TR2.106 Quŏd Pándărús, “Ál thĭs knŏwe Í my̆sélvĕ, TR2.107 Ănd ál th’ăssége ŏf Thébĕs ánd thĕ cárĕ; TR2.108 Fŏr hérŏf bén thĕr mákĕd bóokĕs twélvĕ. TR2.109 Bŭt lát bĕ thís, ănd télle mĕ hów yĕ fárĕ. TR2.110 Dó wĕy yŏure bárbe, ănd shéw yŏure fácĕ bárĕ; TR2.111 Dó wĕy yŏure bóok, rýs ŭp, ănd lát ŭs dáuncĕ, TR2.112 Ănd lát ŭs dón tŏ Máy sŏm óbsĕrváuncĕ.”
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translation (Windeatt: 1998): ‘I know about all this myself,’ said Pandarus, ‘and the whole siege of Thebes and its sorrow; for there are twelve books written about it. But leave this be now, and tell me how you are. Put away your veil, and let your bare face show! Put away your book — get up, and let’s dance and honour the month of May!’
- Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): パンダルスは言った。「その話は私自身すべて知っているよ。そしてテーバイ攻めとその悲運のこともね。それは十二巻物として作られているからね。それはさておき、お前の近況を話しておくれよ。頭のベールをとって、素顔を見せておくれ。本から離れて、さあ立ち上がってダンスをしようよ、五月祭を祝って遊ぼうよ。」
- Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 彭大瑞道，“这些情节，以及希白斯的围攻和一切的悲哀，我都知道；这是一部十二卷的故事：——现在且把这放开，告诉我你的一些情况吧；打开你的面巾，露出你的脸来；拿开书，站起来，我们来跳舞，不要辜负了这五月的良辰。”
Word Information
- Etymology: OE
- Addresser: Pandarus
- Addressee: Criseyde
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: external parts of body (Criseyde’s face)
- Attributive/ Predicative: predicative
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: (Quoted) 1. (a) Not covered with clothing, unclothed; naked, nude, bare; naked and ~; on ~ fot(en, barefoot; (s.v. bār, adj.)
- Commented in other previous works:
- Windeatt (2003): N/A
- Fisher (1989): N/A
- Benson (1987): N/A
- Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) bare, naked (s.v. bare, adj.)
- Donaldson (1975): N/A
- Baugh (1963): N/A
Possible Definitions
not covered with clothing, naked
Comments from the Editor
Pandarus visits Criseyde on the day of May 3 to persuade her to love Troilus. He first asks whether the book they are reading is about love (2.97), and when he is told it is about the siege of Thebes, he stops talking about the book and asks Criseyde to unclothe her face and to dance with him to do to May “some observance.” These allusions reveal that Pandarus desires to disclose the purpose of his visit from the beginning.
The section that follows pertains to the sexual connotations of the month of May and the “observances” performed in its honor.
The month of May represents spring, a season especially favored by Chaucer. Many other characters in his poems are inspired by the season and perform observances to May (e.g., Emily and Palamon in Knight’s Tale and Chauntecleer in Nun’s Priest’s Tale). Sasamoto (2003: 491) asserts that in medieval Europe, young people followed the tradition of dancing and singing at the beginning of May in honor of the goddess Flora. McCall (1961: 203–04), in discussing the special date of May 3 for Chaucer, shares opinions voiced in other previous studies and indicates that the festivities of Flora were “especially wild and libidinous. They included not simply honors to the ‘floures,’ … but also such revelries in honor of the flowers of the flesh that they once even shamed the populace of Rome”. He adds that on the festival day, “all the call-girls and drabs put on a massive and barren display.” Fisher (1989: 424) also notes that “pagan fertility rites gave May observances a licentious connotation.”