The Lover.
“That, by our Lady, may not be,
Love’s liegeman sworn am I, and he
Ruleth my heart. Yet do I writhe
Thereunder, and were fain and blithe
To cast his yoke, if shown the way.”
Reason.
Reason’s exposition
“Then, by my head! will I essay4560
To teach thee. If thy heart doth yearn
For knowledge, thou mayst clearly learn
From me a thing by no means clear,
And thou, though ignorant, shalt hear
And know such matters as no man
Hath heard or dreamed of since began
The sun his rounds. This thing alone
I know for certain: if some one
His heart hath given to Love, there is,
To end his miseries, nought but this—4570
To fly. Now will I loose the knot
Which thou hast found drawn tight, I wot.
Give then thy most attentive ear,
And learn Love’s good and evil cheer:
Love oftentimes is amorous hate,
And hating, most affectionate,
Disloyal loyalty past reason,
And loyalty that nurseth treason,
’Tis craven fear, as lion bold,
’Tis ardent hope, all deadly cold,4580
