Now was my loving Nurse I say gone, without speaking any more to me, whose counsels though unadvisedly rejected of me, yet I, remaining all alone, pondered all her words in my carefid breast. And (although my understanding was obscured with misty clouds of senseless love), I found in them nevertheless a sweet and relished taste, which making my heart, touched as it were with repentance, with a wavering and unconstant mind I did consider better of that which (even now I told her) I had resolved to follow. Wherefore beginning now to think and to persuade myself to let this doubtful and dangerous matter pass away, I thought it good to call her back again for my needful comfort: but this good motion was quickly countermanded by a new and sudden accident. Because lying all alone in my secret Chamber, a most fair Lady (not knowing from whence she came) appeared before mine eyes, glittering with such shining light, that compassed her round about, that my dazzled eyes might scarce behold her, who standing thus before me, without either moving or speaking, as much as by the golden light I might illuminate and sharpen my eyes, so far forth did I cast their beams, until at last her beautiful form, and formal feature of her body, was fully arrived to my perfect knowledge. Whom when I did clearly see to be all naked, saving only a thin veil of fine purple silk, which (although it covered some part of her snow-white body) did nevertheless abridge my sight in looking at her no more than if I had beheld some goodly figure or Image enclosed in crystal or clear glass. Her majestic head, the hair whereof did so much exceed gold in brightness as the golden colour of ours passeth the yellowest and softest in fairness, was crowned with a fine Garland of green Myrtles, under the shadow of which, I saw two eyes of incomparable beauty, and passing lovely to behold, did cast forth a marvellous and splendant brightness, and all the rest of her fair face was in like proportion adorned with such divine beauty that her like on earth might not (I think) be found. She spake not a word, glorying perhaps in herself, to see me gaze on her so much, or else to please and delight me, perceiving me so greatly content and desirous to behold her, yet at length, by little and little in the transparent and shining light, more clearly discovering to me the fairest parts of her dainty body, because she knew that with my unable tongue I could not rehearse her exceeding beauties nor (without evident sight of them) imagine any such to live amongst mortal men. Which admirable beauties, when she perceived, that I had severally and earnestly marked, and to marvel no less at the rare perfection of them, as to wonder at her coming thither, with a pleasant and mild countenance, and with an angelical voice, she began to speak thus unto me:
“Young Lady, and of all others most noble, what dost thou intend to do, disturbed by the new counsels of thy old Nurse? Knowest thou not, that these are more intricate and harder to follow than love itself, from which so fondly thou desirest to flee? Dost thou not conceive what great and intolerable sorrow they keep in store for thee, most foolish woman, once and even now ours, and by the babble of the old woman dost now fear to be ours again, like her who is yet ignorant of the quantity of our great delights, and quality of our sweet joys? Unadvised as thou art, uphold and maintain him by our speeches, whom the heavens and earth can scarce contain with his might. What dost thou know how much our winged Son without resistance doth reign, and command, as much as Phoebus, rising with his golden beams out of the rich Ganges, and plunging in the Hesperian waves with his wearied Chariot, to give some rest to his fainting steeds, and to ease his own labours, seeth in a clear day? And how he dilateth his signory over all that which is shut up between cold Arture and the burning Pole, who is not only a God in heaven amongst other Gods, but is so much more mighty than all the rest that there is not anyone there who hath not been sometimes wounded with his inevitable weapons. With golden and coloured feathers, flying swiftly throughout his kingdoms, in a moment of time he doth visit them all, and governing his strong bow upon his stretched string, cunningly directeth his arrows, wrought by us and tempered in our holy waters: and when he findeth out someone more worthy and fit for his service than another, he shoots them speedily wheresoever it pleaseth him. He doth stir up and augment in young men cruel and fiery flames, and in tired and old men doth renew their spent and wasted heat, inflaming the chaste breasts of virgins with an unknown and hidden fire, and kindling lively and lovely coals, as well in wives as in widows. He commanded, when he list, the Gods (scorched with his firebrands) to leave the Heavens above, and with counterfeit shapes, and false habits, to sojourn on the earth. Was not Phoebus, who conquered swelling Python, and first tuned the melodious Citterns of Parnassus, many times his vassal, sometimes for foolish Daphne, sometimes for Climene, and sometimes for Leucothoe, and for many more? Yes, truly. And at the last, hiding his great light under the shape of a poor enamoured Shepherd, kept Admetus his flocks. Jupiter himself, who doth govern the heavens, and controlleth all the Gods, by his compulsion took upon him forms far unbeseeming his omnipotent deity. Sometimes, spreading his wings under the shape of a lily white bird, sounded forth