Quotes from Geoffrey Chaucer

But you worshipful religious Canons, do not deem that I slander your order, although my tale may be of a Canon. In every order there is some miscreant, pardon me, and God forbid that all a company should rue a single man's folly.

He had more tow on his distaff Than Gerveis knew.

La compasión surge rápidamente de los nobles corazones que sienten los agudos aguijonazos que sufren otros como en su propia carne;

He who covets is a poor wretch, because he longs for what he can not have. But he who has naught, and covets naught, is rich, although you may think him but a lowly knave.

Out of the gosple he tho wordes caughte, And this figure he added eek therto, That if gold ruste, what shal iren do? For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, No wonder is a lewed man to ruste; And shame it is, if a prest take keep, A shiten shepherde and a clene sheep. Wel oghte a preest ensample for to yive, By his clennesse, how that his sheep sholde lyve.

Vergüenza ha de tener el gobernante que no tenga piedad, si actúa y habla como un león a los que están arrepentidos y temerosos, del mismo modo que a los poderosos y altaneros que persisten en sus propósitos. Un príncipe tiene escaso discernimiento si no sabe distinguir en casos así y pasa al orgullo por el mismo rasero que a la humildad.»

Now that I have told you by whom you should be counseled, now will I teach you which counsel you ought to eschew. First, you must avoid the counseling of fools. For Solomon says, 'Take no counsel from a fool, because he can offer no advice but that which follows from his own desires and his own interests.' The Book says that, 'The condition of a fool is this: he easily believes evil of every person, and easily believes all goodness is in himself.

Un hombre honrado y un ladrón nunca pueden pensar igual.

In the meanwhile this Yeoman began to smile. "Brother," said he, "do you wish me to tell you? I am a Fiend. My dwelling is in Hell. And here on Earth I ride about looking for gain, to learn where men will give me any thing. My acquisitions are the sum of all my income. Look how you ride for the same intent. To gain money, you care not how. And so do I, for I would ride to the end of the World to catch my prey.

For the proverb says, 'He who embraces too much, retains too little.' And Cato says, 'Assay to do only such a thing as you have the power to do, lest the burdensome charge oppress you so sorely that it behooves you to abandon the task you have begun.

As Petrus Alphonsus says, 'If you have the ability to do a thing of which you must later repent, "Nay" is better than "Yea.

Why," said this Summoner, "ride you then in sundry shapes, and not always in the same one?" "Because we will assume whatever form," said the Fiend, "is most suitable to catch our prey." "And what causes you to undertake all this labor?" asked the Summoner.

Lo, what says Saint Augustine: "There is nothing so like the Devil's child as he who oft chides others." Saint Paul also says, "It behooves the servant of God not to chide.

And take this for a general rule: Every counsel which is affirmed so strongly that it may not be changed for any condition that may befall, I say this counsel is wicked.

Speak we now of wicked counsel, for he who gives wicked counsel is a traitor. He deceives the one who trusted in him, as Achitophel did unto Absalom. But, nevertheless, his wicked counsel is first against himself. For, as says the Wise Man, "Every deceitful liar has this property in himself: that he who would harm another man, he harms himself first.

Oon of us two moste bowen, doutelees; And sith a man is moore resonable Than womman is, ye moste been suffrable.

The fiery heat of love by now had cooled, for from the time he kissed her hinder parts, he didn't give a tinker's curse for tarts, his malady was cured by his endeavor, and he defied all paramours whatever.

A bettre preest, I trowe that nowher noon is. He wayted after no pompe and reverence,   525 Ne maked him a spyced conscience, But Cristes lore, and his apostles twelve, He taughte, and first he folwed it him-selve.

Prefería tener en la cabecera de su cama los 20 libros de Aristóteles encuadernados en negro o en rojo que vestidos lujosos, el violín y el salterio.

Aos amantes apresento esta questão: quem o mais desditoso, Arcita ou Palamon? Este avistava a amada todo dia, mas não podia abandonar o cárcere; aquele tinha toda a liberdade, mas nunca mais veria o seu amor.

Yow loveres axe I now this questioun, Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun?   490 That oon may seen his lady day by day, But in prison he moot dwelle alway. That other wher him list may ryde or go, But seen his lady shal he never-mo. Now demeth as yow liste, ye that can,   495 For I wol telle forth as I bigan. Explicit prima Pars.    Sequitur pars secunda.

Las palabras deben corresponder a la acción».

For as I may be saved by God above, I never used discretion when in love But ever followed on my appetite, Whether the lad was short, long, black or white. Little I cared, if he was fond of me, How poor he was, or what his rank might be.

The remedy against the Sin of Pride. Now since it is so that you have understood what is Pride, and which are the kinds of it, and from whence Pride arises and springs, you shall understand what is the remedy against the Sin of Pride, and that is humility, or meekness. That is a virtue through which a man has true knowledge of himself, and holds himself to be of no import or esteem, considering always his frailty.