TR5.1751 Ĭn mány̆ crúĕl bátăille, óut ŏf drédĕ,
TR5.1752 Ŏf Tróĭlús, thĭs ílkĕ nóblĕ knýght,
TR5.1753 Ăs mén măy ín thĭse óldĕ bókĕs rédĕ,
TR5.1754 Wăs séen hĭs knýghthŏd ánd hĭs grétĕ mýght;
TR5.1755 Ănd drédĕlés, hĭs írĕ, dáy ănd nýght,
TR5.1756 Fŭl crúwĕlý thĕ Grékĭs áy ăbóughtĕ;
TR5.1757 Ănd álwĕy móost thĭs Díŏméde hĕ sóughtĕ.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translation (Windeatt: 1998) (Windeatt: 1998): In many a cruel battle, without doubt, was seen the knighthood and great might of Troilus, this same noble knight, as can be read in these old books; and undoubtedly, the Greeks paid very cruelly day and night for his rage; and most of all he sought out Diomede.
• Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012) (Sasamoto: 2012): これらむかしの書物で読めば分かるように、無論、この高貴な騎士、トロイルスの幾多の残酷な戦闘のうちには凛々しい騎士ぶりと偉大な力が見られた。疑いもなく、昼となく夜となく、怒りのあまり彼はギリシャ方に絶えず冷酷に仕返しをし、何を差し置いてもと、かのディオメーデを探し求めた。
• Chinese translation (Fang: 1956) (Fang: 1956): 多少次特罗勒斯在恶战中表现了他的英勇，古书都有记载。希腊人日夜牺牲着血肉去赔偿他的愤怒；而他尤其急切地要搜寻戴沃密得。

Word Information

• Etymology: OF
• Addresser: Narrator
• Addressee: N/A
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 8.25)
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: armed encounter (battles)
• Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: (Quoted) 3. Of actions or events: causing suffering or harm; cruel (vengeance, blow); fierce or destructive (battle) (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): (Quoted) fierce, merciless (s.v. cruel, adj.)
• Donaldson (1975): N/A
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

causing suffering or harm; fierce

Comments from the Editor

Now that Troilus is less a lover, he becomes more a knight. One of the books that Chaucer mentions here may be Benoit’s Roman de Troie, in which the many a cruel battle is described.