more sweet and pitiful notes than the dying Swans of Meander. And sometimes, transformed into a young and goodly white Bullock, with rude horns on his mighty Godhead, bellowed out, amidst the meadows, fields and plains, his amorous plaints, and deigned not to stoop and prostrate his back to the knees and feet of a silly maid, and so with his enjoyed and sweet prey, with cloven hoofs, instead of cutting oars, his broad and strong breast parting the waves, and making way through the deepest and raging billows, he passed his brothers’ kingdoms, who for Semele in his own form, and who for the love of Calysto, turned himself into the likeness of Diana. And to tell of that which in times past he did, metamorphasised into a shower of gold, for the love of fair Danaë, and transformed into other shapes for many more, it would be too long. And the fierce God of War, whose angry and stern countenance, and whose boisterly behaviour, doth make the very Giants afraid, hath tempered his terrible and mortal effects under his power, and was content to become a Lover. And Jupiter, his blacksmith, who never stirreth from his fiery forge, continually beating and framing thunderbolts, hath been also kindled with his fire, and smitten with his golden bolts, which are more mighty and wound more deep than his, though made of hard iron and sturdy steel. And myself likewise (although I am his mother) could not defend myself from his might, whose streams of mourning tears poured forth for sweet Adonis his untimely and cruel death can sufficiently testify. But wherefore do we trouble ourselves with recital of so many examples? There is no deity in Heaven which hath escaped him, but only Diana. And she, delighting herself in woods and hunting, hath fled (nay as some think) rather hid herself from him. But if perhaps (as incredulous) thou dost not allow of this true and tried examples of the Gods, whose mansion places are in the heavens above, and art desirous to know who hath in earth beneath felt the like, so many there are, that I scarcely know where to begin, promising and giving thee to understand, that they were no base, poor or simple men, but the stoutest and most valiant wights that ever lived. And first of all let us behold the most strong and invincible son of Alcmena, who laying aside his dizzy arrows, and casting of his huge and rough Lion’s skin, delighted very often to pass his loving times away in framing and fitting Emeralds for his martial fingers, and afterwards to prescribe Laws for his rugged and bushy locks, and by one and one to set them in effeminate and fine order.
“And that mighty hand, with the which he had but erst carried his strong and knotty club, killed great Antheus and beat down and drawn from Pluto his Palace gate the hellish triple-headed Dog, did now draw forth small threads, which he span on Iole her distaff. And those shoulders, on which high heaven was imposed (Atlas changing shoulders with him), were first tenderly pressed, and beclipped of Iole: and afterwards (to please her the more) covered with embroidered garments of fine purple and gold. What amorous Paris did for his sake, what fair Helen, what Clytemnestra, and what Egistus did, all the world doth know too well. And therefore as (as needless also) I omit to speak of Achilles, of Scylla, Ariadne, Leander, Dido, and many more.
“Believe me (Lady) th
is is a holy fire, and of great force. Now hast thou (therefore) heard how mighty Gods in heavens, and no mean men in earth have been under the sweet yoke of my princely Son. But what wilt thou say of his force extended in irrational and brute beasts, as well in the air, as in the earth. For him the mournful Turtle Dove doth follow her mate: and our pretty Pigeons, with a marvellous kind of affection, do kiss and bill their loving ones also. And there is not any beast living in the wide earth that can, or doth, at any time escape his gins. The fearful Harts in the Wood, waxing fierce and cruel amongst themselves when he doth wound them with his darts, fighting and braying after their desired and loving Hinds, show bloody signs of this burning heat. The enraged and wild Boars foaming at the mouth with hot and fiery froth, provoked by the instinct and laws of natural love, prepare and whet their tearing tusks, to fight. And the hot Lions of Libia, smitten with love, make all the woody hills and hollow valleys to resound with their roaring outcries. But leaving the woods and champaigns, I say, moreover, that the Gods of the Seas and running Rivers, even in their coldest waters, feel the burning and unquenchable heat of my Son. Nor do I think that it is unknown to thee, what approved testimony Neptunus, Glaucus, Alfeus, and others have given thereof, who were not able to extinguish, no, not so much as to mitigate, these flames with their cold and frozen floods: which although it hath been of everyone long since known in earth, and in the deepest waters, yet penetrating further into the bowels of the earth, it doth violently make open way to the dreadful King of the dark Stygian Lakes. Heaven and earth, therefore, the Sea and Hell have assayed the virtue and force of his arrows. And because thou mayest in few words comprehend everything concerning his mighty strength, I say that all things are subject to nature’s lore, and no power is free from it, and that this itself also is under his laws. For if he doth once command, old hatreds and grudges are forgotten, and new angers and ancient rancours give place to his forcible fires.
