TR3.1597 Hĕ séyde, “Ŏ frénd ŏf fréndĕs the áldĕrbéstĕ
TR3.1598 Thăt éverĕ wás, thĕ sóthĕ fór tŏ téllĕ,
TR3.1599 Thŏw hást ĭn hévene y̆bróught my̆ sóule ăt réstĕ
TR3.1600 Frŏ Flégĭtóun, thĕ féry̆ flóod ŏf héllĕ,
TR3.1601 Thăt, thóugh Ĭ mýght ă thóusănd týmĕs séllĕ
TR3.1602 Ŭpón ă dáy my̆ líf ĭn thí sĕrvísĕ,
TR3.1603 Ĭt mýghtĕ náught ă móote ĭn thát sŭffísĕ.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translation (Windeatt: 1998): ‘O best of all friends that ever was, to tell the truth!’ he said. ‘From out of Phlegethon, the fiery river of hell, you have brought my soul to rest in heaven, so that even though I might sell my life a thousand times a day in your service, it would not be remotely enough to pay you back!
• Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): 彼は言った。「今までの最高の友、友の中の友よ、実を言うと、そなたは地獄の火の川、フレゲトーン川から、おれの魂を天国に導いて落ち着かせてくれた。そのために、そなたに仕えておれの命を一日に千回捧げるとしても、それで十分だとはどうしても言えないよ。
• Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): “啊，友中之友，”他道，“你确已把我的灵魂从冥川的焰流中救上了天堂，我即使每日千次出卖了生命为你劳役，也不足以抵挡其万一。

Word Information

• Etymology: alder (ME) + best (OE)
• Addresser: Troilus
• Addressee: Pandarus
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 3.56-7)
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (male: Pandarus)
• Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: Not quoted

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 188): alderbeste: best of all
• Fisher (1989: 478): alderbeste: best of all
• Benson (1987: 534): alderbeste: best of all
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975: 867): alderbeste: best of all
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

best of all

Comments from the Editor

Troilus and Pandarus meet the morning after the consummation. In this quoted section, Troilus praises Pandarus as the best friend a man can have; however, in the corresponding scene in Fil, Troiolo kisses Pandaro’s forehead instead of saying, “O frend of frendes the alderbeste.”