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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 vxor Appolini sanata domum religionis petiit, vbi sacro velamine munita castam omni tempore vouit.]
    How the healed wife of Appolinus sought a religious house, where, protected by a holy veil, she vowed chastity for all time.
    1250 Tho forto knowe hire hol entente,
    Maister axeth al the cas,
    Hou sche cam there and what sche was.
    "Hou I cam hiere wot I noght,"
    Quod sche, "bot wel I am bethoght
    1255Of othre thinges al aboute":
    Fro point to point and tolde him oute
    Als ferforthli as sche it wiste.
    And he hire tolde hou in a kiste
    The See hire threw upon the lond,
    1260And what tresor with hire he fond,
    Which was al redy at hire wille,
    As he that schop him to fulfille
    With al his myht what thing he scholde.
    Sche thonketh him that he so wolde,
    1265And al hire herte sche discloseth,
    And seith him wel that sche supposeth
    Hire lord be dreint, hir child also;
    So sih sche noght bot alle wo.
    Wherof as to the world nomore
    1270Ne wol sche torne, and preith therfore
    That in som temple of the Cite,
    To kepe and holde hir chastete,
    Sche mihte among the wommen duelle.
    Whan he this tale hir herde telle,
    1275He was riht glad, and made hire knowen
    That he a dowhter of his owen
    Hath, which he wol unto hir yive
    To serve, whil thei bothe live,
    In stede of that which sche hath lost;
    1280Al only at his oghne cost
    Sche schal be rendred forth with hire.
    She seith, "Grant mercy, lieve sire,
    God quite it you, ther I ne may."
    And thus thei drive forth the day,
    1285Til time com that sche was hol;
    And tho thei take her conseil hol,
    To schape upon good ordinance
    And make a worthi pourveance
    Ayein the day whan thei be veiled.
    1290And thus, whan that thei be conseiled,
    In blake clothes thei hem clothe,
    This lady and the dowhter bothe,
    And yolde hem to religion.
    The feste and the profession
    1295After the reule of that degre
    Was mad with gret solempnete,
    Where as Diane is seintefied;
    Thus stant this lady justefied
    In ordre wher sche thenkth to duelle.
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