foul adj.

2022-09-01 foul

TR4.274 “Ăllás, Fŏrtúne, ĭf thát my̆ líf ĭn jóiĕ
TR4.275 Dĭsplésĕd hádde ŭntó thĭ fóule ĕnvýĕ,
TR4.276 Why̆ né hăddestów my̆ fádĕr, kýng ŏf Tróyĕ,
TR4.277 By̆ráft thĕ líf, ŏr dón my̆ brétherĕn dýĕ,
TR4.278 Ŏr sláyn my̆sélf, thăt thús cŏmpléyne ănd crýĕ
TR4.279 Ĭ, cómbrĕ-wórld, thăt máy ŏf nóthy̆ng sérvĕ,
TR4.280 Bŭt éverĕ dýe ănd néverĕ fúllĭ stérvĕ.

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): Alas, Fortune, if my life in happiness was displeasing to your vile envy, why didn’t you deprive my father, the king of Troy, of his life? Or cause my brothers to die? Or kill me, who lament and cry out so—I, an encumbrance to the world, who can serve no useful purpose, but am continually dying and yet can never completely die?
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): ああ、〈運命の女神〉よ、おれの喜びの生活が貴女の醜い妬み心に不愉快な思いをさせたのでしたら、なぜトロイアの王たる父の命を奪われなかったのですか、またなぜ兄弟たちを亡き者にしなかったのですか。またこう不平をこぼし、泣き叫ぶおれを自殺させなかったのですか。世界の障害物たるおれは、何の役にも立たず、ずっと死のうと思っていて、まだ完全に死に切れないのです。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): “呀，幸运，假若我的欢爱触犯了你，引起了你的嫉愤，为什么不干脆杀了特罗亚的国王，我的父亲，或我的兄弟们，或我自己，却让我哭喊着，拖累着世人，做个无用之人，半死不活，不能以一死了却这残躯？

Word Information

Etymology: OE
Addresser: Troilus
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): 4.31
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: jealousy or envy (envy)
Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

OED: Not quoted
MED: Not quoted

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003: 210): foule: vile
Fisher (1989): N/A
Benson (1987): N/A
Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) shameful (s.v. foul, adj.)
Donaldson (1975): N/A
Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

vile, evil, wicked; shameful

Comments from the Editor

Troilus laments and curses Fortune after hearing the news of Criseyde’s exchange. Although Troilus asks Fortune to kill his father, his brothers or himself, in Fil, Ilium, Polyxena, and Helen are also mentioned.