How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #1
This was the commune voys of every man:
"Oure Emperour of Rome, God hym see,
A doghter hath that, syn the world bigan,
To rekene as wel hir goodnesse as beautee,
Nas nevere swich another as is shee." (155-159)
Geez, talk about hyperbole. Custance's beauty and goodness are unparalleled since the world began? No wonder the Sultan falls head over heels.
Quote #2
"In hir is heigh beautee, withoute pride,
Yowthe, withoute grenehede or folye,
To alle hir werkes vertu is hir gyde,
Humblesse hath slayn in hir al tirannye,
She is mirour of alle curteisye,
Hir herte is verray chambre of hoolynesse,
Hir hand ministre of fredam for almesse." (162-168)
Well this is handy. The narrator defines Custance's virtues by contrasting them with their opposites. So beauty, youth, and humility are juxtaposed with pride, foolishness, and tyranny. By describing not only what Custance is but what she is not, this passage makes her appear to be the ideal woman by emphasizing the absence of sin in her as well as the presence of virtue.
Quote #3
She blesseth hir, and with ful pitous voys
Unto the croys of Crist thus seyde she,
"O cleere, o welful auter, hooly croys,
reed of the lambes blood, ful of pitee,
That wesshe the world fro the olde iniquitee,
Me fro the feend and fro his clawes kepe,
That day that I shal drenchen in the depe." (449-455)
Custance demonstrates her great piety here by praying not to be saved from drowning, but from hell. Now those are some faithful priorities. She's not concerned about the preservation of her earthly life, but only her eternal one with God. In the next part of her prayer, she will ask God to give her the strength to amend her life, or live free of sin.