iclinius into Cyllenius, I shall
now endeavour to interpret the line in Italics, which in its present shape
is utterly without meaning.

Whatever word _Valanus_ may be supposed to represent, whether a proper or a
common name, still the construction of the whole line is evidently corrupt.

Taking Valanus, in the first place, as a proper name, the most probable
original would be VALENS; for the connexion of which with Mercury we must
refer to Cicero (_De Nat. Deor._ iii. 22.), where mention is made of it in
these words:--

"Alter (Mercurius) _Valentis_ et Phoronidis filius, is qui sub terris
habetur idem Trophonius."

Here the identification with Trophonius strikes us at once as affording a
clue to THE CAVE into which Venus fled, giving great probability to Valens
as the true solution of Chaucer's meaning.

But if we receive it as such, the following hypothesis becomes necessary,
viz., that Chaucer imagined a _double impersonation_ of Mercury--one
absent, the other present,--one sidereal, the other mythological,--one
Cyllenius, the other Valens.

When Venus first enters Mercury's "palais," she "_ne found ne sey no maner
wight_." This signifies the absence from home of _Cyllenius_, who was
abroad upon "his chirachee" in attendance upon the Sun; and here again is
an instance of the nice astronomical accuracy of Chaucer. It was impossible
that the _planet_ Mercury could be in the sign Gemini, because his greatest
elongation, or apparent distance from the sun, does not exceed 29 degrees;
so that the Sun having but just entered Taurus, Mercury could not be in
Gemini. Neither could Venus see Valens (the other impersonation of
Mercury), because of his concealment in the cave; but when she entered the
cave, then she was welcomed and received by him.

Now, to render the text conformable with this interpretation, some
alteration in the construction is necessary, as indeed it must be in any
attempt to render the passage intelligible.

Taking, away the word "Fro," and transposing "might" to the other side of
"Valanus," the lines would stand thus,--

"---- it happed for to be
That, while the weping Venus made her mone,
(Cyllenius riding in his chirachee)
Venus might Valens in this palais see;
And Venus he salveth and maketh chere
And her receiveth as his frende full dere!"

On the other supposition of "Valanus" being a common name, to which a
capital letter has been prefixed in mistake, then the