TR2.1 Ówt ŏf thĭse blákĕ wáwĕs fór tŏ sáyllĕ, TR2.2 Ŏ wýnd, ŏ wýnd, thĕ wédĕr gýnnĕth clérĕ; TR2.3 Fŏr ín thĭs sée thĕ bóot hăth swých trăváyllĕ, TR2.4 Ŏf mý cŏnnýng, thăt únnĕth Í ĭt stéerĕ. TR2.5 Thĭs sée clĕpe Í thĕ témpĕstóus mătérĕ TR2.6 Ŏf dísĕspéir thăt Tróĭlús wăs ínnĕ; TR2.7 Bŭt nów ŏf hópe thĕ kálĕndés by̆gýnnĕ.
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translation (Windeatt: 1998): O wind, O wind, the weather begins to clear, to sail out of these black waves, for in this sea the ship of my skill has such difficulty that I can scarcely steer it! This sea I call the tumultuous subject of despair that Troilus was in; but now begin the first days of hope.
- Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): この暗黒の波濤から帆を揚げて抜けるために、ああ風よ、ああ風よ、吹けよ、吹け、空は晴れ始めた。この海でわが詩才たる小船はほとんど舵を取れぬほどひどく難渋するから。この海はトロイルスが陥った絶望の心騒ぐ原因と言える。だが今希望の兆しが見え始めた。
- Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 船过了黑浪，啊，风呀，风呀，天际已逐渐开朗；在那惊涛之中我的船会经过无限的风波，我差些无力驾驭了：这片黑海我称之为特罗勒斯的失望潮：此刻已是希望年的开始。
Word Information
- Etymology: OE
- Addresser: Narrator
- Addressee: N/A
- Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
- Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
- Noun(s) (NPs) modified: weather and the atmosphere (wave (but in a figurative sense))
- Attributive/ Predicative: attributive
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: (Quoted) 3. (a) Without light, dark, dim, gloomy, murky; (s.v. blā̆k, adj.)
- 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
without light, dark, dim, gloomy, murky;
Comments from the Editor
Most previous studies seem to agree that lines 1–6 of this quotation resemble Dante’s Purgatorio (1.1–3). In the counterpart of Purgatorio, Dante’s poem leaves behind the Inferno to enter Purgatory, thus describing Troilus’s fortune (in Book II), which leaves despair for hope.
On the other hand, a sea voyage is a commonplace figure for poetic composition.