Now Thisbe, who knew nothing of this, thought as she
sat in fear, “If it so happens that my Pyramus has come
here and cannot find me, he may hold me false and
cruel as well.” And she came out and searched for him
both with her heart and with her eyes, and thought,” I
will tell him about my dread both for the lioness and
for all my behavior.” 861
And at last she came upon her lover, all bloody,
beating on the ground with his heels; and at this she
started back, and her heart began to toss like the waves,
and she grew pale as a boxwood tree. For a short
moment she observed him and then well recognized
that he was Pyramus, her dear heart. 868
Who could write what a deadly expression Thisbe had
now, and how she tore her hair, and how she tormented
herself, and how she lay on the ground and swooned,
and how she wept his wound full of tears; how she
mingled his blood with her lamentation, and did paint
herself with his blood; how she embraced the dead
body, alas! How did this woeful Thisbe act then; how
she kissed his frosty mouth so cold! “Who has done
this! Who has been so ruthless, to slay my beloved! O,
speak, my Pyramus! I am your Thisbe who calls you!
“And at this she lifted up his head. This woeful man, in
whom still remained some life, when he heard the
name of Thisbe cried, cast his heavy, death-like eyes
upon her and down again, and yielded up his spirit. 886
Thisbe arose without noise or outcry, and saw her
wimple, and his scabbard empty, and his sword as well,
which had put him to death. Then she spoke thus: “My
sorrowful hand,” she said, “is strong enough for such a
task in my behalf, for love shall give me strength and
boldness, I believe, to make my wound large enough.
Dead I will follow you, and I will be the cause and
partner also of your death,” she said. “And though
nothing except death alone could truly separate you
from me, you shall now no more part from me than
from death, for I will go with you. And now, you
wretched, jealous fathers of ours, we who were once
your children, we pray you that without more ill-will
we may lie together in one grave, since love has
brought us this pitiful end. And may the righteous God
grant every lover, that truly loves, more prosperity than
ever Pyramus and Thisbe had! And let no woman of
gentle blood be so overconfident as to place herself in
such hazard. Yet God forbid a woman may be only as
true in loving as any man! And for my part I shall
without delay make this plain.” 912
And with these words she seized his sword
immediately, which was warm and hot with her lover’s
blood, and struck herself to the heart. 916