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Prima Pars. "Sirs," quod I, "sith of your curtesye I entred am into your companye And admitted a tale for to telle By hym that hath power to compelle (I mene our hoste, governour, and guyde Of yow echon ridyng her beside), Thogh that my wit barayn be and dul, I wol reherce a story wonderful, Towchinge the siege and destruccioun Of worthy Thebees the myghty royal toun, Bylt and begonne of olde antiquité, Upon the tyme of worthy Josué, Be dyligence of kyng Amphioun, Chief cause first of his fundacioun, For which his fame which nevere shal away, In honure floureth yit unto this day, And in story remembred is and preised. But how the wallys weren on heghte reised, It is wonder and merveil forto here. But if ye list, I shal yow platly lere The maner hool shortly in sentence, Under support of youre pacience, As writ myn auctour and Bochas bothe two. Rede her bookes and ye shal fynde it so, How this kyng, thys prudent Amphyoun, With the swetnesse and melodious soun And armonye of his swete song The cyté bylt that whilom was so strong, Be vertue only of the werbles sharpe That he made in Mercuries harpe, Of which the strenges were not touched softe, Wherby the walles reised weren alofte, Withoute craft of eny mannys hond, Ful yoor agon myd of Grekes lond; Which is a thing of poetes told, Nevere yseyn neither of yong nor old. But as Bochas list to specifie, Cler expownyng this derke poysye, Seith Mercurye, god of eloquence, Gaf be the myght of hevenly influence Unto this kyng at his nativité Thorgh glade aspectes that he shulde be Most excellent be craft of rethorik, That in this world was non to hym lik; Which signyfieth to hem that ben prudent The musycal, the lusty instrument (I mene the harpe most melodious), Gove to this kynge be Mercurius; And his song, this auctour can yow teche, Was nothyng but the crafty speche Of this kyng ycalled Amphioun; Wherby he made the contrés envyroun To han such lust in his wordes swete That were so plesaunt, favourable, and mete In her eerys that shortly ther was noon Disobeysaunt with the kyng to goon, Whersoevere that hym list assigne. His cheer, his port was outward so benygne That thorgh his styring and exortacioun With hym they went to byld first this toun And forsook ecch man his contré Be on assent to make this cyté Royal and riche that lich was nowher noon. And thus the wallis made of lym and stoon Were reysed first be syngyng of this kyng, Lich as poetys feyne in her writyng, Passyng rich and royal of entaille. Her may ye see how myche may avaylle The goodlihed and lownesse of a kyng, And specealy in cher and in spekyng To his lyeges and to bern hym fayre In his apport and shewe hym debonayre And nat to bene to straunge ne soleyn In contenaunce outward be disdeyn; Which causeth ofte, who that can adverte, Grete hatred in the puples herte, And therupon prively wol rowne, Whan a prynce doth upon hem frowne, Shortly deme for al his excellence, Among hemsilf out of his presence, Everych conclude lich his fantasye. And thus ful ofte gendred is envye In folkes hertes of soleynté and pryde, For swich as list nat onys loke asyde To reward hem whan they lowe loute. And ageyn kynde it is, out of doute, That eny hed be recorde of the wyse Shuld the foot of disdeyn despyse Which bereth hym up, who so can take hede, And susteneth in his moste nede As his pyler and his sowpowayle. For fynaly ne wer the porayle Her berer up and supportacioun, Farwel lordshyp and domynacioun Thorghoute the world of every hegh estat! Wherfor me semeth mor is fortunat Of Mercurye the soote sugred harpe Than Mars swerd whetted kene and sharpe, Mor accepted with asspectis goode Than is this god with his lokes woode. For humble speche with glad contenaunce May a prynce sothly mor avaunce Among his puple hertes forto wynne Of inward love which that wol not twynne, Than gold, rychesse, pride, or tyranye, Oyther disdeyne, daunger, or surquedye. For of lordes - clerkes can reporte - But that love her crowne do supporte, The fyn ys nought in conclusioun. I take record of kyng Amphyoun That bylte Thebes be his elloquence Mor than of pride or of violence, Noble and riche that lik was nowher non, And thus the walles mad of lym and stoon Were reised first be syngyng of this kyng, Lich as poetes feyn in her wryting. But sothly yit some expositours, Groundyng hem upon olde auctours, Seyn that Cadmus the famous olde man Ful longe afor this cité first began, And the ground of the bieldyng sette, And the boundes be compas out he mette With thong outkorve of a boolys hyde, Whych envyroun strecche myghte wyde To get inne londe a ful large space Wherupon to byld a dwellyng place, And called was the soyle thus geten inne Whylom Boece of the bolys skynne. The name after into Thebes turned. But Cadmus ther hath longe not sojourned, Lik in story as it is compyled; For shortly he from thennys was exiled, Never after to dwelle in this toun, Be the knyghthode of this Amphioun, Which up parformeth riche for the noonys The cité Thebes of myghty squar stonys, As