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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 precepto Principis, vt Appolinum consolaretur, Thaisis cum cithara sua ad ipsum in obscuro nauis, vbi jacebat, producta est.]
    How by the prince's command, in order to console Appolinus, Thaisis, with her lyre, was brought to where he was lying in the dark in the the ship.
    Tho was ther spoke in many wise
    Amonges hem that weren wise,
    1690Now this, now that, bot ate laste
    The wisdom of the toun this caste,
    That yonge Taise were asent.
    For if ther be amendement
    To glade with this woful king,
    1695Sche can so moche of every thing,
    That sche schal gladen him anon.
    A Messager for hire is gon,
    And sche cam with hire Harpe on honde,
    And seide hem that sche wolde fonde
    1700Be alle weies that sche can,
    To glade with this sory man.
    Bot what he was sche wiste noght,
    Bot al the Schip hire hath besoght
    That sche hire wit on him despende,
    1705In aunter if he myhte amende,
    And sein it schal be wel aquit.
    Whan sche hath understonden it,
    Sche goth hir doun, ther as he lay,
    Wher that sche harpeth many a lay
    1710And lich an Angel sang withal;
    Bot he nomore than the wal
    Tok hiede of eny thing he herde.
    And whan sche sih that he so ferde,
    Sche falleth with him into wordes,
    1715And telleth him of sondri bordes,
    And axeth him demandes strange,
    Wherof sche made his herte change,
    And to hire speche his Ere he leide
    And hath merveile of that sche seide.
    1720For in proverbe and in probleme
    Sche spak, and bad he scholde deme
    In many soubtil question:
    Bot he for no suggestioun
    Which toward him sche couthe stere,
    1725He wolde noght o word ansuere,
    Bot as a madd man ate laste
    His heved wepende awey he caste,
    And half in wraththe he bad hire go.
    Bot yit sche wolde noght do so,
    1730And in the derke forth sche goth,
    Til sche him toucheth, and he wroth,
    And after hire with his hond
    He smot: and thus whan sche him fond
    Desesed, courtaisly sche saide,
    1735"Avoi, mi lord, I am a Maide;
    And if ye wiste what I am,
    And out of what lignage I cam,
    Ye wolde noght be so salvage."
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