the perfecting of the proposition, nor rhyme to the completion of the stanzas. Now if I by the grace of heaven have received beauty, a greater favour I consider is mine, in that whatever beauty I may have had it has been in a certain way instrumental in causing that Divine and only one to be found. I thank the gods, because in that time, when I was so tender (verde), that the amorous flames could not be lighted in my breast, by reason of my intractability, such simple and innocent cruelty was used in order to yield more graces to my lovers than otherwise it would have been possible for them to obtain, through any kindness of mine however great.
Lao. As to the souls of those lovers, I assure you that as they are not ungrateful to the sorceress Circe for their blindness, grievous thoughts, and bitter trials, by means of which they have reached so great a good, so they can be no less grateful to thee.[AK]
Giu. So I desire and hope.
[AK] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.—(St. Paul to the Romans.)
Transcriber's Notes:
[Page 15:] The last paragraph had only one double quote. I added the closing quote, but am not certain about it. The line begins: ["If the love of glory is dear to thy breast,]. Unchanged.
[Page 78:] LIC is suspected of being a typo for LIB. No other occurences. Unchanged.
[Page 79:] LAS is suspected to be a typo for LAO, as this name occurs only once. Unchanged.
[Page 109:] The term selfsame occurs only once without a hyphen. Unchanged.