Romance of the Rose (Ellis)/Chapter 85
LXXXV
This tells how Hide-Well overcame
In well-fought field the recreant Shame.
And Fear and Courage in like way
Show forth their skill in weapon-play.
Hereto could Shame scarce make reply,
But Fear upleapt right wrathfully16250
(Though commonly so faint of heart),
On whom doth Shame quick glances dart;
And when Fear saw she in such state
Equipped, her sword, keen-edged as fate,
She set her hand upon, which hight
A Touch-of-Pride (thereof ’twas dight),
And when it flew from out the sheath,
More bright than beryl-stone beneath
The new-born sun’s first rays ’twas seen.
Terror-of-Peril, as I ween,16260
Fear had for shield, set round with pain
And labour; and she then would fain
Cleave Hide-Well through, and thereby take
Swift vengeance for her cousin’s sake.
With mighty force against his shield
She struck, which ’neath the blow did yield,
And tottering helplessly, he fell.
Courage, with cry like tocsin bell,
He called, who ran in great alarm
Thither, for if Fear’s potent arm16270
Had once more struck his bruisèd head,
For aye had Hide-Well lain stark dead.
Courage combats Fear
Courage, alike in deed and word,
Was ever bold and true; his sword
For gleaming brightness well beseen,
Was with the steel of fury keen.
Unto his shield, of glorious fame,
Scorner-of-Death, he gave the name,
And all around its border bright
With Joy-in-Danger was it dight.16280
With madness against Fear he rushed,
With one stroke deeming to have crushed
Her might. But she the stroke let fall,
Leaping aside, for knew she all
The art of fence, and then she gave
One stroke unto her foeman brave,
That stretched him supine on the field.
For suchlike blow no targe could shield.
When Courage finds him thus adown,
Fear begs he, in God’s name, to crown16290
Triumph with mercy. No reply
Fear makes, except—Nay, caitiff, die!
Surety speaks to Fear.
Surety attacks Fear
But suddenly doth Surety call,
Pardee! ’tis you, O Fear, must fall
Whate’er you do. Times past you’d dare
Less than a coward trembling hare
A hundred times; you brave are now,
And to the devil ’tis you owe
The spirit that enabled you
’Gainst Courage this bold deed to do,16300
Who tourneying-lists frequenteth much,
And knows with skilful hand to clutch
The wasting sword, ne’er yet till now
Beneath your arm he quailed, I trow.
In every fight but this men see
You fly, or yield you readily.
’Twas thus that you in days of yore,
With thievish Cacus fled before
The club of mighty Hercules,
Then fled you as the heron flees16310
The falcon, for to Cacus lent
You wings, alone on safety bent,
When he the sacred heifers stole,
And hid them in his cavern hole,
Dragging them thither by the tail,
That thus all clue and trace might fail
Of whither went they; then you showed
To all the world how little glowed
Of daring in your faint-heart breast,
A coward base you stood confessed16320
Thenceforth, and since that day you nought
Of knowledge in the field have bought
Of war, except to run away
Whene’er you see the blade-steel grey;
Now shall you dearly suffer for
Your rashness, venturing thus on war.
The Author.
Fear victorious
A precious sword-blade Surety bare.
Tempered with diligence and care;
Her shield, hight Peace, was bordered round
With good accord, and judgment sound.16330
At Fear she struck as fain would she
Destroy her, but she suddenly
Behind her shield her body hid,
And when the sword-stroke fell, it slid
From off the targe, and harmless lay
Deep buried in earth’s senseless clay.
Then Fear did unto Surety deal
A blow, that made her senses reel,
And little lacked it of that she
Had killed outright her enemy.
Both shield and sword from out her hands
Are dashed—defenceless there she stands.