TR5.631 Fǒr whích hy̌m líkěde ín hǐs sóngěs shéwě
TR5.632 Th’ěnchésǒun óf hǐs wó, ǎs hé běst mýghtě;
TR5.633 Ǎnd máde ǎ sóng ǒf wórděs bút ǎ féwě,
TR5.634 Sǒmwhát hǐs wófǔl hértě fór tǒ líghtě;
TR5.635 Ănd whán hĕ wás frŏm évẹry̆ mánnĕs sýghtĕ,
TR5.636 Wĭth sóftĕ vóis hĕ óf hĭs lády̆ déerĕ,
TR5.637 Thăt ábsĕnt wás, găn sýngẹ ăs yé măy héerĕ:

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translation (Windeatt: 1998): And for this reason he liked to show in his songs, as best he could, the reason for his unhappiness. He composed a song of no more than a few words, to gladden his sorrowful heart somewhat. When he was out of everyone’s sight, he sang in a quiet voice of his dear lady who was absent – as you may hear:
• Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): そのため彼は自分の悲しみの原因を、できるだけ、自分の歌の中に示してみたいと思い、幾分でも悲しい心を和らげるためにほんの短い言葉の歌を作った。彼はあらゆる人の目が遠ざかると、低い声でいなくなった大切な恋人について次にお聞きになれるように、歌いだした。
• Chinese translation (Fang: 1956):他将悲哀寄托于诗句，聊以自慰，又作短歌消愁。候着无人的时候，他轻声地歌唱着相思之曲。

Word Information

• Etymology: OF
• Addresser: Narrator
• Addressee: N/A
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 5.61)
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (female: Criseyde)
• 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

being away, not present

Comments from the Editor

There is a similar scene in Fil in which Troiolo expresses his woefulness through song. Yet, the source text does not explicitly mention that Criseyde is “absent.” Like in 5.461, Chaucer probably intentionally added the two examples of “absent.”