aspre adj.

  aspre 
TR4.1499 “Fŏr whích, wĭth húmblĕ, tréwe, ănd pítŏus hértĕ,
TR4.1500 Ă thóusănd týmĕs meŕcy̆ Í yŏw préyĕ;
TR4.1501 Sŏ rúĕth ón my̆n ásprĕ péynĕs smértĕ,
TR4.1502 Ănd dóth sŏmwhát ăs thát Ĭ shál yŏw séyĕ,
TR4.1503 Ănd lát ŭs stéle ăwéy bĭtwíxe ŭs twéyĕ;
TR4.1504 Ănd thýnk thăt fólĭe ís, whăn mán may̆ chésĕ,
TR4.1505 Fŏr áccĭdént hĭs súbstăunce áy tŏ lésĕ.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): ‘And so with humble, true, and piteous heart, I beg you a thousand times for mercy! Have pity on my sharp and bitter pains, and do as I shall say. Let’s steal away, the two of us, and think that it’s folly, when a person can choose, to exchange the substantial reality for some accidental attribute.
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): おれは慎みと真の心と、悲しい気持を込めて祈るように何度も何度も君の憐憫の情を求めている。そこでおれの鋭く烈しい苦しみを可哀想だと思って、少しおれの言う通りにしておくれ、二人でそっと抜け出そうじゃないか。人は自由に選べる時に、副次的な属性を求めて常に本質的な実体を失うことは、愚かなことだと思うよ。
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): “因此，我以战栗真切的心向你求情；愿你可怜我的苦痛，勉强依我所言，一同私奔；要知道凡事应先求实际，不可徒务虚名，如果因名而失实，那就十分冤枉了。

Word Information

  • Etymology: OF
  • Addresser: Troilus
  • Addressee: Criseyde
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: smerte
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 4.144-5)
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: suffering, sorrow or grief (Troilus’s pain)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: (Quoted) 1. (a) Harsh: harsh (words); sharp, severe (pain, grief), angry (mood); cruel (experience, fate); fierce (conflict); cruel, savage (people) (s.v. aspre, adj.)
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 259): aspre: sharp  
  • Fisher (1989: 506): reweth … aspre: have pity, bitter  
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975: 927): aspre: bitter  
  • Baugh (1963: 178): aspre: sharp, bitter  

Possible Definitions

harsh, bitter, severe, sharp, cruel

Comments from the Editor

This segment pertains to the last private meeting of the two lovers. In this quote, Troilus begs Criseyde to elope with him. Although it is not explicitly mentioned in the narrative, this idea may be Pandarus’s. However, Criseyde insists on going to the Greek camp and promises Troilus that she would return in ten days.