Stanza 109

Boccaccio:

La donna, udendo queste parole, non senza grandissima fatica, oltre alla natura delle femine, ritenne le lagrime e rispose: "Signor mio, io conobbi sempre la mia bassa condizione alla vostra nobilità in alcun modo non convenirsi, e quello che io stata son con voi da Dio e da voi il riconoscea, né mai, come donatolmi, mio il feci o tenni ma sempre l'ebbi come prestatomi;

'Twas not without travail most grievous that the lady, as she heard this announcement, got the better of her woman's nature, and suppressing her tears, made answer: "My lord, I ever knew that my low degree was on no wise congruous with your nobility, and acknowledged that the rank I had with you was of your and God's bestowal, nor did I ever make as if it were mine by gift, or so esteem it, but still accounted it as a loan.


Petrarch:

Contra illa, «Ego» inquit «mi domine, semper scivi inter magnitudinem tuam et humilitatem meam nullam esse proportionem; meque nunquam tuo, non dicam coniugio, sed servitio dignam duxi,

She made answer: "My lord, I have always known that there was no proportion between your greatness and my lowly station. I have never considered myself worthy to be – I will not say, your wife, but your servant;


Chaucer:

And she answerde agayn in pacience,
"My lord," quod she, "I woot and wiste alway
How that bitwixen youre magnificence
And my poverte, no wight kan ne may
Maken comparisoun; it is no nay.
I ne heeld me nevere digne in no manere
To be your wyf, no, ne youre chamberere.


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