Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 2.Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
History
Lives of Fair and Gallant Ladies. Vol 2.
Brantôme, Pierre de Bourdeille
Erotic literature
So too the fair maiden Camilla, at once beautiful and noble-hearted,
and one which did serve her mistress Diana right faithfully in the
woodlands and forests on her hunting parties, having heard the bruit of
Turnus’ valiance, and how he had to do with another valiant warrior, to
wit Aeneas, which did press him sore, did choose her side. Then did she
seek out her favourite and join him, but with three very honourable and
fair ladies beside for her comrades, the which she had taken for her
close friends and trusty confidantes,—and for tribads too mayhap, and
for mutual naughtiness. And so did she hold these same in honour and
use them on all occasions, as Virgil doth describe in his _Æneid_. And
they were called the one Armia, a virgin and a valiant maid, another
Tullia, and the third Tarpeia, which was skilled to wield the pike and
dart, and that in two divers fashions, be it understood,—all three
being daughters of Italy.[3*]
Thus then did Camilla arrive with her beauteous little band (as they
say “little and good”) for to seek out Turnus, with whom she did
perform sundry excellent feats of arms; and did sally forth so oft
and join battle with the doughty Trojans that she was presently slain,
to the very sore grief of Turnus, who did regard her most highly, as
well for her beauty as for the good succour she brought. In such wise
did these fair and courageous dames seek out brave and valiant heroes,
succouring the same in their ways and encounters.
What else was it did fill the breast of poor Dido with the flame of
so ardent a love, what but the valiance she did feel to be in her
Aeneas,—if we are to credit Virgil? For she had begged him to tell her
of his wars, and the ruin and destruction of Troy, and he had gratified
her wish,—albeit to his own great grief, to renew the memory of such
sorrows, and in his discourse had dwelt by the way on his own valiant
achievements. And Dido having well marked all these and pondered them
in her breast, and presently declaring of her love to her sister Anna,
the chiefest and most pregnant of the words she said to her were these
and no other: “Ah! sister mine, what a guest is this which hath come to
my Court! Oh! the noble way he hath with him, and how his very carriage
doth announce him a brave and most valiant warrior, in deed and in
spirit! I do firmly believe him to be the offspring of some race of
gods; for churlish hearts are ever cowardly of their very nature.” Such
were Dido’s words; and I think she did come to love him so, quite as
much because she was herself brave and generous-hearted, and that her
instinct did push her to love her fellow, as to win help and service
of him in case of need. But the wretch did deceive and desert her in
pitiful wise,—an ill deed he should never have done to so honourable a
lady, which had given him her heart and her love, to him, I say, that
was but a stranger and an outlaw.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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