The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems
Notes to The House of Fame
1. Rood: the cross on which Christ was crucified; Anglo-Saxon,
“Rode.”
2. Well worth of this thing greate clerks: Great scholars set
much worth upon this thing — that is, devote much labour,
attach much importance, to the subject of dreams.
3. The poet briefly refers to the description of the House of
Somnus, in Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” 1. xi. 592, et seqq.; where
the cave of Somnus is said to be “prope Cimmerios,” (“near the
Cimmerians”) and “Saxo tamen exit ab imo Rivus aquae
Lethes.” (“A stream of Lethe’s water issues from the base of the
rock”)
4. See the account of the vision of Croesus in The Monk’s Tale.
5. The meaning of the allusion is not clear; but the story of the
pilgrims and the peas is perhaps suggested by the line following
— “to make lithe [soft] what erst was hard.” St Leonard was the
patron of captives.
5. Corsaint: The “corpus sanctum” — the holy body, or relics,
preserved in the shrine.
7. So, in the Temple of Venus described in The Knight’s Tale,
the Goddess is represented as “naked floating in the large sea”.
8. Vulcano: Vulcan, the husband of Venus.
9. Ered: ploughed; Latin, “arare,” Anglo-Saxon, “erean,”
plough.
10. Sours: Soaring ascent; a hawk was said to be “on the soar”
when he mounted, “on the sours” or “souse” when he
descended on the prey, and took it in flight.
11. This is only one among many instances in which Chaucer
disclaims the pursuits of love; and the description of his manner
of life which follows is sufficient to show that the disclaimer
was no mere mock-humble affectation of a gallant.
12. This reference, approximately fixing the date at which the
poem was composed, points clearly to Chaucer’s daily work as
Comptroller of the Customs — a post which he held from 1374
to 1386.
13. This is a frank enough admission that the poet was fond of
good cheer; and the effect of his “little abstinence” on his
corporeal appearance is humorously described in the Prologue
to the Tale of Sir Thopas, where the Host compliments Chaucer
on being as well shapen in the waist as himself.
14. “To make the beard” means to befool or deceive. See note
15 to the Reeve’s Tale. Precisely the same idea is conveyed in
the modern slang word “shave” — meaning a trick or fraud.
15. Love-days: see note 21 to the Prologue to the Canterbury
Tales.
16. If this reference is to any book of Chaucer’s in which the
House of Fame was mentioned, the book has not come down to
us. It has been reasonably supposed, however, that Chaucer
means by “his own book” Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” of which he
was evidently very fond; and in the twelfth book of that poem
the Temple of Fame is described.
17. Saint Julian was the patron of hospitality; so the Franklin, in
the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales is said to be “Saint Julian
in his country,” for his open house and liberal cheer. The eagle,
at sight of the House of Fame, cries out “bon hostel!” — “a fair
lodging, a glorious house, by St Julian!”
18. The laurel-tree is sacred to Apollo. See note 11 to The
Assembly of Fowls.
19. French, “roche,” a rock.
20. St. Thomas of Kent: Thomas a Beckett, whose shrine was
at Canterbury.
21. The half or side of the rock which was towards the poet,
was inscribed with, etc.
22. Cop: summit; German, “kopf”; the head.
23. Gestiours: tellers of stories; reciters of brave feats or
“gests.”
24. Arion: the celebrated Greek bard and citharist, who, in the
seventh century before Christ, lived at the court of Periander,
tyrant of Corinth. The story of his preservation by the dolphin,
when the covetous sailors forced him to leap into the sea, is
well known.
25. Chiron the Centaur was renowned for skill in music and the
arts, which he owed to the teaching of Apollo and Artemis. He
became in turn the instructor of Peleus, Achilles, and other
descendants of Aeacus; hence he is called “Aeacides” — because
tutor to the Aeacides, and thus, so to speak, of that “family.”
26. Glasgerion is the subject of a ballad given in “Percy’s
Reliques,” where we are told that
“Glasgerion was a king’s own son,
And a harper he was good;
He harped in the king’s chamber,
Where cup and candle stood.”
27. Cornemuse: bagpipe; French, “cornemuse.” Shawmies:
shalms or psalteries; an instrument resembling a harp.
28. Dulcet: a kind of pipe, probably corresponding with the
“dulcimer;” the idea of sweet — French, “doux;” Latin, “dulcis”
— is at the root of both words.
29. In the early printed editions of Chaucer, the two names are
“Citherus” and “Proserus;” in the manuscript which Mr Bell
followed (No. 16 in the Fairfax collection) they are “Atileris”
and “Pseustis.” But neither alternative gives more than the
slightest clue to identification. “Citherus” has been retained in
the text; it may have been employed as an appellative of Apollo,
derived from “cithara,” the instrument on which he played; and
it is not easy to suggest a better substitute for it than “Clonas” -
- an early Greek poet and musician who flourished six hundred
years before Christ. For “Proserus,” however, has been
substituted “Pronomus,” the name of a celebrated Grecian
player on the pipe, who taught Alcibiades the flute, and who
therefore, although Theban by birth, might naturally be said by
the poet to be “of Athens.”
30. Marsyas: The Phrygian, who, having found the flute of
Athena, which played of itself most exquisite music, challenged
Apollo to a contest, the victor in which was to do with the
vanquished as he pleased. Marsyas was beaten, and Apollo
flayed him alive.
31. The German (Deutsche) language, in Chaucer’s time, had
not undergone that marked literary division into German and
Dutch which was largely accomplished through the influence of
the works of Luther and the other Reformers. Even now, the
flute is the favourite musical instrument of the Fatherland; and
the devotion of the Germans to poetry and music has been
celebrated since the days of Tacitus.
