Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

Of all the floures in the mede, Than love I most these floures whyte and rede, Swiche that men callen daysies in our toun.

Fortune has dealt us this adversity:
Some malign aspect or disposition
Of Saturn in some adverse position
Has brought it on us; nothing's to be done:
It stood thus in our stars when we were born;
The long and short of it is this: Endure.

Having to read a footnote resembles having to go downstairs to answer the door while in the midst of making love.

A priest should take to heart the shameful scene of shepards filthy while the sheep are clean.

The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne, Th' assay so hard, so sharp the conquering, The dredful joy, that alwey slit so yerne, Al this mene I by love.

Now purs, that be to me my lyves light, And saveour, as doun in this worlde here, Out of this toune help me through your might.

You fare by love as owls do by light.

Well did he know the taverns in every town, and every hosteller and bar-maid, far better than he knew any leper or beggar.

You are the cause by which I die.

you are the cause by which I die

But of no nombre mencioun made he, Of bigamye, or of octogamye33. Why sholde men thanne speke of it vileinye34?

For I am shave as nye as any frere. But yit I pray un-to youre curtesye: Beth hevy ageyn, or elles mot I die.

Well is it said that neither love nor power Admit a rival, even for an hour.

Lo, what said King Solomon, who can teach us so well? ‘Do not befriend an angry man, and walk not along the way with a madman, lest you repent.’ I will no further say.

"By God," quod he, "for pleynly, at a word,
Thy drasty rymyng is nat worth a toord!"