Collected Works of Giovanni Boccaccio

by Giovanni Boccaccio

  Of Europa, Quene of Crete.

  The ixth Chapitre.

  MANY BELEUE THAT Europa was the doughter of a certayne man called Phenysis, but the more parte weene that she was the doughter of Agenor, Kynge of Phenysis, and of so meruelouse beautie that or he were waare, Jupiter was taken in loue with hyr. And so the myghty man, lyinge on wayte to ketche hyr, dyd so muche by a bawde of hys that he made hyr descende downe frome a high hyll, where she was, vnto the bounkes syde of Phenycum, lyke a wanton mayden with hyr flok of beastes that she kept of hyre fathers, and so taken, and shortly putt into a shyppe, the sygne wherof was a whyte bull, was conueyde into Crete. Maydens to stray a broode to wantonly and to gyue lyghte eares to suche as speeke fayre to theym, I do little commende it, as by dyuers that I haue knowne, that it hathe hapnede to, by suche wyldnes to haue runne into greate diffamy and sclaundre, whiche, all thoughe after they vsede theymselffes chastely, yet coulde they neuer clerely put the sclaundre away. Of thys is sprongne the fable that is sayde, that Marcury compellyd hyr to cum to the see banckes, and Jupiter, conuertynge hymself into a bull, to haue taken this Europa. And so, as it foloweth, from thens she wentt into Egypte, but aboute what tyme that she was rauysshede, the auctours differ, in that the moste auncyent say that it was in that seasone that Argis reigned. Sum agayne say, when Ogysius reignede, and sum at the last write that when Pandio was gouernowr ouer the Athenyens.

  But how so euer it was, they agree that by Jupiter she was rauysshede, and after to haue bene maryede to Asterus, Kynge of Crete, and to haue had by hym Mynos, Radamantus and Sapadon, albe it that many say she had those children by Jupiter, affirmynge that Asterus and Jupiter were all oone name. Whiche altercasion, because it touchyth other then me, it sufficyth that the more parte wolde holde that, to doo hyr the more honour, she was Jupiters wyfe and the children were by hym gotten, and for because that she was a womane venerable, to hyr prayse to haue namede the thyrde parte of the worlde after hyr name Europa for euer. Whiche name, with a generall consent of the hoole worlde, for hyr noblenes not onely is admytted, but further, Pictogaras, the illustriouse and famouse philosopher, to hyr honour and remembraunce made an ymage of coper for euermore to endure.

  Of Libia, the Quene of Libia.

  The xth Chapitre.

  LLBIA, AS THE moste auncyent auctours wyll, was the doughter of Epaphus, Kynge of the Egiptyens, which he begate of Cassiopia, his wyfe, and maryede hyr to Neptimo, that is to say, to a myghty man, whose propre name we knowe not, and of hyr he begate Besiride, after that a terrible tyraunte of Egypte. Thys ladys exellent womans actes the longe tyme of yeres hathe putt theym oute of remembraunce. But it semys by this argument specially that they were greate and noble and she of highe auctorite, for asmuche as that greate parte of Affryk is called Libia after hir name vnto this present day.

  Off Marpesia and Lampedon, quenes.

  The xjth Chapitre.

