by Charles Swan
LXXIX. Of the delight of a certain king in little dogs, and of the folly of an ass
LXXX. Story of the hermit who travelled in company with an angel
LXXXI. Of the birth, life, and death of Pope Gregory
LXXXII. Of the stork, the avenger of adultery
LXXXIII. Of a wild boar that injured a fair garden, and was at length slain
LXXXIV. How a certain lady gave a knight a falcon, and afterwards slew it
LXXXV. Of the Emperor Tiberius, the harper, and the whistler
LXXXVI. How a certain adulteress was released from prison with her son
LXXXVII. How a certain knight, having saved an emperor’s life, was recompensed by him
LXXXVIII. How a prince overcame his enemies by cunning
LXXXIX. Of a knight who bequeathed a ring to each of his three sons
XC. How a certain inheritance was divided between two brothers
XCI. Story of the three slothful men
XCII. How, of two serpents found near a king’s castle, the male was killed and not the female
XCIII. How the two sons of a certain lord went abroad to study, and what befel when they returned
XCIV. How a king’s daughter became a leper, but subsequently recovered
XCV. How Constantino assisted the Romans
XCVI. How King Alexander forgave all criminals who confessed their crime before a candle burnt out
XCVII. How the Romans made a statue of Julius Cæsar
XCVIII. A custom of the Romans when besieging a town
XCIX. How a knight assisted a serpent against a toad, and was in turn assisted by it
C. How a woman escaped the penalty of adultery
CI. Story of Ganter, who sought a kingdom
CII. How a necromancer would by magic have done to death a certain noble knight, but was himself slain through the skill of a learned man
CIII. How the Emperor Domitian bought three wise maxims from a merchant, and found great profit therein
CIV. How a knight rendered a service to a lion and was himself benefited in return
CV. Story of the bell of Justice
CVL. Story of three travellers who had one loaf between them
CVII. How a certain subtle clerk of Rome discovered a subterranean palace, and through rashness perished therein
CVIII. How two thieves made good their promises to one another
CIX. How a certain avaricious carpenter lost his treasure
CX. Story of the knight Placidus
CXI. How Argus watched the white cow of a certain nobleman, and was deluded by Mercury
CXII. How the son of the Emperor Gorgonius was at enmity with his stepmother
CXIII. How the Emperor Adonias delighted in tournaments
CXIV. How a certain man fell into a pit, wherein dwelt a dragon, yet nevertheless escaped
CXV. Of a wonderful elephant, and how it was slain
CXVI. How a queen was obliged to treat her stepson with the same care that she bestowed on her own
CXVII. How a knight rescued a young girl from a certain fellow, and of her subsequent ingratitude to her preserver
CXVIII. How a certain knight recovered a sum of money from one that would have defrauded him of it
CXIX. Of the ingratitude of a certain seneschal towards a poor man who had saved his life
CXX. How a youth had three valuable talismans, and having lost them all through the wiles of a woman, at length recovered them
CXXI. How a young knight slew an old one and married his wife
CXXII. How a certain lady enabled her lover to escape before her husband’s face
CXXIII. Of another lady who cleverly deceived her husband
CXXIV. How a certain knight obtained pardon for his offences
CXXV. Story of the sixty black crows
CXXVI. Story of the prudence of the young Papirius, and the inability of women to keep secrets
