#  Hoccleve's Translation of The Epistle of Cupid by Christine da Pisan 

 



*The text is lightly glossed; see the glossary in the Riverside Chaucer for words not defined here.*

Sort

**Cupido, unto whos commandement** 







**The gentil kinrede of goddes on hy**



on high, above



**And peple infernal been obedient,** 







**And the mortel folk seruen bisyly,** 





5

**Of goddesse Sitheree sone oonly,**



only son of . . . Citherea (Venus)



**To alle tho that to our deitee**



tho = those



**Been sogettes greetinges senden we.**



subject















**In general, we wole that yee knowe** 







**That ladies of honour and reverence** 





10

**And other gentil wommen han ysowe**



sown, distrubuted



**Swich seed of complainte in our audience** 

hearing



**Of men that doon hem outrage and offense** 





**That it our eres greeveth for to heere,**



grieves our easrs to hear



**So pitous is th' effect of hir mateere;** 





15

**And passing alle londes on this yle**



isle, island



**That clept is Albioun they moost complaine;**

is called



**They sayn that ther is croppe and roote of guile,**

top and bottom (i.e., everything) of guile



**So can tho men dissimulen and faine**



Those men so well know how



**With standing dropes in hir eyen twaine,**

their two eyes

20

**Whan that hir herte feeleth no distresse.**

their heart



**To blinde wommen with hir doublenesse,**

their hypocrisy















**Hir wordes spoken been so sighingly** 







**And with so pitous cheere and contenance,** 





**That every wight that meeneth trewely** 



25

**Deemeth that they in herte han swich greuance.** 





**They sayn so importable is hir penance**



unbearable















**That but hir lady list to shewe hem grace**

unless their lady desires



**They right anoon moot sterven in the place.**

immedately must die















**A, lady min, they sayn, "I yow ensure,** 





30

**Shewe me grace and I shal evere be,** 







**Whiles my lif may lasten and endure,** 







**To yow as humble in every degree** 







**As possible is, and keepe al thing secree** 





**As that yourselven liketh that I do;** 





35

**And elles moot min herte breste on two."**

must . . . burst















**Ful hard is it to knowe a mannes herte,** 





**For outward may no man the truthe deeme** 





**Whan word out of his mouth may ther noon sterte,** 





**But it sholde any wight by reson queeme**

please

40

**So is it seid of herte, it wolde seeme.** 







**O faithful womman, ful of Innocence,** 







**Thou art betrayed by fals apparence!** 



















**By procees wommen, meved of pitee,**



moved by pity



**Weening al thing were as that tho men saye,**

supposing . . . those

45

**Granten hem grace of hir benignitee,**



grant them (i.e., men)



**For they nat sholden for hir sake deye,**



die



**And with good herte sette hem in the weye** 





**Of blisful love -- keepe it if they konne!** 





**Thus other while been the wommen wonne.** 















50

**And whan the man the pot hath by the stele,**

steel (handle)



