TR1. 911 “Hŏw óftĕn hástŏw máad thĭ nýcĕ jápĕs, TR1. 912 Ănd séyd thăt Lóvĕs sérvăntz éverĭchónĕ TR1. 913 Ŏf nýcĕté bĕn vérrăy Góddĕs ápĕs; TR1. 914 Ănd sómĕ wóldĕ múcche hĭre méte ăllónĕ, TR1. 915 Líggy̆ng ăbédde, ănd máke hĕm fór tŏ grónĕ; TR1. 916 Ănd sóm, thŏw séydĕst, hádde ă bláunchĕ féverĕ, TR1. 917 Ănd préydĕst Gód hĕ shóldĕ néverĕ kéverĕ.
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translations (Windeatt: 1998): How often have you made your foolish jokes, and said that out of foolishness all Love’s servants were just born fools; and how some would munch their food alone, lying in bed and groaning; and one, you said, had a love-sickness, and you prayed to God that he should never recover!
- Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 若君は何度愚かなからかいをなさり、おっしゃったことでしょう。＜愛の神＞に仕える者どもは、誰であれ間抜けだから、忠実な神の猿どもになっていると。そしてこうもおっしゃった、ベッドに寝そべりながら、独りで食事をとってむしゃくしゃ食ってうめく者もいれば、熱を出して真っ青になる者もいると。そしてその恋の病が決して治らないようにと神に祈られた。
- Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 你不是时常在嘲笑他吗，说什么爱神的奴役都是造物者的呆猴儿；你说，有些人躺在床头独自咀嚼着食物，呻吟着；你说，有些人害了萎黄症，你愿上天让他们病死！
Word Information
- Etymology: OF
- Addresser: Pandarus
- Addressee: Troilus
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: jest or joke (Troilus’ jokes)
- Attributive/ Predicative: attributive
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: 1. (b) of actions, words, thoughts, faces, gestures, etc.: foolish, absurd, senseless, mistaken; (s.v. nīce,adj.)
- Commented in other previous works:
- Windeatt (2003: 42): nyce: foolish
- Fisher (1989: 415): nyce japes: foolish jokes
- Benson (1987): N/A
- Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
- Donaldson (1975: 742): nice japes: foolish jokes
- Baugh (1963: 95): nyce japes: foolish jokes
Possible Definitions
foolish, silly
Comments from the Editor
See my comment of ‘blaunk’ (adj., Tr1.916).