I yow tolde a litil heretoforn; And Cadmus thus hath his kyngdam lorn, Sceptre and crowne and his powere royal. Now have I told unto you ground of al, That ye wel knowe be informacioun Cleerly the pith and exposicioun Of this mater, as clerkes can you telle. It were but veyn lenger for to dwelle, To tary yow as in this matiere, Sith my tale which that ye shal here Upon oure waie wil lasten a longe while, The space as I suppose of seven myle. And now ye know first how Amphyoun Bylt and began this cité and this toun, Regnyng ther long aftere, as I rede. Of hym no more, for I wil procede To my purpoos that I first began, Not tellyng here how the lyne ran From kyng to kyng be successioun, Conveying doun the stok of Amphyoun Cereously be lyneal discent; But leve al this, pleynly of entent, To telle forth, in bookes as I rede, How Layus be processe gan succede To bere the croune in this myghty lond, Holdyng the sceptre of Thebes in his hond, Manly and wys duryng al his liff. And Jocasta called was his wyff, Ful wommanly the story seith certeyn, For a tyme thogh she were bareyn, Tyl Layus in ful humble wise To have a child did sacrifise Fyrst t'Apollo in his char so bright And Jubiter that hath so gret a myght, Besechyng hem with devout reverence To graunt only thorgh her influence That his request may excecuted be; And specially to goddesses thre He besoughte - Pallas and Juno And Dyane - forto helpe also That he be not defrauded of his bone. And his preyere accepted was ful sone, That fynaly thorgh his ryytys olde, Evene lik as his herte wolde, The queene Jocasta hath anon conceyved. Which, whan the kyng fully hath perceyved, He made in hast, hym lyst not to abide, Thorgh hys kyngdom massageres ryde Fro coost to coost the story can devyse, For dyvynoures and phylosophres wise, For such as weren famous physiciens And wel expert astronomyens To come in hast unto his presence To fynde out shortly in sentence, By craft only of calculacioun, The chyldes fate and disposicioun And therupon to geve a jugement, The root ytake at the ascendent, Trewly sought out be mynut and degré, The silfe houre of his natyvyté, Not forgete the hevenly mansiouns Clerly cerched be smale fracciouns, First be secoundes, tiers, and eke quartes On augrym stoones and on white caartes Ypreved out be diligent labour, In tables correcte devoyde of al errour, Justly soght and founde out bothe twoo, The yeeres collecte and expance also, Consydred ek be good inspeccioun Every hour and constellacioun And eche aspecte and lookes ek dyvers, Which were good and which also pervers, Wher they were toward or ellys at debat, Happy, welful, or infortunat. And fynaly, in conclusyoun, They founde Satourn in the Scorpioun, Hevy-chered, malencolik and loth, And woode Mars furious and wroth, Holdyng his sceptre in the Capricorn, The same hour whan this chyld was born, Venus dejecte and contrarious And depressed in Mercuryes hous; That the dome and jugement fynal Of thies clerkes, to speke in special, Be fatal sort which may not be withdrawe, That with his swerd his fader shal be slawe: Ther may no man helpe it nor excuse.    On whiche thyng the kyng gan sore muse, And cast he wolde on that other side Agayn her doom for hymsilf provide, Shape a way and remedy toforn, Biddyng the queene whan the chyld were born, Withoute mercy or moderly pyté, That he be ded: that may non other be. And in al hast lik as he hath sent, She obeyed his comaundement. With wooful herte and a pitous loke And face pale, her yonge sone she toke, Tendre and grene both of flessh and bonys, To certeyn men ordeyned for the noonys From poynt to poynt in al maner thing To execute the biddyng of the kyng. They durste not delay it nor abide, But to a forest that stood fer besyde, They took her wey and faste gan hem spede The kyngges wille to parforme in dede, Havyng therof passyng hevynesse. But whan that they beheelden the fairnesse Of the chyld and excellent beauté, In her herte they hadde grete pyté And pleynly cast - among hem was no stryf - That the child shulde han his lif. And anon ful hygh upon a tre, In a place that no man myght se, They henge hym up, the story kan reherce. But first his feet thorgh they gan to perce, And on bowes tendre, tough, and smale, They knet hym up shortly (this is no tale), Hym to preserve from bestys wild and rage, And after that token her viage Toward Thebes in alle the hast they may. But of fortune thilke same day With her houndes serchyng up and doun, The huntes went of kyng Poliboun Thorgh the forest game forto fynde, Some aforn and some cam behynde, And gan serch and seke wonder sore Among the hilles and the haltes hore. And as they reenge the trenchis by and by, They herde a noyse and a pitous cry Of thys chyld hangyng on the tre, And all at onys drowe forto se, And lefte not to they han hym founde, And toke hym doune and his fete unbounde, And bare hym hom unto Polyboun, Kyng of Archadye, the famous regioun. And whan that he first the chyld gan see, Of his woundes he hadde grete pyté To beholde his tender fete so blede, And