certain adj.

2022-07-20 certain

TR2.1548 Bŭt cértăyn ís, ĕr Tróĭlús hy̆m léydĕ,
TR2.1549 Dĕiphébŭs hád hy̆m préiĕd óvĕr-nýght
TR2.1550 Tŏ bén ă frénd ănd hélpy̆ng tó Crĭséydĕ.
TR2.1551 Gŏd wóot thăt hé ĭt gráuntĕd ánŏn-ríght,
TR2.1552 Tŏ bén hĭre fúllĕ frénd wĭth ál hĭs mýght.
TR2.1553 Bŭt swích ă nédĕ wás tŏ préye hy̆m thénnĕ,
TR2.1554 Ăs fór tŏ bídde ă wóod măn fór tŏ rénnĕ!

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translation (Windeatt: 1998) (Windeatt: 1998): But it is certain that before Troilus took to his bed, that night before Criseyde came, Deiphebus had asked him to be a friend and supporter of hers. God knows that he agreed immediately to be her true friend with all his might! But there was as much need to ask him that as to bid a mad man to run mad!
Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012) (Sasamoto: 2012): しかし、前夜、トロイルスが寝る前、デイフェーブスは、彼に、クリセイデと友達になって彼女を手助けするようにと頼んでいたことは確かである。トロイルスは全力を尽くして彼女の真の友になることをすぐに認めたことを、私は神かけて誓える、しかしこの時このようなことを頼む必要性があったかどうか、それはまるで狂人に乱心せよと命じるようなものである。
Chinese translation (Fang: 1956) (Fang: 1956): 在特罗勒斯未躺下之前，戴费白斯当然已恳请他略尽友谊，协助克丽西德。天知道，他已如何答应以全力做她的好友；这件事对于他还用得着请求，岂不等于央求一个疯子去乱跑一样。

Word Information

Etymology: OF
Addresser: Narrator
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: Others (the fact that before Troilus took to his bed, that night before Criseyde came, Deiphebus had asked him to be a friend and supporter of hers)
Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

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

true, indubitable

Comments from the Editor

The scene in Deiphebus’s house was included by Chaucer. In Fil, the two protagonists first meet in Criseida’s house. Pandarus lies to Criseyde and cheats Deiphebus into holding a gathering whose attenders remain oblivious. In this way, Pandarus betrays the ‘whole world’, only for Troilus.