astoned ppl. adj.

  astoned
TR2.603 Ănd wéx sŏmdél ăstónĕd ín hĭre thóught
TR2.604 Ríght fŏr thĕ néwĕ cás; bŭt whán thăt shé
TR2.605 Wăs fúl ăvýsĕd, thó fŏnd shé rĭght nóught
TR2.606 Ŏf pérĭl whý shĕ óught ăférĕd bé.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): (Criseyde got up; she delayed no longer but went directly into her own room and sat herself down, still as a stone, to turn over and over every word he had said, as it came back to her mind,) and grew somewhat astonished in her thoughts precisely because of the novel situation; but when she had considered it fully, then she found absolutely nothing dangerous in it of which she ought to be afraid.
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): そして、この新しい事態に少し驚いて、胸がどきどきするようになった。しかしよく考えてみると、危険は全く見出せず、なぜ恐れなければならないのか分からなかった。
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 她心中对于这件事感得十分新奇;但思量再三,也就看不出有什么危险,无须害怕。

Word Information

  • Etymology: AF
  • Addresser: C(N)
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): see 2.68, 4-5
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (female: Criseyde)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: Not quoted
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 76): astoned: astonished
  • Fisher (1989: 432): astonyed: astonished (amazed)
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975: 770): astoned: astonished
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

astonished; bewildered

Comments from the Editor

In this scene, Criseyde ponders the request Pandarus made to her on his first visit in the narrative. As the four quoted lines demonstrate, she cannot discover any danger that should cause her fear. Enjambment, a rare technique in Chaucer’s work, is also applied through the four lines, conveying the image of Criseyde arriving at a smooth conclusion. Just after this section, Chaucer adds a scene in which Criseyde witnesses Troilus’s triumphant return and cannot help herself utter the words, “Who yaf me drynke?” (2.651). Despite these details, Chaucer emphasizes that her love for Troilus is not sudden (2.679).