bettre adj.

  bettre 
 TR4.1296 “Nŏw hérknĕth thís: yĕ hán wĕl úndĕrstóndĕ
 TR4.1297 My̆ góy̆ng gráuntĕd ís by̆ párlĕmént
 TR4.1298 Sŏ férfŏrth thát ĭt máy năt bé wĭthstóndĕ
 TR4.1299 Fŏr ál thĭs wórld, ăs bý my̆ júgĕmént.
 TR4.1300 Ănd sýn thĕr hélpĕth nón ăvísĕmént
 TR4.1301 Tŏ léttĕn ít, lăt ít păsse óut ŏf mýndĕ,
 TR4.1302 Ănd lát ŭs shápe ă béttrĕ wéy tŏ fýndĕ.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): ‘Now listen to this. You’ve well understood that my going is agreed by parliament to such an extent that in my opinion it can’t be opposed for anything. And since no thinking about it will help prevent it, put it out of your mind, and let’s contrive to find a better way.
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): それではお聞きください、よくお分かりのようにわたしの出立は議会によって承認されたのですから、わたしの判断では、絶対に、逆らいようがありません。そしていくら考えてもそれを妨げるのに役立つ妙案がありませんから、それを忘れましょう。そしてどうにかしてよりよい方法を見つけましょうよ。
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): “现在，请听，你很懂得，我这次去，是议会里议决的，我认为当然就无从挽回了。但既无法阻止其施行，我们就只好不去理会，却另谋良策。

Word Information

  • Etymology: OE
  • Addresser: Criseyde
  • Addressee: Troilus
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: solution (way, solution)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: Not quoted
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003): N/A
  • Fisher (1989): N/A
  • 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

Compared with its Fil counterpart, Chaucer added Criseyde’s seven-stanza speech (4.1254–1302), which can be considered Criseyde’s ‘preparation’ before confessing her plan to Troilus. Interestingly, Criseyde speaks much like Pandarus, and the following quotations illustrate some similarities. Quoted above is part of Criseyde’s speech here, and the other quotation is Pandarus’s speech from Book I.

“That if a wight alwey his wo compleyne

And seketh nough how holpen for to be,

It nys but folie and encrees of peyne; (4. 1255-57)

“therfore I seye,

Swych is delit of foles to bywepe

Hire wo, but seken bote they ne kepe. (1. 761-63)