CXXVII. How a hermit, who saw an apparently innocent man punished, and murmured against the justice of Providence, was rebuked
CXXVIII. Of the fraud committed by a certain Knight, and its discovery and punishment
CXXIX. How a king’s son discovered which of his friends loved him most
CXXX. How a certain king had three knights, of whom one succeeded in an enterprise in which the others had failed
CXXXI. Of a king who gave to all whatsoever they would
CXXXII. How three physicians got rid of a fourth, their rival
CXXXIII. Of the two greyhounds belonging to a king
CXXXIV. How a certain knight, who saved a city in its utmost need, was ungratefully put to death by its inhabitants
CXXXV. Story of Lucretia
CXXXVI. How the credulity of a certain thief led to his ruin
CXXXVII. Story of a Roman emperor who, being banished, made war on his country, but was induced to desist
CXXXVIII. How a son made war against the king, his father, but repented
CXXXIX. How a basilisk, which slew the soldiers of Alexander the Great, was killed
CXL. How the Emperor Heraclius administered justice
CXLI. How a serpent benefited a certain knight, and of the latter’s ingratitude
CXLII. Of a certain king who had a forest filled with all kinds of game, and how a traitor tried to destroy them with nets and dogs
CXLIII. How a king made known unto his brother why he was sad at a feast
CXLIV. How four philosophers explained the evil state of a certain kingdom
CXLV. How Socrates discovered why a certain road could not be passed by any living thing
CXLVI. The answer of Diomedes the pirate to Alexander
CXLVII. How a certain king slew his enemies
CXLVIII. How Amon was saved from death by a dolphin
CXLIX. Why the murderer of Philip committed the crime
CL. How, in a certain land, water was drawn by means of musical instruments
CLI. Of two knights, one avaricious and the other envious
CLII. How Cleonitus cheered his besieged subjects
CLIII. Story of Apollonius, prince of Tyre
CLIV. How the city of Edessa was safe from all enemies
CLV. Story of the phantom knight of Wandlesbury
CLVI. How Ulixes discovered Achilles when hiding from the Greeks
CLVII. Of the shrewdness of a certain porter
CLVIII. How the body of a giant was found in a tomb at Rome
CLIX. How Noah discovered how to make wine
CLX. How an evil spirit appeared in the form of a noble lady
CLXI. How, in a certain part of England, thirsty hunters were given refreshment by a benevolent goblin
CLXII. Of a certain mountain on which was a palace of demons
CLXIII. How a scholar obtained a copy of verses from the devil
CLXIV. How St. Peter saw five men whom he deemed mad
CLXV. Of three men that were fools
CLXVI. Of the game of chess
CLXVII. How an archer was deceived by a nightingale
CLXVIII. Parable concerning a sinner
CLXIX. How a certain lawgiver induced the people to abide by his laws
CLXX. How a gambler played at dice with St. Bernard
CLXXI. Story of the friendship of the knight of Egypt and the knight of Baldac
CLXXII. Story of the knight Guy of Warwick
CLXXIIL. Allegory of the fair
CLXXIV. Of the ingratitude of a serpent towards one who had benefited it
CLXXV. Of the wonderful things to be found in the world
CLXXVI. Of two wonderful things
CLXXYII. Story of Queen Hester, and of Aman and Mardocheus
CLXXVIII. How a certain painter instructed a king
CLXXIX. Of the evils arising from gluttony and drunkenness
CLXXX. How the knight Onulphus saved the life of his master, King Portaticus
CLXXXI. How a lion was avenged on his faithless spouse
GESTA ROMANORUM
.
TALE I.
OF LOVE.
