 | Eine Mittelenglische Claudian-Übersetzung |  |
The seconde parte
.VII. Stilico excludith auarice and ambicion.
Thou first defoilest auarice ; þe modir of wrecchidnessisThat evir in havour is nedy founde ; & thristeth more & more
which with chekis right wide sette ope ; golde dolve depe seergith
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Which evir lyeth waite at chambir doorys ; & at riche mennys yates
Her marchandises conveying forth ; which desired high worshippes
The common swelough of mannys life ; which rote is of grete cryme
In ofte vsyng vnleeful raveyn ; and makith a wrecchid lawe.
This damysel corrupcion is right wele namyd ; þat drewe þe with noon example
No riche man is by the oppressid ; for love of hous or londe.
No theef is suffrid to lyen in weyes ; there felawys him like to make
No vertue is hyd or caste awey ; though poverte be Ioyned þerto
ffrom al marchis from al cuntrees ; þou chesist to þe gode folke
And askist what life this man hath had ; not what cradyl him rockyd
Ne of whens he is but his condicion ; gladly thou requyrest.
Easyly with the thus thi men live ; thou seith of hem evir wele
Thy rewardys calle hem to noble maners ; & Jentle condicions to vse
Be thyn excytyng craftys lefte ; þat som tyme were wele knowe
Be had now newly ageyn in mynde ; & gladsom wey is openyd
To happy wittis which evir reioysen ; vertue in pryncis high
The modrys of eloquence the musys ix ; which late durst nat loke vp
Now lefte her neckys & wisely talke ; dytees ful delectable.
Bothe pore and riche labouryd righte sore ; encrese to gete with studye
ffor either of hem wele vndirstode ; þat wise travaile must growe
Where sluggid Idilnes myght not vprise ; in myddis of tresours grete
.VIII. Stilico excludith vicious lyfe of bodye.
Lechery the dowsett syn ; which oonly abideth the doomeAnd sentence of deceivable flessh ; coude nat the supplante.
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In mystes of her . mannys wittys be dullyd ; & she mysshapith som bodies
More cruelly than circes herbis ; which venemyd be with poysoun.
She semyth right faire of outeward chiere ; ful lothful she is within
Her chekys ar peyntid her vesture gay ; is made men to deceive
Her heerys blake arn dressid aboute ; with precious shynyng golde
With hookis of lust she many a soule ; beforn this tyme hath take
But yit nevir the . she so diseasyd ; as oonys thi slepe were broke
To folowe her wille ne nevir in feste ; þurgh songe of man or childe
In the she had a restyng place ; or tarying ony while.
.IX. Stilico is preysed of occupacion and othir vertuous dedys
Who myght the see vnoccupied ; or dissolute eithir in souleAs thogh no thing were charge to the ; ne peysed not for þe worlde
Or seigh the evir for cause of myrthe withoute mesure in mete
Expensis which the vnworship myght ; nevir lessid thi tresoure
And also thi writyng testifieth ; thi yiftes be not streyned
In noon smal boke thei may be writen ; this causid þe to be lovid
Of al thy knyȝtis as for her fadir ; whom than thou makist not riche
Whan werre tyme is and whan pees is ; þou list not hem to knowe
Right wele thou felyst yat yiftes not plese ; þat longe be lokid aftir
And for fere oonly be offrid to hem ; whom late þou settist not by
In veyne than thou wastist awey ; thi golde longe reservid
Wherfore thou preventist tyme ; and soon thi bowntee shewist
Art glad to see peple at thi borde ; and euery man by his name.
Benygnely clepist and for thi love ; remembrist what he hat doon.
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By the which he thynkith þat thi grete yifte ; is doublid in his hande
Whan ought þou grauntist avauncyng noon ; þou vsist to make þerof
Or him either tabreide therby ; which it receivid of the
Ner thou spekist not sternely to hem which thou hast promotid
With high chiere & contenaunce . ne spillest no wynde for pride.
.X. Stilico excludith pride and idel talkyng
Pride her silfe levith the fer of ; royal and solempne holdeWhile goodis be had in habundaunce ; & prosperous chauncis be falle
She is felowe vnkynde ofte founde ; to nobil and high vertue
Now and than men the to touche ; and to speke yivest leve
Jn wyne drynkyng wele ware of worde ; þou lernyst not wit of cuppis
With sobirnes thi sporteful wordis ; arn meyncte & by discrecion
With clennes of life & liberte ; bolde art to telle thi talys
He þat knowith the fadirlawe vnto themperours sone
And how men clepe the benygne fadir ; of the hool kyngdāme
Merveileth þat thou so lowly art ; as wil not be but piere
A pore citeseyn in thi degree ; wolde bere a saile as high
The lernyd man may here þe speke ; of þingis þat be passyd
Of ripe thyngis which sounde sadly ; thou techist men right aged
Thaventorous knyȝte by thyn reporte ; is warnyd of his perellys
Thou strowist such saltcornys amonge þi spechis ; as amphion is founde vnlike
To the in talkyng Aonias also ; which crafte of musys studyed
And orpheus harpe which trees made trace ; in truthe þi tunge excellith
| Eine Mittelenglische Claudian-Übersetzung | |