TR2.449 Crǐséydě, whích thǎt wél něigh stárf fǒr féerě,
TR2.450 Sǒ ás shě wás thě férfǔlléstě wíght
TR2.451 Thǎt mýghtě bé, ǎnd hérde ěk wíth hǐre érě
TR2.452 Ǎnd sáugh thě sórwfǔl érněst óf thě knýght,
TR2.453 Ǎnd ín hǐs préiěr ék sǎugh nóon ǔnrýght,
TR2.454 Ǎnd fór thě hárm thǎt mýghte ěk fállěn móorě,
TR2.455 Shě gán tǒ réwe ǎnd drédde hǐre wónděr sóorě,

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translations (Windeatt: 1998): Criseyde was nearly dying for fear—she was the most timid person that might be—and both heard and saw that the knight was sadly in earnest… and also saw no offence in his request… and considering the further harm that might ensue… she began to feel sorry, then became incredibly frightened,
• Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 死にそうなくらい怖くなったクリセイデは、きわめて臆病な性質の人だったためだか、騎士バンダルスの悲壮な熱い思いを耳で聞き、目で見届けた。そして叔父の懇願にはまったくの悪意も見られず、さらに生じるかもしれない不名誉のために、気の毒に思い始め自分の驚きがひどくくだらなくなり、
• Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 克丽西德心中害怕，再没有比她更惊慌的人，她听了他讲的许多话，看他那样真心感伤，祈祷恳切，深怕会闹出乱子来，因而心肠软了，方寸撩乱；

Word Information

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

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: (Quoted) II. subjectively. 3. Frightened, timorous, timid, apprehensive. a. simply. Now somewhat rare. (s.v. fearful, adj.)
• MED: (Quoted) 2. (b) inclined to fear, timid, cowardly (s.v. fērful, adj.)

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 70): ferfulleste: most timorous
• Fisher (1989: 426): ferfulleste wyght: most fearful person
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) sup. most timid (s.v. fereful, adj.)
• Donaldson (1975): N/A
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

timid, fearful

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘cruel’ (adj., Tr2.458).