called hym Edippus, as I rede, Which is to seyn (platly this no phage) Bored the feete, as in that langage. And first the kyng in his royal halle Made his men an norys forto calle, This yonge chylde to foster and to kepe With her milk that he nat ne wepe; And his leches he charged ek also, Til he were hool her dever forto do: Fully in purpoos, for the child was fair, After his day to maken hym his hayr For cause only, who so taketh hede, Sone hadde he noon be lyne to succede; And wher that he had a wif or noon, I fynde not and therfor lat it goon. But by processe of dayes and of yeeris, This Edyppus among his pleying feeris Was in his port passyng ful of pride, That non with hym myght in pees abide. In hert he was so inly surquydows, Malencolik, and contrarious, Ful of despyt and of hegh disdeyn, That no wight durst shortly hym withseyn; Til on a day he gan with oon debate To whoom he hadde specyaly grete hate, Which of rancour and of hasty tene, As he that myght his pride not sustene, Gan upon hym cruelly abrayde, And unto hym felly thus he saide. "Wherto," quod he, "artow so proude of port, Contrarie also ever in oure disport, Froward and felle lastyng evere in oon, As thow were lord of us everichon, And presumest fully in wyrchyng, Lik as thow were sone unto the kyng, And descended of his royal blood? But wher so be thow be wroth or wood, Thow art no thing, and thow list take hede, Appartenyng unto his kynrede But in a forest founden and unknowe, Whan thow were yonge. Therfor bere thee lowe! And uttrely remembre, yif thee lyst, Thy byrth and blood ar bothe two unwist. This the fyne shortly of my tale." Wherwith Edippus gan to wexe pale, And chaunge also cheer and contenaunce, And gan apoint in his remembraunce Word be word and feyned right nought, And felly mused in his owne thought, And cast he wold withoute more tarying The trouth enquere of Poliboun the kyng. And whan he saugh opportune space And the kyng in a sycré place, He hym bysoghte lowly on his kne To his request benignely to se, And that he wolde pleynly, and not spare, Of his byrth the trewe ground declare, And make hym sure of this thyng anon Yif he were his verrey sone or non. And Polyboun only of gentilles, Whan he beheeld the grete hevynesse Of Edippus and the wooful peyne, He gan dissimule and in manere feyne, Lik as he had be verrely his heyre. But mor and mor he falleth in dispeir And doune on knees oft ageyn gan falle, Hym conjuring be the goddes alle To telle trouth and nothyng to hide, Affermyng ek he wold nat abide Lenger with hym but ryden and enquere, Til tyme he may the verrey sothe lere In eny part of hap or of fortune. And for that he was so inportune In his desire, the kyng without abood Ceriously tolde how it stood, In a forest first how he was founde Upon a tre be the feet ybounde, And how he caste, in conclusioun, To make hym kyng of that regioun Aftere his day shortly forto telle. But Edippus wil no longer dwelle But took lieve and in hast gan ryde To a temple faste ther besyde Of Appollo, in storie as is tolde, Whos statue stood in a char of golde Of wheles four boornyd bright and shene; And within a spirit ful unclene, Be fraude only and fals collusioun, Answere gaf to every questioun, Bryngyng the puple in ful gret errour, Such as to hym dyden fals honour Be rytys used in the olde dawes Aftere custome of paganysmes lawes. And Edyppus with ful humble chere To Appollo maked his preiere, Besechyng hym on his knees lowe Be some signe that he myghte knowe, Thorg evidence shortly comprehendyd, Of what kynrede that he was discendyd. And whan Edyppus be gret devocioun Fynysshed hath fully his orysoun, The fend anon withinnen invisyble With a vois dredful and horrible Bad hym in hast taken his viage Toward Thebes wher of his lynage He heren shal and be certefied. And on his way anon he hath hym hyed, By hasty journé so his hors constreyned Day be day til he hath atteyned Unto a castel Pylotes ycalled, Rich and strong and wel aboute walled, Adjacent be syyt of the contré And perteynent to Thebes the cyté: Kyng Layus beyng ther present Forto holde a maner tornement With his knyghtes yong and coraious And other folkes that were desyrous To preve hemsilf, shortly forto telle, Who by force oyther myght excelle Or gete a name thorgh his hegh prouesse. Everich of hem dyd his bysynesse On horsbak and also ek en foote, Al be that some founde ful unsoote (Rather a pley of werre than of pees), Wher Edyppus put hymsilf in prees, As he that was ay redy to debat, Enforsyng hym to entren at the gate, Maugré all tho that hym wolde lette. And in the pres of aventure he mette Kyng Layus and cruelly hym slogh, Thow the story writ not the maner howh, Ne no wight can of alle the companye Be no signe verrely espye By whos hond that the kyng was slawe; For Edyppus in hast gan hym withdrawe And kept hym coy of entencioun. Gret was the noyse and the pitous soun In the castel for slaughter of the kyng, Dooel and compleynt, sorowe and wepyng. But for they segh hevynesse and thoght Ageynes deth vayleth lit or noght, They ordeyne with