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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 suadentibus nautis corpus vxoris sue mortue in quadam cista plumbo et ferro obtusa que circumligata Appolinus cum magno thesauro vna cum quadam littera sub eius capite scripta recludi et in mare proici fecit.]
    How, at the persuasion of the sailors, Appolinus caused the body of his dead wife, with a great treasure as well as a certain letter under her head, to be enclosed in a certain chest, hammered shut and bound round with lead and iron, and to be thrown into the sea.
    The king, which understod here wille
    And knew here conseil that was trewe,
    Began ayein his sorwe newe
    1125With pitous herte, and thus to seie:
    "It is al reson that ye preie.
    I am," quod he, "bot on al one,
    So wolde I noght for mi persone
    Ther felle such adversite.
    1130Bot whan it mai no betre be,
    Doth thanne thus upon my word,
    Let make a cofre strong of bord,
    That it be ferm with led and pich."
    Anon was mad a cofre sich,
    1135Al redy broght unto his hond;
    And whanne he sih and redy fond
    This cofre mad and wel endowed,
    The dede bodi was besowed
    In cloth of gold and leid therinne.
    1140And for he wolde unto hire winne
    Upon som cooste a Sepulture,
    Under hire heved in aventure
    Of gold he leide Sommes grete
    And of jeueals a strong beyete
    1145Forth with a lettre, and seide thus:
    [Copia littere Appolini capiti vxoris sue supposite.]
    A copy of Appolinus's letter laid under his wife's head.
    "I, king of Tyr Appollinus,
    Do alle maner men to wite,
    That hiere and se this lettre write,
    1150That helpeles withoute red
    Hier lith a kinges doghter ded:
    And who that happeth hir to finde,
    For charite tak in his mynde,
    And do so that sche be begrave
    1155With this tresor, which he schal have."
    Thus whan the lettre was full spoke,
    Thei haue anon the cofre stoke,
    And bounden it with yren faste,
    That it may with the wawes laste,
    1160And stoppen it be such a weie,
    That it schal be withinne dreie,
    So that no water myhte it grieve.
    And thus in hope and good believe
    Of that the corps schal wel aryve,
    1165Thei caste it over bord als blyve.
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