**And fully of her hath possessioun,** 







**With that womman he keepeth nat to dele**

cares not to deal



**After, if he may finden in the toun**



afterwards



**Any womman his blind affeccion** 





55

**On to bestowe -- foule moot he preeve!** 





**A man for al his ooth is hard to leeve.** 



















**And for that every fals man hath a make,**

mate



**As unto every wight is light to knowe,**



easy



**Whan this Traitour the womman hath forsake** 



60

**He faste him speedeth unto his felowe;** 





**Til he be ther his herte is on a lowe,**



fire, flame



**His fals deceit ne may him nat suffise,** 







**But of his treson telleth al the wise.** 



















**Is this a fair avaunt? Is this honour**



boast

65

**A man himself to accuse and diffame?** 







**Now is it good confesse him a traitour,** 







**And bringe a womman to a sclaundrous name,** 





**And telle how he hir body hath doon shame;** 





**No worship may he thus to him conquere** 



70

**But ful greet repreef unto him and here.**

reproof















**To her nay yit was it no repreef,**



denial 



**For al for pitee was it that shee wroghte;** 





**But he that breewed hath al this mescheef,** 





**That spak so fair and falsly inward thoghte --** 



75

**His be the shame as it by reson oghte;** 







**And unto her thank perpetuel** 







**That in a neede helpe can so wel.** 



















**Althogh that men by sleighte and sotiltee**

trickery . . . craftiness



**A sely, simple, and ignorant womman**



innocent

80

**Betraye is no wonder, syn the Citee**



since



**Of Troie, as that the storie telle can,**



history



**Betrayed was thurgh the deceit of man,** 





**And set afir and al doun overthrowe,** 







**And finally destroyed as men knowe.** 

















85

**Betrayen men nat Remes grete and kinges?**

realms



**What wight is, that can shape a remedie** 





**Againes false and hid purposed thinges?** 





**Who can the craft tho castes to espye,** 







**But man whos wil ay reedy is t' applye** 





90

**To thing that souneth into hy falshede?**

tends to . . . high



**Wommen, be waar of mennes sleighte, I rede;** 

















**And ferthermore han the men in usage,** 





**That wheras they nat likly been to speede** 





**Swiche as they been with a double visage,** 



95

**They procuren for to pursue hir neede;** 





**He prayeth him in his cause proceede** 







**And largely him quiteth his travaille;** 







**Smal witen wommen how men hem assaille.** 

















**To his felawe another wreche sayth,**





100

**Thou fishest fair! Shee that hath thee fired**





**Is fals and inconstant and hath no faith.** 





**Shee for the rode of folk is so desired**



riding



**And as an hors fro day to day is hired,**







**That whan thou twinnest from hir compaignie**



105

**Another comth and blered is thin eye.**



bleared (tricked)















**Now prike on faste and ride thy journeye;** 





**Whil thou art ther, shee behinde thy bak** 





**So liberal is shee can no wight withsaye,**

refuse



**But quikly of another take a snak,** 





110

**For so the wommen faren al the pak.** 







**Whoso hem trusteth hanged moot he be!** 





**Ay they desiren chaunge and noveltee.** 

















**Wherof procedeth this but of envye?** 







**For he himself here ne winne may,**



Since

115

**Repreef of her he speketh and villenye**



vilainy



**As mannes labbing tonge is wont alway.**

gabbing . . . accustomed



**Thus sundry men ful often make assay** 







**For to disturbe folk in sundry wise**



ways



**For they may nat acheven hir emprise.** 

















120

**Ful many a man eek wolde for no good** 





**That hath in love spent his time and used** 





**Men wiste his lady his axing withstood**



refused his request



**And that he were of his lady refused,**



If



**Or waast and vain were al that he had mused**

empty

125

**Wherfore he can no bettre remedie**



knows



**But on his lady shapeth him to lie:**



intends















**Every womman, he sayth," is light to gete;**

easy



**Can noon sayn `nay' if shee be wel ysoght.**

pursued 



**Whoso may leiser han with hir to trete**



have leisure . . . converse

130

**Of his purpos ne shal he faille noght."** 







**But on madding he be so deepe broght**



in madness



**That he shende al with open hoomlynesse**

ruin



**That loven wommen nat as that I gesse.** 

















**To sclaundre wommen thus what may profite**

slander

135

**To gentils namly that hem armen sholde**

arm themselves



**And in deffense of wommen hem delite**

delight



**As that the ordre of gentillesse wolde**



would (require)



**If that a man list gentil to be holde**



considered



**Al moot he flee that is to it contrary**



All must he

140

**A sclaundring tonge is therto Aduersary.** 

















**A foul vice is of tonge to be light** 







**For whoso mochil clappeth gabbeth ofte**

speaks muh often lies



**The tonge of man so swift is and so wight** 





**That whan it is araised up on lofte** 



raised

145

**Reson it sueth so slowly and softe**



follows



**That it him nevere overtake may.** 







**Lord, so the men been trusty at assay!**



trial (when tested)















**Al be it that men finde o womman nice,**

one . . . foolis



**Inconstant, rechelees, or variable**



heedless of rules

150

**Deinous, or proud, fulfilled of malice,**



disdainful



**Withoute faith or love and deceivable,** 







**Sly, queinte and fals, in al unthrift coupable,**

foolshness culpable



**Wikked and feers and ful of crueltee --**



fierce 



**It folweth nat swiche alle wommen be.** 















155

**Whan that the hy god angels fourmed hadde**

high



**Among hem alle whether ther was noon**

(whether is not translated)