ryytys ful royal For the feste called funeral. And lik the custom of the dayes olde, The corps they brent into asshes colde, And in a vessel rounde, mad as a bal, They closed hem in gold and in metal. And after that did her bysy cure In Thebes to make a sepulture, And richely, hem list no longer lette, The asshen did they enclose and shette: Of this matere ther nys no mor to seyn. But to Edippus I wil retourne ageyn, Which hym enhasteth ay fro day to day Towardes Thebes in al that evere he may, Brennyng in herte hoot as eny fire The fyn to knowe of his fatal desire. But for that he failed of a guyde, Out of his way he wente fer beside Thorgh a wylde and a waast contré, By a mounteyn that stood upon the see, Wher that monstres of many dyvers kynde Were conversaunt, in story as I fynde; Amonges which sothly ther was on, So inly cruel that no man durst gon For drede of deth forby that passage. This monstre was so mortal in his rage, Which hadde also, be descripcioun, Body and feet of a fers lyoun; And lik a mayde in soth was hede and face, Fel of his look and cruel to manace, And odyous of countenaunce and sight; And as I rede, Spynx this monstre hight, Wors than tygre, dragon, or serpent. And I suppose by enchauntement He was ordeyned on the hyl t'abyde, To sleen all tho that passeden besyde And specially all that diden fayle To expowne his mysty dyvynaile, His problem ek in wordes pleyn and bare Withoute avys opynly declare, Or with the lif he myghte not eskape: This verray soth platly and no jape. And yif that he, be declaracioun, Gaf therupon cleer exposicioun, He shuld in hast - there was non other mene - Sleen this monstre for al his cruel tene: Ther may of mercy be non other graunte.    But of al this Edyppus ignoraunte, This dredful hill stondyng on a roche, Er he was war, gan ful nygh approche, More perilous platly than he wende. And sodeynly the monster can descende To stoppen his way and letten his passage, Thus abraydyng with a fel corage: "I have in herte inly gret disport That fortune hath broght thee to my sort To make a preef yif thow mayst endure The fatal ende of this aventure, Set at a fyn sothly be daies olde." And by and by al the caas hym tolde, Charging hym to be wel war and wise, Gete the palme and bere away the pryse Touchyng this thyng sette atwene us tweyn, With lyf or deth which we shal dareyn. And this monstre with a despitous chere His problem gan thus, as ye shal here. "Ther is a beest merveilous to se, The which in soth at his nativyté Is of his myght so tender and so grene That he may hymsilve nat sustene Upon his fete, thogh he hadde it sworn, But yif that he be of his moder born. And afterwardes be processe of age, On foure fete he maketh his passage; After on thre, if I shal not feyne, And alderlast he goth upright on tweyne, Dyvers of port and wonderful of cherys, Til, be length of many sondry yeeres, Naturely he goth ageyn on thre, And sith on foure (it may non other be) And fynaly (this the trouthe pleyn) He retourneth kyndely ageyn To the matere which that he kam fro. Loo her is al my problem is ido. Muse herupon withoute werre or stryff It to declare or ellis lese thy lyff." And whan Edyppus gan this thing adverte, Wel assured in his manly herte, Gan in his wytt cerchen up and doun, And of prudence cast in his resoun Be grete avis what thyng this may be, Seyng also that he may not flee, And how ther was counsel noon ne rede, But telle trouth or ellys to be dede, And be ful good deliberacioun Thus he answerd in conclusioun. "Thowe Spynx," quod he, "fals and fraudulent, Thow vyle monstre, thow dragon, thow serpent, Which on this hyl lich as I conceyve, Lyst in awaite folkes to deceyve, But truste wel, for al thy sleghty wit, Thy fals fraude shal anon be qwyt. Me list not nowe whisper neither rowne, But thy problem I shal anon expowne So opynly thow shalt not go therfro. Loo, this it is - tak good hede therto. Thilke best thow spak of hertoforn, Is every man in this world yborn, Which may not gon (his lymes be so softe), Bot as his moder bereth hym alofte In her armes, whan he doth crye and wepe. And after that he gynneth forto crepe On foure feet in his tendre youth, B'experience as it is ofte kouth, Aforn yrekned his hondes bothe two. And by processe, thow mayst consider also With his two fete, for al thy felle tene, He hath a staf hymselven to sustene, And than he goth shortly upon thre. And altherlast, as it most nedes be, Voyding his staf, he walketh upon tweyn, Til it so he thorgh age he atteyn, That lust of youthe wasted be and spent; Than in his hond he taketh a potent, And on thre feet thus he goth ageyn - I dar afferme thow maist it not withseyn - And sone aftere thorgh his unweldy myght, By influence of Naturys right, B'experience as every man may knowe, Lich a child on foure he crepeth lowe. And for he may no whyl here sojourne, To erth ageyn he most in hast retourne, Which he kam fro - he may it not remewe. For in this world no man may eschewe (This verray soth shortly and no doute) Whan the wheel of kynde cometh aboute And naturely