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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    Not Peer Reviewed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

    [Qualiter Appolino Pentapolim adueniente ludus gimnasii per vrbem publice proclamatus est.]
    How Appolinus arrived in Pentapolis and the sports in the gymnasium were announced publicly in the city.
    It was noght passed yit Midmorwe,
    Whan thiderward his weie he nam,
    680Wher sone upon the Non he cam.
    He eet such as he myhte gete,
    And forth anon, whan he hadde ete,
    He goth to se the toun aboute,
    And cam ther as he fond a route
    685Of yonge lusti men withalle;
    And as it scholde tho befalle,
    That day was set of such assisse,
    That thei scholde in the londes guise,
    As he herde of the poeple seie,
    690Here comun game thanne pleie;
    And crid was that thei scholden come
    Unto the gamen alle and some
    Of hem that ben delivere and wyhte,
    To do such maistrie as thei myhte.
    695Thei made hem naked as thei scholde,
    For so that ilke game wolde,
    As it was tho custume and us,
    Amonges hem was no refus:
    The flour of al the toun was there
    700And of the court also ther were,
    And that was in a large place
    Riht evene afore the kinges face,
    Which Artestrathes thanne hihte.
    The pley was pleid riht in his sihte,
    705And who most worthi was of dede
    Receive he scholde a certein mede
    And in the cite here a pris.