For tyme ylost may nought recovered be.
Geoffrey ChaucerRead
At the ches with me she (Fortune) gan to pleye; With her false draughts (pieces) dyvers/She staal on me, and took away my fers. And when I sawgh my fers awaye, Allas! I kouthe no lenger playe.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the unpredictable nature of fortune and how its whims can affect our ability to engage in life's pursuits.
In this quote, Geoffrey Chaucer uses the metaphor of a chess game to illustrate how fortune plays with our lives, taking away opportunities ('fers') and leaving us unable to continue our endeavors. When fortune is unfavorable, it can lead to feelings of helplessness and loss, depicting the fragile and often volatile nature of success and happiness.
Themes
FortuneLifeChessOpportunityLoss
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech about resilience, one might say this quote to emphasize the need to adapt when faced with unexpected challenges.
More from Geoffrey Chaucer
All quotes βFor in their hearts doth Nature stir them so Then people long on pilgrimage to go And palmers to be seeking foreign strands To distant shrines renowned in sundry lands.
Geoffrey ChaucerRead
If gold rusts, what then can iron do?
Geoffrey ChaucerRead
Thus with hir fader for a certeyn space_x000D_ _x000D_ Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience,_x000D_ _x000D_ That neither by hir wordes ne hir face_x000D_ _x000D_ Biforn the folk, ne eek in her absence,_x000D_ _x000D_ Ne shewed she that hir was doon offence.
Geoffrey ChaucerRead
Ther nis no werkman, whatsoevere he be, That may bothe werke wel and hastily.
Geoffrey ChaucerRead
For oute of olde feldys, as men sey,_x000D_ _x000D_ Comyth al this newe corn from yer to yere;_x000D_ _x000D_ And out of olde bokis, in good fey,_x000D_ _x000D_ Comyth al this newe science that men lere.
Geoffrey ChaucerRead
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