hath his cours yronne Be circuete, as doth the shene sonne, That man and chyld of hegh and lowe estat, It geyneth nat to make mor debat, His tyme sette that he moste fyne, Whan Antropos of malice doth untwyne His lyves thred by Cloto first compowned. Loo, her thy problem fully is expowned, At oure metynge as I took on honde, To the lawe that thow most nedes stonde And in al hast of myn hondes deye, But of reson thow can it ought withseye." And so this Spynx, awapyd and amaat, Stood disamayed and dysconsolaat With chier dounecast muet, pale, and ded. And Edippus anon smote of the hed Of this fende stynkyng and unswete, And the contré sette holy in quyete, Wherby he hath such a pris ywonne That his fame is every cost yronne Thorgh al the londe that he the monstre hath slawe.    And lyneright to Thebes he gan drawe, Wel receyved for his worthynesse, For his manhode and his grete prouesse. And for they segh he was a semly knyght, Wel favoured in every mannys sight, And sawh also Thebes the myghty toun, Not only they but al the regioun, Weren destitut of a governour, Ageynst her foon havyng no socour Hem to defend but the quene allon, Among hemself makyng ful gret mon, For heire was non, as bookes specifie, The sceptre or crowne forto occupie, For which the lordes all be on assent Withinne the toun set a parlement, Shortly concludyng, if it myghte ben, Prudently to trete with the quene, Namely they that helde hemsilf most sage, To condescende be way of mariage She to be joyned to this manly knyght, Passing prudent and famous ek of myght, Most likly man, as they can discerne, The worthy cyté to kepen and governe. And thorgh counsayl of the lordes alle To her desyre pleynly she is falle And accorded withoute mor tarying That of Thebes Edippus shal be kyng By ful assent - was non that seide nay. And tyme set ageyn a certeyn day Among hemsilf and finaly devysed, The weddyng was in Thebes solempnyzed Ful ryally, which nedes most unthryve, Only for he his moder toke to wyve, Unwist of both he was of her blode, And ignoraunt, shortly, how it stode That he toforn hadde his fadere slawe, For which this weddyng was ageyn the lawe. And tofor God is neither feire ne good Nor acceptable blood to touche blood, Which cause hath ben of gret confusioun In many londe and many regyoun, Grounde and roote of unhap and meschaunce, The fyn concludyng alway with vengeaunce, As men han seie by cleer experience. And holy writ recordeth in sentence How Herodes falsly in his lyff By violence toke his brother wyf, For she was faire and plesaunt to his sight, And kepte her stille be fors thorgh his myght, Al be to her he hadde title non; And for her sake the holy man Seynt John For his trouth in prison lost his hede. Therfor I rede every man take hede, Wherso he be prynce, lorde, or kyng, That he be war t'eschewe such weddyng, Er that the swerde of vengeaunce hym manace, Lest he lese hap, fortune, and grace, Takyng ensample in al manere thynge Of Edyppus in Thebes crowned kyng, Al be that he wroght of ignoraunce, Ful derk and blynde of his woful chaunce. And yif unwist he of innocence, As ye han herde, fil in such offence, For which he was punished and brought lowe, What ar they worthy that her errour knowe And fro the knotte list not to abstene Of such spousale, to God and man unclene? I can not seyn nor mor therof devise. Demeth yoursilf that prudent ben and wise And Edippus hath among in mynde, Of whom the weddyng, lik as ye may fynde, Unhappy was and passing odious, Infortuned and ungracious. I am wery mor therof to write; The hatful processe also to endyte I passe over, fully of entent. For Ymeneus was not ther present, Nor Lucyna list not ther to shyne, Ne ther was none of the Musys nyne By on accord to make melodye (For ther song not be hevenly armonye), Neither Clyo nor Calyopé, On of the sustren in nombre thries thre, As they dyde whan Philolegye Ascendid up hegh above the skye To be weddid, this lady vertuous, Unto hir lord the god Mercurius, As Marcian ynamed de Capelle In his book of weddyng can you telle, Ther concludyng in this mariage The poete that whilom was so sage That this lady, called Sapience, Iwedded was unto Eloquence, As it sat wel, by hevenly purveaunce, Hem to be joyned be knot of aliaunce. But bothe two, sothly, of entent At the weddyng in Thebes were absent, That caused after grete adversité. For fynal eende of that solempnyté Was sorowe and woo and destruccioun, Utter ruyne of this royal toun. Ther may no man helpe it nor socoure, For a tyme in joye thogh they floure.    But at this weddyng, platly forto telle, Was Cerberus, chief porter of helle; And Herebus, fader to hatrede, Was ther present with his hool kynrede, His wiff also with her browes blake, And her doghtren sorow forto make, Hydous-chered and uggely forto see, Megera and Thesiphonee, Allecto ek with Labour and Envie, Drede and Fraude and Fals Trecherie, Tresoun, Poverté, Indigence, and Nede, And cruel Deth in his rente wede, Wrechednesse, Compleynt, and eke Rage, Ferful pale Derknesse, croked Age, Cruel Mars as eny tygre wood, Brennyng ire of unkynde blood, Fraternal Hate depe sett the rote, Save only deth that ther nas no bote, Assuryd othes at the fyn untrewe: All thise folk weren at this weddyng newe, To make the towne desolat and bare, As the story after shal declare.    