fel adj.

2022-09-01 fel

TR5.50 Bǔt whý hě nóldě dón sǒ fél ǎ dédě,
TR5.51 Thǎt shál Ǐ séyn, ǎnd whí hy̌m líste ǐt spárě:
TR5.52 Hě hádde ǐn hérte ǎlwéyes ǎ mánerě drédě
TR5.53 Lěst thát Crǐséyde, ǐn rúmǒur óf thǐs fárě,
TR5.54 Shǒlde hán běn sláyn; lǒ, thís wǎs ál hǐs cárě.
TR5.55 Ǎnd éllǐs, cértěyn, ás Ǐ séydě yórě,
TR5.56 Hě hádde ǐt dón, wǐthóutěn wórděs mórě.

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): But let me explain why he would not commit so fierce an act and why he chose to refrain from it. He always had at heart a kind of fear in case—in all the uproar of this action—Criseyde should have been killed. This was his whole concern. Otherwise, as I said previously, he would certainly have done it without any more words.
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): なぜ彼は非常に激しい行動を起こすことを望まなかったのか、なぜそれを抑制することを望んだのか、それを語ろう。この行動の騒ぎの最中にクリセイデは殺されてしまうのではないかと、彼はいつも恐れみたいなものを心に抱いていたのだ――ほら、これだけが彼の憂慮の種だった。そうでなければ、前にも言ったように、あれこれ言わずに、彼はその行動を起こしただろう。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 至于他究竟为了什么不这样毅然而行，且让我来说明：原来他心中一向害怕，一旦喧扰起来，深恐克丽西德会被迫而丧命；他所顾虑的只此一点，否则他早就这样办了。

Word Information

Etymology: OF
Addresser: Narrator
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): 5.5
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: action or operation (the action to prevent Criseyde from being exchanged)
Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

OED: (Quoted) 1. †b. Treacherous, deceitful, false; villainous. Obsolete. (s.v. fell, adj.1, adv., and n.2)
MED: (Quoted) 1. (b) of inclination, acts, etc (s.v. fel, adj.)

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003: 271): fel: violent
Fisher (1989: 504): fel: fierce
Benson (1987: 561): fel: fierce
Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) violent (s.v. fel(l, adj.)
Donaldson (1975: 936): fel: fierce
Baugh (1963: 183): fel: wicked

Possible Definitions

fierce, violent; wicked, false

Comments from the Editor

For fear that Criseyde might be killed, Troilus holds back his anger and refrains from stopping Criseyde from being exchanged. In the previous stanza, he thinks of killing Diomede. In the same scene in Fil.5.4, Troiolo wants to kill both Diomede and Calchas.