cruel adj.

2022-07-26 cruel

TR4.260 Thăn séyde hĕ thús: “Fŏrtúne, ăllás thĕ whílĕ!
TR4.261 Whăt háve Ĭ dón? Whăt háve Ĭ thús ăgýlt?
TR4.262 Hŏw mýghtĕstów fŏr rówthĕ mé by̆gílĕ?
TR4.263 Ĭs thér nŏ gráce, ănd shál Ĭ thús bĕ spílt?
TR4.264 Shăl thús Crĕiséyde ăwéy, fŏr thát thŏw wílt?
TR4.265 Ăllás, hŏw máistŏw ín thy̆n hértĕ fýndĕ
TR4.266 Tŏ bén tŏ mé thŭs crúwĕl ánd ŭnkýndĕ?

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translation (Windeatt: 1998) (Windeatt: 1998): Then he spoke as follows: ‘O Fortune, how sad a time this is! How have I offended? What have I done wrong? How, for pity’s sake, could you deceive me? Is there no grace, and am I to be destroyed just like this? Must Criseyde go away like this, because you wish it? Alas, how can you find it in your heart to be so cruel and unkind to me?
Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012) (Sasamoto: 2012): その時彼はこう言った。「＜運命の女神＞よ、ああこの日よ、おれは何をしたのですか。どうして同情の代わりにおれを欺くことができるのですか。恵はなく、このようにおれを破滅させるのですか、このようにクリセイデを立ち去らせるのですか、貴女のお望みだから？ああ、どうして貴女は、おれに対して、このように残酷で薄情な心をお持ちなのですか。
Chinese translation (Fang: 1956) (Fang: 1956): 他说道，“啊，可怜呀！幸运之神，我究竟犯了什么罪？你怎能忍心这样欺弄我？再没有宽恕的余地了吗？我的生路就此断绝了吗？克丽西德非走不可吗？—是你已决定了的？你怎能忍心这样虐待我？

Word Information

Etymology: OF
Addresser: Troilus
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: unkynde (unkind)
Counterpart in its source (Fil): 4.30
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: supernatural beings (Fortune)
Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

OED: Not quoted
MED: (Quoted) 1a. Of persons, gods, Fortune: (a) inclined to make another suffer or willing to see him suffer; cruel, pitiless; (s.v. crūē̆l, adj.)

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

unrelenting, cruel, pitiless

Comments from the Editor

As Troilus has formerly stated, nobody can withstand the harm done by Fortune’s cruel wheel (1.838–40), he is now suffering from his fortune. He laments, for Criseyde must go to Greece. The adjective ‘cruel’ is an epithet that is usually attached to ‘Fortune’ in Chaucer and in various works of Middle English.