastplate and in a light jupon,
And some will have a pair plates large,
And some will have a Prussian shield or a targe,
1265 Some will be armed on their legs as well,
And have an ax, and some a mace of steel.
There is no new guise that it's not old;
Armed were they, as I have you told,
Each after his opinion.

1270 There mayest thou see, coming with Palamon
Lycurgus himself, the great king of Thrace.
Black was his beard, and manly was his face,
The circles of his eyes in his head,
They glowed between yellow and red,
1275 And like a griffon looked he about,
With kempt hairs on his brows stout,
His limbs great, his brawns hard and strong,
His shoulders broad, his arms round and long;
And as the guise was in his country,
1280 Full high upon a chariot of gold stood he,
With four white bulls in the trace.
Instead of coat of arms over his harness,
With nails yellow and bright as any gold
He had a bear's skin, coal black, for-old;
1285 His long hair was combed behind his back,
As any raven's feathers it shone for black.
A wreath of gold, arm-great, of huge weight,
Upon his head, set full of stones bright,
Of fine rubies and of diamonds.
1290 About his chariot there went white hounds,
Twenty and more, as great as any steer,
To hunt at the lion or the deer,
And followed him with muzzles fast bound,
Colored of gold, and turrets filed round.
1295 A hundred lords had he in his route,
Armed full well, with hearts stern and stout.

With Arcita, in stories as men find,
The great Emetreus, the king of India,
Upon a steed bay, trapped in steel,
1300 Covered in cloth of gold diapered well,
Came riding like the god of arms, Mars.
His coat of arms was of cloth of Tars,
Couched with pearls white and round and great.
His saddle was of brand gold new beat;
1305 A mantle upon his shoulder hanging
Brimful of rubies red as fire sparkling;
His curly hair like rings was run,
And that was yellow, and glittered as the sun.
His nose was high, his eyes bright citrine,
1310 His lips round, his color was sanguine;
A few freckles in his face sprenge,
Between yellow and somewhat black were meng,
And as a lion he his looking cast.
Of five and twenty years his age I cast;
1315 His beard was well begun for to spring,
His voice was as a trumpet thundering.
Upon his head he wore of laurel green
A garland, fresh and lusty for to seen.
Upon his hand he bore for his delight
1320 An eagle tame, as any lily white.
A hundred lords had he with him there,
All armed, save their heads, in all their gear,
Full richly in all manner things.
For trust well, that dukes, earls, kings,
1325 Were gathered in this noble company,
For love and for increase of chivalry.
About this king there ran on every part
Full many a tame lion and leopard,
And in this wise these lords, all and some
1330 Are on the Sunday to the city come,
About prime, and in the town alight.

This Theseus, this duke, this worthy knight,
When he had brought them into his city,
And inned them, each one at his degree,
1335 He feasts them, and does so great labor
To ease them and do them all honor
That yet men ween that no man's wit
Of none estate could amend it.

The minstrelsy, the service at the feast,
1340 The great gifts to the most and least,
The rich array of Theseus' palace,
Nor who sat first nor last upon the dais,
What ladies fairest be, or best dancing,
Or which of them can dance best and sing,
1345 Or who most feelingly speaks of love,
What hawks sit on the perch above,
What hounds lying in the floor adown-
Of all this make I now no mention,
But all the effect; that thinketh me the best,
1350 Now comes the point, and hearken if you lest.

The Sunday night, ere day began to spring,
When Palamon the lark heard sing,
(Although it were not day by hours two,
Yet the lark sang) and Palamon right them.
1355 With holy heart and with a high courage
He rose to wend on his pilgrimage,
Unto the blissful Cytherea benign,
I mean Venus, honorable and digne.
And in her hour he walked forth apace
1360 Unto the lists where her temple was,
And down he kneeleth, and with humble cheer,
And heart sore he said as you shall hear:

