Let's face it: in a world where a tweet is too much for some people to process, twenty-odd pages of Middle English can certainly change your plans for the week—or two. Add in the confusion of divine visions, Theseus' renovation plans for the grove, and...wait, where did Saturn come in to this? You might have a rebellion on your hands.

Always begin at the beginning. The language will always be a sticking point for some of your students. The fact is, Middle English isn't all that strange, especially if you're reading it with an eye to understanding where modern words came from—and your edition should provide good enough marginal notes or footnotes to keep true frustration from setting in. Annoyance almost always comes from one source: this takes too much time. Convince your students that the effort is worth the reward. When in doubt, a site like this one from Harvard could be your best friend.