**That founden was malicious and badde?** 





**Yis, men wel knowen ther was many oon** 





**That for hir pride fel from hevene anoon.** 



160

**Shal man therfore alle angels proude name?** 





**Nay, he that that susteneth is to blame.** 

















**Of twelue apostles oon a traitour was;** 







**The remanaunt yit goode were and true.** 





**Thanne, if it happe men finden par cas**



by chance

165

**O womman fals, swich is good for t' eschewe**

One



**And deeme nat that they been alle untrue.** 





**I see wel mennes owne falsenesse** 







**Hem causeth wommen for to truste lesse.** 

















**O, every man oghte han an herte tendre** 



170

**Unto womman and deeme her honurable,** 





**Whether his shap be either thikke or sclendre**

fat or thin



**Or he be badde or good; this is no fable.** 





**Every man woot that wit hath resonable**

Every man who has a reasonable mind knows



**That of a womman he descended is.** 





175

**Than is it shame speke of hir amis.** 



















**A wikked tree good fruit may noon foorth bringe** 





**For swich the fruit is, as that is the tree.** 





**Take heede of whom thou took thy beginninge** 





**Lat thy moder be mirour unto thee;** 





180

**Honoure her if thou wilt honoured be.** 







**Dispise thou nat her in no maneere** 







**Lest that therthurgh thy wikkednesse appeere.**

through that















**An old proverbe seid is in English** 







**Men sayn that brid or foul is dishonest,**



bird

185

**What so it be, and holden ful cherlish** 







**That wont is to deffoule his owne nest.** 





**Men to saye of wommen wel it is best** 







**And nat for to despise hem ne deprave**







**If that hem list hir honour keepe and save.** 















190

**Ladies eek complainen hem on clerkes** 







**That they han maad bookes of hir deffame**

their slander



**In whiche they lakken wommennes werkes**

criticize



**And speken of hem greet repreef and shame**

reproof



**And causelees hem yeue a wikked name.**

give them

195

**Thus they dispised been on every side** 







**And sclaundred and belowen on ful wide.**

bellowed (talked about) 















**Tho wikked bookes maken mencion** 







**How they betrayeden in special** 







**Adam, Dauid, Sampson, and Salomon** 





200

**And many oon mo. Who may rehercen al**

many one more



**The tresoun that they have doon and shal?** 





**Who may hir hy malice comprehende?**



Who can their high



**Nat the world, clerkes sayn; it hath noon ende.** 

















**Ovide in his book called Remedie**



Remedy (Remedia amoris)

205

**Of Love greet repreef of wommen writeth,**

reproof



**Wherin I trowe he dide greet folie** 







**And every wight that in swich cas deliteth;** 





**A clerkes custume is whan he enditeth**



custom . . . composes



**Of wommen, be it prose rym or vers,**



rhyme

210

**Sayn they be wikke, al knowe he the revers.**

To say . . . although















**And that book scolers lerne in hir childhede** 





**For they of wommen be waar sholde in age,** 





**And for to love hem evere been in drede,** 





**Syn to deceive is set al hir corage.**



Since . . . heart (desire)

215

**They sayn peril to caste is avantage;**



consider, plan for



**Namely swich as men han in be trapped,** 





**For many a man by wommen han mishapped** 

















**No charge what so that the Clerkes sayn** 





**Of al hir wrong wryting do we no cure** 





220

**Al hir labour and travaille is in vain** 







**For betwixt us and my lady Nature** 







**Shal nat be suffred whil the world may dure** 





**Clerkes by hir outrageous tirannye** 







**Thus upon wommen kithen hir maistrye**

make known their













225

**Whilom ful many of hem were in our chaine** 





**Tied and -- lo! -- now what for unweeldy age** 





**And for unlust may nat to love attaine** 







**And sayn that love is but verray dotage;** 





**Thus for that they hemself lakken corage** 



230

**They folk exciten by hir wikked sawes** 







**For to rebelle again us and our lawes.** 



















**But maugree hem that blamen wommen moost** 





**Swich is the force of oure impressioun** 







**That sodeinly we felle can hir boost** 





235

**And al hir wrong imaginacioun** 







**It shal nat been in hir elleccioun** 







**The foulest slutte in al a town refuse** 







**If that us list, for al that they can muse.** 

















**But her in herte as brenningly desire** 





240

**As thogh shee were a duchesse or a queene** 





**So can we mennes hertes sette on fire** 







**And as us list hem sende joye and teene** 





**They that to wommen been ywhet so keene**

whetted (eager for) 



