[De duobus amantibus Euryalo et Lucretia]

And now at this time, now at that, she drank in the sweetness of the lover. She decided to hide it from Eurialus, and she sent a letter dictated in this manner:

"Cease to hope for what you are not allowed to attain, Eurialus. Spare me the letters and the messengers. Do not include me in that flock of those who sell themselves. I am not whom you think, nor should you send a go-between to me. Seek another to incite; my son loves modesty. Deal with others as you like. From me, you will obtain nothing, and know that you are unworthy of me. Farewell."

This letter seemed harsher to Eurialus, and contrary to the go-between's words, yet it showed a path to sending letters to and fro. Eurialus did not doubt whether to believe if Lucretia had offered faith, but he was tormented because he was ignorant of the Italian language. Therefore, with fervent study, he took care to learn it. And because he was doing this out of love, in a short time he became learned and dictated the letters to himself, which before he had borrowed from others, whatever needed to be written in the Etruscan language.

He replied, therefore, to Lucretia that she should not be angry with him because he had sent an infamous woman, since it was hidden from him as a stranger that he could not use another messenger; that he had been an admirer of her love, and that he sought nothing dishonest. He believed she would be chaste and very pure, and for that reason, she was worthy of a greater love. An insolent woman, prodigal of her honor, he did not love, but rather pursued with the greatest hatred, for once modesty is lost, there is nothing in a woman to commend. Form is a delightful good, but fragile and falling, and if modesty is not present, no price is given to beauty. He knew that she was a woman of both virtues, and therefore, he cultivated her, as one who sought nothing from her that was libidinous or harmful to her fame. He wished only to speak, so that his mind, which could not be fully shown in writing, might be opened in words. With these letters, he sent gifts, precious not only in material but also in workmanship.

To this, Lucretia wrote back thus: "I have received your letters. And now I seek nothing more from the go-between. That you love me, I do not think much of, because you are not the first, nor are you the only one whom my beauty has deceived. Others have loved and others love me, but as their labor was, so yours will be empty. I have your words, and I neither can nor want to find myself alone unless these swallows cannot. The houses are high, and the approaches are closed by guards. I accepted your gifts because the workmanship pleased me, but so that nothing of yours remains with me, and so that this does not seem a pledge of love, I return to you the ring that my husband gave to my mother, so that it may be as a price for the sold jewels. For the gem is not of less value than your gift. Farewell."

To these, Eurialus replied here: "It was of great joy to me..."