the decameron(十日谈)-第222章

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But　it　is　not　so　much　to　bee　admired；　neither　deserveth　halfe　the
commendations；　as　when　one　man　doth　good　to　another；　when　least　it
is　expected；　as　being　out　of　his　power；　and　yet　performed。　In　which
respect；　because　you　have　so　extolled　king　Piero；　as　appearing　not
meanly　meritorious　in　your　judgements；　I　make　no　doubt　but　you　will　be
much　more　pleased；　when　the　actions　of　our　equals　are　duly　considered；
and　shal　paralell　any　of　the　greatest　Kings。　Wherefore　I　purpose　to
tell　you　a　Novel；　concerning　an　honorable　curtesie　of　two　worthy
friends。
　　At　such　time　as　Octavius　Caesar　（not　as　yet　named　Augustus；　but　only
in　the　office　called　Triumveri）　governed　the　Romane　Empire；　there
dwelt　in　Rome　a　Gentleman；　named　Publius　Quintus　Fulvius；　a　man　of
singular　understanding；　who　having　one　son；　called　Titus　Quintus
Fulvius；　of　towardly　yeares　and　apprehension；　sent　him　to　Athens　to
learne　Philosophy；　but　with　letters　of　familiar　commendations；　to　a
Noble　Athenian　Gentleman；　named　Chremes；　being　his　ancient　friend；　of
long　acquaintance。　This　Gentleman　lodged　Titus　in　his　owne　house；　as
companion　to　his　son；　named　Gisippus；　both　of　them　studying
together；　under　the　tutoring　of　a　Philosopher；　called　Aristippus。
These　two　yong　Gentlemen　living　thus　in　one　Citty；　House；　and　Schoole；
it　bred　betweene　them　such　a　brother…hoode　and　amity；　as　they　could
not　be　severed　from　one　another；　but　only　by　the　accident　of　death；
nor　could　either　of　them　enjoy　any　content；　but　when　they　were　both
together　in　company。
　　Being　each　of　them　endued　with　gentle　spirits；　and　having　begun
their　studies　together：　they　arose　（by　degrees）　to　the　glorious　height
of　Philosophy；　to　their　much　admired　fame　and　commendation。　In　this
manner　they　lived；　to　the　no　meane　comfort　of　Chremes；　hardly
distinguishing　the　one　from　the　other　for　his　Son；　and　thus　the
Schollers　continued　the　space　of　three　yeares。　At　the　ending　wherof
（as　it　hapneth　in　al　things　else）　Chremes　died；　whereat　both　the　young
Gentlemen　conceived　such　hearty　griefe；　as　if　he　had　bin　their
common　father；　nor　could　the　kinred　of　Chremes　discerne；　which　of
the　two　had　most　need　of　comfort；　the　losse　touched　them　so　equally。
　　It　chanced　within　some　few　months　after；　that　the　kinred　of　Gisippus
came　to　see　him；　and　（before　Titus）　avised　him　to　marriage；　and　with　a
yong　Gentlewoman　of　singular　beauty；　derived　from　a　most　noble　house
in　Athens；　and　she　named　Sophronia；　aged　about　fifteen　years。　This
mariage　drawing　neere；　Gisippus　on　a　day；　intreated　Titus　to　walk
along　with　him　thither；　because　（as　yet）　he　had　not　seene　her。
Commingto　the　house；　and　she　sitting　in　the　midst　betweene　them；　Titus
making　himselfe　a　considerator　of　beauty；　and　especially　on　his
friends　behalfe；　began　to　observe　her　very　judicially；　and　every
part　of　her　seemed　so　pleasing　in　his　eie；　that　giving　them　al　a
privat　praise；　yet　answerable　to　their　due　deserving；　he　becam　so
enflamed　with　affection　to　her；　as　never　any　lover　could　bee　more
violentlie　surprized；　so　sodainly　doth　beauty　beguile　our　best　senses。
　　After　they　had　sate　an　indifferent　while　with　her；　they　returned
home　to　their　lodging；　where　Titus　being　alone　in　his　chamber；　began
to　bethink　himselfe　on　her；　whose　perfections　had　so　powerfully
pleased　him：　and　the　more　he　entred　into　this　consideration；　the
fiercer　he　felt　his　desires　enflamed；　which　being　unable　to　quench；　by
any　reasonable　perswasions；　after　hee　had　vented　foorth　infinite
sighes；　thus　he　questioned　with　himselfe。
　Most　unhappie　Titus　as　thou　art；　whether　doost　thou　transport　thine
understanding；　love；　and　hope？　Dooest　thou　not　know　as　well　by　the
honourable　favours；　which　thou　hast　received　of　Chremes　and　his　house；
as　also　the　intire　amity　betweene　thee　and　Gisippus　（unto　whom　faire
Sophronia　is　the　afflanced　friend）　that　thou　shouldst　holde　her　in　the
like　reverent　respect；　as　if　shee　were　thy　true　borne　Sister？　Darest
thou　presume　to　fancie　her？　Whether　shall　beguiling　Love　allure
thee；　and　vaine　immaging　hopes　carrie　thee？　Open　the　eyes　of　thy
