first ord. num. (as adj.)

  first 
TR3.288 “Ănd thýnk whăt wó thĕr háth bĭtíd ĕr thís,
TR3.289 Fŏr máky̆ng óf ăvántĕs, ás mĕn rédĕ;
TR3.290 Ănd whát mĕscháunce ĭn thís wŏrld yét thĕr ís,
TR3.291 Frŏ dáy tŏ dáy, rĭght fór thăt wíkkĕd dédĕ;
TR3.292 Fŏr whích thĭse wísĕ clérkĕs thát bĕn dédĕ
TR3.293 Hăn éverĕ yét prŏvérbĕd tó ŭs yóngĕ
TR3.294 Thăt ‘fírstĕ vértŭ ís tŏ képĕ tóngĕ.’

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translations (Windeatt: 1998): ‘Think what unhappiness has occurred before now because of the making of boasts, as people read; and what misfortune there still is in this world from day to day, precisely because of that wicked act. For that reason, wise scholars now dead have always expressed themselves in proverbs to us young folk that: “The first virtue is to hold one’s tongue.”
  • Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 書物を読まれればお分かりのように、人に自慢すれば、今までどのような悲しみが生じたかお考えください。そして未だにまったくその良からぬ行為のために、日々この世にどのような不幸が生じているかお考えください。そのために、昔の賢人たちは私たち若輩に対して諺にして残しておられます。『徳の始まりは沈黙を守ることなり。』
  • Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): “试想从前一般狂妄的人是如何遭受磨折，书上常有记载；以后若有人仍犯这样的过失，也还会遇见困厄；所以古圣贤传给后世许多箴言，例如，‘德以缄默为首’。

Word Information

  • Etymology: OE
  • Addresser: Pandarus
  • Addressee: Troilus
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: goodness and badness (virtue)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: (Quoted) 4a. (c) of things: most important, principal; best in quality; ~ mete, chief meal; (s.v. first, ord. num. (as adj. & n.))
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003): N/A
  • Fisher (1989): N/A
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

preceding all others in importance

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘ded’ (adj., Tr3.292).