2407
“Nay,
for soþe,”
indeed
quod
þe
segge,
knight
&
sesed
seized
hys
helme,
helmet
"Nay, forsooth," says Gawayne,
2408
&
hatȝ
takes
hit
of
off
hendely,
courteously
&
þe
haþel
knight
þonkkeȝ,
thanks
2409
“I
haf
have
soiorned
stayed
sadly,
long enough
sele
good fortune
yow
bytyde,
may befall
"I have sojourned sadly, but bliss betide thee!
2410
&
he
ȝelde
may repay for
hit
yow
ȝare,
fully
þat
who
ȝarkkeȝ
ordains
al
menskes!
honours
2411
&
comaundeȝ
commend
me
to
þat
cortays,
gracious lady
your
comlych
beautiful
fere,
companion
Commend me to your comely wife and that other lady who have beguiled me.
2412
Boþe
þat
on
one
&
þat
oþer,
myn
honoured
ladyeȝ.
2413
Þat
þus
hor
their
knyȝt
wyth
hor
kest
trick
han
have
koyntly
adroitly
bigyled.
deceived
2414
Bot
hit
is
no
ferly,
wonder
þaȝ
if
a
fole
fool
madde,
act madly
But it is no marvel for a man to be brought to grief through a woman's wiles.
2415
&
þurȝ
through
wyles
wiles
of
wymmen
be
wonen
brought
to
sorȝe;
grief
2416
For
so
watȝ
Adam
in erde
in the world
with
by
one
bygyled,
deceived
Adam, Solomon, Samson, and David were beguiled by women.
2417
&
Salamon
Salomon
with
by
fele sere,
many and various (women)
&
Samson
eft soneȝ,
next
2418
Dalyda
Delilah
dalt
dealt
hym
hys
wyrde,
fate
&
Dauyth
David
þer-after
after that
2419
Watȝ
blended
deluded
with
by
Barsabe,
Bathsheba
þat
much
bale
misery
þoled.
endured
2420
Now
since
þese
were
wrathed
brought to grief
wyth
by
her
their
wyles,
hit
were
would be
a
wynne
gain
huge,
great
2421
To
luf
love
hom
them
wel,
&
leue
believe
hem
them
not,
a
leude
man
þat
couþe,
could
How could a man love them and believe them not?
123b
2422
For
þes
these
wer
were
forne[1]
of old
þe
freest
noblest men
þat
whom
folȝed
followed
alle
þe
sele,
good fortune
2423
Ex-ellently
pre-eminently
of
above
alle
þyse
oþer,
others
vnder heuen-ryche,
beneath the heavens
2424
þat
mused;
thought (=lived)
2425
&
alle
þay
were
bi-wyled,
deluded
2426
With[2]
by
wymmen
þat
þay
vsed,
had dealings with
2427
Þaȝ
though
I
be
now
bigyled,
deluded
Though I be now beguiled, methinks I should be excused.
2428
Me
þink
it seems to
me burde
I ought to
be
excused.”
`Nay, forsooth,' quoth Gawain, and he seized his helmet, gracefully doffed it, and thanked the Green Knight. 'Sadly have I sojourned, and may joy betide thee from Him who hath all men in His keeping. Commend me to that courteous one thy noble lady, and to the ancient dame, my honoured ladies who have so cunningly beguiled me. It is no wonder if a fool go mad in loving, and through the wiles of a woman be brought to sorrow, for so was Adam beguiled by one woman and Solomon by many; and to Samson, Delilah dealt him his weird, and David was beguiled by Barsabe, through whom he suffered great loss. All these were troubled by the wiles of women. Great joy it would be to love them well, and believe them not, if a man could do it. For of those who under heaven
have mused,
All of them were beguiled
By women that they used;
Though I be now be-wiled
I think I am excused.'
Text and side-notes from Richard Morris (1869). Interlinear glosses from Brunetti. Translation from Ernest Kirtlan's Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: Rendered Literally Into Modern English.
Sources integrated and rendered by James K. Tauber.