The first collection of biographies in Western literature devoted exclusively to women, Famous Womenaffords a fascinating glimpse of a moment in history when medieval attitudes toward women were beginning to give way to more modern views of their potential. Virginia Brown's acclaimed translation, commissioned for The I Tatti Renaissance Library, is the first English edition based on the autograph manuscript of the Latin.

In a pungent new translation by Virginia Brown, [Boccaccio's] famous women hold up very well indeed...The success of Famous Womensuggests that [Renaissance] ladies read their Boccaccio as we are invited to read him: with forbearance for his foibles and delight in the tales he tells with such gusto and skill.

For good or evil, as wife, mother, or whore, these women have the splendor of clarity; their individual destinies are sharply defined.

Whatever his intentions--and it may be that feminism was a long-term outgrowth of the humanism that he pioneered--Boccaccio launched a lasting genre that urged women, as well as men, to reach for glory, and gave them examples to live by.

Virginia Brownis Senior Fellow, <>Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, Toronto.

Introduction

FAMOUS WOMEN

Dedication

Preface

I. Eve, Our First Mother

II. Semiramis, Queen of the Assyrians

III. Opis, Wife of Saturn

IV. Juno, Goddess of Kingdoms

V. Ceres, Goddess of the Harvest and Queen of Sicily

VI. Minerva

VII. Venus, Queen of Cyprus

VIII. Isis, Queen and Goddess of Egypt

IX. Europa, Queen of Crete

X. Libya, Queen of Libya

XI-XII. Marpesia and Lampedo, Queens of the Amazons

XIII. Thisbe, a Babylonian Maiden

XIV. Hypermnestra, Queen of the Argives and Priestess of Juno

XV. Niche, Queen of Thebes

XVI. Hypsipyle, Queen of Lemnos

XVII. Medea, Queen of Colchis Arachne of Colophon

XIX-XX. Orithya and Antiope, Queens of the Amazons

XXI. Erythraea or Herophile, a Sibyl Medusa, Daughter of Phorcus Jole, Daughter of the King of the Aetolians

XXIV. Deianira, Wife of Hercules

XXV. Jocasta, Queen of Thebes

XXVI. Almarhea or Deiphebe, a Sibyl

XXVII. Nicostrata or Carmenta, Daughter of King lonius

XXVIII. Pocris, Wife of Cephalus

XXIX. Argia, Wife of Polynices and Daughter of King Adrastus

XXX. Manto, Daughter of Tiresias

XXXI. The Wives of the Minyans

XXXII Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons

XXXIII. Polyxena, Daughter of King Priam

XXXIV. Hecuba, Queen of the Trojans

XXXV. Cassandra, Daughter of King Priam of Troy

XXXVI. Clyremnesrra, Queen of Mycenae

XXXVII. Helen, Wife of King Menelaus

XXXVIII. Circe, Daughter of the Sun

XXXIX. Camilla, Queen of the Volscians

XL. Penelope, Wife of Ulysses

XLI. Lavinia, Queen of Laurentum

XLII. Dido or Elissa, Queen of Carthage

XLIII. Nicaula, Queen of Ethiopia

XLIV. Pamphile, Daughter of Platea

XLV. Rhea lila, a Vestal Virgin

XLVI. Gaia Cyrilla, Wife of King Tarquinius Priscus

XLVII. Sappho, Girl of Lesbos and Poetess of Collatinus

XLIX. Tamyris, Queen of Scyrhia

L. Leaena, a Prostitute

LI. Athaliah, Queen of Jerusalem

LII. Cloelia, a Roman Maiden

LIII. Hippo, a Greek Woman

LIV. Megullia Dotata

LV. Veturia, a Roman Matron

LVI. Tamaris, Daughter of Micon

LVII. Artemisia, Queen of Caria

LVIII. Virginia, Virgin and Daughter of Virginius

LIX. Irene, Daughter of Cratinus

LX. Leontium

LXI. Oiympias, Queen of Macedonia

LXII. Claudia, a Vestal Virgin

LXIII. Virginia, Wife of Lucius Volunmius

LXIV.