Gesta Romanorum

Charles Swan, Wynnard Hooper, Charles Swan, Wynnard Hooper

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9780486205359
• eBook ISBN: 9780486780672
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Medieval Literary Collections
• Index: Literature

Discover one of the greatest collections of medieval literature with this historic work, which features more than 180 tales of Greeks, Romans, Britons, biblical figures, and others. Drawn from European and Asian sources, the stories abound in fascinating figures from all walks of life, including Pope Gregory, Noah, Socrates, and a host of other characters, from emperors to pirates.
Chaucer, Boccaccio, and Shakespeare are among the writers influenced by these fables, and readers may recognize scenes reminiscent of The Merchant of Venice, King Lear, "The Lawyer’s Tale" from Canterbury Tales, and other works. The origins of Gesta Romanorum are obscure; it is thought to have been compiled in the late thirteenth century, and the author's identity is uncertain. As the name suggests, the stories were written in Latin. Gesta, meaning "deeds," later came to signify "jest" because of these lighthearted tales and their enduring power to amuse and inspire.

NOTES.

NOTE 1. Page 16.

THIS fable is very well told by Gower, but with some variations.

[The letters printed in Italics are to be pronounced as separate syllables; the acute mark denotes the emphasis.]

Ere Rom-e came to the creánce¹

Of Christ-es faith, it fell perchance

Cæsar, which then was emperour,

Him list-e for to do honóur

Untó the temple Apollinis;

And made an image upon this,

The which was cleped² Apolló,

Was none so rich in Rom-e tho.³

Of plate of gold, a beard he had,

The which his breast all over spradde.⁴

Of gold also, withouten fail,

His mantle was of large entayle,⁵

Be-set with perrey⁶ all about.

Forth right he stretched his finger out,

Upon the which he had a ring—

To see it, was a rich-e thing,

A fine carbuncle for the nones,⁷

Most precious of all stones.

And fell that time in Rom-e thus,

There was a clerk, one Lucius,

A courtier, a famous man;

Of every wit⁸ somewhat he can,

Out-take⁹ that him lacketh rule,

His own estate to guide and rule;

How so it stood of his speakíng,

He was not wise in his doing;

But every riot-e at last

Must need-es fall, and may not last.

After the need of his desert,

So fell this clerk-e in povérte,

And wist not how for to rise

Whereof in many a sundry wise

He cast his wit-es here and there,

He looketh nigh, he looketh far.

Fell on a tim-e that he come

Into the temple, and heed nome¹

Where that the god Apollo stood;

He saw the riches, and the good;²

And thought he wold-e by some way,

The treasure pick and steal away.

And thereupon so slily wrought,

That his purpóse about he brought.

And went away unaperceived:

Thus hath the man his god deceived—

His ring, his mantle, and his beard,

As he which nothing was afeard,

All privily with him he bare;

And when the wardens were aware

Of that, their god despoiled was,

They thought it was a wondrous case,

How that a man for any weal,

Durst in so holy plac-e steal,

And nam-e-ly, so great a thing!—

This tale cam-e unto the king,

And was through spoken over-all.

But for to know in special,

What manner man hath done the deed,

They soughten help upon the need,

And maden calculation,

Whereof by demonstration

The man was found-e with the good.

In judgment, and when he stood,

The king hath asked of him thus—

“Say, thou unsely³ Lucius,

Why hast thou done this sacrilege ?”

“My lord, if I the cause allege,”

(Quoth he again,) “me-thinketh this,

That I have done nothíng amiss.

Three points there be, which I have do,

Whereof the first-e point stands so,

That I the ring have ta’en away—

Unto this point this will I say.

When I the god beheld about,

I saw how he his hand stretched out,

And proffered me the ring to yeve;⁴

And I, which wold-e gladly live

Out of povérte thro’ his largéss,

It underfang,⁵ so that I guess;

And therefore, am I nought to wite.¹

And overmore, I will me ’quit,²

Of gold that I the mantle took :

Gold in his kind, as saith the book,

Is heavy both, and cold also ;

And fór that it was heavy so,

Methought it was no garn-e-ment³

Unto the god convenient,

To clothen him the summer tide:⁴

I thought upon that other side,

How gold is cold, and such a cloth

By reason ought-e to be lothe⁵

In winter tim-e for the chiel.

And thus thinking thought-es fele⁶

As I mine eye about-e cast,

His larg-e beard-e then at last

I saw; and thought anon therefore

How that his father him before,

Which stood upon the sam-e place,

Was beardless, with a youngly face.

