Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

“Though there was nowhere one so busy as he, He was less busy than he seemed to be.”

“A livelihood. I do not preach in vain. THere’s no apostle I would conterfeit; I mean to have money, wool and cheese and wheat”

“All goes to show that marriage is a misery and a woe”

“Your dreary rhyming isn’t worth a turd!:

“You’re doing nothing else but wasting time. Sir, in a word, you shall no longer rhyme.”

“For May will have no sluggardry at night, Season that pricks in every gentle heart, Awaking it from sleep, and bids it start”

“He chanced on Emily to cast his eye And, as he did, he blenched and gave a cry”

“That none may have the impudence to irk Or hinder me in Christ’s most holy work.”

“When in April the sweet showers fall And pierce the drought of March to the root, and all The veins are bathed in liquor of such power As brings about the engendering of the flower”

“He well knew why He did, and what He meant. For in that fairest chain of love He bound Fire and air and water and the ground Of earth in certain limits they may not flee.”

“The First Great Cause and Mover of all above When first He made that fairest chain of love, Great was the consequence and high the intent.”

“He was a true, a perfect gentle-knight.”

“Except experience, mine, for what it’s worth, And that’s enough me”

“And well she sang a service, with a fine Intoning through her nose, as was most seemly, And she spoke daintily in French, extremely, After the school of Stratford-atte-Bowe; French in the Paris style she did not know.”

“He did not rate that text at a plucked hen Which says that hunters are not holy men And that a monk uncloistered is a mere Fish out of water, flapping on the pier, That is to say a monk out of his cloister. That was a text he held not worth an oyster”

“Ruler of Athens, Lord and Governor, And in his time so great a conqueror There was none mightier beneath the sun. And many a rich country he had won, What with his wisdom and his troops of horse.”

“People may guess or frame a supposition, But I can say for certain, it’s no lie, God bade us all to wax and multiply. That kindly text I well can understand.”

“His worthy steed he then bestrode And forth upon his way he glode Like sparkles from a flame. And his crest he bore a tower And stuck thereon a lily-flower, God guard him from all shame!”

“About a fair and gentle knight In battle, tournament and fight, Sir Topaz was his name.”

“God knows that worldly joy is swift to go.”

“Except for you I have never heard anyone who could sing as your father did in the morning. In order to make his voice stronger, he would close both his eyes. And he would stand on his tiptoes and stretch forth his long slender neck.”

“Alas, that Chanticleer flew down from the rafters! Alas, that his wife took no heed of dreams! And all this trouble came on a Friday.”

“Such a cry was never made as made by all the hens in the yard when they saw Chanticleer captured.”

“No...but God bring misfortune to him who is so careless about his self-control as to prattle when he should hold his peace”

“Her table was usually set with only white and black- milk and dark bread, of which there was no shortage- and sometimes there was broiled bacon and an egg or two-”

“Sir, if I were you, so help me God, I would say, ‘turn back ye proud peasants! I have reached the edge of the wood now; the rooster shall stay here. In spite of you I will eat him in faith, and not be long about it.’ ”

“Alas! Oh, Chanticleer, alas! I have done you a bad turn. I frightened you when I grabbed you and took you out of the yard. But, Sir, I did it without evil intention.”

“Never again shall you with your flattery get me to sing with my eyes closed. For he who closes his eyes when he should watch, God let him never prosper.”

″ ‘See’, said the widow as the fox slunk into the grove, ‘that is the result of trusting in flattery.’ ”

“For crowing there was not his equal in all the land. His voice was merrier than the merry organ that plays in the church, and his crowing from his resting place was more trustworthy than a clock.”

“Shame on you, you know I cannot love a coward, by my faith! Haven’t you a man’s heart and haven’t you a beard? Be merry husband. Do not fear dreams.”