POMPEY* was a wise and powerful king. He had an only daughter, remarkable for her beauty, of whom he was extremely fond. He committed her to the custody of five soldiers; and charged them, under the heaviest penalties, to preserve her from every possible injury. The soldiers were on guard night and day; and before the door of her bed-chamber they suspended a burning lamp, that the approach of an intruder might be the more easily detected. And they kept a dog, whose bark was loud and piercing, to rouse them from sleep. From all these circumstances, it would appear that every precaution had been taken: but, unhappily, the lady panted for the pleasures of the world. As she was one day looking abroad, a certain duke passed by, who regarded her with impure and improper feelings. Observing her beauty, and ascertaining that she was the reputed heir to the throne, he became enamoured, and made her many promises to obtain her consent; which she, hoping much from his words, gave, and straightway slew the dog, put out the lamp, and rising by night, fled with the duke. In the morning, however, inquiries were set on foot. Now, there was at that time in the king’s palace* a champion of remarkable prowess, who ever did battle for justice in that realm. When he understood the contempt which the lady had exhibited towards her parent, he armed himself, and hastened after the fugitives. A battle speedily ensued, in which the champion triumphed, and decapitated the seducer on the spot. The lady he conveyed back to the palace; but being refused admittance to the presence of her father, thenceforward she passed her time in bitterly bewailing her misdeeds. It happened that a wise person in the emperor’s court heard of her repentance. On all occasions when his services were required, he had proved himself an active mediator between majesty and its offenders ; and being now moved with compassion, he reconciled her to her indignant parent, and betrothed her to a powerful nobleman. After this she received many and diverse gifts from her father. In the first place he presented to her a tunic, which extended to the heel, composed of the finest and richest woof, having the following inscription:—“I have forgiven thee, see that thou add not to thy offence.” From the king also she received a golden coronet, bearing the legend, “Thy dignity is from me.” The champion, who had conquered in her behalf, gave a ring, on which was sculptured, “I have loved thee, learn thou to love.” The mediator also bestowed a ring, inscribed as follows, “What have I done? How much? Why?” Another ring was presented by the king’s son; and there was engraved upon it, “Thou art noble, despise not thy nobility.” Her own brother bestowed a similar gift, of which the motto ran thus:—“Approach; fear not—I am thy brother.” Her husband likewise added a golden signet, which confirmed his wife in the inheritance of his goods, and bore this superscription, “Now thou art espoused, sin no more.”
The lady received these various presents, and kept them as long as she lived. She succeeded in regaining the favour of those whose affections her former conduct had alienated, and closed her days in peace.*
APPLICATION.
My beloved, the king is our heavenly Father, who hath drawn away His children from the jaws of the devil by the sufferings of His blessed Son. He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords. Deut. xxxii.: “Is He not thy Father who hath obtained thee by conquest, made, and established thee ?” The only daughter is the rational soul, which is delivered to five soldiers, that is, to the five senses, to guard; being armed by virtues received in baptism. These senses are sight, hearing, &c, which have in charge to preserve it from the devil, the world, and the flesh. The burning lamp is the will, subjected in all things to the control of God, and which in good works should shine out brilliantly, dispersing the gloom of sin. The barking dog is conscience, which has to struggle against error; but, alas! the soul, desirous of gazing upon the objects of this world, looks abroad as often as it acts contrary to the divine command; and then is willingly seduced by a duke—that is, by the infernal ravisher. And thus the lamp of good works is extinguished, and the dog of conscience destroyed: and thus the soul follows the devil in the dark night of sin. These things, when our champion had heard, namely, God—because “there is no other that fights for us, but only Thou, our God”—instantly He combats with that wicked misleader the devil, gains a victory, and leads the soul to the palace of the heavenly King. The wise mediator is Christ ; as the apostle says, 1 Tim. ii.: “There is one mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus.” The son of the king is Christ. So the psalmist witnesses—“Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee.” Christ is also our brother. Gen. xxxvii.: “He is our brother.” And He is our spouse, according to that of Hosea ii.: “I will marry thee in faithfulness.” Again, “Thou shalt be the spouse of my blood.” By Him, we are reconciled to our heavenly Father, and restored to peace. “For He is our peace, who hath made both one.”—Ephes. ii. From Him we received the aforesaid gifts: first, a cloak descending to the ankle—that is, His most precious skin;* and said to be of delicate texture, because it was woven with stripes, blood, bruises, and other various instances of malice. Of which texture, nothing more is meant than this—“I have forgiven thee,” because I have redeemed thee; “see that thou add not to thy offence.” “Go,” said our Lord, “and sin no more.” This is the vest of Joseph —the garment dyed in the blood of a goat.—Gen. xxxvii. That same Christ our King gave to us an all-glorious crown; that is, when He submitted to be crowned for our sakes. And of a truth, “Thy dignity is from me” —even from that crown. John xix.: “Jesus went forth, bearing the crown of thorns.” Christ is our champion, who gave us a ring—that is, the hole in His right hand; and we ourselves may perceive how faithfully it is written—“I have loved thee, learn thou to love.” Rev. i.: “Christ our mediator loved us, and washed us from our sins in His blood.” He gave us another ring, which is the puncture in his left hand, where we see written, “What have I done ? How much ? Why ? “—” What have I done ? “I have despoiled myself, receiving the form of a servant. “How much ? “I have made God man. “Why?” To redeem the lost. Concerning these three—Zachary xiii.: “What are the wounds in the middle of thy hands ? And He answered, saying, I am wounded by these men in their house, who loved me.” Christ is our brother, and son of the eternal King. He gave us a third ring—to wit, the hole in His right foot; and what can be understood by it except, “Thou art noble, despise not thy nobility”? In like manner, Christ is our brother-german. And He gave us a fourth ring, the puncture in his left foot, on which is written, “Approach; fear not—I am thy brother.” Christ is also our spouse; He gave us a signet, with which He confirmed our inheritance : that is, the wound made in His side by the spear, on account of the great love with which He loved us. And what can this signify but “Thou art now joined to me through mercy; sin no more.”
