slepen v. (present participle as adj.)

2023-07-03 Uncategorized

TR3. 764 “Ĭt ís nŏught góod ă slépy̆ng hóund tŏ wákĕ,
TR3. 765 Nĕ yéve ă wíght ă cáusĕ tó dĕvýnĕ:
TR3. 766 Yŏure wómmĕn slépĕn álle, Ĭ úndĕrtákĕ,
TR3. 767 Sŏ thát, fŏr hém, thĕ hóus mĕn mýghtĕ mýnĕ,
TR3. 768 Ănd slépĕn wóllĕn tíl thĕ sónnĕ shýnĕ.
TR3. 769 Ănd whán my̆ tálĕ bróught ĭs tó ăn éndĕ,
TR3. 770 Ŭnwíst, rĭght ás Ĭ cóm, sŏ wól Ĭ wéndĕ.

Line Information

Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
English translations (Windeatt: 1998): It’s not a good idea to wake sleeping dogs, nor to give anyone a cause for conjecture. I guarantee your women are all asleep—so that, for all they know, men could be undermining the house—and they’ll sleep until the sun shines. And when I’ve finished what I have to say I’ll leave just as undetected as I came.
Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): 眠っている猟犬を起こすのはよくないし、人に憶測の原因を与えるのもよくない。請け合ってもいい、お前の待女どもは皆眠っていて、待女どもに関する限り、家の下を掘れるほどぐっすりと寝て、しかも太陽が明るく輝くまで眠るだろうよ。私の言いたいことをすべて言い終えれば、気づかれずに、来た時と同じようにして、退散するよ。
Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 酣睡的狗是搅醒不得的，人也是一样不能使他心中猜疑；我相信你的女侍们都已睡着了，一直要到太阳上升才会醒，全屋子捣翻了，她们也不会警觉；等我先把话说完，我既悄悄地来，自当悄悄地去。

Word Information

Etymology: OE
Addresser: Pandarus
Addressee: Criseyde
Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
Noun(s) (NPs) modified: animals (hounds) or human beings
Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

OED: N1. a. (a) That is asleep; slumbering. Also absol. (s.v. sleeping, adj.)
MED: 1. (c) ~ lien, lien (and) ~, to lie asleep; ~ slep (nappinge), have a sleep; ~ no slep, not to sleep; ~ with eie (closed; ~ with open eie, ?sleep very lightly; ne ~ a (onlepi) wink; waken..~; ppl. sleped, asleep; ppl. slepinge, asleep, while asleep; also fig.; also, as noun: a person asleep; slepinge ben, be asleep; slepinge lien, lie sleeping; half slepinge half wakinge; slepinge and risinge (wakinge), wakinge and (ne) slepinge; (s.v. slẹ̄pen, v.)

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

asleep

Comments from the Editor

Pandarus is cautioning Criseyde against waking her maids. See also my comment of ‘dere’ (adj., Tr3.494).