ethe pred. adj.

2022-08-26 ethe

TR5.848 Crĭséyde, ăt shórtĕ wórdĕs fór tŏ téllĕ,
TR5.849 Wĕlcómĕd hým ănd dówn hy̆m bý hĭre séttĕ
TR5.850 Ănd hé wăs éthe y̆nóugh tŏ mákĕn dwéllĕ!
TR5.851 Ănd áftĕr thís, wĭthóutĕn lóngĕ léttĕ,
TR5.852 Thĕ spícĕs ánd thĕ wýn mĕn fórth hĕm féttĕ;
TR5.853 Ănd fórth thĕy spéke ŏf thís ănd thát y̆féerĕ,
TR5.854 Ăs fréndĕs dón, ŏf whích sŏm shál yĕ héerĕ.

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): To put it briefly, Criseyde welcomed him and sat him down beside her—and it was easy enough to make him stay! And after this, without any long delay, wine and spiced cakes were brought to them, and they spoke further together of this and that, as friends do—some of which you shall hear.
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 短い言葉でいうと、クリセイデは彼を歓迎して自分のそばに座らせたので、彼は長居をするほど十分にくつろいだ。この後、長くぐずぐずすることなく、香辛料入りのお菓子とワインが運ばれ、まるで友だちのように、彼らは一緒にあれこれ話をした。その話の一端を聞かせよう。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 克丽西德表示欢迎，请他坐在身旁，他当然很愿多逗留一下。不久，酒和香料都端了进来；他们就拉杂谈着，像朋友一般。

Word Information

Etymology: OE
Addresser: Narrator
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: Others (to make Diomede stay)
Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

OED: (Quoted) 2. a. Of the object, means, or method of an action: Making slight resistance; presenting few difficulties; = easy adj., adv., and n. Const. infinitive, usually active in form but passive in sense.
MED: Not quoted

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003: 304): ethe: easy
Fisher (1989: 517): ethe ynowh: easy enough
Benson (1987: 571): ethe: easy
Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) easy (s.v. ethe, adj.)
Donaldson (1975: 963): ethe: easy
Baugh (1963: 195): ethe: easy

Possible Definitions

easy

Comments from the Editor

Chaucer adds this stanza, which reminds one of 2.1548–54 in which Deiphebus asks Troilus to help Criseyde. When employing Chaucer’s words, to make Diomede stay in this scene is like “to bid a mad man to run mad.”

Spices are served with wine.