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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    Not Peer Reviewed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

    835[Qualiter filia Regis Appolinum ornato apparatu vestiri fecit, et ipse ad puelle doctrinam in quampluribus familiariter intendebat: vnde placata puella in amorem Appolini exardescens infirmabatur.]
    How the king's daughter caused Appolinus to be dressed in rich apparel, and he exerted himself amicably in many ways to teaching the young woman; and how the delighted girl, burning with love for Appolinus, became ill.
    And whanne it was amorwe lyht,
    Unto this yonge man of Tyr
    Of clothes and of good atir
    With gold and Selver to despende
    840This worthi yonge lady sende:
    And thus sche made him wel at ese,
    And he with al that he can plese
    Hire serveth wel and faire ayein.
    He tawhte hir til sche was certein
    845Of Harpe, of Citole and of Rote,
    With many a tun and many a note
    Upon Musique, upon mesure,
    And of hire Harpe the temprure
    He tawhte hire ek, as he wel couthe.
    850Bot as men sein that frele is youthe,
    With leisir and continuance
    This Mayde fell upon a chance,
    That love hath mad him a querele
    Ayein hire youthe freissh and frele,
    855That malgre wher sche wole or noght,
    Sche mot with al hire hertes thoght
    To love and to his lawe obeie;
    And that sche schal ful sore abeie.
    For sche wot nevere what it is,
    860Bot evere among sche fieleth this:
    Thenkende upon this man of Tyr,
    Hir herte is hot as eny fyr,
    And otherwhile it is acale;
    Now is sche red, nou is sche pale
    865Riht after the condicion
    Of hire ymaginacion;
    Bot evere among hire thoghtes alle,
    Sche thoghte, what so mai befalle,
    Or that sche lawhe, or that sche wepe,
    870Sche wolde hire goode name kepe
    For feere of wommanysshe schame.
    Bot what in ernest and in game,
    Sche slant for love in such a plit,
    That sche hath lost al appetit
    875Of mete, of drinke, of nyhtes reste,
    As sche that not what is the beste;
    Bot forto thenken al hir fille
    Sche hield hire ofte times stille
    Withinne hir chambre, and goth noght oute:
    880The king was of hire lif in doute,
    Which wiste nothing what it mente.
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