dredeful adj.

  dredeful
TR2.1044 Thĭs cóunsĕil líkĕd wél tŏ Tróĭlús,
TR2.1045 Bŭt, ás ă drédfŭl lóvere, hĕ séydĕ thís:
TR2.1046 “Ăllás, my̆ déerĕ bróthĕr Pándărús,
TR2.1047 Ĭ ám ăshámĕd fór tŏ wríte, y̆wýs,
TR2.1048 Lést ŏf my̆n ínnŏcénce Ĭ séyde ămýs,
TR2.1049 Ŏr thát shĕ nólde ĭt fór dĕspít rĕcéyvĕ;
TR2.1050 Thăn wére Ĭ déd: thĕr mýght ĭt nóthy̆ng wéyvĕ.”

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translations (Windeatt: 1998): This advice was very appealing to Troilus, but like any anxious lover he said: ‘Alas, my dear brother, Pandarus, I’m ashamed to write, indeed, in case through my innocence I said something out of place, or she wouldn’t receive it, out of resentment. Then I’d be a dead man! Nothing could prevent it.’
  • Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): この助言はトロイルスの心に大いに訴えた。しかし、憂慮する恋人のように、彼はこう言った。「ああ、愛する兄弟、パンダルスよ、恥ずかしく書けないよ、絶対に。おれの無知から何か言い損ないをしないだろうかとか、憤慨して手紙を受け取ってくれないのではないかとかで。書けない時は死んでしまうだろう、妨げるものは皆無だから。」
  • Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 这段话特罗勒斯听得高兴,然而正如一个胆怯的情人,他这样说道:—“呀,好友彭大瑞,我不敢写这封信,我怕无意中说错了话,或她竟发脾气不看,那我就惟有死路一条了。”

Word Information

  • Etymology: ME
  • Addresser: Narrator
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): 2.93
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (lover)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: Not quoted
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 94): dredful: anxious
  • Fisher (1989: 435): dredful: fearful
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) reverent (s.v. dredful, adj.)
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

fearful, anxious

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘ashamed’ (ppl. adj., Tr2.1047).