(1) Value not beauty, for it may be destroyed by a three days’
fever.
(See _Chaucer’s Boethius_, p. 81.)
(2) There is no greater plague than the enmity of thy familiar
friend.
(See _Chaucer’s_ translation, p. 77.)
* * * * *
Chaucer did not English Boethius second-hand, through any early French
version, as some have supposed, but made his translation with the Latin
original before him.
Jean de Méung’s version, the only early French translation, perhaps,
accessible to Chaucer, is not always literal, while the present
translation is seldom free or periphrastic, but conforms closely to the
Latin, and is at times awkwardly literal. A few passages, taken
haphazard, will make this sufficiently clear.
_Et dolor ætatem jussit inesse suam._ And sorou haþ comaunded his
age to be in me (p. 4).
Et ma douleur {com}ma{n}da a vieillesse
Entrer en moy / ains quen fust hors ieunesse.
_Mors hominum felix, quæ se nec dulcibus annis
Inserit, et mæstis sæpe vocata venit._
Þilke deeþ of men is welful þat ne comeþ not in ȝeres þat ben
swete (i. _mirie_). but comeþ to wrecches often yclepid. (p. 4)
On dit la mort des ho{m}es estre eureuse
Qui ne vie{n}t pas en saiso{n} pla{n}tureuse
Mais des tristes mo{u}lt souue{n}t appellee
Elle y affuit nue / seche et pelee.
_Querimoniam lacrymabilem._ Wepli compleynte (p. 5). Fr. ma
complainte moy esmouuant a pleurs.
_Styli officio._ Wiþ office of poyntel (p. 5). Fr. (que ie
reduisse) p{ar} escript.
_Inexhaustus._ Swiche . . . þat it ne myȝt[e] not be emptid (p.
5). Fr. inconsumptible.
_Scenicas meretriculas._ Comune strumpetis of siche a place þat
men clepen þe theatre (p. 6). Fr. ces ribaudelles fardees.
_Præcipiti profundo._ In ouer-þrowyng depnesse (p. 7).
[L]As que la pensee de lomme
Est troublee et plongie comme
En _abisme precipitee_
Sa propre lumiere gastee.
_Nec pervetusta nec incelebris._ Neyþer ouer-oolde ne vnsolempne
(p. 11). Fr. desquelz la memoire nest pas trop ancienne ou no{n}
recitee.
_Inter secreta otia._ Among my secre restyng whiles (p. 14). Fr.
entre mes secrettes {et} oyseuses estudes.
_Palatini canes._ Þe houndys of þe palays (p. 15). Fr. les chiens
du palais.
_Masculæ prolis._ Of þi masculyn children (p. 37). Fr. de ta
lignie masculine.
_Ad singularem felicitatis tuæ cumulum venire delectat._ It
deliteþ me to comen now to þe singuler vphepyng of þi welefulnesse
(p. 37). Fr. Il me plait venir au singulier monceau de ta
felicite.
_Consulare imperium._ Emperie of consulers (p. 51). Fr. le{m}pire
consulaire.
_Hoc ipsum brevis habitaculi._ Of þilke litel habitacle (p. 57).
Fr. de cest trespetit habitacle.
_Late patentes plagas._ Þe brode shewyng contreys (p. 60).
QVico{n}ques tend a gloire vaine
Et le croit estre souueraine
Voye _les regions pate{n}tes_
Du ciel . . . . . .
_Ludens hominum cura._ Þe pleiyng besines of men (p. 68).
Si quil tollist par doulz estude
Des hommes la solicitude . .
_Hausi cœlum._ I took heuene (p. 10). Fr. ie . . . regarday le
ciel.
_Certamen adversum præfectum prætorii communis commodi ratione
suscepi._ I took strif aȝeins þe prouost of þe pretorie for comune
profit (p. 15). Fr. ie entrepris lestrif a lencontre du prefect du
parlement royal a cause de la commune vtilite.
_At cujus criminis arguimur summam quæris?_ But axest þou in somme
of what gilt I am accused? (p. 17). Fr. Mais demandes tu la somme
du pechie duquel pechie nous so{m}mes arguez?
_Fortuita temeritate._ By fortunouse fortune (p. 26). Fr. par
fortuite folie.
_Quos premunt septem gelidi triones._ Alle þe peoples þat ben
vndir þe colde sterres þat hyȝten þe seuene triones (p. 55). Fr.
ceulx de septentrion.
_Ita ego quoque tibi veluti corollarium dabo._ Ryȝt so wil I ȝeue
þe here as a corolarie or a mede of coroune (p. 91). Fr.
semblablement ie te donneray ainsi que vng correlaire.
_In stadio._ In þe stadie or in þe forlonge (p. 119). Fr. ou (for
au) champ.
