herteles adj.

  herteles
TR5.1590 “Cǔpíděs sóne, ěnsámple ǒf góodly̌héedě,
TR5.1591 Ǒ swérd ǒf knýghthǒd, sóurs ǒf géntǐléssě,
TR5.1592 Hǒw mýght ǎ wíght ǐn tórměnt ánd ǐn drédě
TR5.1593 Ǎnd hélělés, yǒw sénde ǎs yét glǎdnéssě?
TR5.1594 Ǐ hértělés, Ǐ sík, Ǐ ín děstréssě!
TR5.1595 Sy̌n yé wǐth mé, nǒr Í wǐth yów, mǎy délě,
TR5.1596 Yǒw néythěr sénde ǐch hértě máy nǒr hélě.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translations (Windeatt: 1998): Cupid’s son, model of excellence! O sword of knighthood, fount of nobility! How could a person in torment and in fear, and devoid of well-being, as yet send you happiness? I, disheartened! I, sick! I, in distress! Since you may not have any dealings with me, nor I with you, I can send you neither heart nor health.
  • Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 「クピードのご子息、卓越の典型、ああ騎士道の剣、高貴の源泉よ、苦しい思いをし、恐れ気遣い、健やかでない者がどうして今貴方に喜びをお伝えできましょうか。わたしは気落ちし、気が滅入り、悩み苦しんでおります!貴方はわたしと、わたしは貴方とお付き合いできませんので、貴方に慕情も健康な体もお送りすることができません。
  • Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 可必德之子,善良的圭臬,啊,武士界的干城,德望之源,我这个在痛苦病患中受着折磨的人怎能给你快慰呢?我感叹我一无意兴,也无康宁;你我既无可交换的,我也就不能以意兴或康宁回报你了。

Word Information

  • Etymology: OE
  • Addresser: Criseyde
  • Addressee: Troilus
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: sik (sick)
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: human beings (female: Criseyde)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: (Quoted) 1. b. Of a person or a person’s mood: lacking in enthusiasm or energy; dejected, disheartened, listless. (s.v. heartless, adj. (and n.))
  • MED: (Quoted) 1. (c) listless, half-hearted, dispirited, sluggish; (s.v. hert(e)lēs, adj.)
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003: 336): herteles: disheartened
  • Fisher (1989: 529): herteles: disheartened
  • Benson (1987: 581): herteles: disheartened
  • Davis et al. (1979): (Quoted) dispirited (s.v. hertelees, adj.)
  • Donaldson (1975: 989): helelees: without health
  • Baugh (1963: 207): herteles: without heart (spirit)

Possible Definitions

disheartened, dispirited

Comments from the Editor

See my comment of ‘heleles’ (adj., Tr5.1593).