blind adj.

  blind 
 TR2.15 Whĕrfóre Ĭ nýl hăve néithĕr thánk nĕ blámĕ
 TR2.16 Ŏf ál thĭs wérk, bŭt préy yŏw mékĕlý,
 TR2.17 Dĭsblámĕth mé ĭf ány̆ wórd bĕ lámĕ,
 TR2.18 Fŏr ás my̆n áuctŏur séydĕ, só sĕy Í.
 TR2.19 Ĕk thóugh Ĭ spéeke ŏf lóve ŭnfély̆nglý,
 TR2.20 Nŏ wóndre ĭs, fór ĭt nóthy̆ng óf nĕwe ís;
 TR2.21 Ă blýnd măn kán năt júggen wĕl ín hĕwís.

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): For that reason I want neither thanks nor blame for all this work but humbly beg you to excuse me if any word be lame, for just as my author said, so say I! it is no wonder if I speak about love unfeelingly, for there is nothing new in that: a blind man cannot judge well between colours.
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): だから私はこの作品について感謝も非難も望まない。ただいずれの言葉が腰折れであろうとも責めないでくださいと、謙虚にお願いするだけ、何しろ原作者が語るままに、語るのだから。また愛について感情を込めずに語るとしても、不思議ではない、それは少しも新しいことではなく、盲人には色をうまく識別する能力はないのだから。
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 因此，凡我所述，褒贬都不是我所应得，如有不妥的字句，请你们不要责我，原作者说什么，我就说什么。我在谈爱的时候有些漠不关心，这也并不稀罕；反正一个瞎眼人是认不清颜色的。

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: human beings (man in general)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: (Quoted) 1. (b) ~ man, blind man; also, surname; ~ acenned, ~ born, born blind, congenitally blind; stark ~, start ~, ston ~, streight ~, completely blind, stone-blind; (s.v. blī̆nd, 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

(of the eyes) blind, sightless

Comments from the Editor

In the quotation above, the narrator claims he is loyal to the sources, and in the last three lines, he indicates that he does not know love well himself (like Pandarus, who also admits himself ‘blynd’ in love in 1.628). Besides, since the narrator formerly claimed that he serves the servants of the God of love (1.15), his role seems similar to that of Pandarus.