按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Thanne is al torned into sorwe；
Noght for the cause I schal arise；
Bot for I mette in such a wise； 2910
And ate laste I am bethoght
That al is vein and helpeth noght：
Bot yit me thenketh be my wille
I wolde have leie and slepe stille；
To meten evere of such a swevene；
For thanne I hadde a slepi hevene。
Mi Sone； and for thou tellest so；
A man mai finde of time ago
That many a swevene hath be certein；
Al be it so； that som men sein 2920
That swevenes ben of no credence。
Bot forto schewe in evidence
That thei fulofte sothe thinges
Betokne； I thenke in my wrytinges
To telle a tale therupon；
Which fell be olde daies gon。
This finde I write in Poesie：
Cei5x the king of Trocinie
Hadde Alceone to his wif；
Which as hire oghne hertes lif 2930
Him loveth； and he hadde also
A brother； which was cleped tho
Dedalion； and he per cas
Fro kinde of man forschape was
Into a Goshauk of liknesse；
Wherof the king gret hevynesse
Hath take； and thoghte in his corage
To gon upon a pelrinage
Into a strange regioun；
Wher he hath his devocioun 2940
To don his sacrifice and preie；
If that he mihte in eny weie
Toward the goddes finde grace
His brother hele to pourchace；
So that he mihte be reformed
Of that he hadde be transformed。
To this pourpos and to this ende
This king is redy forto wende；
As he which wolde go be Schipe；
And forto don him felaschipe 2950
His wif unto the See him broghte；
With al hire herte and him besoghte；
That he the time hire wolde sein；
Whan that he thoghte come ayein：
〃Withinne；〃 he seith； 〃tuo Monthe day。〃
And thus in al the haste he may
He tok his leve； and forth he seileth
Wepende； and sche hirself beweileth；
And torneth hom； ther sche cam fro。
Bot whan the Monthes were ago； 2960
The whiche he sette of his comynge；
And that sche herde no tydinge；
Ther was no care forto seche：
Wherof the goddes to beseche
Tho sche began in many wise；
And to Juno hire sacrifise
Above alle othre most sche dede；
And for hir lord sche hath so bede
To wite and knowe hou that he ferde；
That Juno the goddesse hire herde； 2970
Anon and upon this matiere
Sche bad Yris hir Messagere
To Slepes hous that sche schal wende；
And bidde him that he make an ende
Be swevene and schewen al the cas
Unto this ladi； hou it was。
This Yris； fro the hihe stage
Which undertake hath the Message；
Hire reyny Cope dede upon；
The which was wonderli begon 2980
With colours of diverse hewe；
An hundred mo than men it knewe；
The hevene lich into a bowe
Sche bende； and so she cam doun lowe；
The god of Slep wher that sche fond。
And that was in a strange lond；
Which marcheth upon Chymerie：
For ther； as seith the Poesie；
The god of Slep hath mad his hous；
Which of entaille is merveilous。 2990
Under an hell ther is a Cave；
Which of the Sonne mai noght have；
So that noman mai knowe ariht
The point betwen the dai and nyht：
Ther is no fyr； ther is no sparke；
Ther is no dore； which mai charke；
Wherof an yhe scholde unschette；
So that inward ther is no lette。
And forto speke of that withoute；
Ther stant no gret Tree nyh aboute 3000
Wher on ther myhte crowe or pie
Alihte； forto clepe or crie：
Ther is no cok to crowe day；
Ne beste non which noise may
The hell； bot al aboute round
Ther is growende upon the ground
Popi； which berth the sed of slep；
With othre herbes suche an hep。
A stille water for the nones
Rennende upon the smale stones； 3010
Which hihte of Lethes the rivere；
Under that hell in such manere
Ther is； which yifth gret appetit
To slepe。 And thus full of delit
Slep hath his hous； and of his couche
Withinne his chambre if I schal touche；
Of hebenus that slepi Tree
The bordes al aboute be；
And for he scholde slepe softe；
Upon a fethrebed alofte 3020
He lith with many a pilwe of doun：
The chambre is strowed up and doun
With swevenes many thousendfold。
Thus cam Yris into this hold；
And to the bedd； which is al blak；
Sche goth； and ther with Slep sche spak；
And in the wise as sche was bede
The Message of Juno sche dede。
Fulofte hir wordes sche reherceth；
