Question

Read these lines from Chaucer's "The Monk's Tale":

Fortune ever fair
Kissed him and with such a lecherous affection
[Holofernes] lost his head before he was aware.
What is the meaning of the figurative language in these lines?
A. Holofernes paid for his affairs and scandals.
B. Death struck Holofernes when he least expected.
C. Holofernes was lucky, but his luck didn't last.
D. The beauty of Holofernes masked his inner sin.

Answer 1

C. Holofernes was lucky, but his luck didn't last.

Answer 2

A: Holofernes paid for his affairs and scandals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The meaning of the figurative language in these lines from Chaucer's "The Monk's Tale" is that Fortune offered Holofernes something by kissing him, and this combined with his lustful affection, under the power of Fortune's justice, brought upon himself the price in retribution for his behavior, which was his sudden death.