"Fairest of fair, O lady mine, Venus,
Daughter to Jove, and spouse of Vulcanus,
1365 Thou gladder of the Mount of Citheron,
For that love thou haddest to Adon,
Have pity of my bitter tears smart,
And take my humble prayer at thine heart.
Alas! I have no language to tell
1370 The effects nor the torments of my hell!
My heart may my harms not bewray,
I am so confused that I cannot say.
But mercy, lady bright, that knowest well
My thought and seest what harms that I feel.
1375 Consider all this and rue upon my sore,
As wisely as I shall for evermore,
Emforth my might, thy true servant be,
And hold war always with chastity.
That make I my vow, so you me help!
1380 I care not of arms for to yelp,
Nor do I ask tomorrow to have victory,
Nor renown in this case, nor vain glory
Of prize of arms blown up and down;
But I would have fully possession
1385 Of Emily, and die in thy service.
Find thou the manner how and in what wise:
I reck not but it may better be
To have victory of them, or they of me,
So that I have my lady in my arms.
1390 For though so be that Mars is god of arms,
Your virtue is so great in heaven above
That if you list, I shall well have my love.
Thy temple will I worship ever more,
And on thy altar, where I ride or go,
1395 I will do sacrifice and fires beat.
And if you will not so, my lady sweet,
Then pray I thee, tomorrow with a spear
That Arcita me through the heart bear.
Then reck I naught, when I have lost my life,
1400 Though that Arcita win her to his wife.
This is the effect and end prayer,
Give me my love, thou blissful lady dear! "

When the orison was done of Palamon,
His sacrifice he did, and that anon,
1405 Full piteously, with all circumstances;
Although tell I naught now his observance;
But at the last the statue of Venus shook,
And made a sign, whereby that he took
That his prayer accepted was that day.
1410 For though the sign showed a delay,
Yet knew he well that granted was his boon,
And with glad heart he went him home full soon.

The third hour unequal that Palamon
Began to Venus' temple for to go,
1415 Up rose the sun, and up rose Emily,
And to the temple of Diane gan hie.
Her maidens, that she thither with her led,
Full readily with them the fire they had,
The incense, the clothes, and the remnant all
1420 That to the sacrifice belonged shall.
The horns full of mead, as was the guise,
There lacked naught to do her sacrifice,
Smoking the temple, full of clothes fair.
This Emily, with heart debonair,
1425 Her body washed with water of a well.
But how she did her rite I dare not tell,
But it be anything in general;
And yet it were a game to hear all,
To him that meaneth well it were no charge,
1430 But it is good a man be at his large.
Her bright hair was combed, untressed all;
A crown of a green oak cerrial
Upon her head was set full fair and meet.
Two fires on the altar did she beat,
1435 And did her things, as men may behold
In Stace of Thebes and these books old.
When kindled was the fire, with piteous cheer
Unto Diane she spoke as you may hear.

"O chaste goddess of the woods green,
1440 To whom both heaven and earth and sea is seen,
Queen of the reign of Pluto dark and low,
Goddess of maidens, that my heart has know
Full many a year, and know what I desire,
As keep me from thy vengeance and thy ire,
1445 That Acteon bought cruelly.
Chaste goddess, well know that I
Desire to be a maiden all my life,
No never will I be a lover or wife.
I am, thou knows, yet of thy company,
1450 A maid, and love hunting and venery,
And for to walk in the woods wild,
And not to be a wife and be with child.
Not will I know company of man;
Now help me, lady, since you may and can,
1455 For though three forms that thou hast in thee.
And Palamon, that hath such love to me,
And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore,
This grace I pray thee without more,
As send love and peace between them two,
1460 And from me turn away their hearts so,
That all their hot love and their desire,
And all their busy torment, and their fire,
Be quenched, or turned in another place.
And if so be thou wilt do me no grace,
1465 And if my destiny be shaped so
That I shall need have one of them two,
As send me him that most desires me.
Behold, goddess of clean chastity,
The bitter tears that on my cheeks fall.
1470 Since thou art maid and keeper us all,
My maidenhead thou keep and well conserve,
And while I live, a maid I will thee serve."

The fires burn upon the altar clear,
While Emily was thus in her prayer;
1475 But suddenly she saw a sight quaint,
For right anon one of the fires quenched,
And kindled again, and after that anon
That other fire was quenched and all gone.
And as it quenched it made a whistling,
1480 As do these wet brands in their burning;
And at the brands end out ran anon
As it were bloody drops many of 'em;
For which so sore aghast was Emily
That she was well night mad and gan to cry;
1485 For she knew not what it signified.
But only for the fear thus hath she cried,
And wept that it was pity for to hear;
And therewithal Diane gan appear,
With bow in hand, right as a huntress,
1490 And said, "Daughter, stint thy heaviness.
Among the gods high it is affirmed,
And by eternal word written and confirmed,
Thou shalt be wedded unto one of those
That have for thee so much care and woe.
1495 But unto which of them I may not tell,
Farewell, for I may no longer dwell.
The fires which that on my altar burn
Shall thee declare, ere that thou go hence,
Thy adventure of love, as in this case."
1500 And with that word, the arrows in the case
Of the goddess clattering fast and ring,
And forth she went and made a vanishing,
For which this Emily astunned was,
And said, "What amounteth this, alas!
1505 I put me in thy protection,
Diane, and in thy disposition! "
And home she goes anon the next way.
This is the effect; there is no more to say.