Er sche his slepi Eres perceth； 3030
With mochel wo bot ate laste
His slombrende yhen he upcaste
And seide hir that it schal be do。
Wherof among a thousend tho；
Withinne his hous that slepi were；
In special he ches out there
Thre； whiche scholden do this dede：
The ferste of hem； so as I rede；
Was Morphes； the whos nature
Is forto take the figure 3040
Of what persone that him liketh；
Wherof that he fulofte entriketh
The lif which slepe schal be nyhte；
And Ithecus that other hihte；
Which hath the vois of every soun；
The chiere and the condicioun
Of every lif； what so it is：
The thridde suiende after this
Is Panthasas； which may transforme
Of every thing the rihte forme； 3050
And change it in an other kinde。
Upon hem thre； so as I finde；
Of swevenes stant al thapparence；
Which otherwhile is evidence
And otherwhile bot a jape。
Bot natheles it is so schape；
That Morphes be nyht al one
Appiereth until Alceone
In liknesse of hir housebonde
Al naked ded upon the stronde； 3060
And hou he dreynte in special
These othre tuo it schewen al。
The tempeste of the blake cloude；
The wode See； the wyndes loude；
Al this sche mette； and sih him dyen；
Wherof that sche began to crien；
Slepende abedde ther sche lay；
And with that noise of hire affray
Hir wommen sterten up aboute；
Whiche of here ladi were in doute； 3070
And axen hire hou that sche ferde；
And sche； riht as sche syh and herde；
Hir swevene hath told hem everydel。
And thei it halsen alle wel
And sein it is a tokne of goode；
Bot til sche wiste hou that it stode；
Sche hath no confort in hire herte；
Upon the morwe and up sche sterte；
And to the See； wher that sche mette
The bodi lay； withoute lette 3080
Sche drowh； and whan that sche cam nyh；
Stark ded； hise harmes sprad； sche syh
Hire lord flietende upon the wawe。
Wherof hire wittes ben withdrawe；
And sche； which tok of deth no kepe；
Anon forth lepte into the depe
And wolde have cawht him in hire arm。
This infortune of double harm
The goddes fro the hevene above
Behielde； and for the trowthe of love； 3090
Which in this worthi ladi stod；
Thei have upon the salte flod
Hire dreinte lord and hire also
Fro deth to lyve torned so；
That thei ben schapen into briddes
Swimmende upon the wawe amiddes。
And whan sche sih hire lord livende
In liknesse of a bridd swimmende；
And sche was of the same sort；
So as sche mihte do desport； 3100
Upon the joie which sche hadde
Hire wynges bothe abrod sche spradde；
And him； so as sche mai suffise；
Beclipte and keste in such a wise；
As sche was whilom wont to do：
Hire wynges for hire armes tuo
Sche tok； and for hire lippes softe
Hire harde bile； and so fulofte
Sche fondeth in hire briddes forme；
If that sche mihte hirself conforme 3110
To do the plesance of a wif；
As sche dede in that other lif：
For thogh sche hadde hir pouer lore；
Hir will stod as it was tofore；
And serveth him so as sche mai。
Wherof into this ilke day
Togedre upon the See thei wone；
Wher many a dowhter and a Sone
Thei bringen forth of briddes kinde；
And for men scholden take in mynde 3120
This Alceoun the trewe queene；
Hire briddes yit； as it is seene；
Of Alceoun the name bere。
Lo thus； mi Sone； it mai thee stere
Of swevenes forto take kepe；
For ofte time a man aslepe
Mai se what after schal betide。
Forthi it helpeth at som tyde
A man to slepe； as it belongeth；
Bot slowthe no lif underfongeth 3130
Which is to love appourtenant。
Mi fader； upon covenant
I dar wel make this avou；
Of all mi lif that into nou；
Als fer as I can understonde；
Yit tok I nevere Slep on honde；
Whan it was time forto wake；
For thogh myn yhe it wolde take；
Min herte is evere therayein。
Bot natheles to speke it plein； 3140
Al this that I have seid you hiere
Of my wakinge； as ye mai hiere；
It toucheth to mi lady swete；
For otherwise； I you behiete；
In strange place whanne I go；
Me list nothing to wake so。
For whan the wommen listen pleie；
And I hir se noght in the weie；
Of whom I scholde merthe take；
Me list noght longe forto wake； 3150
Bot if it be for pure schame；
Of that I wolde eschuie a na