How we cite our quotes: (Day.Story.Page)
Quote #10
'But as you know far better than I, when people fall in love they are guided, not by reason, but by their natural inclinations and desires. These I repeatedly opposed with all my strength until, no longer able to resist, I loved you then as I love you now and as I shall love you forever.' (X.8.744)
Lisa's fallen in love with King Peter even though she knows it's an absolutely hopeless scenario, and she gives us a clear statement about how love overwhelms our rational minds. She does exactly the right thing: she tries to resist love, then gives in and becomes deathly ill. The king is impressed with this courtly-love attitude in a common girl like Lisa and rewards her by setting her up with a husband and an estate.
Quote #11
'I know the havoc that the powers of Love can inflict, I know they have led, not one, but countless lovers to an unhappy death; and I can see that they have taken so tight a hold upon you that there is no longer any question of your turning back, or of conquering your tears. If you were to go on like this you would perish, in which event there is no longer any doubt that I should speedily follow you. So even if I had no other cause for loving you, your life is precious to me because my own life depends upon it.' (X.8.751, Filomena's tale of Titus and Gisippus)
If you aren't reading this one carefully, you would think that this is one lover addressing another. In fact, you are looking at one part of a conversation between two best friends. Keep in mind that the concept of friendship at this time has a much wider scope than it does now. These two friends are truly soul mates. If one breaks his heart over something, the other isn't going to last. In Arthurian legend, Prince Galehaut, whose name provides the secondary title for The Decameron, nearly died of grief when he thought Lancelot was dead.