Stanza 138

Boccaccio:

dicendo: "Ben venga la mia donna". Le donne, che molto avevano, ma invano, pregato Gualtieri che o facesse che la Griselda si stesse in una camera o che egli alcuna delle robe che sue erano state le prestasse, acciò che cosí non andasse davanti a' suoi forestieri, furon messe a tavola e cominciate a servire.

saying with hearty cheer: "Welcome, my lady." So the ladies, who had with much instance, but in vain, besought Gualtieri, either to let Griselda keep in another room, or at any rate to furnish her with one of the robes that had been hers, that she might not present herself in such a sorry guise before the strangers, sate down to table; and the service being begun,


Petrarch:

«Bene venerit domina mea» inquit. Dehinc ceteros dum convivas leta facie et verborum mira suavitate susciperet, et immensam domum multa arte disponeret, ita ut omnes et presertim advene unde ea maiestas morum atque ea prudentia sub tali habitu vehementissime mirarentur,

Bending the knee before her, after the manner of servants, with eyes cast reverently and humbly down, she said, "Welcome, my lady." Then she greeted others of the guests with cheerful face and marvelous sweetness in her words, and she managed the vast household with great skill; so that everyone greatly wondered – especially the newcomers – whence came that dignity of manner and that discretion beneath such a dress.


Chaucer:

With so glad chiere hise gestes she receyveth,
And konnyngly everich in his degree,
That no defaute no man aperceyveth,
But ay they wondren what she myghte bee
That in so povre array was for to see,
And koude swich honour and reverence;
And worthily they preisen hire prudence.


(close this window to return to the Clerk's Tale.)