The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. 2 (of 5)

by Queen Marguerite

"The Tales of the Heptameron, Vol. 2 (of 5)" by Marguerite is a collection of short stories written in French and published posthumously in 1558. Inspired by Boccaccio's Decameron, this frame narrative follows stranded travelers who pass time by sharing tales while awaiting a bridge's completion. The stories explore love, lust, infidelity, and sexual intrigue, blending devotion with earthly desires. Through seventy-two tales of romantic entanglements and revenge, Marguerite crafted a provocative portrait of human passion and deception in Renaissance France.