And in such wise, as ye have heard

I took away the son-nes beard,

For that his father had-e none,

To make him like; and hereupon

I ask for to be excused.”

Lo, thus where sacrilege is used,

A man can feign his consciénce;

And right upon such evidence

In lov-es cause if I shall treat,

There be of such-e small and great,

If they no leisure find-e else,

They will not wend-e for the bells;

Not tho’ they see the priest at mass—

That will they letten over-pass:

If that they find their lov-e there

They stand, and tellen in her ear;

And ask of God none other grace,

Whil-e they be in that holy place.

But ere they go, some advantage

There will they have; and some pillage

Of goodly word, or of behest;

Or else they taken at the least

Out of her hand a ring or glove,

So nigh, the weder⁷ they will hove⁸—

As who saith, “She shall not forget

Now I this token of her have get.”

Thus hallow they the high-e feast,

Such theft-e may no church arrest,⁹

For all is lawful that them liketh,

To whom that els-e it misliketh,

And eké right in the self kind¹

In great cities men may find.

Thus lusty folk, that make them gay,

And wait upon the holy-day,

In churches, and in minsters eke,

They go the women for to seek,

And where that such one goeth about,

Before the fairest of the rout;

Where as they sitten all a row.

There will he most his body show;

His crooked kempt² and thereon set

An ouch-e³ with a chap-e-let,

Or else one of green leaves,

Which late come out-e of the greves.⁴

All for⁵ he should seem fresh:

And thus he looketh on his flesh,

Right as a hawk which hath a sight

Upon the fowl, there he shall light:

And as he were a faëry,

He sheweth him before her eye,

In holy plac-e where they sit,

All for to make their heart-es flytte.⁶

His eye no where will abide,

But look and pry on every side,

On her and her, as him best liketh,

And other while, among he siketh;⁷

Thinketh “One of them that was for me,”

And so there thinketh two or three;

And yet he loveth none at all,

But where as ever his chanc-e fall.

And nath-e-less to say a sooth

The cause why that he so doth,

Is for to steal a heart or two,

Out of the church ere that he go.

And as I said it here above,

All is that sacrilege of love,

For well may be that he stealeth away,

That he never after yield may.⁸

“Tell me for this, my son, anon,

Hast thou done sacrilege, or none,⁹

As I have said in this mannér ?”

“My father, as of this mattér,

I will you tellen readily

What I have done; but tru-e-ly

I may excuse mine intent

That I never yet to church went

In such mannér as ye me shrive,¹

For no woman that is alive.

The cause why I have it laft,²

May be, for³ I unto that craft,

Am nothing able for to steal,

Though there be women not so fele.⁴

But yet will I not say-e this,

When I am where my lady is,

In whom lieth wholly my quarrél,

And she to church or to chapél

Will go to matins or to mess,⁵

That time I wait-e well and guess.

To church I come, and there I stand,

And tho’⁶ I take a book in hand,

My countenance is on the book,

But toward her is all my look;

And if so fallen⁷ that I pray

Unto my God, and somewhat say

Of Pater Noster, or of creed,

All is for that I wold-e speed,

So that my bead in holy church,

There might-e some mirácle wirche,⁸

My lady’s heart-e for to change,

Which ever hath been to me so strange.

So that all my devotión,

And all my contemplatión,

With all mine heart, and my couráge,

I only set on her imáge,

And ever I wait-e upon the tide,

If she loo...

