lene adj.(1)

2023-06-23 Uncategorized

TR2. 127 “Yĕ, hóly̆ Gód,” quŏd shé, “whăt thýng ĭs thát?
TR2. 128 Whăt! Bét thăn swýchĕ fýve? Ĭ! Náy, y̆wýs!
TR2. 129 Fŏr ál thĭs wórld nĕ kán Ĭ rédĕn whát
TR2. 130 Ĭt shóldĕ bén; sŏme jápe Ĭ trówe ĭs thís;
TR2. 131 Ănd bút yŏuresélvĕn télle ŭs whát ĭt ís,
TR2. 132 My̆ wít ĭs fór t’ăréde ĭt ál tŏ léenĕ.
TR2. 133 Ăs hélp mĕ Gód, Ĭ nót năt whát yĕ méenĕ.”

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): ‘Oh, God in heaven!’ she said. ‘What thing can that be? What! Better than five such pieces of news? Ah! No, indeed! I can’t tell what it could be, for all the world. I think this is some joke; and unless you tell us what it is, my brains are just not up to working it out. God help me, I don’t know what you mean.’
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 「ああ、聖なる神よ！それはどんなこと？あら！それより五倍以上って？ああ！まさか、本当に！だって一体全体それは何か、想像できないですもの。これって冗談だとわたしは思いますわ。それは何か、叔父様ご自身がおっしゃらなければ、わたし、智慧が足りないから予測できませんわ。神かけて、何をおっしゃるつもりか分かりませんわ。」
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): “唷，天有灵，”她道，“那是什么事？比这件事还好得多？哪有这样的事！我绝对猜不出来；料想是开什么玩笑；我的头脑太简单了，除非你自己讲；上天佑我，我委实不知道你所指的是什么。”

Word Information

Etymology: OE
Addresser: Criseyde
Addressee: Pandarus
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: intelligence (Criseyde’s wit)
Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

OED: Not quoted
MED: 2. (c) of a place, a pantry: poorly stocked; of the soul: poorly supplied (with sth.); of a period of time: not prosperous; of mind, conscience, mental powers: poor, inadequate; of gain, profit, reward, livelihood: meager, scanty; ~ of, scantily furnished with (sth.) (s.v. lēne, adj.(1))

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003: 57): leene: slender
Fisher (1989: 421): to lene: too weakly
Benson (1987: 491): leene: feeble (her wit)
Davis et al. (1979): feeble (s.v. lene, adj.)
Donaldson (1975): N/A
Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

(of a person’s mind, mental powers) feeble, poor, slender

Comments from the Editor

Criseyde expresses her surprise at Pandarus, who asserts that he brings her good news that he claims is even more significant than the end of the siege. Additionally, in lines 2.267-73, Pandarus mentions that Criseyde’s wit is lacking.