_Conjecto._ I coniecte (p. 154). Fr. ie coniecture.
_Nimium . . . adversari ac repugnare videtur._ It semeþ . . . to
repugnen and to contrarien gretly. Fr. Ce semble chose trop
contraire et repugnante.
_Universitatis ambitum._ Envirounynge of þe vniuersite (p. 165).
Fr. lauironnement de luniuersalite.
_Rationis universum._ Vniuersite of resoun (p. 165). Fr.
luniuersalite de Raison.
_Scientiam nunquam deficientis instantiæ rectius æstimabis._ Þou
shalt demen [it] more ryȝtfully þat it is science of presence or
of instaunce þat neuer ne fayleþ (p. 174). Fr. mais tu la diras
plus droittement et mieulx science de instante p{re}sentialite non
iamais defaillant mais eternelle.
Many of the above examples are very bald renderings of the original, and
are only quoted here to show that Chaucer did not make his translation
from the French.
Chaucer is not always felicitous in his translations:--thus he
translates _clavus atque gubernaculum_ by _keye and a stiere_ (p. 103),
and _compendium_ (gain, acquisition) by _abreggynge_ (abridging,
curtailment), p. 151. Many terms make their appearance in English for
the first time,--and most of them have become naturalized, and are such
as we could ill spare. Some few are rather uncommon, as _gouernaile_
(gubernaculum), p. 27; _arbitre_ (arbitrium), p. 154. As Chaucer takes
the trouble to explain _inestimable_ (inæstimabilis), p. 158, it could
not have been a very familiar term.
Our translator evidently took note of various readings, for on p. 31 he
notes a variation of the original. On p. 51 he uses _armurers_
(= armures) to render _arma_, though most copies agree in reading
_arva_.
There are numerous glosses and explanations of particular passages,
which seem to be interpolated by Chaucer himself. Thus he explains what
is meant by the _heritage of Socrates_ (p. 10, 11); he gives the
meaning of _coemption_ (p. 15); of _Euripus_ (p. 33); of the _porch_
(p. 166).[I-11] Some of his definitions are very quaint; as, for
instance, that of Tragedy--‘_a dité of a prosperité for a tyme þat endiþ
in wrechednesse_’ (p. 35). One would think that the following definition
of Tragedian would be rather superfluous after this,--‘_a maker of dites
þat hyȝten_ (are called) _tregedies_’ (p. 77).
_Melliflui . . . oris Homerus_
is thus quaintly Englished: _Homer wiþ þe hony mouþe, þat is to seyn.
homer wiþ þe swete dites_ (p. 153).
* * * * *
The present translation of the _De Consolatione_ is taken from
Additional MS. 10,340, which is supposed to be the _oldest_ manuscript
that exists in our public libraries. After it was all copied out and
ready for press, Mr Bradshaw was kind enough to procure me, for the
purpose of collation, the loan of the Camb. University MS. Ii. 3. 21,
from which the various readings at the foot of the pages are taken.
Had I had an opportunity of examining the Cambridge MS. carefully
throughout before the work was so far advanced, I should certainly have
selected it in preference to the text now given to the reader. Though
not so ancient as the British Museum MS., it is far more correct in its
grammatical inflexions, and is no doubt a copy of an older and very
accurate text.
The Additional MS. is written by a scribe who was unacquainted with the
force of the final _-e_. Thus he adds it to the preterites of strong
verbs, which do not require it; he omits it in the preterites of weak
verbs where it is wanted, and attaches it to passive participles (of
weak verbs), where it is superfluous. The scribe of the Cambridge MS. is
careful to preserve the final _-e_ where it is a sign (1) of the
definite declension of the adjective; (2) of the plural adjective;
(3) of the infinitive mood; (4) of the preterite of weak verbs; (5) of
present participles;[I-12] (6) of the 2nd pers. pret. indic. of strong
verbs; (7) of adverbs; (8) of an older vowel ending.
The Addit. MS. has frequently _thilk_ (singular and plural), and _-nes_
(in _wrechednes_, &c.), when the Camb. MS. has _thilke_[I-13] and
_-nesse_.
For further differences the reader may consult the numerous collations
at the foot of the page.
If the Chaucer Society obtains that amount of patronage from the
literary public which it deserves, but unfortunately has yet not
succeeded in getting, so that it may be enabled to go on with the great
work which has been so successfully commenced, then the time may come
when I shall have the opportunity of editing the Camb. MS. of Chaucer’s
Boethius for that Society, and lovers of Early English Literature will
have two texts instead of one.
[Footnote I-11: See pages 39, 50, 61, 94, 111, 133, 149, 153,
159.]
[Footnote I-12: In the Canterbury Tales we find participles in
_-yngë_.]
[Footnote I-13: It is nearly always _thilkë_ in the Canterbury
Tales.]