Frame narrative in verse · c. 1386–1390

Confessio Amantis

Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins

by John Gower

A lover confesses to Venus's priest Genius, who works through the Seven Deadly Sins with a great gathering of exemplary tales — classical, biblical, and romance — in eight books of octosyllabic couplets.

Contents · 9 parts

• Prologusabout 1100 lines
• Liber Iabout 3460 lines
• Liber IIabout 3550 lines
• Liber IIIabout 2790 lines
• Liber IVabout 3720 lines
• Liber Vabout 7850 lines
• Liber VIabout 2450 lines
• Liber VIIabout 5450 lines
• Liber VIIIabout 3180 lines

Read this work with the Codex →