pitous adj.

2023-06-30 Uncategorized

TR5. 449 Bǔt whát ǎváilěth thís tǒ Tróǐlús,
TR5. 450 Thǎt fór hǐs sórwě nóthy̌ng óf ǐt róughtě?
TR5. 451 Fǒr évere ǐn óon hǐs hértě píětóus
TR5. 452 Fǔl bísy̌lý Crǐséyde, hǐs lády̌, sóughtě.
TR5. 453 Ǒn híre wǎs évere ǎl thát hǐs hértě thóughtě,
TR5. 454 Nǒw thís, nǒw thát, sǒ fáste y̌mágěnýngě
TR5. 455 Thǎt gláde, ǐwís, kǎn hým nǒ féstěyíngě.

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): But what use was this to Troilus who, on account of his sorrow, cared nothing about it? For his piteous heart was continually seeking very anxiously for his lady, Criseyde. His heart was always thinking entirely about her, imagining now this, now that so intently that certainly no festivity could make him happy.
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): しかし悲しみのために何事もまったく頓着しないトロイルスにはこれが何の役に立つのか。彼の痛ましい心は絶えず彼の愛人、クリセイデを夢中になって求めた。あれ、これ、大変熱心に想像しながら彼の思いつめた心はずっとすべて彼女のところにあった、そのため彼には、本当に、どんなお祭り騒ぎも楽しめなかった。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 但这于特罗勒斯有何影响，他满心忧郁，那里顾得这些？他的愁心只是思量着他的克丽西德。他一心想念着她这样，她那样，无穷的幻思萦绕，任何宴乐也唤不起他的兴趣来。

Word Information

Etymology: OF
Addresser: Narrator
Addressee: N/A
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): 5.42
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: seat of emotions or human beings (male: Troilus)
Attributive/ Predicative: predicative

Information in Previous Studies

OED: Not quoted
MED: Not quoted

Commented in other previous works:
Windeatt (2003: 288): pietous: pitiful
Fisher (1989): N/A
Benson (1987: 566): pietous: pitiful
Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
DDonaldson (1975: 950): pietous: pitiful
Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

piteous; wretched; sorrowful

Comments from the Editor

This stanza follows Fil.5.42, but Chaucer omits the description found in the original source, where Troiolo sees Criseida with the eyes of his mind and considers her as his goddess. See also my comment of ‘delicious’ (adj., Tr5.443).