How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Line). We used the line numbering found on Librarius's online edition.
Quote #1
Cecile may eek be seyd, in this manere,
'Wantynge of blyndnesse,' for hir grete light
Of sapience, and for hire thewes cleere.
(99 – 101)
The narrator's explication of Cecilia's name establishes the themes that will be prominent in her tale. Here, the narrator introduces Cecilia as wise ("for hir grete light of sapience"), and makes the connection between vision ("wantynge of blyndnesse") and wisdom, a connection that will reappear in the tale itself.
Quote #2
Right so men goostly, in this mayden free,
Seyen of feith the magnanymytee,
And eek the cleernesse hool of sapience,
And sondry werkes, brighte of excellence.
(109 – 112)
Here the narrator compares Cecilia's spiritual faculties to the "sonne and moone and sterres" that people can see in the heavens (108). This comparison again connects wisdom to light, and through light and 'cleernesse,' to vision.
Quote #3
Valerian, corrected as God wolde,
Anwerde agayn.
(162 – 163)
In portraying Valerian as "corrected," the narrator positions Cecilia as a teacher figure. Just as a teacher corrects a student's papers, Cecilia corrects her husband. At the same time, it implies that this 'correction' originates with God – it occurs "as God wolde."
Quote #4
Valerian is to the place ygon
And right as hym was taught by his lernynge,
He foond this hooly olde Urban anon.
(183 – 185)
This passage calls Valerian's knowledge of Urban's whereabouts part of his "lernynge," implicitly comparing it to his tutorial in the Christian faith. As the pope, Urban is a representative of all of Christianity and its sacraments, which represent access to God's grace. This passage is making the point that through his tutorial from Cecilia, Valerian has learned where to 'find' God's grace.
Quote #5
And with that word anon ther gan appeere
An oold man clad in white clothes cleere,
That hadde a book with lettre of gold in honde,
And gan bifore Valerian to stonde.
(200 – 203)
The truth of Christianity to which Valerian must assent is contained in a book with golden letters. Books were extremely expensive and rare possessions in the medieval period, and gold lettering was a particular luxury. The appearance of a luxurious book here signals the importance of what Valerian is about to read.
Quote #6
'Right as a man hath sapiences thre,
Memorie, engyn, and intellect also,
So, in o beynge of divinitee
Thre persones may ther right wel bee.'
(338 – 341)
The comparison of the three persons in one God of the Trinity to the three powers of the human mind originated with Augustine. In her knowledge of Augustine's argument, Cecilia demonstrates a high level of education. In her comparison of human powers of intellect to godly powers, moreover, she exalts the human powers.
Quote #7
Hey cristned hym, and made hym in that place
Parfit in his lernynge, Goddes knyght.
(352 – 353)
No matter how much "book learning" a person has about Christianity, he's not perfect in the faith until he has received the sacraments and purged himself of sin. This idea is probably the one to which this passage refers in its reference to the perfection of Tiburtius's learning.
Quote #8
Whan Maximus had herd the seintes loore,
He gat hym of the tormentoures leve,
And ladde hem to his house withoute moore.
And with hir prechyng, er that it were eve,
They gonnen fro the tormentrous to reve,
And fro Maxime, and fro his folk echone
The fals feith, to trowe in God allone.
(372 – 378)
This passage illustrate the great significance this tale gives to preaching and teaching. All it takes is for Maximus to hear Tiburtius and Valerian's "loore," or teachings, for him to convert to Christianity. The content of this teaching is less important than the fact of its power.
Quote #9
But they, converted at hir wise loore,
Wepten ful soore, and yaven ful credence
Unto hire word.
(413 – 415)
Again, the power of "loore" to elicit conversion and inspire Christian belief receives great emphasis. This passage also highlights Cecilia's position as a teacher.
Quote #10
'I recche nat what wrong that thou me profre,
For I can suffre it as a philosophre'
But thilke wronges may I nat endure
That thou spekest of oure goddes heere,' quod he.
(489 – 492)
Almachius has missed Cecilia's point: the argumentative or rhetorical wrongs of which she accuses Almachius are related in her mind to his wrong gods. This wrong belief so clouds his mind that he is rhetorically, as well as physically, powerless.
Quote #11
'Thou seydest no word, syn thou spak to me,
That I ne knew therwith thy nycetee,
And that thou were in every maner wise
A lewed officer and a veyn justise.'
(494 – 497)
Cecilia accuses Almachius of being "lewed," or uneducated, and foolish ("nyce"). Cecilia is basically explaining to Almachius the point that he has missed, which is that the argumentative errors of which she accuses him have revealed to her the true state of his intellect – foolish.
Quote #12
Thre dayes lyved she in this torment,
And nevere cessed hem the feith to teche;
That she hadde fostred, hem she gan to preche.
(537 – 539)
Cecilia's decision to preach and teach even in death emphasizes its importance to her. The fact that she preaches to those who are already Christians, moreover, is a lesson about the importance of continual instruction to the Christian soul.