almighty adj.

  almighty 
TR4.1079 Thănne séyde hĕ thús: “Ălmýghty̆ Jóve ĭn trónĕ,
TR4.1080 Thăt wóost ŏf ál thy̆s thýng thĕ sóthfăstnéssĕ,
TR4.1081 Réwe ŏn my̆ sórwe: ŏr dó mĕ déyĕn sónĕ,
TR4.1082 Ŏr brýng Crĭséyde ănd mé frŏ thís dĕstréssĕ!”

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): Then he continued thus: ‘Almighty Jove enthroned, who know the truth of this whole thing, have pity on my sorrow. Either make me die soon, or deliver Criseyde and me from his distress!’
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): それからトロイルスはこう言った。「この事柄の真実を一切ご承知である玉座の全能の神ユーピテルよ、おれの悲しみに共感して、おれをただちに死なせてください。さもなくばクリセイデとおれをこの苦しみからお救いください。」
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 他最后祈求道，“全能的穹父坐在御座之上，你知道这一切的究竟，求你怜悯我，赐我一死，不然就救我和克丽西德两人逃出苦难。”

Word Information

  • Etymology: OE
  • Addresser: Troilus
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: supernatural beings (Jove)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: (Quoted) 1. Almighty, omnipotent; — (d) of a non-Christian god or object of worship; (s.v. al-mightī, adj. (& n.))
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003): N/A
  • Fisher (1989: 500): Almyghty Jove: Troylus’ concluding prayer seems to open the door to divine intervention, even though his philosophical discourse has been purely deterministic.
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

almighty, omnipotent

Comments from the Editor

Troilus laments and prays in a temple after he hears Criseyde will be exchanged. He prays for Jove’s intervention even though he confirms the inevitability of the event (Criseyde’s exchange) (4.1072–78). However, soon after this speech, when mistaking that Criseyde is dead, Troilus accuses Jove and Fortune of murdering her and curses them (4.1192–97). Interestingly, Troilus’s prayer to Jove here is originally added by Chaucer. This hopeless prayer and the subsequent curses could reveal Troilus’s realization of the impotence of pagan gods such as Jove.