TR5.1324 “Líkĕth yów tŏ wítĕn, swétĕ hértĕ,
TR5.1325 Ăs yé wĕl knówe, hŏw lóngĕ týme ăgón
TR5.1326 Thăt yé mĕ léfte ĭn ásprĕ péynĕs smértĕ,
TR5.1327 Whăn thát yĕ wénte, ŏf whích yĕt bóotĕ nón
TR5.1328 Hăve Í nŏn hád, bŭt éverĕ wórs bĭgón
TR5.1329 Frŏ dáy tŏ dáy ăm Í, ănd só mŏt dwéllĕ,
TR5.1330 Whĭle ít yŏw líst, ŏf wéle ănd wó my̆ wéllĕ.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translation (Windeatt: 1998): May it please you to recall, sweet heart, as you well know, how long ago you left me in sharp and painful sufferings when you went away, for which as yet I have had no remedy, but from day to day I am ever more miserable, and so must remain as long as it please you, the source of my joy and woe.
• Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): 美しい恋人よ、どうか思い起こしてください、ご存じのように、貴女が去ったのは、何と遠い以前のことであったかを。そのため小生は鋭く激しい苦しみに陥って、それから未だ救いを得る手立てがなく、日に日により苦しい状態になるばかりです。小生の幸と不幸の源泉たる貴女が今のままを望まれる限り、小生はこのままの状態で留まっていなければなりません。
• Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 可爱的心，我愿你能回溯你别我而去已有多久，留下苦痛在我心头，迄今我未能补起我的伤痕，反而一天比一天更加沉痛，但你是我的哀乐之源，我是否如此继续下去，全视你的好恶为准！

Word Information

• Etymology: OF
• Addresser: Troilus (in his letter)
• Addressee: Criseyde
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: smerte
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): see 7.52, 4 (miseria maggior ch’alcun non crede)
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: suffering, sorrow or grief (Troilus’s pain)
• Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: Not quoted

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 324): aspre peynes smerte: sharp and bitter pains
• Fisher (1989: 531): aspre: bitter
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975: 980): aspre: bitter
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

harsh, bitter, severe, sharp, cruel

Comments from the Editor

The reference forms part of Troilus’s letter to Criseyde after she breaks her promise to return in ten days. At this juncture, Criseyde has decided to be true to Diomede (5.1071) and Troilus’s dream has also confirmed her betrayal to him (5.1233–41). In Fil, Troiolo claims his misery to be greater than any man could believe (7.52, 4); however, Chaucer alters this expression to “aspre peynes smerte,” using two adjectives to qualify Troilus’s pain. Troiolo says that his miserable soul must be saved by Criseida; Troilus adds that he has no remedy for his pain and that his misery worsens every day.