TR5.260 Ănd réwĕn ón hy̆msélf sŏ pítŏuslý
TR5.261 Thăt wóndĕr wás tŏ hére hĭs fántăsíĕ.
TR5.262 Ănóthĕr týme hĕ shóldĕ mýghty̆lý
TR5.263 Cŏnfórte hy̆msélf, ănd séin ĭt wás fŏlíĕ
TR5.264 Sŏ cáusĕlés swĭch drédĕ fór tŏ drýĕ;
TR5.265 Ănd éft by̆gýnne hĭs ásprĕ sórwĕs néwĕ,
TR5.266 Thăt évery̆ mán my̆ght ón hĭs sórwĕs réwĕ.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translation (Windeatt: 1998): and feel so pitifully sorry for himself that it was astonishing to hear his imaginings. Another time he would greatly comfort himself, and say it was folly to endure such fear so causelessly; and then his bitter sorrows would begin again, so that anyone would feel sorry for his sorrows.
• Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): ひどく悲しげに自分自身を悔いて、彼の妄想を聞くことは思いがけないことだった。別の時には自分自身を強く慰めて、訳もなくそのような恐怖に苦しむことは、愚かなことだと言い聞かせたが、再び誰もが彼の悲しみに同情するような苦い悲しみを新たに起こし始めるのである。
• Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 自悲自怜，那幻梦该是何等的光怪陆离。有时他又勉力自慰，认为这样的虚惊是无何意义的；不一会他却又照旧悲痛起来，任何人看了也不能不心生哀怜。

Word Information

• Etymology: OF
• Addresser: Narrator
• Addressee: N/A
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: newe
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: suffering, sorrow or grief (Troilus’s sorrow)
• Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: Not quoted

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 280): aspre: bitter
• Fisher (1989: 515): eft … aspre: again, bitter  
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975: 943): aspre: bitter
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

harsh, bitter, severe, sharp, cruel

Comments from the Editor

This quotation describes Troilus’s misery on the first night after he sends Criseyde away. He groans and suffers nightmares (5.146–52) but when he is awake, he must confront the fact that Criseyde is away.