But ay in Thebes with his walles stronge Edyppus regneth many day and longe. And as myn autour writ in wordys pleyn, By Jocasta he had sones tweyn, Ethyocles and also Polymyte, And, in bokes as sondry clerkes write, Doghtres two ful goodly on to se, Of which the ton hight Antygone, And that other called was Ymeyne, Of her beauté inly sovereyn. Edyppus, ay devoyde of werre and strif, With Jocasta ladde a mery lyf Tyl fortune of her iniquyté Hadde envie of his prosperité. For whan he shon most riche in his renoun, From her wheel she plonged hym adoun Out of his joye into sodeyn wo, As she is wonte frowardly to do, And namely hem that setten her affiaunce Of erthly trust in her variaunce. For whan this kyng passing of gret myght, Sat with the quene upon a certeyn nyght, Casuelly whan his folk echon Out of chambre sodeynly wer gon, Or he was war Jocasta gan byholde The carectys of his woundes olde, Upon his fete enprented wonder depe, Turnyng her face brast out forto wepe So secrely he myght it not espie. And she anon fille into a fantasie, Ay on thys thyng musyng mor and more, And in her bed gan to sighe sore. And whan the kyng conceyveth her distresse, He gan enquere of her hevynesse Fully the cause and occasioun, For he wil wite, in conclusioun, What her eileth and why she ferde so. "My lorde," quod she, "withoute wordes mo, Parcel cause of this sodeyn rage Is for that I in my tender age Had a lorde inamed Layus, Kyng of this toune, a man right vertuus, Be whom I hadde a sone wonder fair, Likly tabene his successour and hair; But by cause his dyvynours tolde At his birthe sothly that he sholde, Yif he have lyf, be fatal destanyé Sleen his fader (it may non other be); For which the king his fate to eschewe Bad me in hast, as hym thoghte dewe, To sle the childe and have therof no routh. And I anon bad withoute slouth To certeyn men, up peyne of jugemente, To execute the comaundemente Of the king, as I gaf hem in charge. And forth they gon to a forest large Adjacent unto this contré, Percen his fete, and honge hym on a tre, Nat parfourmyng th'execucioun: (On hym they hadde such compassioun), Lefte hym ther, and hom resort ageyn, Beyng in doute and in non certeyn At theyre repeire, as they tolden alle, Of this childe what afterward is falle, Save they saide huntys han hym founde, Which lad hym forth and his feet unbounde But to what coost they coude not declare. Which parcel is of myn evel fare, Grounde and cause of myn hevy chere, Considred ek the woundes that appere Upon youre fete, and woot not what they mene. And on thyng ay is at myn herte grene, My lord, allas, but of newe date: Kyng Layus slayen was but late At a castel nygh by this contré, Upon youre comyng into this cité. Al this yweied and rekned into on Maketh myn herte hevy as a ston, So that I can counsel non nor rede." And with that word the kyng lift up his hede, And abrayd with sharpe sighes smerte, And al this thing be ordre gan adverte, Ceriously be good avisement, And by signes cleer and evident Conceyveth wel, and sore gan repente It was hymsilf that Jocasta mente. And whan the quene in manere segh hym pleyn, By her goddes she gan hym to constreyne To shewen out the cause of his affray, And it expowne, and make no delay, Crop and root shortly, why that he Entred first into that contré, Fro when he kam and fro what regioun. But he hir put in dilusioun, As he had done it for the nonys, Til at laste he brak out atonys Unto the queene and gan a processe make First how he was in the forest take, Wounded the feet and so forth everythyng, Of his chershing with Polyboun the kyng, And hool the cause why he hym forsoke, And in what wise he the weye toke Toward Thebes as Appollo bad, And of fortune how that he was lad Wher that Spynx kepte the mounteyn; And how that he slough also in certeyn Kyng Layus at the castel gate, Towardes nyght whan it was ful late; And how to Thebes that he gan hym spede To fynden oute the stok of his kynrede: Which unto hym gan to wexe couth; For by processe of his grene youth He fonde out wel, be reknyng of his lif, That she was both his moder and his wif. So that al nyght and suing on the morow Atwene hem two gan a newe sorowe, Which unto me were tedious to telle; For therupon, yif I shulde dwelle, A long space it wolde occupie. But ye may reden in a tragedye Of moral Senyk fully his endynge, His dool, his meschief, and his compleynyng, How with sorow and unweldy age This Edippus fille into dotage, Lost his wit and his worldly delit, And how his sones had hym in despit, And of disdeyn tok of hym no kepe, And bookes seyn his eyen out he wepe. And as myn auctour liketh to devise, As his sones rebuke hym and dispise, Upon a day in a certeyn place Out of his hede his eyen he gan race And cast at hem, he can non other bote; And of malice they trad hem under fote, Fully devoide both of love and drede.    