ABSTRACT
All sensitive people schooled in love, 5 who have been reared and instructed by the noble Graces; who have been subjected to love’s torments; and all you of low degree; every soul of goodwill who is versed in love, every heart of noble grace which is devoted to virtue—come now and hear with me of love’s passion in the fair story which I shall tell. And you, lady Myrtani, who are the queen of the Graces, (N10) a spring flowing with love and esteem, the living embodiment of the Graces, mistress of Aphrodite, join with all the glorious land of the Litavians and your noble kinsfolk down to those of low degree; men, noble women, old, young, let all come and gather round me. Today, my lady, I am going to tell a wonderful tale of love and of the terrible sufferings endured by a man of many trials and woes whom Love persecuted. (N20) From my story of passion’s fury everyone will learn of the bitterness of Love and will marvel at how a man innocent of the world suffered so much from the time he began to feel desire. 6