  MARPESIA, OR OTHERWYSE Narthesia, and Lampedo were susters and bothe twayne Quenes of the Amozenes. And for the glory that thei obteyned by their prowes they called theimselffes the doughters of Mars, and because the hystory of theym is sumwhat straynge, we muste sumwhat strayngely reherse it. The country of Scithia in those daies beynge all full of woddes, and so wylde that vnneth any man myght cum to it, stretchynge upon Arthoes vnto the greate Occian, vnto the bosum of Silio and Scolopiam, the men theryn withoute any ordre ledynge theyr lyfe came at the last to the water of Thermedonte, nyghe vnto the confynes of Capadocia, and with spoylynge and robbynge the Tyryens, began ther to inhabyte. Which sayde Tyryens at length by wysdome and pollicy distressyde and kylled all thes wylde people, wose wyfes, beynge wonders discontentyd with all, mouyde to vengeaunce, with a fewe other men that wer lefft a lyue, by power and strength put frome their cowfynes their ennemyes and after that to theyr neybourse abowte theym they made warre. And thynkynge at the last that, if they maryede, they shulde be but bounde, and that, contrary, if they lyuyde at lyberty, they shulde be of power ynough to kepe and defende theimselffes, sodeynly those men that were emonge theym they slewe theym all; and after, with fury runnynge vpon theyr ennemyes, as it were to reuenge the death of their husbondes, so easely vanquysshed theim that they were compellyd by forse to seeke to theym for peax, which peax concludyd, to haue succession they drew to their neybours, and when they conceyuyde with childe, went home to their countrie. And if it chauncyde any of theym to bryng men chyldren, streight thei put theym to deathe, and the doughters diligently they norysshed and taught theym the feates of war, cuttynge a way their ryght pappes, leste to theym it shulde be a lett, when they came to age, to shote and to runne with a spere, and the left breste they spayred to geue sucke to theyr yonge doughters, and thus by this occasion they were called Amozones. Nor in noryshynge of theyr doughters they vsed not that way that we do, for settynge asyde the distafe and the spynnynge wheele, they vsede theym to huntynge, runnynge, chastesynge of horses, shotynge, wrastlynge ande werynge of harnes, tyll that they haue brought theym vnto a mannes strength. By which craft not oonely the Tyryens countrye they vaynquyshed, that sumtyme were the lordes of theyr countrie, but also a greate parte of Europe by armes they gatt to their countrie and also parte of Asya, in suche wise that they were dradde euery where. And for because that their power ther shuldnot lacke a ruler, afore other Marpesia and Lampedo, theyr husbondes slayne, they made theym their quenes, vndre whose gouernaunce, as saide is, they largely encreascyd theyr empyre. Thies too ladyes, in deades of armes exellent, departynge betwyxt theym the prouyncys, defendyd theyr realmes wondersly well and with the rest of theyr subiectes daily put their neighbours by forse of armes vnder theyre obeysaunce, and departynge the spoyle of theyr ennemyes betwyxt theym, thus rulyde and maynteyned their comunewelth. But at the last, when Lampedo had ruwne vppon hyr ennemyes, by a sodeyn inuasion of theym she hade a greate ouer throwe, and Marpesia, leuynge of hyr body begotten certeyn doughters, trustynge to muche of hir strengthe, with a parte of hyr army was distressyde and slayne. What folowede of Lampedo, I do not remembre that I haue redde it.

  Off Thisbe, the uirgyne of Babylone.

  The xijth Chapitre.

