Book I. 145-7:--

'But the Troyane gestes, as they felle, In Omer, or in Dares, or in Dyte, Who-so that can, may rede hem as they wryte.'

The reference here is simply to Guido's history, whence, and not at first hand, both Chaucer and his readers could easily get the required information. Guido constantly refers to these authors; and, although he speaks disrespectfully of Homer[52], he professes to put great faith in Dares and Dytes, whose names he frequently cites as being those of his best authorities[53].

With the description of Troilus in ll. 1072-1085, it is interesting to compare the words of Guido, in Book VIII. 'Troilus vero, licet multum fuit corpore magnus, magis fuit tamen corde magnanimus; animosus multum, set multam habuit in sua animositate temperiem; dilectus plurimum a puellis cum ipse aliqualem seruando modestiam delectaretur in illis. In viribus et strenuitate bellandi _uel fuit alius Hector uel secundus ab ipso_. In toto eciam regno Troie iuuenis nullus fuit tantis viribus nec tanta audacia gloriosus[54].' The latter part of this description should be compared with