**Our sharpe strokes how sore they smite** 



245

**Shul feele and knowe and how they kerve and bite.** 

















**Pardee, this greet clerk, this sotil Ovide**



subtle



**And many another han deceived be** 







**Of wommen, as it knowen is ful wide.** 







**What no men more and that is greet daintee** 



250

**So excellent a clerk as that was he** 







**And other mo that koude so wel preche** 





**Betrapped wern for aght they koude teche.** 

















**And trusteth wel that it is no meruaille** 





**For wommen knewen plainly hir entente** 



255

**They wiste how sotilly they koude assaille** 





**Hem and what falshode in herte they mente** 





**And tho Clerkes they in hir daunger hente** 





**With o venym another was destroyed** 



venom



**And thus the Clerkes often were anoyed** 















260

**Thise ladies ne gentils nathelees**



These



**Weren nat they that wroghten in this wise**

manner



**But swiche filthes that wern vertulees**



were without virtue



**They quitten thus thise olde Clerkes wise** 





**To clerkes forthy lesse may suffise** 





265

**Than to deprave wommen generally**



defame



**For honour shuln they gete noon therby.**

shall















**If that tho men that lovers hem pretende** 





**To wommen weren faithful, goode, and true,** 





**And dredden hem to deceive and offende,** 



270

**Wommen to love hem wolde nat eschewe;** 





**But every day hath man an herte neewe** 





**It upon oon abide can no while.**



it cannot remain on one



**What force is it swich oon for to beguile?** 

















**Men beren eek the wommen up on honde**

i.e., decieve

275

**That lightly and withouten any paine** 







**They wonne been; they can no wight withstonde** 





**That his disese list to hem complaine.** 







**They been so freel they mowe hem nat restraine.**

frail . . . may



**But whoso liketh may hem lightly have** 



280

**So been hir hertes esy in to grave.** 



















**To Maistir Iohn de Meun as I suppose** 







**Than it was a lewde occupacioun** 







**In makinge of the Romance of the Rose**

--



**So many a sly imaginacioun** 





285

**And perils for to rollen up and doun --** 







**So long procees, so many a sly cautele,**



trick



**For to deceive a sely damoisele!**



innocent















**Nat can we seen, ne in our wit comprehende** 





**That art and paine and sotiltee may faille**

taking pains . . . subtlty

290

**For to conquere and soone make an ende,** 





**Whan man a feeble place shal assaille,** 







**And soone also to venquishe a Bataille** 







**Of which no wight dar make resistence,** 





**Ne herte hath noon to stonden at deffense.** 















295

**Than moot it folwen of necessitee** 







**Syn art asketh so greet engin and paine**

ingenuity



**A womman to deceive, what shee be,**



whatever



**Of constance they been nat so bareine**



barren



**As that some of tho sotil clerkes feine,** 





300

**But they been as that wommen oghten be:** 





**Sad, constaunt, and fulfilled of pitee** 



















**How freendly was Medea to Jasoun**



Medea (see Chaucer, LGW)



**In the conquering of the flees of gold!** 







**How falsly quitte he her affeccion,** 





305

**By whom victorie he gat as he hath wold.** 





**How may this man for shame be so bold** 





**To falsen her that from deeth and shame** 





**Him kepte and gat him so greet prys and name?** 

















**Of Troie also the traitour Eneas**





310

**The feithlees man how hath he him forswore** 





**To Dido that Queene of Cartage was**



Dido (see Chaucer, LGW)



