boteles adj.(1)

  boteles 
 TR1.778 Quŏd Pándărús, “Ăllás! Whăt máy thĭs bé,
 TR1.779 Thăt thów dĭspéirĕd árt thŭs cáusĕlés?
 TR1.780 Whăt! lývĕth nát thĭ lády̆, béndĭsté?
 TR1.781 Hŏw wóstŏw só thăt thów ărt grácĕlés?
 TR1.782 Swĭch ývĕl ís năt álwĕy bóotĕlés.
 TR1.783 Whý, pŭt nát ĭmpóssĭble thús thĭ cúrĕ,
 TR1.784 Sy̆n thýng tŏ cóme ĭs óft ĭn ávĕntúrĕ.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): ‘Alas!’ said Pandarus. ‘How can this happen — that you’ve despaired like this without cause? What! Isn’t your lady alive, bless us? How do you know that you’re not in favour? Such troubles aren’t always without remedy. Why, don’t assume your cure is impossible like this, since things to come are often uncertain!
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): パンダルスは言った。「ああ、どうしてこうなるのでしょう、訳もなくこのように絶望してしまわれるなんて。何てことだ。おやおや、意中の人はもう生きていないのですか。気に入られていないということまでどうして分かるのですか。そのような悩みは必ずしも無駄とは限りませんよ。なに、この煩いは治癒不可能なんて考えないでください。これから起こる事はよく偶然に左右されますからね。
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): “啊，这是怎么一回事！”彭大瑞道，“你何以这样没头没脑就失望到底呢？究竟你这位可人儿在不在这世上活着哪？天保佑！你怎能知道你就一定如此福薄呢？这类的困难并非冲不破的。不要一口咬定了无药可救，未来的事是不可预料的。

Word Information

  • Etymology: OE
  • Addresser: Pandarus
  • Addressee: Troilus
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: misfortune or ill-luck (yvel = evil)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: 1. (b) of evils or misfortunes: without remedy, hopeless, irreparable; (s.v. bọ̄telēs, adj.(1))
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 37): booteles: without remedy
  • Fisher (1989: 413): boteles: hopeless
  • Benson (1987: 484): booteles: without remedy
  • Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) without remedy (s.v. bo(o)teles, adj.)
  • Donaldson (1975: 738): bootelees: without remedy
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

without remedy, hopeless

Comments from the Editor

The quotation above finds no counterpart in Fil. Pandarus is trying to cheer Troilus and make him confess whom he loves. The three rime words ending in -less are outstanding here. With these words, Pandarus emphasises that Troilus’s despair is causeless, that he is not graceless, and that his misfortune is not bootless (hopeless).