Page:The Canterbury Tales and Faerie Queene.djvu/176

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162|THE CANTERBURY TALES.

Till that his paines were importable[1] And certainly the wreche[2] was reasonable, For many a mannë's gùttës did he pain; But from him purpose, cura'd'[3] and danmable, For all his smart he would him not restrain;

But bade anon apparailë[4] his host. And suddenly, ere he was of it ware, God daunted all his pride, and all his boast; For he so sore fell out of his chare,[5] That it his limbës and his skin to-tare, So that he neither mighte go nor ride; But in a chairë men about him bare. Allë forbruised bothë back and side.

The wreche[2] of God him smote so cruelly, That through his body wicked wormes crept. And therewithal he atank so horribly That none of all hia meinie[6] that him kept. Whether so that he woke or ellës slept, Ne mightë not of him the stink endure. In this mischíef he wailed and eke wept. And knew God Lord of every creatúre.

To all his host, and to himself also. Full wlatsom[7] was the stink of his carráin;[8] No mannë might him bearë to and fro. And in this stink, and this horrible pain, He starf[9] full wretchedly in a mountáin. Thus hath this robber, and this homicide. That many a mannë made to weep and plain. Such guerdon[10] as belongeth unto pride.

The story of Alexander is so commúne. That ev'ry wight that hath discretioún Hath heard somewhat or all of his fortúne. This widë world, as in conclusún,[11] He won by strength ; or, for his high renown, They werë glad for peace to him to send. The pride and boast of man he laid adown, Whereso he came, unto the worldë's end.

Comparison yet[12] never might be maked Between him and another conqueroúr; For all this world for dread of him had quaked; He was of knighthood and of freedom flow'r : Fortfiue him made the heir of her honoúr. Save wine and women, nothing might assuage His high intent in armës and laboúr, So was he full of leonine couráge.

What praise were it to him, though I you told Of Darius, and a hundred thousand mo', Of kingës, princes, dukes, and earlës bold. Which he couquér'd, and brought them into woe? I say, aa far as man may ride or go. The world was his, why should I more devise[13] For, though I wrote or told you evermo', Of his knighthood it mightë not suffice.

Twelve years he reigned, as saith Maccabee; Philippë's son of Maoedon he was, That first was king in Greece the countrý'. O worthy gentle[14] Alexander, alas


That ever should thee fallë such a case! Empoison'd df thine owen folk thou were; Thy six[15] Fortúne hath tum'd into an ace.

And yet for thee she weptë never a tear. Who shall me givë tearës to complain The death of gentiléss, and of franchise,[16] That aU this worldë had in his demaine,[17] And yet he thought it mightë not suffice, So full was his coráge[18] of high emprise? Alas! who shall me helpë to indite Falsë Fortúne, and poison to despise? The whichë two of all this woe I wite.[19]

By wisdom, manhood, and by great laboúr. From humbleness to royal majesty Up rose he, Julius the Conqueroúr, That won all th' Occident,[20] by land and sea. By strength of hand or elles by treatý, And unto Romë made them tributarý; And since[21] of Romë the emperor was he. Till that Fortúnë wax'd his adversáry.

O mighty Caesar, that in Thessaly Against Pompeius, father thine in law,[22] That of th' Oriént had all the chivalry, As far as that the day begins to daw, That through thy knighthood hast them take and slaw,[23] Save fewë folk that with Pompeius fled; Through which thou put all th' Orient in awe ; Thankë Fortúnë that so well thee sped.

But now a little while I will bewail This Pompeius, this noble governór Of Romë, which that fled at this battaile ; I say, one of his men, a false traitór. His head off smote, to winnë him favór Of Julius, and him the head he brought; Alas! Pompey, of th' Orient couquerór. That Fortune unto such a fine[24] thee brought!

To Rome again repaired Julius, With his triumphë laureate full high; But on a time Brutus and Casaius, That ever had of his estate envý, Full privily have made conspiracý Against this Julius in subtle wise; And cast[25] the place in which he shouldë die, With bodëkins,[26] as I shall you devise.[27]

This Julius to the Capitó1ë went Upon a day, as he was wont to gon; And in the Capitol anon him hent[28] This falsë Brutus, and his other fone, And sticked him with bodëkins anon With many a wound, and thus they let him lie. But never groan'd he at no stroke but one. Or else at two, but if[29] the story lie.

So manly was this Julius of heart, And so well lo'd estately honesty,[30] That, though his deadly woundës sorë smert,[31] His mantle o'er his hippës cast{{subst:e}} he, That no matt should{{subst:e}} see his privity

  1. ↑ Unendurable
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vengeance.
  3. ↑ Impious.
  4. ↑ Prepare.
  5. ↑ Chariot.
  6. ↑ Servants.
  7. ↑ Loathsome; from Anglo-Saxon, "wlætan," to loathe.
  8. ↑ Body.
  9. ↑ Died.
  10. ↑ Recompense.
  11. ↑ Unendurable.
  12. ↑ Moreover.
  13. ↑ Tell.
  14. ↑ Noble.
  15. ↑ The highest cast on a dicing-cube; here representing the highest favour of fortune.
  16. ↑ Generosity.
  17. ↑ Government, dominion.
  18. ↑ Spirit.
  19. ↑ Blame.
  20. ↑ West.
  21. ↑ Afterwards.
  22. ↑ He had married his daughter Julia to C{{subst:ae}}sar; but she died six years before Pompey's final overthrow.
  23. ↑ Slain; at the battle of Pharsalia, B.C. 48.
  24. ↑ End.
  25. ↑ Arranged.
  26. ↑ Baggers.
  27. ↑ Belate.
  28. ↑ Assailed.
  29. ↑ Unless.
  30. ↑ Dignified propriety.
  31. ↑ Pained him;
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