“And last of all, his power stretcheth forth so far, that it doth make mothers-in-law become gracious and grateful to their stepchildren, which is no little wonder. What dost thou therefore seek? What dost thou doubt of? What dost thou foolishly fly? If so many divine Gods, so many and so mighty men, and so many fierce and cruel beasts have been conquered of him, wilt thou then think it a shame to be overcome? Alas, thou knowest not what thou hast to do? But it may be, in submitting thyself to him thou dost expect some bitter reprehension, and dost (perhaps) fear some shame to ensue thereof, which can by no means fall unto thee, since a thousand more excellent women than thyself, having committed ten thousand greater faults than this, shall sufficiently excuse thee, and, as great presidents of this thy reasonable lapse (if so it be) exempt thee from reproach: who, as thou art not so mighty as they, hast not erred so much as they have done. But if those motives do not alter thy mind, and yet perhaps will obstinately still resist, think that thou canst not join with Jupiter in virtue, with Juno in riches, with Apollo in wisdom, and with me in beauty. And if all we have been overcome, dost thou only think to triumph in thy sole conquest? Thou art deceived, if thou art of this opinion, and shalt suffer a base foil in thine own proud conceit. Let that suffice thee which heretofore hath been enough, and too much, for heaven and earth, and make not thyself so timorous in saying, ‘I have a husband, and holy laws and promised faith forbiddeth me these things,’ because they are but vain conceits and frivolous objections against his virtue. For like a strong and mighty Prince he doth plant his eternal laws, when, not caring for other of meaner substance, he doth account them but base and servile rules. Pasiphæ likewise had a husband, and Phedra, and I myself, when I loved. Nay, husbands themselves for the most part love other women, when they have wives of their own, as Jason for example, Hercules and wise Ulysses. No injury therefore is offered unto them, if that they are counterchecked with those laws which they themselves use towards other. No prerogative is granted more to them than to women. Wherefore abandon these foolish and unconstant thoughts, and love securely as thou hast begun. Behold if thou wilt not submit thyself to mighty love, of necessity thou must fly away, and whither wilt thou take thy flight but that he will pursue, and overtake thee? His power is alike in every place, and wheresoever thou goest, and how goest, thou art still in his kingdoms, in the which none can hide themselves no longer than it pleaseth him to suffer them. Let this suffice thee (young Lady) that thou art not molested with such abominable and wicked lust as Mirra, Semiramis, Biblis, Canace and Cleopatra were. My Son shall work in thee no strange and new things. He doth rule by laws as well as other Gods, in following which, thou must persuade thyself that thou art not the first, and shalt not be the last. And if peradventure thou dost believe that thou dost at this present love alone, thy belief is but vain, and false. For to let the other world pass in silence, which is full of them, let us only look into thy noble City, in the which thou hast many brave and infinite companions. And note this withal, that what hath been, and is, done of so many wise and judicious persons, may not justly be thought vain and accounted frivolous. Follow us therefore, and with thankful words and grateful deeds requite our deity for thy peerless beauty, and intermit not to remember her, who hath out of the number of simple and ignorant souls chosen and took thee, to make thee know and participate the pleasure of our gifts.” Alas, good Ladies, what should or could I answer, to such persuasive or forcible reasons alleged by so mighty a Goddess, but only this: “Dispose with me as it pleaseth thee best.” I say therefore, that now she held her peace, when I having gathered all her words into the depth of my capacity, and felt them full of infinite excuses, and knowing her also better now (than at the first), resolved with myself to embrace and follow her sweet and pleasing counsels. Wherefore rising quickly out of my bed, and with an humble mind casting my knees on the ground, being full of fear, I began softly to say thus unto her: “O eternal and singular beauty, O heavenly deity, O only Lady and mistress of my resolute mind, whose force the more it is resisted, the more it is felt, pardon my simple and foolish encounter, which I have made against the piercing weapons of thy unknown and puissant Son: and work with me at thy own pleasure. And stooping to thy will, guerdon my faith as thou hast promised at fit time and convenient place, because that others praising thy effects in me, and wishing themselves the like, the number of thy subjects may without end increase.”
