How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Line). We used the line numbering found on Librarius's online edition.
Quote #1
Thou confort of us wrecches, do me endite
Thy maydens deeth, that wan thurgh hir merite
The eterneel yf, and of the feend victorie.
(32 - 24)
Cecilia's death is the most important thing about her life, because through it, she gains sainthood. In dying but winning eternal life, Cecilia gains victory over the devil by depriving him of her soul. This aligns her with Christ, who also won a victory over the devil, by dying but rising from the dead, winning for himself all Christian souls in the process.
Quote #2
And if that he may feelen, out of drede
That ye me touche, or love in vileynye,
He right anon wol se yow with the dede,
And in youre yowthe thus ye sholden dye.
(155 - 158)
The symbolic weight of this passage is to connect the pleasures of the body (sex) with death. The converse, of course, is that pure, holy love will be rewarded with eternal life.
Quote #3
And whil we seken thilke divinitee,
That is yhid in hevene pryvely,
Algate ybrend in this world shul we be!
(316 - 318)
Tiburtius's argument here is that the brothers will lose their lives on earth just for seeking the divine secrets of heaven, represented here by Pope Urban. The idea that inquiring into things that are "privy," or secret, might lead one to ruin is not a new one; some people viewed it as overly prideful to inquire too much into "goddes pryvetee."
Quote #4
'Men myghten dreden wel and skilfully
This lyf to lese, myn owene deere brother,
If this were lyvynge oonly and noon oother.
But ther is bettre lyf in oother place,
That nevere shal be lost, ne drede thee noght.'
(320 - 324)
Here is what Cecilia's Christianity offers that paganism can't: eternal life. This eternal life is also freedom on earth, for without having to fear a loss of life, Tiburtius is free to follow his own conscience.
Quote #5
[Almachius] seyde, 'Whoso wol nat sacrifise,
Swap of his heed, this is my sentence heer.'
(365 - 366)
Here Almachius exercises the power over men's lives of which he later boasts to Cecilia. In calling it a "sentence," Almachius portrays his decree as something reasonable when, in fact, it is an arbitrary (non-reasonable) whim of his.
Quote #6
But whan they weren to the place broght,
To tellen shortly the conclusioun,
They nolde encense ne sacrifise right noght,
But on hir knees they setten hem adoun
With humble herte and sad devocioun,
And losten bothe hir hevedes in the place.
Hir soules wenten to the kyng of grace.
(393 - 399)
This passage emphasizes Tiburtius and Valerian's humility in death: they meet this death on their knees, with humble hearts. Yet the passage is also quick to reassure the reader that they have not really died: their souls have lived on, and now dwell with God.
Quote #7
For which Almachius dide hym so bete
With whippe of leed, til he the lyf gan lete.
(405 - 406)
The way in which Maximus loses his life is slightly more passive than Tiburtius and Valerian's martyrdom. His life "gan lete," or simply departs his body. The implication may be that Maximus was not intending to be a martyr: his death was simply a side effect of his testimony to the sainthoods of Tiburtius and Valerian.
Quote #8
Han noght oure myghty princes to me yeven
Ye, bothe power and auctoritee
To maken folk to dyen or to lyven?
Why spekestow so proudly thanne to me?
(470 - 474)
Almachius's claim to hold power over life and death certainly suggests that he considers himself god-like. This pride may be his fatal flaw, the thing that prevents him from seeing the truth of Christianity as all other characters have. Too much power does, indeed, corrupt absolutely in this tale.
Quote #9
'Thou seyst, thy princes han thee yeven myght
Bothe for to sleen, and for to quyken a wight.
Thou that ne mayst but oonly lyf bireve,
Thou hast noon oother power, ne no leve!
But thou mayst seyn thy princes han thee maked
Ministre of deeth.' (482 - 487)
Cecilia's point here is that Almachius can only take, not give, life. Later, of course, even this power will be deprived of him when he is unable to bring about Cecilia's death.
Quote #10
The tormentour, but for no maner chaunce
He myghte noght smyte al hir nekke atwo.
And for ther was that tyme an ordinaunce
That no man sholde doon men swich penaunce
The ferthe strook to smyten, softe or soore,
This tormentour ne dorste do namoore.
But half deed, with hir nekke ycorven there,
He lete hir lye, and on his wey is went.
(527 - 534)
This passage's focus on the ordinance that prevents the executioner from taking a fourth stroke is odd. In any case, although the image of Cecilia's halfway decapitated head is a gross one, it's necessary for the passage to emphasize the seriousness of her wound. That way, her survival is all the more miraculous, and obviously a work of God.