The next hour of Mars following this,
1510 Arcite unto the temple walked is
Of fierce Mars to do his sacrifice,
With all the rites of his pagan wise.
With piteous heart and high devotion,
Right thus to Mars he said his orison:

1515 "O strong god, who in the reigns cold
Of Thrace honored art and lord hold,
And hast in every reign and every land
Of arms all the bridle in thy hand,
And the fortune as thee list devise.
1520 Accept of me my piteous sacrifice.
If so be that my youth may deserve,
And that my might be worthy for to serve
Thy godhead, that I may be one of thine,
Then pray I thee to rue upon my pain.
1525 For that pain and that hot fire
In which thou once burned for desire,
When that thou used the beauty
Of fair, young, fresh Venus free,
And haddest her in arms at thy will -
1530 Although thee once on a time misfell,
When Vulcan had caught thee in his las
And fond thee lying by his wife, alas! -
For that sorrow that was in thy heart,
Have ruth as well upon my pain's smart.
1535 I am young and unknowing, as thou woost,
And, as I trust, with love offended most
Than ever was any lived creature,
For she that doth me all this woe endure
Nor reckon never where I sink or float.
1540 And well I know, ere she me mercy heat,
I must with strength win her in the place,
And well I know, without help or grace
Of thee nor may my strength not avail.
Then help me, lord, tomorrow in my battle,
1545 For that fire that once burned thee,
As well as that fire now burns me,
And do that I tomorrow have victory.
Mine be the travail, and thine be the glory!
Thy sovereign temple will I most honor
1550 Of any place, and always most labor
In thy pleasance and in thy crafts strong,
And in thy temple I will my banner hang
And all the arms of my company,
And evermore, unto that day I die,
1555 Eternal fire I will before thee find.
And eek to this avow I will me bind:
My beard, my hair, that hangs long adown,
That never yet felt offension
Of razor nor of shear, I will thee give,
1560 And be thy true servant while I live.
Now, lord, have ruth upon my sorrows sore;
Give me victory; I ask thee no more."

The prayer stopped of Arcite the strong,
The rings on the temple door that hung,
1565 And too the doors clatter full fast,
Of which Arcita somewhat him aghast.
The fires burned upon the alter bright,
That it gan all the temple for to light,
A sweet smell the ground anon up gave,
1570 And Arcita anon his hand up heave,
And more incense into the fire he cast,
With other rites more; and at the last
The statue of Mars began his hauberk ring,
And with that sound he heard a murmuring,
1575 Full low and dim, and said thus, "Victory! "
For which he gave to Mars honor and glory.
And thus with joy and hope well to fare
Arcite anon unto his inn is fare,
As fain as fowl is of the bright sun.

1580 And right anon such strife there is begun
For that granting, in the heaven above
Between Venus, the Goddess of love,
And Mars, the stern god armipotent,
That Jupiter was busy it to stint,
1585 Til that the pale Saturn the cold,
That knew so many of adventures old,
Found in his old experience an art
That he full soon hath pleased every part.
As truth is said, age hath great advantage;
1590 In age is both wisdom and usage;
Men may the old outrun, but not atrede.
Saturn anon, to stop strife and dread,
Albeit that it is against his kind,
Of all this strife he gan remedy find.

1595 "My dear daughter Venus, " said Saturn,
"My course, that hath so wide for to turn,
Hath more power than knows any man.
Mine is the drenching in the sea so wan,
Mine is the prison in the dark cote,
1600 Mine is the strangling and hanging by the throat,
The murmur and the churls rebelling,
The groaning, and the privy poisoning.
I do vengeance and plain correction,
While I dwell in the sign of the lion.
1605 Mine is the ruin of the high halls,
The falling of the towers and of the walls
Upon the miner, or the carpenter.
I slew Sampson, shaking the pillar;
And mine be the maladies cold,
1610 The dark treasons, and the plots old;
My looking is the father of pestilence.
Now weep no more; I shall do diligence
That Palamon, that is thine own knight,
Shall have his lady, as thou hast him height.
1615 Though Mars shall help his knight, yet nonetheless
Between you there must be sometime peace,
All be you not of a complexion -
That causes all day such division.
I am thine ayle, ready at thy will,
1620 Weep now no more; I will thy lust fulfill."

Now will I stop of the goddess above,
Of Mars, and of Venus, goddess of Love,
And tell you as plainly as I can
The great effect, for which that I began.

Explicit tercia pars

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