TR5.1821 Ănd ín hy̆msélf hĕ lóugh rĭght át thĕ wó TR5.1822 Ŏf hém thăt wéptĕn fór hĭs déth sŏ fástĕ, TR5.1823 Ănd dámpnĕd ál ŏure wérk thăt fólŏweth só TR5.1824 Thĕ blýndĕ lúst, thĕ whích thăt máy năt lástĕ, TR5.1825 Ănd shóldĕn ál ŏure hérte ŏn hévĕn cástĕ; TR5.1826 Ănd fórth hĕ wéntĕ, shórtly̆ fór tŏ téllĕ, TR5.1827 Thĕr ás Mĕrcúry̆e sórtĕd hým tŏ dwéllĕ.
Line Information
- Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
- English translation (Windeatt: 1998): … and in himself he simply laughed outright at the grief of those who wept so much for his death, and condemned all our actions that are so much in pursuit of blind pleasure, which cannot endure, when we should turn our whole heart towards heaven. And, to be brief, he went forth to the place where Mercury assigned him to dwell.
- Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): 彼は自分の死に大声をあげて泣く人びとの悲しみを見て即座に笑い、心をすべて天に向けるべき時に、永続し得ない盲目的欲望を必死に追い求めるわれらの一切の行動を責めて、そうして、手短に言うと、メルクリウスが彼に割り当てた住処へと旅立ったのである。
- Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 他看见那些为他哀哭的人们，反令他不禁失笑；他责斥我们还在盲逐这空暂的欢乐，而不知在天上求得幸福。他于是走向默格雷所指定的去处停留。
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: pleasure (lust)
- Attributive/ Predicative: attributive
Information in Previous Studies
- OED: Not quoted
- MED: Not quoted
- 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
misguided; mistaken, erroneous;
Comments from the Editor
This scene when Troilus’s spirit ascends to the heavens’ eighth sphere comes from Boccaccio’s Teseida 11.1–3, where the poet describes the death of Arcita. Troilus laughs at people weeping for his death. By using this scene, the poet wants to conclude and emphasise that the only real, unchangeable love is the love of God. Mercury is said to be the guide of souls to the lower world.