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The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge, The ringes on the temple-dore that honge, And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, Of which Arcita som-what him agaste. The fyres brende upon the auter brighte, That it gan al the temple for to lighte; And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf, And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, And more encens in-to the fyr he caste, With othere rytes mo; and atte laste The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe. And with that soun he herde a murmuringe Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, ‘Victorie:’ For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie. And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare, Arcite anon unto his inne is fare, As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne. The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge, The ringes on the temple-dore that honge, And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, Of which Arcita som-what him agaste. The fyres brende upon the auter brighte, That it gan al the temple for to lighte; And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf, And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, And more encens in-to the fyr he caste, With othere rytes mo; and atte laste The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe. And with that soun he herde a murmuringe Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, ‘Victorie:’ For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie. And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare, Arcite anon unto his inne is fare, As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.
And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne For thilke graunting, in the hevene above, Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love, And Mars, the sterne god armipotente, That Iupiter was bisy it to stente; Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, That knew so manye of aventures olde, Fond in his olde experience an art, That he ful sone hath plesed every part. As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage; In elde is bothe wisdom and usage; Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede. Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde. And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne For thilke graunting, in the hevene above, Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love, And Mars, the sterne god armipotente, That Iupiter was bisy it to stente; Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, That knew so manye of aventures olde, Fond in his olde experience an art, That he ful sone hath plesed every part. As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage; In elde is bothe wisdom and usage; Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede. Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde.

Original Text

Modern Text

The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge, The ringes on the temple-dore that honge, And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, Of which Arcita som-what him agaste. The fyres brende upon the auter brighte, That it gan al the temple for to lighte; And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf, And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, And more encens in-to the fyr he caste, With othere rytes mo; and atte laste The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe. And with that soun he herde a murmuringe Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, ‘Victorie:’ For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie. And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare, Arcite anon unto his inne is fare, As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne. The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge, The ringes on the temple-dore that honge, And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, Of which Arcita som-what him agaste. The fyres brende upon the auter brighte, That it gan al the temple for to lighte; And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf, And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, And more encens in-to the fyr he caste, With othere rytes mo; and atte laste The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe. And with that soun he herde a murmuringe Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, ‘Victorie:’ For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie. And thus with Ioye, and hope wel to fare, Arcite anon unto his inne is fare, As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne.
And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne For thilke graunting, in the hevene above, Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love, And Mars, the sterne god armipotente, That Iupiter was bisy it to stente; Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, That knew so manye of aventures olde, Fond in his olde experience an art, That he ful sone hath plesed every part. As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage; In elde is bothe wisdom and usage; Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede. Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde. And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne For thilke graunting, in the hevene above, Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love, And Mars, the sterne god armipotente, That Iupiter was bisy it to stente; Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, That knew so manye of aventures olde, Fond in his olde experience an art, That he ful sone hath plesed every part. As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage; In elde is bothe wisdom and usage; Men may the olde at-renne, and noght at-rede. Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde.