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Enter GOWER.
Enter GOWER.
GOWER
To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come,
Assuming man’s infirmities
To glad your ear and please your eyes.
5
It hath been sung at festivals,
On ember eves and holy days,
And lords and ladies in their lives
Have read it for restoratives.
The purchase is to make men glorious,
10
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times
When wit’s more ripe, accept my rhymes,
And that to hear an old man sing
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
15
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you like taper light.
This Antioch, then: Antiochus the Great
Built up this city for his chiefest seat,
The fairest in all Syria.
20
I tell you what mine authors say.
This king unto him took a peer,
Who died and left a female heir
So buxom, blithe, and full of face
As heaven had lent her all his grace;
25
With whom the father liking took
And her to incest did provoke.
Bad child, worse father! To entice his own
To evil should be done by none.
But custom what they did begin
30
Was with long use accounted no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame
To seek her as a bedfellow,
In marriage pleasures playfellow;
35
Which to prevent he made a law
To keep her still, and men in awe,
That whoso asked her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life.
So for her many a wight did die,
40
As yon grim looks do testify.
He indicates heads above the stage.
What now ensues, to the judgment of your eye
I give my cause, who best can justify.
GOWER
I, old Gower, have risen from the ashes to sing a song sung long ago. I’ve taken on a human form, in all its weaknesses, to please your eyes and ears. This song has been sung at festivals, on nights before fasting, and on holy days. Lords and ladies have often read it as a kind of medicine. It fills them with a sense of glory; and the older the song, the better. Although you’re used to modern art, if you will still listen to my old-fashioned rhymes—and maybe even enjoy them—then I hope to use this life I’ve given myself to sing them for you.
 
Here we have the city of Antioch. Antiochus the Great developed it to be his capital and the most beautiful city in all of Syria. My sources tell me that this king took a wife. She died, leaving Antioch with a daughter, the heir to his throne. She was lively, happy, and beautiful. Heaven had given her all the gifts it had to offer.
 
The father took a liking to her and pushed her to commit incest with him. You might call her a bad child, but he was certainly a much worse father! No one should lure their child toward evil. After a while, it became habit and no longer felt like a sin.
 
The beauty of this woman, who was dragged into sin, brought many princes around. They wanted to marry her for the pleasure of her company in bed. To prevent them, the king made a law that would protect his daughter and instill fear in the princes. Whoever asked for her hand in marriage would have to answer a riddle. If he couldn’t answer correctly, he would die. And so, many of these poor creatures died for her, as you can see by the horrible looks on their faces.
He points to a row of heads revealed above the stage.
Now, I’ll tell you my story, and you can judge with your own eyes what happened next.
He exits.
He exits.

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Original Text

Modern Text
Enter GOWER.
Enter GOWER.
GOWER
To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come,
Assuming man’s infirmities
To glad your ear and please your eyes.
5
It hath been sung at festivals,
On ember eves and holy days,
And lords and ladies in their lives
Have read it for restoratives.
The purchase is to make men glorious,
10
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times
When wit’s more ripe, accept my rhymes,
And that to hear an old man sing
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
15
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you like taper light.
This Antioch, then: Antiochus the Great
Built up this city for his chiefest seat,
The fairest in all Syria.
20
I tell you what mine authors say.
This king unto him took a peer,
Who died and left a female heir
So buxom, blithe, and full of face
As heaven had lent her all his grace;
25
With whom the father liking took
And her to incest did provoke.
Bad child, worse father! To entice his own
To evil should be done by none.
But custom what they did begin
30
Was with long use accounted no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame
To seek her as a bedfellow,
In marriage pleasures playfellow;
35
Which to prevent he made a law
To keep her still, and men in awe,
That whoso asked her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life.
So for her many a wight did die,
40
As yon grim looks do testify.
He indicates heads above the stage.
What now ensues, to the judgment of your eye
I give my cause, who best can justify.
GOWER
I, old Gower, have risen from the ashes to sing a song sung long ago. I’ve taken on a human form, in all its weaknesses, to please your eyes and ears. This song has been sung at festivals, on nights before fasting, and on holy days. Lords and ladies have often read it as a kind of medicine. It fills them with a sense of glory; and the older the song, the better. Although you’re used to modern art, if you will still listen to my old-fashioned rhymes—and maybe even enjoy them—then I hope to use this life I’ve given myself to sing them for you.
 
Here we have the city of Antioch. Antiochus the Great developed it to be his capital and the most beautiful city in all of Syria. My sources tell me that this king took a wife. She died, leaving Antioch with a daughter, the heir to his throne. She was lively, happy, and beautiful. Heaven had given her all the gifts it had to offer.
 
The father took a liking to her and pushed her to commit incest with him. You might call her a bad child, but he was certainly a much worse father! No one should lure their child toward evil. After a while, it became habit and no longer felt like a sin.
 
The beauty of this woman, who was dragged into sin, brought many princes around. They wanted to marry her for the pleasure of her company in bed. To prevent them, the king made a law that would protect his daughter and instill fear in the princes. Whoever asked for her hand in marriage would have to answer a riddle. If he couldn’t answer correctly, he would die. And so, many of these poor creatures died for her, as you can see by the horrible looks on their faces.
He points to a row of heads revealed above the stage.
Now, I’ll tell you my story, and you can judge with your own eyes what happened next.
He exits.
He exits.

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