- Aug 11, 2017
- 802
- 1,292
I mean no offense, but in the eyes of a non native English speaker as myself ancient English sure looks like ass.Ye archewyves, stondeth at defense,
Syn ye be strong as is a greet camaille;
Ne suffreth nat that men yow doon offense.
And sklendre wyves, fieble as in bataille,
Beth egre as is a tygre yond in Ynde;
Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille.
Ne dreed hem nat; doth hem no reverence,
For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille,
The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence
Shal perce his brest and eek his aventaille.
In jalousie I rede eek thou hym bynde,
And thou shalt make hym couche as doth a quaille.
You arch-wives, stand ready for battle,
Since you are strong as is a great camel;
Suffer not that men do offense to you.
And slender wives, feeble in battle,
Be fierce as is a tiger yonder in India;
Ever wag your tongues like a windmill, I you advise.
Fear them not; do them no reverence,
For though thy husband be armed in mail,
The arrows of thy spiteful eloquence
Shall pierce his breast and also his neck-guard.
In jealousy I advise also that thou bind him,
And thou shalt make him cower as does a quail.
-Geoffrey Chaucer-
Well, I guess Englishmen could say the same for all the "vulgar" languages that succeeded Latin and preceded Italian.