  THISBE OF BABYLONE, more by the vnhappy fortune that she had in louynge Piramws then by any other notable deede, is put here emonge the noble and famows women. Nor of this woman we haue noo notable knowlege who, by the auncyent wryters, were hyr parenttes. But it is euydent that Piramus and she were nyghe neybours, and their howses ioynynge, the oone nyghe the other. By which neybourhed hauynge together continuall company, and bothe passynge goodely and fayre, as they grewe in age, so grewe their loue vnto extreme burnynge fyre, and that by sygnes the tone declarede vnto the tother. And so they bothe comen vnto laufull age, when that Thysbe was mariable, hyr father kept hyr styll at home, to th’entent to mary hyr, wherewith aswell Piramws as she were greately displeasede withall, sekynge busely the way how to commun and meete together. At the last they founde a clyft in the walle, whiche noo man afore had founde, at which clyfte they mett together, oft tymes with syghes and teares and lamentationes, in promyttynge peax, embracynge and perpetuall loue, whyles theyr lyues enduryde. And so with suche enflammynges they counseilled to run a way the next nyght and how they myght beguyle theym of their fathers houses, and who that fyrst escapyde, shulde goo to a wodde therby, where was a fayre fountayne, and not farr from thens the graue of Kynge Nynus, and he or she that fyrst came, shulde tary the cummynge of the tother. Thysbe, that percase more ardently louede, was the fyrst that deceiuyde hyr gardiens, and with a clooke cast ouer hyr heade, in the styll of the nyght, all aloone gatt oute of hyr fathers house, and, the moone gyuynge lyght to hyr way, all hastely wentt onwarde and came at the last to the well, tremblyng for euery lyght noyse she herde, and seynge cummynge to the welle a lyones, all affrayde, leuynge behynde hyr hyr vayle and hyr clooke, fledde vnto the wodde. The lyones, when she hadde well fedde, fyndynge ther the clooke and the vayle, with hyr blody mouthe taare it in pecys and after drynkynge of the welle wentt hyr way. Piramws, that had taryd su
mwhat to longe leuynge hys fathers house, in the styll of the nyght came into the wodde, and fyndynge the clooke and the vayle of Thisbe tome and all foullyd with blody spottes here and ther, thywkynge verely that sum wylde beste had deuoured hyr, fyllyde all the place aboute hym with clamowr and crye, accusynge hywself that he was the cause of the deathe of that moste swete, louynge virgyne, and dispysynge for that hys lyue, hauynge his swerde aboute hym, toke the poynte therof and thrust it to hys hert and soo fell downe deade in the place. What more? Thisbe, extemynge the lyones to be goone, and ferynge leste Piramus shulde thynke she shulde tary to longe, by that way she wentt vnto the wodde, she caw agayne to the fountayne, and seynge ther Piramus, not all dede, but pantynge towardes death, for feare it had bene the lyones she drewe backe. But when by the lyght of the moone she perceyuyde it was hyr Piramus, and wenynge to haue enbrasyd hym, sawe the bloode gushe oute frome hys hert and hym at the poynte to dye, fyrst astonyde, and next cryenge oute, she assayde with spekywg, with kyssynge, and with wepynge, to haue callyde hym in vaync to lyf agayne; but when she couldnot haue noo worde on hym, thynkynge, as the trueth was, that he demyde hyr to haue bene deuourede and for that had slayne hymself, with syghes, and with the greatest lamentation that euer creature made, she prayde Piramus at the leste, yf ther were any sparke of lyf in hym, he shuld either speke or looke vpon hyr. A meruellouse thynge, all though he were euyn at the poynte to gyue vpp hys gooste, he lyft vpp hys heuy eyes vppon hys Thisbe! Whiche when Thisbe saw, withoute more delay, with that same self weypon that Piramus hadd slayne hymself, she thrust hyrself to the stomake, and so wher that enuyouse fortune woldnot the tone shulde not enbrase the tother alyue, she coulde not forbed but that the bloode of the tone shulde be mengled with the tother. Who shallnot haue pyte of thies two yonge folkes, or who is he that cannot lamente the hard chaunnce of twayne so true louers? Surely, he hath a stony herte that cannot do it. They louyde, yonge children, and by that dyd not deserue so blody an ende. I willnot say but loue in youthe is an offense, but not verey greate in single persones. Theyr offense myght well haue turnede into matrymony. The vngraciouse lote or chaunce offendyde, or ells percase their sorowfull fathers and mothers. Lytle and lytle the hôte loue of youthe shulde be refraynyde, leste, if we assay with to muche haste to drawe theym frome it, we leede theym by desperatione into perditione. The passione of Cupido is of immoderate power, and to yonge men wellnere a pestilence, and a comune euyll which neades we muste suffre, for nature hathe so wyllyde that in our youthe we shulde be styrrede to it, leste that in age we shulde not be of power to encreasce mankynde.

  Off Ipermystra, Quene of the Argyuys.

  The xiijth Chapitre.

