Lydgate's Fall of Princes Edited by Dr. Henry Bergen ... presented to The Early English Text Society by The Carnegie Institution of Washington |
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[Off the thirde Scipion Nasica that euer wrouht moche for the comonte.] |
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 | Lydgate's Fall of Princes |  |
[Off the thirde Scipion Nasica that euer wrouht moche for the comonte.]
Myn auctour heer maketh a digressioun,
And reherseth for a memorial
Of the thridde worthi Scipioun,
Callid Nasica, which in especiall
Be disposicioun verray naturall
Hold among Romeyns, bi report of langage,
Passyng al othir in wisdam & corage,
And reherseth for a memorial
Of the thridde worthi Scipioun,
Callid Nasica, which in especiall
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Hold among Romeyns, bi report of langage,
Passyng al othir in wisdam & corage,
Old of discrecioun & but yong of yeeris.
For a myracle, myn auctour doth expresse,
Whan senatours sente massageris
Into Frigia bi gret auisynesse
For Berosynthia, most famous goddesse,
Whan she was brouht bi them that ded hir guide,
In hous nor temple she wolde nat abide,
For a myracle, myn auctour doth expresse,
Whan senatours sente massageris
Into Frigia bi gret auisynesse
For Berosynthia, most famous goddesse,
Whan she was brouht bi them that ded hir guide,
In hous nor temple she wolde nat abide,
Sauf in the paleis of this Scipioun,
To putte his name mor in remembraunce.
The which also, thoruh his hih renoun,
Gallobois he brouhte to vttraunce,
A peeple off Grece, ferr out of gouernaunce;
But Scipioun gan hem so werreie,
Maugre ther malis the Romeyns for to obeye.
To putte his name mor in remembraunce.
The which also, thoruh his hih renoun,
Gallobois he brouhte to vttraunce,
A peeple off Grece, ferr out of gouernaunce;
But Scipioun gan hem so werreie,
Maugre ther malis the Romeyns for to obeye.
Wherbi his name was put in memorie,
And ful gret thank in Roome he hath disserued,
Because onli of this gret victorie,
For which the tryumphe was to hym reserued.
But at the laste ful falsli he was serued
Of the Romeyns aftir ther old maneer,
In this tragedie anon as ye shal heer.
And ful gret thank in Roome he hath disserued,
Because onli of this gret victorie,
For which the tryumphe was to hym reserued.
But at the laste ful falsli he was serued
Of the Romeyns aftir ther old maneer,
In this tragedie anon as ye shal heer.
Aftir he hadde aumentid ther tresours,
Conquered in Asie many regiouns,
Caused of ther foon that thei wer victours,
Appesid of Graccus the fals occasiouns,
Compassed of malis be newe discenciouns
Atween the peeple & also the senat,—
He of hih wisdam hath stynt al that debat.
Conquered in Asie many regiouns,
Caused of ther foon that thei wer victours,
Appesid of Graccus the fals occasiouns,
Compassed of malis be newe discenciouns
Atween the peeple & also the senat,—
He of hih wisdam hath stynt al that debat.
Trustyng the Romeyns, Scipioun was begiled,
Loste ther fauour, & offendid nouht;
Be them vnwarli banshed & exiled,
Cleene forgetyn; put out of ther thouht
For comoun proffit al that he hath wrouht.
The guerdoun lost, thouh princis canat see,
Of al that doon for any comounte.
Loste ther fauour, & offendid nouht;
Be them vnwarli banshed & exiled,
Cleene forgetyn; put out of ther thouht
For comoun proffit al that he hath wrouht.
The guerdoun lost, thouh princis canat see,
Of al that doon for any comounte.
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Lik a blase for a w[h]ile liht,
Which sheweth [ful] cleer & is neuir aftir seyn,
Or lik a sonne for a moment briht,
Vnwarli shroudid with a cloude of reyn,
Riht so the wyndi fauour bloweth in veyn,
May resemble for a mutabilite,
Of them that doon for any comounte.
Which sheweth [ful] cleer & is neuir aftir seyn,
Or lik a sonne for a moment briht,
Vnwarli shroudid with a cloude of reyn,
Riht so the wyndi fauour bloweth in veyn,
May resemble for a mutabilite,
Of them that doon for any comounte.
The peeple folweth ther owne oppynyouns,
In ther conceitis thei be so wonderful;
Will halt the bridil of ther discreciouns:
Ther hasti deemyng so bestial is & dull,
On blynde Baiard thei braiden at a pull,
To quite the guerdouns of marcial bounte
Of them that doon for any comounte.
In ther conceitis thei be so wonderful;
Will halt the bridil of ther discreciouns:
Ther hasti deemyng so bestial is & dull,
On blynde Baiard thei braiden at a pull,
To quite the guerdouns of marcial bounte
Of them that doon for any comounte.
This day a prince stant in the peeplis grace,
Lik as thei wolde his name deifie
Aboue the sterris in Iubiteris place,
With Mars & Phebus his name to stellefie;
But be to-morwe ther komth a sodeyn skie,
Shewyng ther is a ful feynt surete
Of them that doon for any comounte.
Lik as thei wolde his name deifie
Aboue the sterris in Iubiteris place,
With Mars & Phebus his name to stellefie;
But be to-morwe ther komth a sodeyn skie,
Shewyng ther is a ful feynt surete
Of them that doon for any comounte.
And for tafferme that it is treuli so,
Calle thre Scipiouns [un]to remembraunce:
First of Affrik & Asie, bothe too;
Note in cronicles ther knihtli gouernaunce,
Ther restles labour Romeyns for tauaunce,
Rekne ageynward how thes princis thre
Wer ful vngoodli quit bi the comounte.
Calle thre Scipiouns [un]to remembraunce:
First of Affrik & Asie, bothe too;
Note in cronicles ther knihtli gouernaunce,
Ther restles labour Romeyns for tauaunce,
Rekne ageynward how thes princis thre
Wer ful vngoodli quit bi the comounte.
| Lydgate's Fall of Princes | |