TR1.99 Crĭséydĕ wás thĭs lády̆ náme ăl ríght. TR1.100 Ăs tó my̆ dóom, ĭn ál Trŏíes cĭté TR1.101 Năs nón sŏ fáir, fŏrpássy̆nge évery̆ wíght, TR1.102 Sŏ áungĕlík wăs hír nătíf bĕauté, TR1.103 Thăt lík ă thíng ĭnmórtăl sémĕd shé, TR1.104 Ăs dóth ăn hévĕnýssh pĕrfít crĕatúrĕ, TR1.105 Thăt dówn wĕre sént ĭn scórny̆nge óf nătúrĕ.
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translations (Windeatt: 1998): Criseyde was this lady’s name, indeed. In my opinion there was none so beautiful in the whole city of Troy, for, so angelic and surpassing all others was her innate beauty, that she seemed like something immortal, as does a heavenly, perfect creature, sent down to earth to put nature to scorn.
- Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): この貴婦人の名は、正しくはクリセイデと呼ばれた。私の意見を述べれば、トロイアの町中でこれほど美しい女性は見当たらなかった。誰をも凌ぎ、彼女の生まれつきの美しさはまるで天使みたいだった。そのために＜自然の女神＞を軽蔑すべく送られてきた天上の完璧なお方の如く、永遠不滅の人のように見えた。
- Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 这女子名叫克丽西德；我确信，凭你走遍特洛亚城也找不出她那样一副美貌，她生就了天仙般出众的丽质，不像是这下界的凡生，俨然天上一座完美的艺品，下降人世来揶揄万物。
Word Information
- Etymology: OE
- Addresser: Narrator
- Addressee: N/A
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: perfect
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): 1.11
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (female: Criseyde)
- Attributive/ Predicative: attributive
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: (Quoted) 1. (a) Belonging to heaven; celestial, heavenly; of more than earthly beauty; (s.v. hē̆venish, adj.)
- Commented in other previous works:
- Windeatt (2003: 7): hevenyssh: heavenly
- Fisher (1989): N/A
- Benson (1987): N/A
- Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
- Donaldson (1975): N/A
- Baugh (1963): N/A
Possible Definitions
of or belonging to heaven, heavenly, celestial
Comments from the Editor
This description, especially the adjective ‘hevenyssh’, echoes Pandarus’s speech (see 1.981–87) and the adjective ‘celestial’. See also my comment of ‘aungelik’ (adj., Tr1.102).