And whan Edippus for meschief was thus dede, Withinne a pytte made in the erthe lowe Of cruelté his sones han hym throwe, Wers than serpent or eny tigre wood. Of cursid stok cometh unkynde blood, As in story ye may rede her toforn, Al be the roos grow out of a thorn. Thus of Edippus, whan he was blynd and old, The wrecched ende I ha you pleynly told. For which shortly to man and child I rede To be wel war and to taken hede Of kyndely right and of conscience To do honur and dieu reverence To fader and moder of what estat thei be, Or certeyn ellis they shul nevere the. For who that is not to hem debonayr In spech, in port for to trete hem fair, Hem to obeye in honesté and drede, And to cherissh of what they han nede, I dar afferme - exceptyng non astat - That he shall first be infortunat In alle his werk both on see and lond, And of what thyng that he take on hond Fortune froward to hym and contrayre, Wayst of his good, pleynly and appaire, Fynde plenté of contek, werre, and striff, Unhappy ende and shortnesse of liff, And gracelees of what he hath at do, Hatrede of God and of man also. Therfor no man be herof reklees, But make youre myrour of Ethiocles And his brother called Polymyte, Which in such thyng gretlich were to wite, As ye shal here of hem how it fil. And whan we ben descendid doune this hil And ypassed her the lowe vale, I shal begynne the remnant of my tale. Explicit Prima Pars istius codicilli. Incipit Secunda Pars Eiusdem.

since; (t-note) understanding; empty (t-note) Founded Joshua; (see note) aloft wish; openly teach whole author; Boccaccio; (see note) (see note) sound (t-note) once tunes Mercury's Long ago, in the middle of seen; (see note) Boccaccio wished; mention interpreting (see note); (t-note) Gave by in lively; (see note) Given; by author all around have; pleasure suitable their ears; (see note) direct countenance; demeanor; (see note); (t-note) By one (t-note) mortar by Just; portray Exceedingly; design Here; (see note) humility appearance; (see note) conduct himself comportment; gracious; (see note) too reserved nor sullen external appearance foresee people's [they] will whisper judge imagination hearts of haughtiness such; wish not once to look bow against nature evidence (see note) pillar; support were not the poor people Their sweet sharpened mad; (see note) (see note) pass away; (t-note) Or; resistance; pride (t-note) Unless; (t-note) end; nothing; (t-note) witness; (see note) Who mortar Just; describe truly; (see note) authors; (see note) Say before measured cut out; bull's around (see note) Long ago Boeotia because of; bull's afterwards gathered thence (see note) By completed purposely lost the basis substance (see note) Since (t-note) line of descent; (see note) by Transmitting; family Successively by the course of time did (see note) Very (see note) chariot who them disappointed; prayer rituals Just as (t-note) haste; did not wish; delay tell soothsayers haste; (t-note) significance astrology child's; location of astral influences; (see note); (t-note) (see note) base of calculation (see note); first astrological house one sixtieth of a degree very forgotten; astrological houses sought by; fractions thirds; also stones for calculation; treatises Computed by (t-note) (see note); (t-note) also by (t-note) astrological position (see note) favorable; in conflict; (see note) (see note) Saturn; house of Scorpio; (see note) Gloomy; hostile mad; angry (see note) without influence; adverse; (see note) powerless; (see note) So that; opinion [was] to; particular; (see note) fated destiny; avoided did; ponder plan; in response Against their prophecy beforehand motherly slain: it cannot be otherwise haste entrusted young for the occasion far hastened themselves exceeding their decided; disagreement have immediately relate through; pierce boughs tied; in short savage journey haste by chance that very their huntsmen; Polibon sought very eagerly grey woods go along; forest paths (see note) immediately approached until unbound carried Arcadia saw feet; to bleed Oedipus plainly; lie Pierced (t-note) nurse nourish physicians whole their duty intending; (t-note) on his death; heir Because by line of descent whether; (see note) playmates behavior exceedingly tranquility inwardly prideful Morose; contentious intense scorn no one dare; contradict argue Who; anger bear Did; shout fiercely Why; are you; manner Contentious; games; (see note) Perverse; cruel always As if; each one most presumptuous in your doings whether; angry; mad in no way, if; wish Belonging; family unknown conduct yourself humbly fully; if; wish; (t-note) unknown end grow face; appearance arrange; (t-note) eagerly pondered; (t-note) planned seek private; (t-note) humbly; entertain If; forbear (t-note) immediately If; true out of kindness sorrow dissemble; falsify As if; were truly; heir did beseeching by Declaring also; remain search out real truth discover by change because; persistent delay In sequence (t-note) by planned death (t-note) haste did close