TR1. 421 Ǎnd tó thě Gód ǒf Lóve thǔs séydě hé
TR1. 422 Wǐth pítǒus vóis, "Ǒ lórd, nǒw yóurěs ís
TR1. 423 My̌ spírǐt, whích thǎt óughtě yóurěs bé.
TR1. 424 Yǒw thánke Ǐ, lórd, thǎt hán mě bróught tǒ thís.
TR1. 425 Bǔt whéithěr gódděsse ór wómmǎn, ǐwís,
TR1. 426 Shě bé, Ǐ nót, whǐch thát yě dó mě sérvě;
TR1. 427 Bǔt ás hǐre mán Ǐ wól ǎy lýve ǎnd stérvě.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translations (Windeatt: 1998):
• And to the God of Love he said in a piteous voice:
• ‘O Lord, now my spirit is yours, which ought to be yours! I thank you, Lord, who have brought me to this. I don’t know whether she be goddess or woman, indeed, whom you make me serve. But as her man I’ll live and die.
• Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): さらにトロイルスは〈愛の〉神に哀れな声でこう続けた。「ああ、主よ、わが心は今では貴方のもの、当然貴方のものですから。主よ、ここまでお導きくださった貴方に感謝します。しかし貴方がおれを仕えさせてくださっているあの方は、女神なのかそれとも現し身の女なのか分かりません、本当に。でもおれはあの方のしもべとして常に生き、死にたいのです。
• Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 于是他又转向爱神哀声诉说，“啊，神啊，现在我的心灵已归你所有，这是应该的。你引我走上了这条路，我感谢你；但你所命令我侍候的是神，还是人，我确实不得而知，反正我将永远为她服役，生死非我所计。

Word Information

• Etymology: OF
• Addresser: Narrator
• Addressee: N/A
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): 1.38
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: voice or vocal sound (vois=voice)
• Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: Not quoted

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 22): pitous: piteous
• Fisher (1989): N/A
• Benson (1987): N/A
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975): N/A
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

piteous; wretched; sorrowful

Comments from the Editor

Troilus’ doubts about whether Criseyde is a goddess or a mortal woman draw parallels to Palamon’s similar uncertainty regarding Emelye in Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale (lines 1101-02). In both instances, the protagonists find themselves questioning the extraordinary beauty and divine qualities of their beloved, blurring the line between mortal and divine.