  IPERMYSTRA, ASWELL OF kynne as of dignyte honorabyll, was the doughter of Danaus, Kynge of the Argyuys, and of Lynsey, his wyfe. It is gatheryde oute of the olde, auncyent hystoryes that sumtyme ther were twayne brethren in Egypte. Danaus was the tone, and the tother was namede Egistus. Neither fortune gaue theym not chyldre alyke, all thoughe theyr numbre was lyke, for Danaus had fyfty doughters, and Egistus had as many sonnes. But when Danaus had bene wamede by an orakyll that by the hande of hys neuowe, that is to say, by his brothers chylde, that he shulde be slayne, and pryuely was vexyde in hys mynde therwyth, for asmuche as of so greate a numbre of brethren he knewe not whome he shulde suspecte, it chauncyde that when bothe their children were comen to rype age, that Egistus askede of his brother Danaus that all his sonnes myght be maryede to his doughters. Which saide Danaus, ymagenynge therby to haue murdred theym all, grauntede vnto it, and when the day of maryage came, commaundyde all his doughters, as they wolde his welth and their oune profyte, that when their husbouwdes after the bankett were faste a sleepe, with sharpe knyffes to kyll theym, which, accordynge to their fathers precepte, pryuyly hydynge their knyffes, when they were a sleepe, cruelly murdrede theym all. Onely Ipermestra absteyned frome so detestable a deede. She had so fast and sure sett hyre hert vpon hyr husbonde, whose name was Lynus, after a maydenly facyon to loue hym, and for that hauynge pyte in hyr herte, to hyr greate laude, to do so fowlle a deede, she dyd not as hyr other susters dyd, but persuadede hyr husbonde to flee away to sum sure place to saue hymself. Nowe the cruell father beynge wounders gladd with hys doughters for th’accowplyshment of hys commaundement, onely gentle and pytefull Ipermestra was brawlede and chydden. And because she hadnot doone as hyr susters hade doone, he putt hyr into a foule prysone. O, we moste myserable mortall men, how often do we desyre that whiche is cause of oure perdicyon, ande not lokynge to the ende of that we couett, feare not by all detestable facyones to brynge to passe oure myndes, thynkynge that, as it were, we myghte with euyll doynge cause slypper fortune to stande and abyde with vs! And that whiche is moste scomefull, this breue and shorte lyfe of ours, we not onely goo aboute to prolonge it, but as it were to make itt perpetuall, albe it we see dayly afore oure eyes on all sydes men to goo to deathe. And besydes thys, with how many abhomynable counseills, with howe many vngracyouse workes, do we moue the iudgemente of Gode agaynste vs! Leuynge other a parte, what a myscheuouse deede was thys of Danaus, that soughte the way with the bloode of his neuows to prolonge hys olde, tremblynge yeres and weykyde hymselfe from the helpe and ay de of so goodely and stronge a felysshypp, with hys perpetuait shame and dishonour! The cursyde olde wretche ymagynede a fewe of his crokyde yeres to be put afore the lyfe of so many of hys yonge sonnes, which perauenture myght haue turnede to goode, if he had not murdred theim. But by the bloode of the yonge men to haue prolonged hys lyfe, what dyd it seme other but to shamefull and abhomynable an acte? And to hys more rebuke, he armyde not hys men agaynste theym, but the handes of hys doughters to myschef to brynge in another, to make theyr wyffes to be pollutyde with perpetuall diffamy, whiche, if thei had bene pyteouse, had desmiyde laude for euer. And thus, whiles he studyede to preserue his oune lyfe, he dyd litle remembre how muche boldenes and how an euyll example he left to vngraciouse women, by the examples of hys doughters, to accomplyshe agaynste theyre husboundes. The faythe of maryage, he caused it to be dispysede, and hys children to breeke it. And wher as he shulde lyke a meeke father haue brought emonge theym blessynges, he brought emongste theym blody knyffes. And where hys parte was to exhorte theym to loue the toone the tother, he taughte theym how to kyll and murdre the toone the tother. And that whiche he durste not doo in the day, he causede it to be doone by nyght. And that which he feryde to doo in the feelde, he dyd it in hys chambre, not aduertesynge that as many lyfes as he toke away frome the freshe, yonge gentle men, soo many diffamyes and shames he brought to hym and his for euer. And thoughe he trustyd sure to haue sauyde hymself therby, yet oon was ordeynede of God to deuoure hym, frome whose hande the olde caytyfe couldnot escape, but hys hurtfull and tyrannws bloode shulde be aswell shedde, as he had shedde the bloode of hys innocent neuouse. But to reuerte to thys history. Linus, fledde to the kyngdow of Argyuys emonge the Grecyans, with wisdome and manlihode was ther made kynge.