The Goddesse of Surrye (16-20)

Me liketh what men seyn of the seyntuarye that acorden fulle wel to hem of Grece,that demen the goddesse Iuno and the seyntuarye mad of Bachus, Semeles sone. For withouten doubte Bachus cam to Surrye in that passage in the whiche he wente to Ethiope. And in the temple ben manye tokenes of Bachus foundour, as namely foreyne garnements and precious stones of Ynde and olifauntes hornes, that Bachus broght from Ethiope. And two yerdes, or pileres, stont in the entree, passynge highe, on the whiche is writen this scripture : “I Bachus presentede

thise yerdes to Iuno my step moder.”[*] Now to me this sufficeth, natheles I schalle seye you another thing that is in the temple, that longeth to ceremonyes of Bachus. Men of Grece formen yerdes for worschipe of Bachus that beren on hem litylle men made of wode that han grete membres, the whiche men thei nempnen Popets.[*] And in the temple ther is this same thing; on the righte syde sitt a lityl man of brasse that hath a gret membre.

So seyn thei of the foundours of the holy place. And now I schalle speke of the temple, wher that it was sett and who that leet bylden it. Men seyn, the temple that stont now is not that oon the whiche was bylded atte firste, but that was beten doun sithen som tyme, and the temple that stont now is the werk of Stratonice, wyf to the Kyng of Assurye.[*]

I trowe, this is thilke Stratonice that hir step sone lovede, that was betraysed by the phisicyens[*] invencioun, For whan the infortune oppressed him,

he mighte not susteyne the mysese that semede him schamful, and so he stille (quietly) felle into syknesse, and lay withouten ony peyne; and his hewe chaunged outerly, and his bodye feblede eech day. But whan the phisicyen saughe that he was wayk withouten pleyne cause, he iugged that the syknesse was love. For of derne (secret) love ther ben manye signes, as waike eyen, voyce, hewe, teeres. And whan that he perceyved it, he did thus. With his righte honde he kepte the yonge mannes herte, and thanne he sent after all tho that weren in the house. And whan everyche of the othere entrede, this was in gret ese, but whan his step moder cam, he chaunged his hewe and swatte and schoke and his herte stirte (leaped). Thise thinges scheweden his love to, the phisicyen, that helede him thus.

After that he hadde clepede the yonge mannes fader, that was sor adrad, “This syknesse,” quod he, “wherof thy child is wayk nis not syknesse but synne, for verrayly he soffreth of no peyn, but of love and wodenesse (frenzy). And he coveyteth that he may not have in no wyse, lovynge my wyf that I wil not forgon.” So that oon lyde in gyle. And anon that other besoghte him: “Be thy conynge and thy phisik, destroie me not my sone ; for he is not in this cas of his owne wille but hath the syknesse mawgree himself. Therfore do thou not thorghe despyt make sorwe in alle the rewme, ne thou that art phisicyen brynge manslaughtre in to phisik.” Thus preyde he, al unwar. And_ that oon answerde: “Thou forthrest wykked dedis, revynge me from my mariage and destreyninge a pore leche. What woldestow thiself have don and he coveytede thy wyf, thou that axest suche bones (boons)

of me?” Therwith he replyede that he him self wolde never have ben ialous over his wyf ne grucched (begrudged) his sone deliveraunce, if so be he hadde coveyted his step moder; for it was not the lyke infortune to lese awyfasasone.[*]_ And whan the phisicien herde that, “Wherfore than,” quod he, “dostow beseche me? Parfey, he loveth thy wyf, and alle that I seyde was fausse!” Than was the fader overcomen, and yold bothe wyf and rewme (realm) to his sone, and goyinge himself to the contree of Babyloyne leet make a cytee nyghe Eufrate that was cleped after his owne name, ther as his dethe befel.[*] Thus did the phisicien bothe knowe and hele love.

Now, I seye you, why] yit that Stratonice duellede with her formere housbond, hir mette a dreme how that Iuno bade hir to bylde the temple for hir in the Holy Cytee, and if sche sholde not obeye, sche manaced hir with manye harmes. Atte first, sche ne took no fors (note) of it ; but after, whan a grete sykness hent hir, sche told the dreme to hir housbond and enforced hir to apayen (appease) Iuno, and behight (promised) to bylde the temple. Anon sche becam hool, and thanne hir housbond wolde sende hir to the Holy Cytee, and with hir a gret tresor and a gret hoost, some for to bylden and other some for here seurtee. Therfore he sompned oon of his frendes, a right fayr yong man

that highte Combabe,[*] and seyde: “For thou art noble, Daun Combabe, I love thee most of alle mine frendes, and I preyse thee gretli for thy coninge and for thy gode wille to me, that thou hast discovered beforn. And now me nedeth of grete feyth, wherfore I wole that thou folwe my wyf, for to acomplisshe the werke in my name, and to perfourme the sacrifises, and to reule the hoost ; and whan thou retornest thou schalt gete highe worschipe fro me.” Therwith anon Combabe gan preye and beseche him ful besily that he scholde not send him forth ne betaken (entrust) him nouther that tresor, that was moche to en:rust gret for him, ne his wyf, ne the holy werk. For he was adrad lest that ialousie scholde assayle him afterwardes as touching to Stratonice, that he moste lede forthe allone.

But sithe the kyng wolde not herknen in no kynde, he assayde an other requeste, for to graunte him seven dayes space, and than sende him forth, whan he hadde don a thing thereof he hadde most nede. And whan he obteyned this bone lightely, he wente to his owne house and caste himself adoun and pleyned right so: ‘Allas wrecche, what have I to don with this feythe, what have I to don with this viage, whereof I seighe now the ende ? I am yong, and schal folwen a fayre womman. This schalle be gret meschief to me, but if I putte awey

al cause of evylle ; therfore most I perfourme a gret dede that schal hele me of alle fere.”

Thus he seyde, and thanne he marrede him self ; and whan he hadde kutte offe his genitours he put hem into a lityl pot, and bawme with alle, and hony and othere thinges of swete smelle. Thanne he selede it with a signet that he bar, and helede his wounde. And after, whan him wel semede for to don iorneye, goynge to the kyng, beforn manye men that ther weren he toke (gave) him the pot, seyinge thus : “O sire, this grete tresor I was wont for to kepe prevely, and I lovede it wel ; but now, for als moche as I schal gon a fer weye, I wole betaken it to you. Kepeth it sikkerly ; for this to me is bettre than gold, this to me is als dereworth as my lyf. Whan I retorne, I schal bere it home ayen saf and sound.” So the kyng resceyved it and seelede it with an other signet and bad his stywardes for to kepen it curyously.