**That him releeved of his greeves sore.**



troubles, griefs



**What gentillesse mighte shee do more** 







**Than shee with herte unfeined to him kidde?**

made known

315

**And what mescheef to her of it betidde!** 

















**In our Legende of Martyrs may men finde**

i.e., Chaucer's Legend of Good Women



**Whoso that liketh therin for to rede** 







**That ooth noon ne beheste may men binde;**

promise



**Of repreef ne of shame han they no drede;** 



320

**In herte of man conceites true arn dede;**

true thoughts are dead



**The soile is naght; ther may no trouthe growe.** 





**To womman is hir vice nat unknowe** 



















**Clerkes sayn also ther is no malice** 







**Unto wommannes crabbed wikkednesse.** 



325

**O womman, how shalt thou thyself chevice,**

sustain



**Syn men of thee so mochil harm witnesse?** 





**Yee, strah! Do foorth! Take noon hevynesse!**

straw!



**Keepe thin owne, what men clappe or crake**

whatever men may say



**And some of hem shuln smerte, I undertake.**

shall suffer for it













330

**Malice of wommen what is it to drede?** 





**They slee no men, destroyen no citees,** 





**They nat oppressen folk, ne overlede,**



overwhelm



**Betraye Empires, Remes, ne Duchees,**



realms



**Ne men bereve hir landes ne hir mees,**



sustenance

335

**Folk enpoisone or houses sette on fire,** 





**Ne fals contractes maken for noon hire.** 

















**Trust parfit love and enteer charitee,**



entire, perfect



**Fervent wil and entalented corage.** 







**To thewes goode as it sit wel to be**



manners 

340

**Han wommen ay of custume and usage;** 





**And wel they can a mannes ire assuage** 





**With softe wordes discreet and benigne** 





**What they been inward sheweth owtward signe.** 

















**Wommannes herte to no crueltee** 





345

**Enclined is; but they been charitable** 







**Pitous, devout, ful of humilitee,** 







**Shamefast, debonair, and amiable,** 







**Dreedful, and of hir wordes mesurable;** 





**What womman thise hath nat par aventure** 



350

**Folweth nothing the way of hir nature.** 



















**Men sayn our firste moder nathelees**



mother



**Mede al mankinde leese his libertee**



to lose



**And naked it of joye doutelees,**



denuded



**For goddes heeste disobeyed shee**



command

355

**Whan shee presumed to ete of the tree** 





**Which god forbad that shee nat ete of sholde,** 





**And nad the feend been, no more she wolde.**

nad = ne hadde, had not















**Th' envious swelling that the feend our fo** 





**Had unto man in herte for his welthe** 





360

**Sente a serpent and made her to go** 







**To deceive Eve; and thus was mannes welthe** 





**Bereft him by the feend right in a stelthe,** 





**The womman nat knowing of the deceit.** 





**God woot ful fer was it from hir conceit!**

mind













365

**Wherfor we sayn this good womman Eve** 





**Our fadir Adam ne deceived noght** 







**Ther may no man for a deceit it preeve** 





**Proprely, but if that shee in hir thoght** 







**Had it compassed first or it was wroght;**

plotte

370

**And for swich was nat hir impressioun,** 





**Men calle it may no deceit by resoun** 



















**No wight deceiveth but he it purpose** 







**The feend this deceit caste and nothing shee.** 





**Than is it wrong for to deeme or suppose** 



375

**That shee sholde of that guilt the cause be.** 





**Witeth the feend and his be the maugree,**

ill will



**And for excused have hir innocence,** 







**Sauf oonly that shee brak obedience.** 



















**Touchinge which, ful fewe men ther been --** 



380

**Unnethes any dar we saufly saye --** 







**Fro day to day as men mowe wel seen,** 





**But that the heeste of god they disobeye.**

command



**This have in minde, sires, we yow preye** 





**If that yee be discreet and resonable** 





385

**Yee wole hir holde the more excusable** 

















**And wher men sayn in man is stedfastnesse** 





**And womman is of hir corage unstable,** 





**Who may of Adam bere swich witnesse?** 





**Telleth on this: was he nat changeable?** 



390

**They bothe weren in a cas semblable,** 







**Sauf willingly the feend deceived Eve.** 







**So dide shee nat Adam, by your leeve!** 



















**Yit was that sinne happy to mankinde:** 







**The feend deceived was for al his sleighte.** 



395

