TR5.1268 “Whăt shál Ĭ dón, my̆ Pándărús, ăllás? TR5.1269 Ĭ félĕ nów sŏ shárp ă néwĕ péynĕ, TR5.1270 Sy̆n thát thĕr líth nŏ rémedy̆e ín thĭs cás, TR5.1271 Thăt bét wĕre ít Ǐ wíth my̌n hónděs twéyně TR5.1272 My̌sélvěn slówh ǎlwéy thǎn thús tǒ pléyně; TR5.1273 Fǒr thǒrúgh thě déth my̌ wó shǒlde hán ǎn éndě, TR5.1274 Thěr évery̌ dáy wǐth lýf my̌sélf Ǐ shéndě.”
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translation (Windeatt: 1998): What shall I do, my Pandarus, alas? I now feel so sharp a new pain, since there’s no remedy in this case, that it would be better if I killed myself with my own hands than always to be lamenting like this. For through death my unhappiness would have an end, where every day I now reproach myself with being alive.’
- Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): パンダルスよ、おれはどうしたらいいのか、ああ辛い。この場合どんな癒す手立てもないから、今非常に鋭い新たな苦しい痛みを感じているんだ。だからこうしていつも嘆き悲しむよりいっそうこの両手で自分の命を絶ったほうがいいのではないかと。生きておれば毎日後悔するのに対し、死ねばおれの悲しみは終わるだろうから。
- Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 彭大瑞啊，我如何是好呢？我愁上添愁，痛苦万分，看来既已无路可走，我只好用我双手了结我这残躯，免得这样悲泣。活着的忧伤使我消磨无日，倒不如死了干净。”
Word Information
- Etymology: OE
- Addresser: Troilus
- Addressee: Pandarus
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A (but see 7.32)
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: Others (it= to kill himself with his own hands)
- Attributive/ Predicative: predicative
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: Not quoted
- Commented in other previous works:
- Windeatt (2003: 322): bet were it: it would be better if
- Fisher (1989: 523): bet were it: it would be better
- Benson (1987): N/A
- Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
- Donaldson (1975): N/A
- Baugh (1963): N/A
Possible Definitions
better
Comments from the Editor
Troilus feels desperate after his dream of Criseyde lying in the arms of a boar. He calls Pandarus for comfort, and in the speech quoted above, he again mentions that he wants to die. We find that as a suffering lover, Troilus seeks to die several times (1.573, 4.301, 4.376, 5.297, etc.).