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  • Title: Apollonius of Tyre
  • Editors: Tom Bishop, Andrew Forsberg

  • Copyright Tom Bishop and Andrew Forsberg. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: John Gower
    Editors: Tom Bishop, Andrew Forsberg
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Apollonius of Tyre

    1625[Qualiter Nauis Appolini ventis agitata portum vrbis Mitelene in die quo festa Neptuni celebrare consueuerunt applicuit; sed ipse pre dolore Thaysis filie sue, quam mortuam reputabat, in fundo nauis obscuro iacens lumen videre noluit.]
    How the ship of Appolinus, blown by the winds, arrived in the city of Mitelene on the day they were accustomed to celebrate the feasts of Neptune; but he, for grief for his daughter Thaisis, whom he believed dead, threw himself into the dark hold of the ship, not wanting to see the light.
    Bot sithe it mai no betre be,
    He thonketh god and forth goth he,
    Seilende toward Tyr ayein.
    Bot sodeinly the wynd and reyn
    1630Begonne upon the See debate,
    So that he soffre mot algate
    The lawe which Neptune ordeigneth;
    Whereof fulofte time he pleigneth,
    And hield him wel the more esmaied
    1635Of that he hath tofore assaied.
    So that for pure sorwe and care,
    Of that he seth his world so fare,
    The reste he lefte of his Caban,
    That for the conseil of noman
    1640Ayein therinne he nolde come,
    Bot hath benethe his place nome,
    Wher he wepende al one lay,
    Ther as he sih no lyht of day.
    And thus tofor the wynd thei dryve,
    1645Til longe and late thei aryve
    With gret distresce, as it was sene,
    Upon this toun of Mitelene,
    Which was a noble cite tho.
    And hapneth thilke time so,
    1650The lordes bothe and the comune
    The hihe festes of Neptune;
    Upon the stronde at the rivage,
    As it was custumme and usage,
    Sollempneliche thei besihe.