| | Araid was this god as he took kepe | |
| | As he was whan argus took his slepe | |
| | And saide him thus to athenes thou shalt wende | |
| | There is the shape of thy woo an ende | |
| 535 | And with that word arcite a wook and stert | |
| | Now trewly how sore that me smert | |
| | Quod he to athenes wil I fare | |
| | Ne for no drede of deth shal I spare | |
| | To se my lady that I serue | |
| 540 | In her presence recke I not to sterue | |
| | And with that word he caughte a mryrour | |
| | And saw that chaunged was his colour | |
| | And saw his visage al in anothir kynde | |
| | And right anon it ran hym in his mynde | |
| 545 | That sithnes his face was disfugured | |
| | Of maladye the whiche he hadde endured | |
| | He myghte wel if that he bare hym lowe | |
| | Lyue in athenes euermore vnknowe | |
| | And se his lady wel nyhe day be day | |
| 550 | And right anon he chaunged his aray | |
| | And clad hym as a poure laborer | |
| | And a lone saue only a poure squyer | |
| | That knew his priuite and his caas | |
| | Whiche was disguysed pourely as he was | |
| 555 | To athenes is he gon the nexte way | |
| | And to the court he wente vp on aday | |
| | And at the gate he profryd his seruise | |
| | To drug & to drawe & what men wolde deuyse | |
| | And shortly of this mater forto seyn | |
