or and I
thought to myself that for particular reasons it must not concern
me but some other that is well known to me; then I saw our
bridegroom and his bride go by in their previous attire, ready and
prepared for copulation, which gave me great joy, for I was in
great distress lest the thing might concern me.

[13]. When, then, as mentioned, our bridegroom in his brilliant
scarlet clothes with his dearest bride, whose white satin coat
shot forth bright rays, came to the proper marriage age, they
joined the two so quickly that I wondered not a little that this
maid, that was supposed to be the mother of the bridegroom, was
still so young that she appeared to be just born.

[14]. Now I do not know what sin these two must have committed
except that although they were brother and sister, they were in
such wise bound by ties of love, that they could not be separated,
and so, as it were, wished to be punished for incest. These two
were, instead of a bride bed and magnificent marriage, condemned
and shut up in an enduring and everlasting prison, which, because
of their high birth and goodly state, and also so that in future
they should not be guilty in secret, but all their conduct should
be known to the guard placed over them and in his sight, was made
quite transparent, bright and clear like a crystal, and round like
a sphere of heaven, and there they were with continual tears and
true contrition to atone and make reparation for their past
misdeeds. [Instead of to a bride bed the two were brought to a
prison, so that their actions could be watched. The prison was
transparent; it was a bright crystal clear chamber, like a sphere
of heaven, corresponding to the high position of the two persons.]
Previously, however, all their rare clothing and finery that they
had put on for ornament was taken away, so that in such a chamber
they must be quite naked and merely dwell with each other. [It is
not directly understood by these words that a cohabitation in
modern sense (coition) is meant. According to modern language the
passage must be rendered, "had to dwell near each other naked and
bare." One is reminded, moreover, of the nuptial customs that are
observed particularly in the marriage of persons of high birth. In
any case and, in spite of my reservation, what occurs is conducive
or