Page:The Book of the Courtier.djvu/308

 THE THIRD BOOK OF THE COURTIER Wherefore perhaps in the future there will not be lacking some to envy our century for this also; since no one reads the wonderful exploits of the ancients, who in his mind does not conceive a somewhat higher opinion of those that are written of than the books themselves seem able to express, however divinely they be written. Even so we desire that all to whose hands this work of ours shall come (if indeed it shall ever be worthy of such favour as to deserve being seen by noble cavaliers and virtuous ladies) may assume and take for certain that the court of Urbino was far more excellent, and adorned by men of singular worth, than we can express in writing; and if we had as great elo- quence as they had merit, we should have no need of other proof to make our words believed by those who saw it not. 2.— Now the company being assembled the next day at the accustomed hour and place, and seated in silence, everyone turned his eyes to messer Federico and to the Magnifico Giuli- ano, waiting to see which of them would begin the discussion. W^herefore my lady Duchess, having been silent awhile, said: " My lord Magnifico, everyone desires to see this lady of yours well adorned; and if you do not display her to us in such fashion that all her beauties may be seen, we shall think that you are jealous of her." The Magnifico replied: " My Lady, if I deemed her beautiful, I should display her all unadorned and in the same fashion wherein Paris chose to view the three goddesses;™ but if these ladies here, who well know how, do not aid me to deck her forth, I fear that not only my lord Caspar and Frisio, but all these other gentlemen, will have just cause to say ill of her. So, while still she stands in some repute for beauty, perhaps it will be better to keep her hidden, and to see what messer Federico has left to say about the Cour- tier, which without doubt is far more beautiful than my Lady can be." " W^hat I had in mind," replied messer Federico, " is not so necessary to the Courtier that it may not be omitted without any harm; nay, it is rather different matter from that which has thus far been discussed." "And what is it, then?" said my lady Duchess. 172