SAGA-BOOK - Viking Society Web Publications

31 2 Saga-Book of the Viking Society
III
pen in sum man, I vnderstonde' (CB/I4 no. 104
ll. 49-52).
ll. 10-12 On the present antagonism of man to man:
1 ffor frend is fo, pe lond is loueles (R. Hist. no. 54
1. 44 'The Sayings of the Four Philosophers').
2 Nullus amicus amat; Triew frende can noman fynde
(Variant of R. Hist. no. 55 noted p. 327).
3 Fidem fraus incarcerat
Famem lingua lacerat
Regem rex exsuperat
Plebem plebs vituperat (PC no. 197).
4 Sinistrae manui mentitur dextera
Nee carent fraudibus fraterna latera (AR z ihxo, 179
p. 124, ll. 3-4/12thC.).
5 Sclandre from his tunge hathe plucked owte pe thorn
Detraccioun his langage dothe represse (L p. 463
ll. 30-31, with 'destroying' refrain.).
1. 15 On the fall etc. of 'Trouthe' (loyalty, fidelity or
truth) :
Veritas supprimitur
distrahitur et venditur (AR 21/p. 126 no. 182 verse
I, ascribed to Philippe de Greve (I2thC.), trans.
R. Waddell, Mediceval Latin Lyrics (1948 ed.),
192 from Carm. Bur. version.).
2 Trewpe is put in low degre (R. Hist. no. 591. 4).
3 Ri3tful dom is ouercast
And troupe is fer agon
Sopnesse is ileyd adoun,
And ri3t nis per non (R. Hist, no. 55 notes p. 327).
4 Truthe ys turnyd to trechery.
Truthe is set at lytel prys.
ffor trouth ys sonkyn vndur pe grounde. (R. Hist,
no. 49 ll. 7, 17, 34)·
5 Veritas is demytt to hange one the ruyde
Verecundia was drownytt at pe last fluyde (CB/15
no. 176 ll. 9-10),
and Lex ys leyd adowne (CB/15 no. 176 variant in notes
P·347)·
d. 6 Lawe hathe diffied Guerdoun and Mede
And sette vp Trowthe as a goddesse. (L p. 461
11. 3-4 - with 'destroying' refrain.).