Nature [na`tju:r]

Whan that Aprille with his shoures sote The droughte of Marche hath perced to the rote And bathed every veine in swich licour, Of which vertu engendred is the flour Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth The tendre croppes, and the younge sonne Hath in the Ram his halfe cours y-ronne, And smalle fowles maken melodye, That slepen al the night with open ye, (So priketh hem nature in hir corages): Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages ……………………………………………

Shoures – showers Droughte – drought Perce – pierce rote – root Swich - such licour – liquor Vertu –virtue engendred – engendered flour -flower (be born) Eek –also swete –sweet breeth – breath Holt- forest heeth – heath (wasteland) Hath y-ronne - has run Fowles – fowls (birds) Hem- their Than- then

Когда Апрель обильными дождями

Разрыхлил землю, взрытую ростками.

И, мартовскую жажду утоляя,

От корня до зеленого стебля

Набухли жилкт той весенней силой,

Что в каждой роще почки распустила,

А солнеце юное в своем пути

Весь Овна знак успело обойти,

И , не на миг в ночи не засыпая,

Без умолку звенели птичьи стаи,

Так сердце им встревожил зов весны,

Тогда со всех сторон родной страны

Паломников бессчетных вереницы

Мощам заморским снова поклониться

Стремились истово……

Reв and comment on the use of the language.

Translate the passage into modern English

Þa wxs së cynin¯ Æþelrëd sume hwile mid þäm flotan

Then was that king some time with those sailing

Þë on Temese lx¯, and sëo hlafdi¯e ¯ewende þä ofer sx

(to) you on the river Thames and this lady then went across the sea

tö hire breDer Ricarde and së cynin¯ ¯ewenda þä fram

to her brother Richard and this(the) king went then from

Däm flotan tö þäm middanwintra tö Wihtlande, and wxs

the sailing to widwinters to the Isle of Whight and was

Dxr Þä tïd;

there that time.