第7章 GretwasthesorweandpleynteofTroilus;Butforthhirecours.pptVIP

The wrath, as I bigan yow for to seye, Of Troilus the Grekis boughten deere, For thousandes his hondes maden deye, As he that was withouten any peere, Save Ector, in his tyme, as I kan heere. But--weilawey, save only Goddes wille, Despitously hym slough the fierse Achille. And in hymself he lough right at the wo Of hem that wepten for his deth so faste, And dampned al oure werk that foloweth so The blynde lust, the which that may nat laste, And sholden al oure herte on heven caste; And forth he went, shortly for to telle, Ther as Mercurye sorted hym to dwelle. And loveth hym the which that right for love Upon a crois, oure soules for to beye, First starf, and roos, and sit in hevene above; For he nyl falsen no wight, dar I seye, That wol his herte al holly on him leye. And syn he best to love is, and most meke, What nedeth feynede loves for to seke? Chaucer reading Troilus and Criseyde?(from Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 61, c. 1410-1420) “The Justice of Trajan” Eugene Delacroix, 1840 Once when the Roman emperor Trajan was hurrying off to war with all possible speed, a widow ran up to him in tears and said: Be good enough, I beg you, to avenge the blood of my son, who was put to death though he was innocent! Trajan answered that if he came back from the war safe and sound, he would take care of her case. And if you die in battle, the widow objected, who then will see that justice is done? Whoever rules after me, Trajan replied. And what good will it do you, the widow argued, if someone else rights my loss? None at all! the emperor retorted. Then wouldnt it be better for you, the woman persisted, to do me justice yourself and receive the reward, than to pass it on to someone else? Trajan, moved with compassion, got down from his horse and saw to it that the blood of th