[De duobus amantibus Euryalo et Lucretia]

often, he noticed the woman changed at the arrival of Eurialus, just as when Maecenas stood by Octavian. "To whom," he used to say to Eurialus, "are you burning? Know that that woman burns for you. Once, if you are a lover, show yourself." When they had arrived at the house of Lucretia,
hat

Eurialus covered his eyes with his hat. "I will not look," he said, "at what you love; I will enjoy this spectacle." Then Eurialus said, "What is this sign, Caesar? I have nothing to do with her, but this must be done, lest you bring my chastity into suspicion." Eurialus had a bay horse, impressive in all its parts, and an obese body which made the back a spectacle, while it pranced with an animated chest. When the trumpet sounded, it did not know how to stand in place. It moved its ears, and snorting, wanted to exhale fire beneath its ears, as the trumpet became dense, and it sang, tossed on its right shoulder. And it struck the hollow earth with solid hoof, and the hoof sounded. Eurialus became similar to it when he saw Lucretia. Although while she was alone she planned to close the way to love, yet when she saw him, she did not put any measure to her flame, nor to herself. But as a dry field which is burned by a sent fire, so she, flourishing, burned more highly; so the unhappy Lucretia was burning. It is true, as it seems to the wise: chastity inhabits only humble houses. And only poverty keeps a healthy affection, and that which restricts itself to a moderate house does not know the luxury of rich houses.

Chastity always rejoices in difficult things, she seeks the unusual, and libido—the companion of fortune—chooses delicate houses and magnificent gods. Eurialus, however, seeing that he could not approach Lucretia even if he stared often, thought for a long time about to whom he should reveal himself. For he who burns in silence burns more. There was among his men Zorfia, a German, an old man and a faithful friend, to whom, now that his youth had long passed, he trusted his nation more than a man. Caesar was moving through the city with a great crowd of nobles, and was already passing by the house of Lucretia, who, when she knew Eurialus was there, said, "Be present, Zorfia, I want a few things from you. Look back from the window—where in the world is he found? Everyone resembles him. They are all curled, they are erect with prominent shoulders. Look at the hair and the tresses twisted with wet locks.

Oh, what faces they all carry, milk-white necks!
With what countenance do they carry themselves, with what brave chest!
This is another kind of man
than our land produces.
This is the seed of the gods,
or a progeny sent from heaven.
If only fortune had given one of these as a husband to me!
If my eyes were not witnesses,
I would never have believed this, even if you were telling me.
And if fame is to be preferred to all nations,
I believe the Germans are subject to the northern
region, and from the great cold,
they borrow their whiteness.
But you know others, who are very many