**For aght he koude him in his sleightes winde,** 





**God to discharge mankinde of the weighte** 





**Of his trespas cam doun from hevenes heighte,** 





**And flesh and blood he took of a virgine,** 





**And souffred deeth man to delivere of pine.**

pain













400

**And god fro whom ther may nothing hid be,** 





**If he in womman knowe had swich malice,** 





**As men of hem recorde in generaltee** 







**Of our lady of lif reparatrice**



restorer



**Nolde han be born; but for that shee of vice** 



405

**Was voide and of al vertu wel he wiste** 







**Endowed of her be born him liste.** 



















**Her heped vertu hath swich excellence**







**That al too weyk is mannes facultee**



weak



**To declare it; and therfore in suspense** 





410

**Her due laude put moot needes be.**



praises



**But this we witen verraily: that shee,** 







**Next god, the best freend is that to man longeth.** 





**The keye of mercy by hir girdil hongeth.** 

















**And of mercy hath every wight swich neede** 



415

**That, cessing it, farwel the joye of man!** 





**Of hir power it is to taken heede;** 







**Shee mercy may, wole, and purchace can;** 





**Displese her nat! Honureth that womman** 





**And other wommen alle for hir sake;** 





420

**And but yee do, your sorwe shal awake.** 

















**Thou precious gemme, martyr margarete,**

martyred pearl



**Of thy blood dreddest noon effusioun;** 







**Thy martyrdom ne may we nat foryete.** 





**O constant womman, in thy passioun** 





425

**Overcam the feendes temptacioun,** 







**And many a wight converted thy doctrine** 





**Unto the feith of god, holy virgine.** 



















**But understondeth: we commende hir noght** 





**By encheson of hir virginitee** 





430

**Trusteth right wel it cam nat in our thoght** 





**For ay we werreie again chastitee**



wage war



**And evere shal; but this leeveth wel yee:**

believe



**Her loving herte and constant to hir lay**



law



**Drive out of remembrance we nat may.** 















435

**In any book also wher can yee finde** 







**That of the wirkes or the deeth or lif** 







**Of Jhesu spekth or maketh any minde** 







**That wommen him forsook for wo or strif** 





**Wher was ther any wight so ententif** 





440

**Abouten him as wommen pardee noon** 





**Th' apostles him forsooken everichoon** 

















**Wommen forsook him noght for al the feith** 





**Of holy chirche in womman lefte oonly** 





**This is no lees for thus holy writ sayth** 





445

**Looke and yee shuln so finde it hardily** 







**And therfore it may preeved be therby** 





**That in womman regneth al the constaunce** 





**And in man is al chaunge and variaunce** 

















**Now holdeth this for ferme and for no lye** 



450

**That this treewe and just commendacioun** 





**Of wommen is nat told for flaterye** 







**Ne to cause hem pride or elacioun** 







**But oonly -- lo! -- for this entencioun** 







**To yeue hem corage of perseverance** 





455

**In vertu and hir honur to enhaunce** 



















**The more vertu, the lasse is the pride;** 







**Vertu so noble is and worthy in kinde** 







**That vice and shee may nat in feere abide** 





**Shee putteth vice cleene out of minde** 





460

**Shee fleeth from him shee leveth him behinde** 





**O womman that of vertu art hostesse,** 







**Greet is thin honur and thy worthynesse.** 

















**Than thus we wolen conclude and deffine:** 





**We yow commaunde our Ministres echoon** 



465

**That reedy been to our hestes encline** 







**That of tho men untrue, our rebel foon,**

foes



**Yee do punishement and that anoon** 







**Voide hem our Court and banishe hem for evere** 





**So that therinne they ne come nevere.** 

















470

**Fulfilled be it! Cessing al delay,** 







**Looke ther be noon excusacion.** 







**Writen in th' air the lusty monthe of May** 





**In our Paleys wher many a milion** 







**Of lovers true han habitacion** 





475

**The yeer of grace joyeful and jocounde** 





**One thousand four hundred and secounde.** 







***The text is from the edition (in progress) by Charles Blyth; used by permission.***