Let us study, my beloved, to keep these gifts uninjured, that we may be able to exclaim, as in St. Matthew, “Lord, thou gavest to me five talents ;” and thus, unquestionably, we shall reign in the bosom of bliss. That we may be thought worthy the Father, Son, &c.
* The fair reader who has not condescended to notice my prolegomena (and I hope the suspicion is not treasonable!) may require to be informed that “GESTA ROMANORUM “supplies a very inadequate idea of the contents of these volumes. The Romans have little to do in the matter, and King Pompey must not be confounded with Pompey the Great, though they are unquestionably meant for the same person. Such blunders are perpetual.
* [Whether the Rex here spoken of is identical with the Imperator or not, it is impossible to discover. The confusion becomes still worse further on.—ED.]
* “The latter part of this story is evidently oriental. The feudal manners, in a book which professes to record the achievements of the Roman people, are remarkable in the introductory circumstances. But of this mixture we shall see many striking instances.”—WARTON.
* Attempts, like the present, to strain everything into an allegory, are very frequent in these “mystical and moral applications.” It for this reason, among others, that I thought it right to abridge them
; for while the reader’s patience was exhausted, his feelings would revolt as well at the absurdity as at the apparent impiety of the allusion.
TALE II.
OF MERCY.
THE Emperor Titus made a law, that whosoever provided not for his parents should be condemned to death. It happened that there were two brethren, descended from the same father. One of them had a son, who discovered his uncle in the greatest indigence; and immediately, in compliance with the law, but in opposition to the will of his father, administered to his wants. Thereupon the father expelled him from his house. Notwithstanding, he still maintained his poor uncle, and supplied him with every requisite. By and by, the uncle became rich and the father indigent. Now, when the son beheld the altered circumstances of his parent, he liberally supported him also, to the great indignation of his uncle, who drove him from his house and said,* “Formerly, when I was poor, thou gavest me support, in opposition to thy father; for which I constituted thee my heir, in the place of a son. But an ungrateful son ought not to obtain an inheritance; and rather than such, we should adopt a stranger. Therefore, since thou hast been ungrateful to thy father in maintaining me contrary to his command, thou shalt never possess my inheritance.” The son thus answered his uncle: “No one can be punished for executing what the law commands and compels. Now, the law of nature obliges children to assist their parents in necessity, and especially to honour them: therefore, I cannot justly be deprived of the inheritance.”
APPLICATION.
My beloved, the two brothers are the Son of God and the world, which both proceed from one heavenly Father. The first, begotten; the second, created. Between them, from the beginning, discord arose, and continues to this day; so that he who is the friend of the one is an enemy to the other. According to St. James iv.: “Whosoever would become the friend of this world shall be accounted an enemy to God.” The only son is every Christian, who is the progeny of Christ, because he is descended from Him by faith. Therefore, we should not feed fat the world with pride, avarice, and other vices, if we would be the children of God. And if our desires are contrary, too surely we shall be excluded from the family of Christ, and lose our heavenly inheritance. If we maintain and cherish Christ by works of love and of piety, the world indeed will abhor us—but better is it to be at enmity with the world than forego an inheritance in heaven.