The gretteste clerkes been noght wisest men.

Sourced, The Canterbury Tales

The Reeve’s Tale , l. 134

Other Geoffrey Chaucer Quotes

His studie was but litel on the Bible. - View Quote Details on His studie was but litel on the Bible.
Forbede us thing, and that desiren we;
Preesse on us faste, and thanne wol we flee.
With daunger oute we al oure chaffare:
Greet prees at market maketh dere ware,
And too greet chepe is holden at litel pris. - View Quote Details on Forbede us thing, and that desiren we;
Preesse on us faste,…
The smylere with the knyf under the cloke. - View Quote Details on The smylere with the knyf under the cloke.
For out of olde feldes, as men seith,
Cometh al this new corn fro yeer to yere;
And out of olde bokes, in good feith,
Cometh al this newe science that men lere. - View Quote Details on For out of olde feldes, as men seith,
Cometh al this…
Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swych licour
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halve cours yronne,
And smale foweles maken melodye,
That slepen al the nyght with open ye
(So priketh hem nature in hir corages);
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages. - View Quote Details on Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote
The droghte of March…
O yonge fresshe folkes, he or she,
In which that love up-groweth with your age,
Repeyreth hoom fro worldly vanitee,
And of your herte up-casteth the visage
To thilke God that after his image
Yow made, and thynketh al nis but a faire
This world, that passeth sone as floures faire. - View Quote Details on O yonge fresshe folkes, he or she,
In which that love…
The lyf so short, the craft so longe to lerne.
Th’ assay so hard, so sharp the conquerynge,
The dredful joye, alwey that slit so yerne;
Al this mene I be love. - View Quote Details on The lyf so short, the craft so longe to lerne.
Th’…
For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay fleeth the tyme; it nyl no man abyde. - View Quote Details on For thogh we slepe, or wake, or rome, or ryde,
Ay…
Of studie took he most cure and most hede.
Noght o word spak he more than was nede,
And that was seyd in forme and reverence,
And short and quik, and ful of hy sentence.
Souninge in moral vertu was his speche,
And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche. - View Quote Details on Of studie took he most cure and most hede…
Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Entuned in hir nose ful semely,
And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,
For Frenssh of Parys was to hire unknowe. - View Quote Details on Ful weel she soong the service dyvyne,
Entuned in hir nose…