bettre adj.

  bettre 
 TR2.176 “Ŏf Éctŏr nédeth ĭt námŏre fór tŏ téllĕ:
 TR2.177 Ĭn ál thĭs wórld thĕr nýs ă béttrĕ knýght
 TR2.178 Thăn hé, thăt ís ŏf wórthy̆néssĕ wéllĕ;
 TR2.179 Ănd hé wĕl móorĕ vértŭ háth thăn mýght;
 TR2.180 Thĭs knówĕth mány ă wís ănd wórthĭ wíght.
 TR2.181 Thĕ sámĕ prís ŏf Tróĭlús Ĭ séyĕ;
 TR2.182 Gŏd hélp mĕ só, Ĭ knówĕ nát swĭche twéyĕ.”

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): About Hector there’s no need to say more. In all this world there’s not a better knight than he is — he’s the very fountainhead of nobility itself — and he has even more moral excellence than physical strength. Many a wise and worthy person knows this. I’d say just the same about Troilus. God help me, I don’t know such another pair.’
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): ヘクトール様についてはもうこれ以上言う必要はあるまい。勇武の泉であられるヘクトール様以上に、立派な騎士はこの世にいないだろう。そして力以上に徳をお持ちだ。これを多くの賢くて立派な人びとは知っている。トロイルス様についても同じ評価していると言い切れるね。誓ってもいい、このようなお二人はまたといないよ。」
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 赫克多不用我多说了；世上再没有比他的德性更完备的武士；他的道德还高出于他的武力之上。这是许多明白人的定论。同样地我要称颂特罗勒斯，上天助我，若要我去另觅这样一双人才，我只好敬谢不敏了。”

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: human beings (male: knight (Ector))
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: Not quoted
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003): N/A
  • Fisher (1989): N/A
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

better

Comments from the Editor

Here, Pandarus attempts to shift the topic to Troilus. The quotation’s penultimate line ‘The same pris of Troilus I seye’ illustrates Pandarus’s skill in speech. Although he seems to be giving his utmost praise to Hector, the line cleverly loads praise on Troilus.