G. Chaucer - The Prioress

~Kuthors and texts
The Prioress
Geoffrey Chaucer
GENERAL PROLOGUE
In the Prologue to Canterbury Tales, Chaucer indudes representatives of ali social classes.
Among his pilgrims, there is aho a memher of the High Clergy, a Nun.
5
<
(Il
A68
Nun. Suora,
coy. Timida,
oath. Imprecazione.
By St Loy! Per Sanl'Eligio
(patrono degli orefici),
5 seemly. Conveniente,
decoroso, elegante,
daintily. Raffinatamente.
Stratford-atte- Bow.
/
Straifiird Bow, sobborgo
di Londra dove si trovava
un celebre convento
(Chaucer intende dire
che non parlava i l
francese come lo si
parlava in Krancia).
8. At meal... withal.
A (avola i suoi modi
erano educali in tutto,
9. morsel. Boccone.
10. dìpped. Intingeva.
11. zest. Gusto, piacere.
10
15
20
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12. sedately.
Compostamente.
13. straining to counIerfeiL
Si sforzava di simulare.
14. dealings. Modi.
15. bleeding. Sanguinante.
16. bitterly she wepl.
Piangeva amaramente.
17. made it smart. Gli faceva
del male.
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18. fair of spread. Spaziosa.
19. 1 own. Lo ammetto, lo
riconosco.
20. by no means
undergrown. E non
era per niente bassa di
statura.
21. coral trinket.
Braccialetto d i corallo.
22. A set of beads. Un
rosario.
23. the gaudies Iricked in
green. I grani più grossi
colorati di verde.
24. Whence. Da cui.
25. brooch. Spilla.
26. graven. Incisa.
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40
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There also was a N u n ' , a Prioress,
Her way o f smiling very simple and coy^.
Her greatest oath^ was o n l y ' B y St Loy!'*'
A n d she was k n o w n as Madam Eglantyne.
A n d well she sang a service, w i t h a fine
I n t o n i n g through her nose, as was most seemly^
A n d she spoke daintily^ in French, extremely,
After the school o f Stratford-atte-Bowe';
French in the Paris style she d i d not know.
A t meat her manners were well taught withal^;
N o morsel'' from her lips d i d she let fall,
N o r dipped"^ her fingers i n the sauce too deep;
But she could carry a morsel up and keep
The smallest drop f r o m faUing on her breast.
Por courtliness she had a special zest",
A n d she w o u l d wipe her upper Hp so clean
That not a trace o f grease was to he seen
U p o n the cup when she had d r u n k ; to eat,
She reached a hand sedately'' for the meat.
She certainly was very entertaining,
Pleasant and friendly i n her ways, and straining
To counterfeit" a courtly k i n d o f grace,
A stately hearing fìtting to her place.
A n d to seem dignified i n ali her dealings'^.
As for her sympathies and tender feelings,
She was so charitably solicitous
She used to weep i f she but saw a mouse
Caught i n a trap, i f it were dead or bleeding'^
A n d she had little dogs she w o u l d be feeding
W i t h roasted flesh, or m i l k , or fine white bread.
A n d bitterly she wept'^ i f one were dead
O r someone t o o k a stick and made it smart'';
She was ali sentiment and tender heart.
Her veil was gathered i n a seemly way,
Her nose was elegant, her eyes glass-grey;
Her m o u t h was very small, but soft and red,
Her forehead, certainly, was fair o f spread'*,
Almost a span across the brows, I own'"*;
She was indeed by no means undergrown-".
Her cloak, I noticed, had a graceful charm.
She wore a coral trinket-' on her arm,
A set o f beads--, the gaudies tricked in green",
Whence-"* hung a golden brooch-^ o f brightest sheen
O n w h i c h there first was graven-'' a crowned A ,
A n d lower, Artwr vincit omnia.