Table of contents

• Outlines of The Tales
• I. A king’s daughter, guarded by five soldiers, elopes with a duke. She is subsequently received back by her father
• II. Of duty towards parents
• III. How that the law punishes not twice for the same offence
• IV. Of the conflicting claims of mercy and justice
• V. How a youth, taken by pirates, was left in prison by his father, but released by his captor’s daughter
• VI. How that inconsiderate oaths do not continue of force for ever
• VII. How a Roman nobleman had two sons, of whom one married a harlot, and was at first rejected but afterwards received by his father
• VIII. Story of a statue with a golden ring, beard, and cloak
• IX. How the son of a certain emperor wished to slay him, but was dissuaded from his purpose
• X. Of the rings of Memory and Oblivion
• XI. Story of the queen’s daughter who was nourished on poison
• XII. Of a wonderful rivulet that flowed through the jaw’s of a putrid dog
• XIII. A queen commits incest, but being penitent is saved
• XIV. Story of a son who left his mother and rescued his father
• XV. The life of St. Alexius
• XVI. An emperor discovers a sarcophagus with certain words engraved on it
• XVII. Story of Guido, who rendered six kinds of service to a certain emperor
• XVIII. How a certain Julian unwittingly killed his parents
• XIX. Of the quarrel between Pompey and Cæsar, and of the passage of the Rubicon
• XX. How the Emperor Conrad unconsciously caused the fulfilment of a prophecy which had filled him with anger
• XXI. How a king of Lacedæmon sent secret intelligence to his countrymen
• XXII. How the Egyptians honoured Isis and Serapis
• XXIII. Of the burning on the funeral pile of an emperor’s body
• XXIV. Of a magician who enticed his enemies into an enchanted garden and destroyed them
• XXV. A lady, whose dominions have been laid waste by a certain king, is defended by a pilgrim, who is slain during the battle
• XXVI. Of a queen’s illegitimate son, who was clothed in garments half poor, half costly
• XXVII. How an emperor left his daughter in charge of a seneschal, who disobeyed the orders given him, and was put to a miserable death
• XXVIII. How, through the cunning of an old woman, a youth obtained the love of a noble married lady
• XXIX. How the skin of a certain unjust judge was nailed on the judgment seat
• XXX. How a certain king treated his generals when victorious
• XXXI. The remarks of certain philosophers on the death of Alexander the Great
• XXXII. Remark of Seneca on poisoned corpses.
• XXXIII. Of a tree on which three successive wives of one man hanged themselves
• XXXIV. Aristotle’s advice to Alexander
• XXXV. How Roman noblemen became reconciled after being at variance
• XXXVI. Discourse of a philosopher before a certain king
• XXXVII. Of the wisdom displayed by an eagle when attacked by the serpent
• XXXVIII. A dove brings news to a beleaguered city
• XXXIX. How discord between two brothers was brought to an end
• XL. How a learned clerk discovered the infidelity of the wife of a certain knight
• XLI. Of the self-sacrifice of an Athenian king
• XLII. A prophecy concerning the fall of Rome
• XLIII. Of a chasm in the midst of Rome, and how it was closed
• XLIV. Of an artificer who made glass as flexible as copper, and of the wickedness of the Emperor Tiberius
• XLV. Of the four reputed sons of a deceased king, and how it was decided which of them was really his
• XLVI. How a certain man gathered more leaves than he could carry
• XLVII. Of a Danish king who saw the three kings of Cologne in a vision
• XLVIII. The story of Phalaris of Agrigentum and Perillus
• XLIX. Of the treachery of the Duchess Rosimila and its reward
• L. Of the Emperor Zelongus, who sacrificed his right eye for his son’s sake
• LI. Tiberius Cæsar’s reason for allowing corrupt governors to retain their offices
• LII. Noble conduct of Quintus Fabius Maximus
• LIII. Of an old woman who prayed for the long life of Dionysius of Syracuse
• LIV. How the Emperor Frederic the Second constructed a gate in Capua
• LV. Allegory concerning Justice, Truth, Mercy, and Peace
• LVI. How a prince caused a certain merchant to cease from envying him
• LVII. Of the speaking statue in Rome, and of the wisdom of Focus the carpenter
• LVIII. How a malefactor, who stated three indisputable truths, was dismissed unpunished
• LIX. The story of the Emperor Jovinian
• LX. Of a king’s daughter who was wonderfully swift of foot
• LXI. How the Emperor Claudius gave his daughter in marriage to a philosopher
• LXII. Of the portrait of the beautiful Florentina
• LXIII. How a certain valiant knight won the daughter of an emperor
• LXIV. How a certain king took a wise and beautiful virgin to wife
• LXV. Of a king who, on a certain occasion, was obliged to let his horse go without food
• LXVI. How a knight recovered her dominions for a certain lady, and was slain before he could be married to her
• LXVII. Of two knights, one wise and one foolish, and of their miserable end
• LXVIII. How the wife of a knight was rebuked by the crowing of two cocks, but not of the third
• LXIX. Of the wonderful whiteness of the shirt of a certain carpenter
• LXX. Of a king’s daughter who would be married only on the fulfilment of three conditions
• LXXI. How a lame and a blind man arrived safely to enjoy a feast given by a certain king
• LXXII. Of a king who handed over his crown to his son, who, proving ungrateful, was afterwards deposed
• XLXIII. How a certain fellow, desiring to cheat others, lost his eyes without getting any advantage
• LXXIV. How a certain king bequeathed a golden apple to the greatest fool that could be found
• LXXV. Of the three daughters of a king who, being widows, would not marry again
• LXXVI. Of the wonderful skill and friendship of two physicians
• LXXVII. Of the two daughters of a king
• LXXVIII. Why a certain king’s daughter would not marry a second time
• 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
• Notes