chariot With wheels; burnished; gleaming inside; foul; (see note) By gave people By rituals observed; days Following; (t-note) very prayer family prayer fiend immediately inside; (t-note) haste; journey lineage informed hastened urged onward reached (t-note) by location belonging; (t-note) tournament; (see note) courageous themselves either Each one; them; diligent endeavor Although; dreadful war the thick of the fight always; fight Striving Despite; those; hinder; (see note) throng by chance slew; (see note) Though; how person By; truly observe slain haste quiet on purpose pitiful sound Grief; lament Because; saw avails little or nothing prepare; rituals burned shaped enclosed applied themselves they did not wish to delay shut Who; hastens always as quickly as he can heart hot outcome because he lacked desolate; (see note) against; sea habitually dwelling truly; one dare go past terrible Who; (see note) fierce lion woman savage Sphinx; was called commanded slay; those who explain; obscure riddle consultation complete truth plainly; trick if in haste Slay; despite; hate allowance did; closely imagined did; (t-note) block Shouting; bitter amusement power test whether; (t-note) deadly outcome Established; truly circumstances Advising triumph; prize settle by combat pitiless look (see note) power Unless; carried feet Afterwards; lie last of all Differing; behavior; strange; manner by goes afterwards; otherwise naturally from done Ponder; war solve; else lose consider (see note) mind to search considered With much thought advice else by said (t-note) Who; understand Lies; ambush sly immediately be repaid I do not wish; nor speak quietly riddle; explain from that; (see note) The same; earlier born Who; walk Except creep known His two hands stretched out in front of him in time bitter hatred last of all Setting aside reaches vigor Then; staff contradict soon; impotent Nature's because haste escape; (t-note) avoid; (see note) complete; in short Nature bright sun struggle die Atropos (one of the Three Fates); unwind life's; Clotho (another Fate); formed riddle; solved undertook [According] to; condition; answer haste at my hands Unless; deny amazed; overwhelmed face; mute, livid; colorless off; head dreadful fully in tranquility glory won everywhere spread widely slain straightaway (t-note) because; saw; handsome their foes Them; queen themselves; complaint heir in agreement called negotiate wisest agree also suitable their; she accedes delay there was no one who appointed celebrated necessarily must fail because Unbeknownst to either of them; blood before; slain before misfortune source; ill luck end seen opinion Herod brother's force Although; right; (t-note) advise avoid; (t-note) Before lose chance Although he acted out of; (see note) if unknowing; innocently have overthrown; (t-note) deserving who their; (t-note) wish marriage Judge; who keep in mind without grace (see note) purposely Hymenaeus (god of marriage) Diana (as goddess of childbirth) wished one Clio (muse of history); Calliope (mother of Orpheus); (see note) One; sisters; three times three Philology Mercury Martianus Capella (see note) who once Wisdom Since it was proper Them; bond truly, with purposeful intention outcome plainly; (see note) gatekeeper Erebos, father whole family daughters Dreadful looking Tisiphone (t-note) torn clothes (t-note) mad Burning; unnatural deeply rooted; (see note) Except for; remedy; (see note) Sworn; end (see note) explain author two Eteocles; Polynices various the one was named Antigone; (t-note) Ismene plunged adversely them; their faith her mutability By chance; each one Before scar burst notice immediately; imagining Always; concentrating realized inquire know pains; feared said; in brief A portion; illness named powerful By; exceedingly to be; heir soothsayers truly avoid Commanded; appropriate pity delay on (t-note) gave them went Belonging carrying out such returned return happened huntsmen have Who conveyed region; say state of mind sad appearance appear do not know one; fresh recent recently close At weighed; taken together I know; advice cried out; bitter consider From beginning to end; deliberation Understood saw; lament urge disclose; consternation Branch and root (i.e., the whole thing) whence false impression for the occasion at once narration taken all slew (t-note) family began to be known the tale of following on until morning them; (t-note) if (see note) Seneca (see note to line 994) grief; sorrow; lamentation decrepit fell pleasure sons; contempt; (t-note) out of scorn; care tell how; eyes author; tell mistreat eyes; tear out them; knows; relief trod them; foot awe; (see note) (see note) Into; pit have mad; (t-note) unnatural Although; rose have advise (see note) natural; (see note) due; (t-note) father; mother; whatever social rank; (t-note) otherwise; thrive courteous; (see note) behavior Them; with decorum and reverence care for; (t-note) social rank undertake adverse; (t-note) Destruction; property; weakened dissension ill-fortuned blame happened passed (see note); (t-note)