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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Thaysis vna cum Philotenna Strangulionis et Dionisie filia omnis sciencie et honestatis doctrina imbuta est: sed et Thaisis Philotennam precellens in odium mortale per inuidiam a Dionisia recollecta est.]
    How Thaisis was instructed in the knowledge of honesty and of every art, together with Philotenna, the daughter of Stranguilio and Dionisia; but Dionisia developed, through envy, a mortal hatred for Thaisis excelling over Philotenna.
    And forto speke hou that it stod
    1355Of Thaise his doghter, wher sche duelleth
    In Tharse, as the Cronique telleth,
    Sche was wel kept, sche was wel loked,
    Sche was wel tawht, sche was wel boked,
    So wel sche spedde hir in hire youthe
    1360That sche of every wisdom couthe,
    That forto seche in every lond
    So wys an other noman fond,
    Ne so wel tawht at mannes yhe.
    Bot wo worthe evere fals envie!
    1365For it befell that time so,
    A dowhter hath Strangulio,
    The which was cleped Philotenne:
    Bot fame, which wole evere renne,
    Cam al day to hir moder Ere,
    1370And seith, wher evere hir doghter were
    With Thayse set in eny place,
    The comun vois, the comun grace
    Was al upon that other Maide,
    And of hir doghter noman saide.
    1375Who wroth but Dionise thanne?
    Hire thoghte a thousend yer til whanne
    Sche myhte ben of Thaise wreke
    Of that sche herde folk so speke.
    And fell that ilke same tyde,
    1380That ded was trewe Lychoride,
    Which hadde be servant to Thaise,
    So that sche was the worse at aise,
    For sche hath thanne no servise
    Bot only thurgh this Dionise,
    1385Which was hire dedlich Anemie
    Thurgh pure treson and envie.
    Sche, that of alle sorwe can,
    Tho spak unto hire bondeman,
    Which cleped was Theophilus,
    1390And made him swere in conseil thus,
    That he such time as sche him sette
    Schal come Thaise forto fette,
    And lede hire oute of alle sihte,
    If her as noman hire helpe myhte,
    1395Upon the Stronde nyh the See,
    And there he schal this maiden sle.
    This cherles herte is in a traunce,
    As he which drad him of vengance
    Whan time comth an other day;
    1400Bot yit dorste he noght seie nay,
    Bot swor and seide he schal fulfille
    Hire hestes at hire oghne wille.
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