Chaucer the Pilgrim

Geoffrey Chaucer
(1340-1400)

Canterbury Tales
The Franklin's Tale

(ll. 323-373)


The Franklin

 

Aurelius' Prayer to Apollo

 

Text

He seyde, Appollo, God and governour
Of every plaunte, herbe, tree, and flour,
That yevest, after thy declinacion,
To ech of hem his tyme and his seson,
As thyn herberwe chaungeth lowe or heighe,
Lord phebus, cast thy merciable eighe
On wrecche aurelie, which that am but lorn.
Lo, lord! my lady hath my deeth ysworn
Withoute gilt, but thy benignytee
Upon my dedly herte have som pitee.
For wel I woot, lord phebus, if yow lest,
Ye may me helpen, save my lady, best.
Now voucheth sauf that I may yow devyse
How that I may been holpen and in what wyse.
youre blisful suster, lucina the sheene,
That of the see is chief goddesse and queene
(though neptunus have deitee in the see,,
Yet emperisse aboven hym is she),
Ye knowen wel, lord, that right as hir desir
Is to be quyked and lighted of youre fir,
For which she folweth yow ful bisily,
Right so the see desireth naturelly
To folwen hire, as she that is goddesse
Bothe in the see and ryveres moore and lesse.
Wherfore, lord phebus, this is my requeste --
Do this miracle, or do myn herte breste --
That now next at this opposicion
Which in the signe shal be of the leon,
As preieth hire so greet a flood to brynge
That fyve fadme at the leeste it oversprynge
The hyeste rokke in armorik briteyne;
And lat this flood endure yeres tweyne.
Thanne certes to my lady may I seye,
'holdeth youre heste, the rokkes been aweye.'
Lord Phebus, dooth this miracle for me,

Preye hir she go no faster cours than ye.

I seye, preyeth your suster that she go

No faster cours than ye thise yeres two.

Thanne shal she been evene atte fulle alway;

And spryng flood laste bothe nyght and day;

And but she vouche sauf in swich manere

To graunte me my sovereyn lady deere,

Prey hir to synken every rok adoun

Into hir owene dirke regioun

Under the ground ther Pluto dwelleth inne,

Or nevere mo shal I my lady wynne.

Thy temple in Delphos wol I barefoot seke,

Lord Phebus; se the teeris on my cheke,

And of my peyne have som compassioun!"

And with that word in swowne he fil adoun,

And longe tyme he lay forth in a traunce.

Translation

He said: "Apollo, governor and god

Of every plant, herb, tree, and flower in sod,

That givest, according to thy declination,

To each of them its time of foliation,

All as thy habitation's low or high,

Lord Phoebus, cast thy merciful bright eye

On wretched Aurelius, who is lost and lorn.

Lo, Lord! My lady has my swift death sworn,

Without my guilt, save thy benignity

Upon my dying heart have some pity!

For well I know, Lord Phoebus, if you lest,

You can thus aid me, save my lady, best.

Now vouchsafe that I may for you devise

A plan to help me, telling in what wise.
"Your blessed sister, Lucina, serene,

That of the sea is goddess chief and queen

(Though Neptune is the deity in the sea,

Yet empress set above him there is she).

You know well, Lord, that just as her desire

Is to be quickened and lighted by your fire,

For which she follows you right busily,

Just so the sea desires, and naturally,

To follow her, she being high goddess

Both of the sea and rivers, great and less.

Wherefore, Lord Phoebus, this request I make -

Without this miracle, my heart will break -

That at the time of your next opposition,

Which will be in the Lion, make petition

To her that she so great a flood will bring

That full five fathoms shall it over-spring

The highest rock in Armoric Brittany;

And let this flood endure two years for me;

Then truly to my lady may I say:

'Now keep your word, the rocks are gone away.'
"Lord Phoebus, do this miracle for me;

Pray her she run no faster course, being free-

I say, Lord, pray your sister that she go

No faster course than you these next years two.

Then shall she be even at the full alway,

And spring-flood shall endure both night and day.

And save she vouchsafe, Lord, in such manner

To grant to me my sovereign lady dear,

Pray her to sink, then, every rock far down

Into that region dark and cold, her own,

Under the earth, the place Pluto dwells in,

Or nevermore shall I my lady win.

Thy temple in Delphi will I, barefoot, seek;

Lord Phoebus, see the tears upon my cheek,

And on my pain be some compassion shown."

And with that word in swoon he tumbled down,

And for a long time lay there in a trance.

 

For full text see: http://www.librarius.com/canttran/frantrfs.htm
Chaucer in general: http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/chaucer/index.html
Another good page: http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~chaucer/
About the Franklin's Tale: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Franklin's_Prologue_and_Tale
Read Boccaccio's original tale: http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/decameron/
About Boccaccio: http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Italian_Studies/
On the source of the Franklin's Tale: http://www.unc.edu/depts/chaucer/zatta/franklin.html

Lion, Sign of the Zodiac in July (July 23 - August 23)
Les Belles Heures (15th century)
Source: http://www.gebroedersvanlimburg.nl/deutsch/content/3-1-1.php