University of Virginia Library

13. THE TWELFTH QUESTION,
PROPOSED BY LONGANO

NEXT to Philocopo was placed a courteous young man and gracious to behold, whose name was Longano, who thus began:

Most excellent queen, so trim has been the previous question that in my conceit mine shall bring no delight at all. Yet to the end not to be severed from so noble a company, forth it shall; and thus he followed saying:

It is not many days past that I, abiding all solitary in my chamber, wrapt in a heap of troublesome thoughts sprung from an amorous desire, the which with a fierce battle had assaulted my heart, by chance heard a piteous plaint whereunto (because I judged it by estimation near unto me) intentively I laid my ear, and thereby knew that they were women. By occasion whereof I suddenly rose to see who and where they were; and looking forth at my chamber window, I heard over against the same in one other chamber, two young women, the same being sisters, adorned with an inestimable beauty, there abiding without any other company. Whom as I saw making this sorrowful plaint I withdrew myself into a secret place without being of them espied, and so beheld them a long while. Neither was I able for all that to understand all the words that they through grief uttered in tears, but that the effect of such

plaint (according to that I could comprehend) seemed to me to be for love. Wherefor I through pity and to sweet an occasion offered (being thus close as I was) began to shed my trickling tears.

And after that I had in their grief persevered in the same a good space (forsomuch as I was their very familiar and also their kinsman) I purposed to understand more certain the occasion of their sorrow, and so went to them; who had no sooner espied me but all bashful they withheld them from tears, endeavouring themselves to do me reverence.

To whom I said: "Gentlewomen, trouble not yourselves, neither let this my coming move you to restrain your inward grief, for your tears have been now a good space apparent unto me. It shall be therefor needless to hide you, either yet through bashfulness to hide from me the cause of this your plaint. For I am come hither to understand the same. And be you assured that you shall not receive by me, either in word or deed, any evil requittal, but rather help and comfort in what I may."

The women greatly excused themselves, saying that they sorrowed for nothing. But yet after I had conjured them and they seeing me desirous to understand the same, the elder thus began to say:

"It is the pleasure of the gods that to you our secrets be discovered. You therefor shall understand that we, above all other women, have always resisted the sharp darts of Cupid, who of a long season in casting the same was never yet able to fasten any one of them in our hearts. But now lastly being further inflamed, and having determined to overcome that his childish enterprise, took anew with his young arm of his best and dearest shafts, and with so great force wounded the hearts so sore enfeebled through the sundry blows before received that they made a far greater

wound than if resistance had not been made (unto the other former) had like to have been. And thus for the pleasure of two most noble young gentlemen we are become subjects to his deity, following his pleasure with more perfect faith and fervent will than ever any other women have done.

"Now has fortune and the love of them (as I shall declare unto you) left us both comfortless. First I, before my sister here, was in love, and through my endeavour, believing wisely to end my desire, so wrought as I got the loved young gentleman at my pleasure, whom I found as greatly enamoured of me as I of him. But truly now has not the amorous flame through such effort ceased, neither has the desire lessened, but each one more vehemently increases; and more than ever do I now burn in his fire. And what time seeing how I might best mitigate and assuage the kindled flame thereof, holding it inwardly secret, it after happened that the horned moon was no sooner come to her perfect roundness but that he at unawares committed a fault, for the which was adjudged him perpetual exile from this city. Whereupon he, dreading death, is departed hence without hope ever to return. I, sorrowful woman above all others more now inflamed than ever am without him left both doleful and desperate. By occasion whereof I sorrow me, and that thing that most increases my sorrow is that on every side I see the way hard from being able to follow him. Think therefor now whether I have cause to make plaint or no."

Then said I: "And this other, who sorrows she?"

And she answered: "This my sister likewise (as I) is enamoured of another, and of him again loved above measure. And to the end her desires should not pass the amorous paths without tasting some part of delight, many times she has endeavoured herself to bring them to effect; but

contrary to her device, jealousy has always occupied and broken the way. And because she could never attain thereunto, neither saw how to be able so to do, she thus distressed is through fervent love consumed; as you may well think if ever you were in love. Being we were here then all alone, we began to reason of our misfortunes, and knowing the same far greater than those of other women, we could not withhold from tears, but with weeping sorrowed our luckless lots, as you might well perceive."

To hear this of them it grieved me greatly, so that I encouraged them with such words as seemed me most profitable for their comfort; and so departed from them. Many times after, revolving in mind their griefs and sometimes bethinking me which of the same should be the greater, at one time I agreed to that of the one and at another time I yielded that of the other. And the sundry reasons wherewith, as it seemed me, each one has to lament her, will not suffer me to stay upon any one; whereupon I remain here in doubt. May it therefor please you that by you may be opened this error, in telling me which of these two unfortunate lovers seemed to sustain the greatest grief.

Answered the queen: "Great was the sorrow of either of them, but considering adversity to be most grievous to her that has tasted prosperity, we esteem that she that has lost her love feels the greatest grief, and if of fortune greatliest offended. Fabritius never bewept the chances of fortune; but that Pompey did is a thing very manifest. If sweet things were not tasted the sour should be yet unknown. Medea never knew (according to her own saying) what manner of thing prosperity was while she was in love, but being forsaken of Jason bewailed her adversity. Who will ever lament for that he has not had? Not one but will

rather desire. It is deemed, therefor, that of the two women the one wept for grief, the other for desire."

"It is very hard for me, gracious lady, to think that which you affirm," said the young gentleman, "forsomuch as who that has his desire of any desired thing ought much more to content his mind than who that desires and cannot fulfill his desire. Further, nothing is more light to lose than what hope promises not hereafter to yield. There ought to be unmeasurable grief, whereas the not being able to bring equal wills to effect does hinder. From thence lamentations take place, from these thoughts and troubles do spring, because if the wills were not equal, of force the dsire should want. But whenas lovers see themselves in presence of that they desire and cannot attain thereunto, then do they kindle and sorrow them much more than if that they would have were far from them. And who, I pray you, torments Tantalus in hell but only the apples and the water, for that how much more near they bend and swell unto his mouth, so much the more (afterwards, in seeing the same) they increase his hunger. Truly I believe that who hopes for a thing possible to be had, and cannot attain thereunto through contrary resisting impediments, feels more grief than who that bewails a thing lost and irrecoverable."

Then said the queen: "Your answer would have followed very well where your demand should have been of an old grief, although unto that also might be said thus: to be possible, through forgetting the grief, to shorten the desire in the desired things, whereas continual impediment is seen not to be able to attain them, as in those lost, wherein hope does not shew us that we should ever have them again.

"But we do reason which of them sorrowed most, when you saw them sorrowing. Wherefor following the

propounded case, we will give judgment: that she felt greater grief that had lost her lover without hope to have him again (putting the case that it be an easy matter to lose a thing impossible to have again, nevertheless it was to be said: who loves well forgets never) than to the other, who if we look well might hope to fulfill that hereafter that heretofor she was unable to perform. For a great lessener of grief is hope. It had force to keep chaste and to diminish the sorrows of the lingering life of Penelope."