TR5.1541 Fŏrtúnĕ, whích thăt pérmŭtácĭóun TR5.1542 Ŏf thýngĕs háth, ăs ít ĭs híre cŏmíttĕd TR5.1543 Thŏrŭgh púrvĕyáunce ănd díspŏsícĭóun TR5.1544 Ŏf héighĕ Jóve, ăs régnĕs shál bĕ flíttĕd TR5.1545 Frŏ fólk ĭn fólk, ŏr whén thĕy shál hĕ smýttĕd, TR5.1546 Găn púlle ăwéy thĕ fétherĕs bríghte ŏf Tróĭe TR5.1547 Frŏ dáy tŏ dáy, tĭl théy bĕn báre ŏf jóĭe.
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translation (Windeatt: 1998): Fortune — to whom the permutation of things is committed through the foresight and arrangement of high Jove, as to how kingdoms shall be transferred from people to people or when they shall be disgraced — began from day to day to pluck away the bright feathers of Troy until they were bare of joy.
- Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): ＜運命の女神＞は、物事の転変を掌握するが、それは高きに在すユーピテルの予見と配剤によって、彼女に委ねられているので、支配権がある国民から、他の国民に移されるとか、ある国民が滅ぼされる時のように、トロイア人の喜びがなくなるまで、毎日トロイアの輝く羽毛をむしり取っていった。
- Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 幸运受了穹父的示意，管辖着万物的幻变，指使君权的更替，或决定人们遭劫的期限，因之特罗亚的名将日渐削减，犹如鸟的美羽一根根地被拔，剥尽了光辉。
Word Information
- Etymology: OA
- Addresser: Narrator
- Addressee: N/A
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: hair (feather)
- Attributive/ Predicative: predicative
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: Not quoted
- Commented in other previous works:
- Windeatt (2003): N/A
- Fisher (1989): N/A
- Benson (1987): N/A
- Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
- Donaldson (1975): N/A
- Baugh (1963): N/A
Possible Definitions
radiant, beautiful, fair
Comments from the Editor
All the Trojans are now forced to confront the harsh truth: their best knight, Ector, is to be killed soon after the above stanza. Since Troilus is referred to as the second-best knight in Troy (see 2.156–58, 2.736–40, 5.1564, etc.), Ector’s death will make him the best. However, the best knight Troilus is weakened by his sorrow of love, and is so disfigured that he is scarcely recognizable to anyone (5.1212–25). This implies that Troy is doomed.