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From The Franklin's Tale, lines 659-670:
An example about Phido's daughters who have committed suicide
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From The Canterbury Tales:
The Franklin's Tale
lines 671-686: Other examples about women who prefer suicide rather than being dishonoured


       They of Mecene leete enquere and seke
Of Lacedomye fifty maydens eke,
On whiche they wolden doon hir lecherye;
But was ther noon of al that compaignye
675That she nas slayn, and with a good entente
Chees rather for to dye than assente
To been oppressed of hir maydenhede.
Why sholde I thanne to dye been in drede?
Lo, eek, the tiraunt Aristoclides,
680That loved a mayden heet Stymphalides,
Whan that hir fader slayn was on a nyght,
Unto Dianes temple goth she right,
And hente the ymage in hir handes two;
Fro which ymage wolde she nevere go,
685No wight ne myghte hir handes of it arace,
Til she was slayn right in the selve place.
       They of Messina did require and seek
From Lacedaemon fifty maids to take,
On whom they would have done their lechery;
But there was none of all that company
675Who was not slain, and who with good intent
Preferred not death rather than give consent
To be thus ravished of her maidenhead.
Why should I then hold dying in such dread?
Lo, too, the tyrant Aristoclides,
680Who loved a maiden called Stimphalides.
Whenas her father had been slain by night,
Unto Diana's temple she took flight
And grasped the image in her two hands so
That from this image would she not let go.
685No one could tear her hands from that embrace
Till she was slaughtered in that self-same place.




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From The Franklin's Tale, lines 687-710:
Roman examples about women who prefer suicide rather than being dishonoured
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