I had scarcely spoken these words, when, moving from the place where she stood, she came to me, and with a fervent kind of affection and merry countenance embracing me, she first kissed my forehead, and afterwards, as false Ascanius breathing secret and burning fire into Dido her mouth so she, respiring the like into mine, made my first desires more hot, and my passions more fervent, as after to the ruin of my tormented heart I felt them. And opening a little her purple veil, she showed me between her delicate paps, the lively image of my beloved gentleman, enfolded in a fine garment, whose sweet face seemed to be full of many cares, not much unlike to mine, and said thus: “Behold, young Lady, thy loving and loyal gentleman. And we have not given thee Lista, Gera nor Birria for thy lover, nor one like to any of these. But being most worthy for many brave parts, and a beautiful personage to be beloved of any Goddess, doth love thee (as we have ordained) more than himself, and will continue the same for ever. Wherefore driving all foolish fear away, addict thyself joyfully again to his pure and deserved love. Thy meritorious prayers have with pity penetrated into our ears, and therefore assure thyself that thou shalt without fail according to thy will and works reap no small benefit of them.” And thus without speaking any more she vanished suddenly out of my sight.
Alas, poor wretch that I am, could I otherwise think, trying the sequels of her sugared suggestions, and of my ensuing miseries, but that this counterfeit Goddess was rather cruel Ctesiphone than gentle Venus that thus appeared unto me, who laying aside for a while her ugly and hideous hair, no otherwise than Juno the shining glory of her deity, and taking upon her a divine form, as she did an old and crooked shape, represented her before my eyes, as she
came to Semele, giving me, as she did also her, sweet counsel mixed with revenge and poison of my final overthrow and helpless fall: receiving which into my miserable breast, was the greatest occasion, and only cause, O godly faith, reverend shame, and most holy chastity, to drive and banish you from the same, from that then chaste (I ween) but now unworthy and spotted breast of mine. But pardon, sweet virtues, pardon me, if due penance of a sinner, and sustained punishment of this guile, may impetrate any remission or favour at all. But now after the Goddess was gone from my sight I remained as one resolute to follow her pleasures. And although this furious passion which I passed troubled my wits, and dulled all my senses, one only spark of all that good, and wisdom, which was lost and gone, kindled (I know not for what desert of mine) a prudent counsel, and knowledge of this true rule in my smothered and consumed heart, which was, that love once discovered doth never or very seldom come to a happy and good end. And therefore amongst other profound thoughts (although it was hard for me to do) I intended not to prefer will before reason, in bringing such desires to their wished end. And though I was truly by divers intermediate chances greatly constrained, yet so much favour was granted me, that without overcharging the mark, and stoutly enduring the grief, I passed it well away. And yet in truth the forces which I yet have are of sufficient power to uphold and conserve such counsel. Because (although I write most true things) I have in such order set them down, that except he, who doth know them as well as I, being the occasion of them all, no other, were he of never so sharp a wit and ready conceit, could understand and know that it was I. And even him I pray (if this little book chance ever to come to his hands) that, for that love which sometimes he bare me, he would conceal that, which in manifesting it, would not turn to his honour or profit. And if he have taken that love from me without any demerit of my own part, that at the least he would not dispossess me of that honour which (admit that unjustly I have it) he cannot (though he would) render unto me again. Adhering therefore to this determination, and bridling my eager desires, and too to forward in their own discovery, with a strained and unpatient rein of sufferance, I endeavoured with all diligence (and at my fittest opportunity) by alluring means, and did practise fine and subtle demonstrances to kindle the young gentleman with those coals, with the which myself was inflamed, and to warn him to be as wary and cunning in his proper affairs, as I was wise and circumspect in my actions.
Collected Works of Giovanni Boccaccio Page 363
