Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Top 6 Characters in Chaucer's "Troilus and Criseyde" Whose Names Became English Verbs

Just as I wrote a list on Wallace Stevens as I was working on a Wallace Stevens paper, tonight's list will be about Geoffrey Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde as I work on a paper on the same.  IT IS THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK ABOUT!

6. Pandarus, the broker of the illicit relationship between the titular characters

Verb derived: to pander

Meaning: to tempt with, appeal to, or assist in the gratification of

5. Hector, the one Trojan soldier greater than Troilus

Verb derived: to hector

Meaning: to bully, especially by condescendingly calling another warrior, "Almost good enough to save Troy.  Almost."

4. Troilus, the warrior who falls madly in love with Criseyde

Verb derived: to troil

Meaning: to fall in love with someone and then be a huge whiny pussy about it that faints every other second

3. Criseyde, the Trojan who betrays Troilus for a Greek lover

Verb derived: to crise

Meaning: to be a bitch

2. Deiphebus, the brother to Troilus who hosts a dinner

Verb derived: to deiphe

Meaning: to have absolutely no plot function and deserve to be edited out

1. Achilles, the Greek who slays Troilus in the work's tragic finish

Verb derived: to achille

Meaning: to be the Greek who slays Troilus in a work's tragic finish

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