32. Reyes: a kind of dance, or song to be accompanied with
dancing.
33. Beam: horn, trumpet; Anglo-Saxon, “bema.”
34. Messenus: Misenus, son of Aeolus, the companion and
trumpeter of Aeneas, was drowned near the Campanian
headland called Misenum after his name. (Aeneid, vi. 162 et
seqq.)
35. Joab’s fame as a trumpeter is founded on two verses in 2
Samuel (ii. 28, xx. 22), where we are told that he “blew a
trumpet,” which all the people of Israel obeyed, in the one case
desisting from a pursuit, in the other raising a siege.
36. Theodamas or Thiodamas, king of the Dryopes, plays a
prominent part in the tenth book of Statius’ “Thebaid.” Both he
and Joab are also mentioned as great trumpeters in The
Merchant’s Tale.
37. Jongelours: jugglers; French, “jongleur.”
38. Tregetours: tricksters, jugglers. For explanation of this
word, see note 14 to the Franklin’s tale.
39. Pythonesses: women who, like the Pythia in Apollo’s
temple at Delphi, were possessed with a spirit of divination or
prophecy. The barbarous Latin form of the word was
“Pythonissa” or “Phitonissa.” See note 9 to the Friar’s Tale.
40. Subfumigations: a ceremony employed to drive away evil
spirits by burning incense; the practice of smoking cattle, corn,
&c., has not died out in some country districts.
41. In certain ascendents: under certain planetary influences.
The next lines recall the alleged malpractices of witches, who
tortured little images of wax, in the design of causing the same
torments to the person represented — or, vice versa, treated
these images for the cure of hurts or sickness.
42. Medea: celebrated for her magical power, through which
she restored to youth Aeson, the father of Jason; and caused the
death of Jason’s wife, Creusa, by sending her a poisoned
garment which consumed her to ashes.
43. Circes: the sorceress Circe, who changed the companions of
Ulysses into swine.
44. Calypsa: Calypso, on whose island of Ogygia Ulysses was
wrecked. The goddess promised the hero immortality if he
remained with her; but he refused, and, after a detention of
seven years, she had to let him go.
45. Hermes Ballenus: this is supposed to mean Hermes
Trismegistus (of whom see note 19 to the Canon’s Yeoman’s
Tale); but the explanation of the word “Ballenus” is not quite
obvious. The god Hermes of the Greeks (Mercurius of the
Romans) had the surname “Cyllenius,” from the mountain
where he was born — Mount Cyllene, in Arcadia; and the
alteration into “Ballenus” would be quite within the range of a
copyist’s capabilities, while we find in the mythological
character of Hermes enough to warrant his being classed with
jugglers and magicians.
46. Limote and Colle Tregetour seem to have been famous
sorcerers or jugglers, but nothing is now known of either.
47. Simon Magus: of whom we read in Acts viii. 9, et seqq.
48. “And made well more than it was
To seemen ev’rything, y-wis,
As kindly thing of Fame it is;”
i.e. It is in the nature of fame to exaggerate everything.
49. Corbets: the corbels, or capitals of pillars in a Gothic
building; they were often carved with fantastic figures and
devices.
50. A largess!: the cry with which heralds and pursuivants at a
tournament acknowledged the gifts or largesses of the knights
whose achievements they celebrated.
51. Nobles: gold coins of exceptional fineness. Sterlings:
sterling coins; not “luxemburgs”, but stamped and authorised
money. See note 9 to the Miller’s Tale and note 6 to the
Prologue to the Monk’s tale.
52. Coat-armure: the sleeveless coat or “tabard,” on which the
arms of the wearer or his lord were emblazoned.
53. “But for to prove in alle wise
As fine as ducat of Venise”
i.e. In whatever way it might be proved or tested, it would be
found as fine as a Venetian ducat.
54. Lapidaire: a treatise on precious stones.
55. See imperial: a seat placed on the dais, or elevated portion
of the hall at the upper end, where the lord and the honoured
guests sat.
56. The starres seven: Septentrion; the Great Bear or Northern
Wain, which in this country appears to be at the top of heaven.
57. The Apocalypse: The last book of the New Testament, also
called Revelations. The four beasts are in chapter iv. 6.
58. “Oundy” is the French “ondoye,” from “ondoyer,” to
undulate or wave.
59. Partridges’ wings: denoting swiftness.
60. Hercules lost his life with the poisoned shirt of Nessus, sent
to him by the jealous Dejanira.
61. Of the secte Saturnine: Of the Saturnine school; so called
because his history of the Jewish wars narrated many horrors,
cruelties, and sufferings, over which Saturn was the presiding
deity. See note 71 to the Knight’s tale.
62. Compare the account of the “bodies seven” given by the
Canon’s Yeoman:
“Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe;
Mars iron, Mercury quicksilver we clepe;
Saturnus lead, and Jupiter is tin,
And Venus copper, by my father’s kin.”
63. Statius is called a “Tholosan,” because by some, among
them Dante, he was believed to have been a native of Tolosa,
now Toulouse. He wrote the “Thebais,” in twelve books, and
the “Achilleis,” of which only two were finished.
64. Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis were the names
attached to histories of the Trojan War pretended to have been
written immediately after the fall of Troy.
65. Lollius: The unrecognisable author whom Chaucer
professes to follow in his “Troilus and Cressida,” and who has
been thought to mean Boccaccio.
66. Guido de Colonna, or de Colempnis, was a native of
Messina, who lived about the end of the thirteenth century, and
wrote in Latin prose a history including the war of Troy.
67. English Gaufrid: Geoffrey of Monmouth, who drew from
Troy the original of the British race. See Spenser’s “Faerie
Queen,” book ii. canto x.