The Romance of the Rose

The narrator sees a beautiful lady, Wealth, and her unnamed lover sitting under an elm tree and approaches them. He asks to travel along the road of Lavish Giving that she guards to the castle, but she refuses, saying she does not know him. She then warns him that anyone who travels on that road will suffer immensely under Unrestrained Generosity, who gives them to Poverty, who in turn lets them die of hunger. The narrator asks to travel on the road a second time, but Wealth calls him stupid and refuses. The narrator leaves and continues to wander the garden.

During his wandering, the narrator speaks kindly to Evil Tongue and maintains his loyalty to Love, who eventually visits him again. Love berates him for considering abandoning him for Reason, and the narrator begs for mercy. Love compliments him on his loyalty but asks the narrator to repeat the commandments of Love, which he does.

Reassured, Love summons his armies to free Fair Welcome from the castle. Love gives a speech to his army, commending them to fight Jealousy well to free Fair Welcome. Love explains that they must assist Guillaume de Lorris (the narrator) but that de Lorris’s story will be completed by Jean Chopinel (the second author).