TR2. 463 Ǎnd wíth ǎ sórowfǔl sík shě sáydě thríě,
TR2. 464 "Ǎ, Lórd! Whǎt mé ǐs tíd ǎ sóry̌ cháuncě!
TR2. 465 Fǒr mýn ěstát lǐth ín ǎ júpǎrtíě,
TR2. 466 Ǎnd ék my̌n éměs líf ǐs ín bǎláuncě;
TR2. 467 Bǔt náthělés, wǐth Gódděs góvěrnáuncě,
TR2. 468 Ǐ shál sǒ dóon, my̌n hónǒur shál Ǐ képě,
TR2. 469 Ǎnd ék hǐs líf" -- ǎnd stýntě fór tǒ wépě.

Line Information

• Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
• English translations (Windeatt: 1998):
• And with a sorrowful sigh she said three times over:
• ‘Ah, Lord! What miserable luck has come my way! For my position is in jeopardy, and my uncle’s life hangs in the balance too. But nevertheless, with God’s guidance, I’ll act in such a way that I’ll preserve my honour and his life as well—’ and she stopped crying.
• Japanese translations (Sasamoto: 2012): そして悲しそうなため息をついて三度言った。「ああ、やれやれ、わたしに何たる不運が生じたのでしょう！わたしの立場は危機に瀕しているのですもの。叔父様の命も危ないわ。でも、神のお迎きによりまして、こういたしましょう、わたしは体面を保ち、叔父様の命も守りましょう。」そして泣くのを止めた。
• Chinese translations (Fang: 1956): 她悲叹起来，再三苦诉道，“呀，上天！我倒了什么霉！现在我的祸福难测，舅父的生命都不保；可是我还须保全我的名，救住他的命，愿神指引我；”这时她收住了泪。

Word Information

• Etymology: OE
• Addresser: Criseyde
• Addressee: N/A
• Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
• Counterpart in its source (Fil): N/A
• Noun(s) (NPs) modified: fortune or luck (Criseyde’s luck)
• Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

• OED: Not quoted
• MED: 4. (b) unlucky, unfortunate; ~ chaunce (grace), ~ chaunce (chek, cut, grace); in ~ houre, at an inauspicious time; in imprecation: carl (riotour) with ~ grace, confounded rascal (reveler) (s.v. sōrī, adj.)

• Commented in other previous works:
• Windeatt (2003: 70): A, Lord! What me is tid a sory chaunce: Ah, Lord! What an unhappy fate has befallen me (me is tid)!
• Fisher (1989: 426): what me is tyd a sory chaunce: what a misfortune has befallen me
• Benson (1987: 495): What me is tid a sory chaunce: what an unhappy fate has befallen me
• Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
• Donaldson (1975): N/A
• Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

unlucky, unfortunate

Comments from the Editor

Chaucer incorporates lines 2.421–500 into the narrative, wherein Pandarus succeeds in forcing Criseyde to love Troilus. See also my comment of ‘cruel’ (adj., Tr2.435).