TR4.1569 “Whăt trówĕ yé thĕ péple ĕk ál ăbóutĕ
TR4.1570 Wŏlde óf ĭt séye? Ĭt ís fŭl líght t’ărédĕ.
TR4.1571 Thĕy wóldĕn séye, ănd swére ĭt óut ŏf dóutĕ,
TR4.1572 Thăt lóve nĕ dróf yŏw náught tŏ dón thĭs dédĕ,
TR4.1573 Bŭt lúst vŏlúptŭóus ănd cówărd drédĕ.
TR4.1574 Thŭs wére ăl lóst, y̆wýs, my̆n hértĕ déerĕ,
TR4.1575 Yŏure hónŏur, whích thăt nów shýnĕth sŏ clérĕ.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translation (Windeatt: 1998) (Windeatt: 1998): What do you think people all around here would say about it? It’s very easy to predict. They would say, and swear to it certainly, that love didn’t drive you to do this deed, but just sheer lust and cowardly fear. Your honour, which now shines so brightly, would certainly be completely lost this way, my dear heart.
• Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012) (Sasamoto: 2012): 貴方は周りの人びとがそれについてなんとおっしゃると思いますか。予側することは大変簡単です。彼らは言うでしょう。そして疑いもなく誓って言うでしょう、貴方をこの行為に駆り立てたのは、愛ではなく、みだらな肉欲と臆病な恐怖心だと。こうして、愛する貴方、貴方の名誉も、きっと、すっかり無くなるでしょう、現在まことに明るく輝いていますが。
• Chinese translation (Fang: 1956) (Fang: 1956): 你想天下的人将会怎样批评你？这是很容易猜想的。他们一定会说，并立誓证实，这不是什么爱情，乃是荒淫懦怯的行为。那么你那显赫的声威势将一败涂地，亲爱的心哪。

Word Information

• Etymology: OF
• Addresser: Criseyde
• Addressee: Troilus
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): 4.150
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: fear (drede: dread)
• Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: (Quoted) 1. Lacking in courage, cowardly, timid (s.v. cǒuard, adj.)

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 262): coward: cowardly
• Fisher (1989: 501): coward: cowardly
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975): N/A
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

cowardly

Comments from the Editor

Criseyde denies Troilus’s suggestion to elope. Although she first mentions the possibility that Troilus’s honour would be lost, her primary concern is that her own reputation will be ruined (see lines 1576–82). This scene has a counterpart in Fil, and in the Italian source, we find that the heroine emphasises the risk and importance of her own reputation more intensely. Her speech is quoted below.

‘Then consider with how much infamy mine honor and chastity, held in the highest esteem, would be stained, nay ruined quite and lost to me, nor would they ever be redeemed by excuse or virtue that I could bring to bear, whatsoever I should do, were I to remain in life a hundred thousand years’.

Criseida’s speech inevitably delivers a selfish impression. However, in Chaucer’s adaption, Criseyde presents a milder tone and therefore sounds more sincere.