better　understanding；　and　acknowledge　thy　selfe　to　bee　a　most
miserable　man。　Give　way　to　reason；　bridle　thine　intemperate　appetites；
reforme　all　irregulare　desires；　and　guide　thy　fancy　to　a　place　of
better　direction。　Resist　thy　wanton　and　lascivious　will　in　the
beginning；　and　be　master　of　thy　selfe；　while　thou　hast　opportunity；
for　that　which　thou　aimest　at；　is　neyther　reasonable　nor　honest。　And
if　thou　wert　assured　to　prevaile　upon　this　pursuite；　yet　thou
oughtst　to　avoide　it；　if　thou　hast　any　regard　of　true　friendship；
and　the　duty　therein　justly　required。　What　wilt　thou　do　then　Titus？
Fly　from　this　inordinate　affection；　if　thou　wilt　be　reputed　to　be　a
man　of　sensible　judgement。
　　After　he　had　thus　discoursed　with　himselfe；　remembring　Sophronia；
and　converting　his　former　allegations；　into　a　quite　contrarie　sense；
in　utter　detestation　of　them；　and　guided　by　his　idle　appetite；　thus　he
began　againe。　The　lawes　of　love　are　of　greater　force；　then　any　other
whatsoever；　they　not　only　breake　the　bands　of　friendship；　but　even
those　also　of　more　divine　consequence。　How　many　times　hath　it　bin
noted；　the　father　to　affect　his　own　daughter；　the　brother　his
sister；　and　the　stepmother　her　son　in　law；　matters　far　more　monstrous；
then　to　see　one　friend　love　the　wife　of　another；　a　case　happening
continually？　Moreover；　I　am　yong；　and　youth　is　wholly　subjected　to　the
passions　of　Love：　is　it　reasonable　then；　that　those　should　be　bard
from　me；　which　are　fitting　and　pleasing　to　Love？　Honest　things；　belong
to　men　of　more　years　and　maturity；　then　I　am　troubled　withall；　and　I
can　covet　none；　but　onely　those　wherein　Love　is　directer。　The　beauty
of　Sophronia　is　worthy　of　generall　love；　and　if　I　that　am　a　yongman　do
love　her；　what　man　living　can　justly　reprove　me　for　it？　Shold　not　I
love　her；　because　she　is　affianced　to　Gisippus？　That　is　no　matter　to
me；　I　ought　to　love　her；　because　she　is　a　woman；　and　women　were
created　for　no　other　occasion；　but　to　bee　Loved。　Fortune　had　sinned　in
this　case；　and　not　I；　in　directing　my　frends　affection　to　her；
rather　then　any　other；　and　if　she　ought　to　be　loved；　as　her
perfections　do　challenge；　Gisippus　understanding　that　I　affect　her；
may　be　the　better　contented　that　it　is　I；　rather　then　any　other。
　　With　these；　and　the　like　crosse　entercourses；　he　often　mockt
himselfe；　falling　into　the　contrary；　and　then　to　this　againe；　and　from
the　contrary；　into　another　kind　of　alteration；　wasting　and　consuming
himselfe；　not　only　this　day　and　the　night　following；　but　many　more
afterward；　til　he　lost　both　his　feeding　and　sleepe；　so　that　through
debility　of　body；　he　was　constrained　to　keepe　his　bed。　Gisippus；　who
had　divers　dayes　noted　his　melancholly　disposition；　and　now　his
falling　into　extreamitie　of　sicknesse；　was　very　sorry　to　behold　it：
and　with　all　meanes　and　inventions　he　could　devise　to　use；　hee　both
questioned　the　cause　of　this　straunge　alteration；　and　essayed　everie
way；　how　hee　might　best　comfort　him；　never　ceassing　to　demaunde　a
reason；　why　he　should　become　thus　sad　and　sickely。　But　Titus　after
infinite　importuning　（which　still　he　answered）　with　idle　and　frivolous
excuses；　farre　from　the　truth　indeede；　and　（to　the　no　meane　affliction
of　his　friend）　when　he　was　able　to　use　no　more　contradictions；　at
length；　in　sighes　and　teares；　thus　he　replyed。
　　Gisippus；　were　the　Gods　so　wel　pleased；　I　could　more　gladly　yeild　to
dye；　then　continue　any　longer　in　this　wretched　life；　considering；　that
Fortune　hath　brought　mee　to　such　an　extremity；　as　proofe　is　now　to
be　made　of　my　constancie　and　vertue；　both　which　I　finde　conquered　in
me；　to　my　eternall　confusion　and　shame。　But　my　best　hope　is；　that　I
shal　shortly　be　requited；　as　I　have　in　justice　deserved；　namely　with
death；　which　will　be　a　thousand　times　more　welcome　to　me；　then　a
loathed　life；　with　remembrance　of　my　base　dejection　in　courage；
which　because　I　can　no　longer　conceale　from　thee；　not　without　blushing
shame；　I　am　well　contented　for　to　let　thee　know　it。
　　Then　began　hee　to　recount；　the　whole　occasion　of　this　straunge
conflict　in　him；　what　a　maine　battaile　hee　had　with　his　private
thoughts；　conf