TR3. 869 "Hǎdde Í hy̌m néverě líef? by̌ Gód, Ǐ wéeně
TR3. 870 Yě háddě néverě thýng sǒ líef!" quǒd shé.
TR3. 871 "Nǒw bý my̌ thríft," quǒd hé, "thǎt shál bě séeně!
TR3. 872 Fǒr sýn yě mákě thís ěnsáumple ǒf mé,
TR3. 873 Ǐf ích ǎl nýght wǒlde hým ǐn sórwě sé,
TR3. 874 Fǒr ál thě trésǒur ín thě tówn ǒf Tróiě,
TR3. 875 Ǐ bíddě Gód Ǐ néverě móte hǎve jóiě.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translations (Windeatt: 1998):
• ‘I never loved him? By God, I think you never loved anything so much!’ said she.
• ‘Now, upon my word,’ said he, ‘we’ll see about that! Since you make this example of me: if I’d keep him in sorrow all night for all the treasure in the town of Troy, I pray God I may never be happy!
• Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 「お前は決してあのお方を愛していないですって？絶対、思うわ、叔父様は今まで人を愛したことなんてまったくなかったって！」「じゃあ、誓って、ぜひそれについて見てみよう！お前は私を引き合いに出してこれを槍玉に挙げるのだから、もしあのお方が夜通し悲しみ続けるのを見ることになれば、トロイアの町の宝物全部にかけて、私に二度と喜びが来ないようにと神に祈るよ。
• Chinese translations (Fang: 1956):
• “我没有爱过他？天哪，我想你倒没有像我这样热恋过呢，”她道。
• “我的好天爷，”他道，“且等着看吧；你既拿我打比，我若坐视他通宵忧痛，特罗亚全城的财宝也不在我心上，我愿求上天永不给我安乐。

Word Information

• Etymology: OE
• Addresser: Criseyde
• Addressee: Pandarus
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (male: Troilus) 
• Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: 1a. Of persons: (a) esteemed in love, affection, friendship, etc.; highly regarded personally; beloved, dear (to sb.); — often with dat. or to- phrase;  (s.v. lẹ̄f, adj. & adv.)

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 158): ‘Hadde I hym nevere lief? By God, I weene / Ye hadde nevere thing so lief!’: I never loved him? By God, I believe (weene) you never loved anything as much!
• Fisher (1989): N/A
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): have ~: hold dear, love (s.v. leef/lief, adj.)
• Donaldson (1975): N/A
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

have ~: hold dear

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘gret’ (adj. & adv. & n., Tr3.867).