aspre adj.

  aspre 
TR4.827 Ănd ín hĭre ásprĕ pléyntĕ thús shĕ séydĕ:
TR4.828 “Păndárĕ fírst ŏf jóĭes mó thăn twó
TR4.829 Wăs cáusĕ cáusy̆ng úntŏ mé, Crĭséydĕ,
TR4.830 Thăt nów trănsméwĕd bén ĭn crúĕl wó.
TR4.831 Whĕr shál Ĭ séye tŏ yów wĕlcóm ŏr nó,
TR4.832 Thăt áldĕrfírst mĕ bróughte ŭntó sĕrvýsĕ
TR4.833 Ŏf lóve -- ăllás! -- thăt éndĕth ín swĭch wísĕ?

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): And she spoke like this in her bitter lamentation: ‘Pandarus was, in the first place, the primary cause of more than a few joys to me, Criseyde, which have now been transmuted into cruel unhappiness! Shall I say welcome to you or not, who first of all brought me into the service of love — alas! — that ends in such a fashion?
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): この苦しい悲嘆の中で彼女はこう言った。「パンダルス叔父様は、まずわたしクリセイデにとりまして何事にも代えがたい多くの喜びの原因を作ってくださいましたが、それは今では残酷な悲しみに変わってしまいました。そこで、叔父様を歓迎すべきでしょうか、すべきでないでしょうか。だって、叔父様はわたしを初めて愛の務めに導いてくださったから、でも、ああ！それがこんなふうにして終わってしまうのですもの。
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): “彭大瑞，我的舅父，你是我一切快乐的创始人，而我现在却陷入了残酷的悲境了。你最初将我引上了爱的途径，却落得如此结局，我不知应不应该欢迎你？

Word Information

  • Etymology: OF
  • Addresser: Narrator
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: suffering, sorrow or grief (Criseyde’s lamentation)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive  

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: (Quoted) 3. Harsh to the feelings; bitter, cruel, severe. (s.v. † asper | aspre, adj.)
  • MED: (Quoted) 1. (a) Harsh: harsh (words); sharp, severe (pain, grief), angry (mood); cruel (experience, fate); fierce (conflict); cruel, savage (people) (s.v. aspre, adj.)
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 232): aspre: bitter  
  • Fisher (1989: 496): aspre: bitter 
  • Benson (1987: 549): aspre: bitter  
  • Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) bitter, sharp (s.v. aspre, adj.)
  • Donaldson (1975: 904): aspre: bitter  
  • Baugh (1963: 167): aspre: bitter  

Possible Definitions

harsh, bitter, severe, sharp, cruel

Comments from the Editor

Pandarus comes to Criseyde to arrange another meeting between the two lovers after the parliament decides to exchange Criseyde for Antenor. Criseyde is extremely upset, and Chaucer spares approximately 150 lines (from 4.666) to describe her despair.