TR3.624 Thĕ béntĕ móonĕ wíth hĭre hórnĕs pálĕ, TR3.625 Sătúrne, ănd Jóve, ĭn Cáncrŏ jóynĕd wérĕ, TR3.626 Thăt swých ă réyn frŏm hévĕn gán ăválĕ TR3.627 Thăt évery̆ mánĕr wómmăn thát wăs thérĕ TR3.628 Hádde ŏf thăt smóky̆ réyn ă vérrăy féerĕ; TR3.629 Ăt whích Păndáre thŏ lóugh, ănd séydĕ thénnĕ, TR3.630 “Nŏw wére ĭt týme ă lády̆ tó gŏn hénnĕ!
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translation (Windeatt: 1998): The crescent moon with her pale horns, Saturn, and Jupiter fell from the heavens that every sort of woman that was there had a real fear of that smoky rain — at which Pandarus laughed and then said: ‘Now’s a fine time for a lady to be leaving!
- Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): 青白い角をもつ三日月が、巨蟹宮で土星と木星に合した。その結果天から途方もない激しい雨が降り始めた。そのためにそこに居合わせた女性たちは皆この煙るような大雨を大変恐れた。それを見てパンダルスは笑って言った。「今、ご婦人方は家へ帰るよい機会ですよ！
- Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 一曲弯月，两钩淡照，土木两星在巨蟹宫中衔接，沛然落下大雨来，女客个个惊惶失色；彭大瑞于是笑道，“这正是妇女们出门行路的好时辰啰！
Word Information
- Etymology: OE
- Addresser: Narrator
- Addressee: N/A
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: heavenly body (the moon)
- Attributive/ Predicative: attributive
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: (Quoted) 2. (a) To curve or turn (sth.), bend, twist; flex (a limb); bente mone, a quarter moon; to become bent, curve, be flexible; of a dragon: to coil; of a river or coast: to wind; (s.v. bē̆nden, v.(1))
- Commented in other previous works:
- Windeatt (2003: 148): bente moone: crescent moon
- Fisher (1989: 462): bente mone … Saturne … Jove … Cancro: This is the famous conjunction of the new moon, Saturn, and Jupiter in the zodiacal sign of Cancer which occurred in May 1385 after a lapse of 600 years, and so helps to date the composition of the poem.
- Benson (1987): N/A
- Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
- Donaldson (1975: 833): bente: crescent
- Baugh (1963: 136): The bente moone with hire hornes pale: The astronomical conjunction here referred to (Jupiter and Saturn in the sign Cancer) is a rare one, occurring only once in roughly six hundred years. The conditions described were fulfilled in May, 1385. For its bearing on the date of the poem see the introduction.
Possible Definitions
crescent
Comments from the Editor
As is also mentioned by some of the previous studies above, this quotation describes a rarely occurring conjunction of the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter in the sign Cancer in May 1385. Windeatt (2003: 405) points out that the “[c]onjunctions of Saturn and Jupiter were held to be portents of great events (including Noah’s Flood) and associated with heavy rain,” and Fyler (2000: 355) notes that “Chaucer means us to read [this rain] as an omen of the fall of Troy.”
On such a night, Pandarus invites Criseyde and her maids to his house for dinner, and a sudden rain stops the ladies from leaving as they intend to after the dinner. This quotation reads that the rain scared “every maner woman.” This phrase, “every maner woman” rather than “everyone” or “every man” reveals that the narration takes Pandarus’s perspective. Pandarus enjoys this scene and teases the ladies. He is not surprised by the rain because it is all a part of his careful plan.